"And a little child shall lead them."
* * * * *
The text of this appeal was furnished by the accidental observation of
a waif of not more than four years of age, who was gathered into the
meshes of the law, and then pushed back into a stifling atmosphere of
criminal neglect under ban of the official sentence, "Now get! you
little bastard, and to hell with you!"
* * * * *
This waif disappeared into the slums without leaving any clue to his
identity, and without any certainty of rescue, except by means of a
quickened public conscience that shall organize to mend the existing
defects arising from our careless lack of system in child protection,
so as to rescue _all waifs in need_, in order to include the lost
waif of our story.
* * * * *
The development of the day-nursery and kindergarten methods of child
care and character-building has proven that _ninety-eight per cent.,
at least_, of the formerly-considered "hopelessly submerged ten per
cent. stratum of society" can be saved and added to the mass of good
citizenship by these means, and that the insignificant few, abnormally
weak or perverse, are better subjects for industrial schools before
criminal tendencies develop into habit, than for street schools of
aimlessness and resultant crime.
* * * * *
Hope of success in exciting pity and justice for the victims of
neglect and persecution within our gates is nourished by the evidence
of that strong national sympathy for persecuted and neglected humanity
which caused the sacrifice of war for the relief of our suffering
neighbors in the island of Cuba. The same strength of purpose and
thoroughness of aim--at one-twentieth of the cost, applied to a
profitable investment instead--would free our fair land of the last
vestige of the neglect which now breeds ceaseless crime.
* * * * *
The spirit of reform is awake to the demands of present civilized
ideals. What we are willing to do for the _reconcentrados_ of Cuba,
let us do for our own defenseless ones!
* * * * *
The author dedicates the proceeds of the sale of this book, and
whatever personal effort may seem to be useful, to the home cause,
with the hope that his readers may enjoy the same happiness of
sympathy which has inspired the appeal, and join in a comprehensive
movement, with their mite or in the fullness of the strength they are
blessed with, to close up the present narrow gaps in social quarantine
through which all disease and disorder come, and thereby assist the
noble army of pioneers--the kindergartners and the social settlement
missionaries--to effectively stamp out the germs of epidemic disorder
which are now a shameful reproach to our manhood and a constant menace
to our happiness.
* * * * *
But there is still a brighter hope than that of a quickened humanitarian
conscience. There also is strong evidence of a quickening of _Christian_
conscience, which prompts the putting aside differences of creed and
uniting in efforts to apply the Golden Rule of the Master to _all_
helpless ones in need, in response to the prophecy and command: "Suffer
little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is
the Kingdom of Heaven." "And the Last shall be First."
* * * * *
We have won a battle in the cause of freedom abroad; and, while the
spirit of rescue is still keen, let us turn our burning search-lights
inward and purify our home conditions in a manner worthy of the ideals
we champion.
* * * * *
Among the recorded utterances of Christ there was no more direct
prophecy than, "And a little child shall lead them." That prophecy
will surely be fulfilled. Why not now?
"Within the past twenty-six years nine thousand five hundred and
fifty-six trained boys and girls, the flower of my flock, have
been placed out in situations in the colonies, and have been
continuously looked after and supervised ever since by a company
of devoted and experienced men and women. Results recently
tabulated in reports to and from the government of Canada show
that the failures among these emigrants is less than 2 per cent.
(actually only 1.84 per cent.) of the whole."--_Thomas J.
Barnardo, F.R.C.S., Ed. Founder of the "Doctor Barnardo's Homes,"
London, England._