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work He dwelt upon the nature of The Salvation Army's work, the officers who were exerting themselves in connection with it, the number of countries to which the organisation had spread. The Salvation Army in its work and extent had credentials which could not be denied. Were they to stand coldly, finically aside because they were too refined and nice, and full of culture to touch this work of The Salvation Army with the point of the finger ? He took it that he should fail grievously in his duty if insult or self-interest caused him to hold aloof from any movement which Christ, if He had been on earth, would have approved.
Then Dr. Farrar quoted the late Bishop Lightfoot and the late Canon Liddon in favor of The Salvation Army as an organisation which had accomplished a deal of good work.
Next he asked, " How shall we receive General Booth's scheme now that it is here to our hands ? " With some people the simplest way of treating any scheme for good was to leave ife alone. To those who took that position with reference to General Booth's scheme he had nothing whatever to say. There was no need for saying anything either to the other class of people who would talk about a scheme, aad having, talked about it drop the matter and think no more about it.
Another way in which General Booth's scheme might be received waa that of examining it, and if convinced against it of rejecting it. That, at all events, was a perfectly manly course ; a clear and decided method of reception which there can be no mistaking. To those included in thia class, those who would regard the scheme as migratory or pernicious, there was nothing to be said. But what about those who did not mean to help in this or any other scheme, those who lefb others the burden of the work, the opportunists who would want to step in when the breach had been made? Here, no donbfe, there would be such a class, but the last way of receiving General Booth's scheme, and the way in which as he trusted it would be received, was to support it by their influence, and to give to it of their means. Ifc was au immense and far-reaching scheme, which, might bring help and hope to thousands of the lielplesb and hopeless, made helpless and hopeless by the terrible conditions of society, but for every one of whom Christ died.
To begin the scheme in earnest would require a sum of £100,000, but he asked, " What was that to the wealth of England—to the wealth of London ?" It was a mere drop in fche ocoan compared to what Was every year spent on drink and wasted in extravagance. There were a hundred men in England who might immortalise themselves by giving this surn, and yet not have a luxury the less. He left the response to General Booth's appeal with the public, but would it not, he asked, be a desperate shame for England it any scheme giving so hopeful a promise of social amelioration should fail without a trial, and like a broken promise, be lost in air ?
But to this observation somebody might reply in the form of a queried objection, "The scheme might fail." Yes, it might fail; anything might fail. But if to die amid disloyalty and hatred meant failure, then St. Paul failed. If to die in the storm meant failure, then Luther and Wesley and Whitfield failed; if to die at the stake ly the flames meant failure, did not martyrs fail; Finally, if to die on the crosss with the priests and the soldiers spitting out hatred, meant failure, then Jesus Christ failed. Yes, the scheme might i'ail; but was all thia failure ? Where there none among them bold enough to look beyond the possibility of failure ? Could they not somehow get round the word ? Pear and jealousy and suspicion anci