Barnardo's 'untiring energy'
Posted: 02 Nov 2006 @ 00:00
September 22nd, 1905.
THE DEATH of Dr Barnardo ends a very remarkable career, the career of a man
who, whatever may be said of his earlier methods, at any rate, has laid a vast
number of poor children under a lasting debt of obligation. During his lifetime
more than once we had occasion to criticise him. His passion for rescuing, as
he would call it, children from Romanist influences savoured rather of
bigotry than of philanthropy. It was not until considerable pressure was put
upon him that he consented to provide a chapel and a chaplain for the Church
children whom he took under his care. But when all has been said, it remains
that, up to the last moment of his life, he worked with untiring energy for
poor children, thousands of whom have been snatched from starvation and misery,
industrially trained, and put in the way of earning a decent living at home or
in the Colonies. From a work of such magnitude and success, inspired by a
generous purpose, it is impossible to withhold admiration.