Ragged school

Terms and points cap apply.

A PLEA FOR RAGGED SCHOOLS by the Rev.

Thomas Guthrie.

Can hope look forward to a manhood raised on such foundations? Hope is none for him, the pale recluse indignantly exclaimed, and tens of thousands suffer wrongs as deep.

push it aside and let it float down stream said the captain of a steamboat on a small western river as we came upon a huge log lying crosswise in the channel near to a large town at which we were about to stop the headway of the boat had already been checked and with a trifling effort the position of the log was changed and it moved onward towards the mississippi On it went, perhaps to annoy others, as it had annoyed us, to lodge here and there, until it becomes so water-soaken that the heavier end will sink into a sand-bar, and the lighter project upward, thus forming a sawyer or a snag.

It would have taken a little more effort to cast it high upon the land, but no one on board appeared to think of doing that, or anything else, save getting rid of it as easily as possible, for it had not yet become a formidable evil.

by and by if a steamboat should be going down river and strike against it causing a loss of thousands of dollars if not life hundreds will ask the old question if something cannot be done to remedy such evils without stopping to inquire whether they can be prevented now this is the way in which some of us work who profess to have a better knowledge than that which belongs to the world we forget that old proverb that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure that that is the truest wisdom which advises the overcoming of the beginning of evil it may cost us less seeming labor to push aside the boy who stands at the corner of the street on the sabbath with an oath on his lips than to put forth a little extra effort to get him into a sabbath school but he is not yet a formidable evil to society and so is left afloat down with the current of vice to continue his growth in sin and to reach his manhood steeped in habits of evil and fixed in a position that may work the ruin of more than one soul yes it is very easy to push aside the poor boy in the street with a harsh and unfeeling refusal saying to your neighbor these are the pests of the city call them if you choose the rubbish of society only let us say that there are jewels among the rubbish which would richly repay the expense of searching and that bedded in their dark and dismal abodes precious stones lie there which only wait to be dug out and polished to shine first on earth and hereafter and forever in our redeemer's crown dr chalmers has eloquently expounded and often practically exemplified the principle that when convinced ourselves we ought to begin at once nor delay action till all are ready to move and in drawing these remarks to a close we have to mention that acting on this principle an interim committee of gentlemen have secured premises and taken steps for the speedy opening of a ragged school in this city we cast ourselves with perfect faith on god and the support of a humane and christian public we hope to see the matter taken up on a large and general plan worthy of its merits and worthy of the metropolis of scotland in the meantime we are content to be mere pioneers in this movement and for such a noble experiment we trust to be provided with funds amply sufficient for the expenses we incur the names of the committee will be found in the appendix and we would fain hope that the perusal of this plea may lead to immediate aid which may be sent to any of these gentlemen for such assistance we can promise a richer return than our thanks even the blessing of those that are ready to perish in closing this appeal we have only further to add that we are all but confident of public support we have brought forth revelations of the state of the poor which we believe will be new to many if any of these read this appeal their ignorance cannot henceforth excuse their apathy such schools in smaller or greater numbers are needed in many towns we hope to see christians of all denominations and politicians of all parties throughout the country as well as in edinburgh putting forth cordial and combined efforts to establish and extend these destitute schools a name we would recommend for them in the place of ragged schools though for the sake of the perishing we may regret the defects and inadequacy of this appeal we will never regret that it has been made it were better far in such a cause to fail than to stand idly by and see the castaway perish if the drowning man sinks before we reach him it is at least some consolation to reflect that we did our best to save him though we bore home but the dead body of her boy we should earn a mother's gratitude we should have a mother's blessing We had tried to save him, and from that blessed one who made himself poor that he might make us rich, who was full of compassion, kind, and patient to the bad, and who has set us an example that we should follow in his steps, we shall earn at least this approving sentence.

They have done what they could.