The one great charitable
institution of our times, founded upon a logical basis, carried out with
a devotion and a self-sacrifice beyond all praise, he finds pernicious
and pauperizing, because, forsooth, the drunkard and criminals are
welcome to avail themselves of it, because it seeks to help those who
save for such help must remain brutes themselves and a brutalizing
influence to others."
There was a moment's deep silence. To those who were watching the
speaker closely, and amongst them Brooks, was evident some sign of
internal agitation. Yet when he spoke again his manner was, if
possible, more self-restrained than ever. He continued in a low clear
tone, without any further gesture and emotion.
"My lords, I heard a remark not intended for my ears, upon my rising,
indicative of surprise that I should have anything to say upon such a
subject as this. Lest my convictions and opinions should seem to you
to be those of an outsider, let me tell you this. You are listening to
one who for twelve years lived the life of this unhappy people, dwelt
amongst them as a police-court missionary--one who was driven even into
some measure of insanity by the horrors he saw and tasted, and who
recovered only by an ignominious flight into a far-off country.
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