One of the most striking
chapters in Gen. Booth's "Darkest England" dealt with the helplessness
of the poor and the ignorant in the face of difficulties, of injustice,
and of extortion. When I was in Chicago in 1893 I saw that the first
university settlement, that of Hull House, presided over by Miss Jane
Addams (St. Jane some of her friends call her) was the centre to is
which the poor American, German, Italian, or other alien went for
advice as well as practical help. A word in season was often of more
value than dollars. To be told what to do or what not to do at a crisis
when decision is so important may be salvation for the pocket or for
the character.

CHAPTER XII.

PREACHING, FRIENDS, AND WRITING.

My life now became more interesting and varied. A wider field for my
journalistic capabilities was open to me, and I also took part in the
growth of education, both spiritual and secular. The main promoters of
the ambitious literary periodical The Melbourne Review, to which I
became a contributor, were Mr. Henry Gyles Turner (the banker), Mr.
Alexander Sutherland, M.A. (author of "The History of Australia" and
several other books), and A. Patchett Martin (the litterateur). It
lived for nine years, and produced a good deal of creditable writing,
but it never was able to pay its contributors, because it never
attained such a circulation as would attract advertisements. The
reviews and magazines of the present day depend on advertisements. They
cheapen the price so as to gain a circulation, which advertisers cater
for. I think my second article was on the death of Sir Richard Hanson
(one of the original South Australian Literary Society, which met in
London before South Australia existed). At the time of his death he was
Chief Justice. He was the author of two books of Biblical
criticism--"The Jesus of History" and "Paul and the Primitive
Church"--and I undertook to deal with his life and work. About that
time there was one of those periodic outbursts of Imperialism in the
Australian colonies--not popular or general, but among politicians--on
the question of how the colonies could obtain practical recognition in
the Legislature of the United Kingdom. Each of the colonies felt that
Downing street inadequately represented its claims and its aspirations,
and there were several articles in "The Melbourne Review" suggesting
that these colonies should be allowed to send members to the House of
Commons. This, I felt,