And recently, The General was promised, in the course of interviews with authorities, a considerable extension in the United Kingdom of the liberty to deal with prisoners, which we have long enjoyed in America and Canada.  The long night, when prisoners were treated only as troublesome animals against whom society needed protection, seems to be passing, and with the new, earnest resolve to try and fit them for a better life, which, without God’s help, can never be done, we are looking forward to greatly improved opportunities.  In India, as has already been noted, many persons belonging to the criminal tribes are already under our care, and, wherever we have the opportunity to prove what the power of God can do in such hearts, there can be no doubt of the ultimate result.

Upon the question of temperance, there is happily a widespread awakening amongst the nations.  So convinced are all Governments and peoples that drinking and crime are closely connected, that much has already been done, with good effect, to lessen the sale of intoxicants in many lands, and more is being promised.  Anxious as we are to see the drink-traffic abolished everywhere, it has never appeared to us to be desirable to join in agitations of a political kind on the subject.  And the wisdom of this attitude has been shown, on both sides of the Atlantic, by the manner in which this question has been used to embitter party strife.  But it was a puzzle at first to know by which course to steer.  When a Licensing Bill was before the English House of Commons, The General wrote:—­

“The Licensing Bill has given me much anxiety, mainly because I see so imperfectly what we ought to do.  However, we shall do what seems the best to be done—­with what success has to be seen.  I am heartily sick of politics and parties, and that, mainly, because they seem to me so insincere.

     “What an unsatisfactory thing is life, apart from the real work we
     do for God and the Salvation of souls!  I want more faith, more
     conquering faith.  I must have it.

“I have got work to-day to do that cannot be done without Divine wisdom.  I have asked for it.  I am asking for it while I write, and, surely, it will be given; and yet it seems as though the Spirit whispers in my ear, ’You will not believe you have it when it is imparted.’  But I will.  Anyhow, I will make a desperate effort to believe that the Spirit of the living God guides my judgment, however I may feel, or whatever the outcome may be.  Pray for me.  I cling to life and the work I love so well.”

Remarkably enough, the German police, who, more than any other, suspected and watched and restricted us at first, have become the first convinced of the value of our operations, and those in the city of Cologne have been the very first heartily to arrange for our co-operation with them by placing at our disposal a convenient hand-waggon for the transport of helpless drunkards, and by arranging for their officials to call us upon the telephone, whenever such help is needed, instead of taking the poor drunkards to the cells.