Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/277

Rh recalled the happy days spent in the home, he goes on—‘There's something in my throat keeps rising, and it is all I can do to keep it down…. Think of me as one of the boys who has endeavoured to improve himself in every way, not forgetting to spend the Sundays as I was wont to do under your care.’ Of course, many of these young men work themselves into comfortable positions in life, and being sober and provident, marry, and settle down respected members of the community. In the case of the girls, some have come to us from the workhouse, undergone training, left to enter respectable situations, and are now respectably married. Not a few of our boys have entered the army or navy, and several have been wounded whilst fighting for their country. Yes; comparisons between past and present condition in the case of our young people invariably form pleasing contrast.”

“And increased support is needed to cope with the demand made upon the Society?”

“That is so,” was Mr Rudolf's response. At the present time the Society is responsible for the maintenance and upbringing of over 3000 children from the age of three months to sixteen years. At the time when the last return was made, there were in the Society's homes 971 boys and 1151 girls; in other Church homes and institutions, payments being made by the committee for the support of the children, there were 52 boys and 152 girls; while boarded out with communicants of the