Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/279

Rh meets once a fortnight, but very urgent cases—such as that of a child absolutely without shelter or in grave moral danger—are taken into the homes forthwith. Naturally, in this matter of selection, certain principles have to be adopted. The cases that commend themselves to the committee as deserving of serious consideration are those of total orphans, children who have lost one parent, illegitimate children, cases of cruelty, children in immoral surroundings, deserted children, crippled children, and pauper children. With regard to the illegitimates, the greatest possible discrimination is required. On the one hand, it is right in certain cases to help a young woman to redeem her character by taking charge of her child (thus giving her an opportunity of entering domestic service) on condition that she makes a payment out of her wages for the child s support. On the other hand, some would not deal with cases of illegitimate children at all, preferring to allow the sins of the parents to be visited on the children by relegating the latter to the workhouse. But by the adoption of such a principle the mother would have to enter the workhouse as well, and would be seriously hindered in securing an opportunity for amendment. It may be added that a case of this nature is not accepted unless there is reasonable prospect of amendment on the part of the mother. The obvious danger of offering a premium to sin, by making it easy for parents to get rid of their