Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/146

 1TEUQION 126 Has been good training on both sides, and we are angels to what we were.' The club leader, indeed, is ' trained ' quite as much as the members, and it has yet to be proved that the most effective work has been done, not among the members, but the leaders and helpers. In the Girls' Clubs the members can obtain recreation after their long day's work, as well as spiritual help. In addition, lectures are given to them on hygiene and other useful subjects." THE GUILD OF THE BRAVE POOR THINGS The Guild of the Brave Poor Things, which is now well known throughout the country, was formed by Sister Grace after reading " The Story of a Short Life," by Mrs. Ewing. All the members are in some way crippled, but all try to live up to the motto of the Guild, " Lostus sorie mea" {" Happy in my lot"). The West London Mission has done much good work in the cause of temperance. We are told that " every Sister, whatever her department, is equally con- cerned with this problem " ; that " while allowing for those differ- ences of tem- perament and method which are so d i s - tinctive of the efforts of the Sisters, there is complete unan- imity in their conclusions that to face the drink question from the purely negative stand- point is worse than useless. If the drink traffic is to be controlled by the State and the number of public-houses to be reduced, the State and the Temperance party and the churches between them must supply something else in their place. Such a conviction has characterised the efforts of the Sisters from the beginning, and has led to the concerts and happy evenings and goose clubs which in old days puzzled the pious. In every neighbourhood they have fought the traffic by providing attractions in its place." In addition, the Mission organises Mothers' Meetings, Sewing Meetings, Coal Clubs, Penny Banks, etc., and undertakes much district visiting. The district extends from Soho to Seymour Street and Charlton Street in the Euston Road. One of the Mission nurses said : " We Mission nurses are specially privileged, because we have the whole Sisterhood behind us. Thus we not only nurse people, b,ut find them work a^ain after they have The recovered, through the other Sisters and their departments. We have often been enabled to set a whole family on its feet again, and to help its members in every possible way, morally and physically. A daughter whose health imperatively demands a holiday has been enabled to obtain it, and a son who has never been in the habit of attending a place of worship will go to one of our halls. When the father of a family dies we look after the widow and get the children into suitable homes." This is done by the relief work of the Sisterhood, which is conducted on very sound principles. A Pension Fund was started by the late Sister Edith. It is said by one who knew her that " perhaps no one ever loved and understood the deserving poor as she, or was wiser in aiding them in times of mis- fortune." No work by women for women is more needed than rescue work, and here the Sisters of the People are up and doing. Their experience is that they very rarely meet any English girls who have deliberately chosen to live the lives from whic h the Sisters desire to rescue them, and that most would gladly escape if they could. In Win- chester House they find a way of escape. About fifty girls pass through this home each year, the large major- ity of whom, as a result of their time there, are leading happy, useful lives. The Mission provides a Home for the Dying, St. Luke's House, which contains at present thirty-four beds and a child's cot. The number of applications far exceed the number of avail- able beds. It is intended chiefly for the poor of London, although cases from the country are admitted under special circun>- stances. The existence of this 'home is not only an inestimable boon to the sufferers themselves, but it also enables those whose energies were absorbed in nursing them to continue their wage-earning occupations. Those who wish to see what the Mission is doing for men should go to the Lyceum Theatre on any Sunday evening at 7 o'clock, and see that great building filled with a congregation of between 3,000 and 4,000. Mrs. Price Hughes is indefatigable in carrying on her husband's work. She will be glad to give further information to any- one applying to her by letter at Lincoln House, Greek Street, Soho- IN THE CRECHE West London Mission provides for children whose mothers have to go out to work. Fourpence a day is charged for each child