Dr. Barnardo, the father of "nobody's children" : a sketch / [W.T. Stead].

  • William Thomas Stead
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Barnardo, the father of "nobody's children" : a sketch / [W.T. Stead]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    resigned myself to the inevitable. I could only feel, though I dare not say it aloud then, ‘ O Lord, how wonderful are Thy ways ” ; and certainly this feeling was increased to utter bewilderment when iny visitor slowly took a third note for £1,000 from her bag and placed it where the other two already were, in my hands ! Declining to give her name or to accept a receipt, but assuring me that she was familiar with every detail of our work, and had visited it and inspected it, and prayed for it, my visitor, who was deeply moved while bestowing her generous help upon our work, turned quickly from me and was gone ere ever I was aware. In the outer office I found two well-known servants of the Lord waiting to see me. My readers may conjecture that it was not long before we found our way to a private room, and there we three bent before our loving Father and acknow¬ ledged with adoring wonder and praise the goodness and mercy that had so marvellously supplied our wants when the extremity seemed greatest. What more shall I say, except that when that burden was taken away and my heart made light, there was added the natural but holy resolve, never dare I doubt His goodness again ! Alas ! how soon and how often one has to learn over and over again lessons of faith and hope and trust which have repeatedly been taught by our covenant-keeping God! Still more remarkable as a case of coincidence or test was the founding of the Ilford Girls’ Homes. Dr. Barnardo, like other zealous people, is continually projecting more than he can execute. As a rule he does not attempt to carry out his schemes till he sees his way clear. But on this occasion he was so impressed with a sense of the need for the Girls’ Homes that be wrote a letter to the Christian announcing his desire and intention to build cottages at Ilford for neglected girls. No sooner had his letter appeared than he was filled with misgiving, not to say remorse. Had he walked in advance of God’s guidance, or had he not ? A friend met him, and hearing of his trouble proposed to put the matter to a crucial time test. Dr. Barnardo was at that time going down to Oxford, so the two of them agreed to pray that, if it was God’s will that he should go ahead. He should give them a clear sign like Gideon’s fieece before he returned to town. If no sign were given the Girls’ Homes would be abandoned. They prayed, and agreed to abide by the result. The very morning after they arrived at Oxford a total stranger put his head into the room. “ You are Dr. Barnardo ? ” “Yes.” “ You are proposing to found some Homes for neglected girls ? ” “ Yes,” said Dr. Barnardo. “ Put me down for the first cottage,” said the stranger, and departed. Dr. Barnardo hurried after him, and after praise and prayer he learnt his story. He had lost a daughter, and had resolved on reading the letter in the Christian to build a Girls’ Home as a means of com¬ memorating his child. He had said nothing about it to any one, intending to communicate with Dr. Barnardo on his return to London. By an unexpected chance (?) he found Dr. Barnardo’s name among the new arrivals at the hotel in Oxford, and first thing next morn- THE IRONING ROOM OE THE LAUNDRY IN THE GIRLS’ VILLAGE HOME, ILFORD.