So striking was the success attending his effort that, before many months had passed by, magistrates in the city of Melbourne were actually giving delinquents the option of being sent to prison or to our Prison-Gate Home, and the Government placed the former Detective Police Building at our disposal, at a nominal rental.
Not only does the genuine Christian spirit carry the soul out in sympathy with misery, but it often leads it to prefer certain particular classes of sufferers or wrongdoers, on whom to lavish its self-sacrificing love, and restlessly spend itself in efforts for their benefit.

In the case of one Salvationist, it will be the dying; in another the daughters of sin and shame; in another the homeless; in another the children, and in yet another the drunkards.
With Colonel Barker, as with other comrades under our Flag to-day, it was the criminals.
This spirit thrives and becomes more effective by what it feeds upon.

It must, therefore, be wise to favour its preferences, so far as it is possible to do so without losing sight of the well-being of the whole.
We did this with Colonel Barker, and we are acting on the same principle with others to-day.
Then came our first Women's Rescue Home in Melbourne, to help us in the establishment of which the Colonial Government gave L1,000.
It was upon foundations of this character that our Social Operations in New Zealand, France, South Africa, and several other countries were subsequently built up.
For years past our Officers, men and women, both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, had carried on what may be spoken of as an unorganised form of Slum Work; but it fell to the hands of my glorified daughter, the Consul, to institute, in London, what was then and for some time afterwards known as "the Cellar, Gutter, and Garret Brigade"-- the forerunner of scores of Slum Posts, which are now such a recognised feature of our operations all over the world.
Our first Men's Shelter was opened in Limehouse, London, during the winter of 1887-8, and was soon followed by the opening of similar Institutions in other countries, far-off and near at hand.
From our earliest days drunkenness had been one of the many foes of God and man against which we had specially taken our stand, and thousands of its slaves had been rescued from its grip, and become valiant Soldiers in our ranks.

Our first Inebriates' Home, conducted in the interest of women, was not, however, opened until 1887.

This was in Toronto, Canada.
The Social Work in the United States had its birth in 1885, in an effort made on behalf of prisoners at Hartford, Connecticut.
Similar efforts followed in other cities, and Rescue and Industrial Homes, Shelters, and Farm Colonies followed on in due course.
All these enterprises and many others, to which I have not time now to refer, were prior to the publication of "In Darkest England and the Way Out," and had, no doubt, a powerful influence in inspiring that volume.
Since then one branch or other of Social Work has been commenced in every country in which our Flag is flying.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction produced by these and kindred efforts in my own mind, and in the minds of those immediately associated with me, and although the results were truly remarkable, and the possibilities seemed to be still more wonderful, the beginnings of these Social enterprises attracted comparatively little notice.
The New Movement--for thus I may describe it--which, with half an eye, thoughtful men might have seen to be pregnant with blessings for the whole world, was almost unnoticed by either the Authorities or the Press; while our supplies of men and money for its conduct and extension were very limited.
Suddenly, however, the scene was changed, and, all at once, everybody was asking, "What is The Salvation Army ?" "Who is General Booth ?" and "What is this Social Scheme ?" This change was largely brought about by the publication of "In Darkest England and the Way Out," together with the notices of the Scheme in the Press which it brought about.
Judged by the effect produced, the book was certainly a remarkable one.