I do not think he had ever seen me before, and I was certainly in complete ignorance of him.
"General Booth, I believe ?" he said.
"Yes, sir," I answered.
"I have been reading the critique in _The Times_ of your Darkest England Scheme," he said, "and, believing your plan to be right and good, I want to be the first to express my sympathy and practical assistance in carrying it out, and I wish to give you the first L1,000 towards the sum asked for." This gentleman proved himself a firm friend of the Scheme, actively co-operating with us so far as he had opportunity.
A short time afterwards our friend was present at the opening of our first London Ex-Prisoners' Home.

When I had finished speaking he expressed a wish to say a few words.

I invited him forward for that purpose.

He came, hurried and excited, began to speak, staggered, reeled, fell into my arms and immediately expired.

It may be truly said that he died calling down blessings on the Darkest England Scheme.
After meeting this gentleman on the stairs, I had scarcely sat down at my desk, with his cheque in my hand, before a telegram was handed me, from one of the most influential newspaper proprietors in the city, expressing a similar hope, and promising a similar amount for its realisation.
But along with these cheering expressions of approbation there came the invariable murmuring objections.