He informed me that he used to
consume no less than four bottles of whisky a day, and suffered from
delirium tremens several times. In the Shelter--I quote his own
words--'I gave my heart to God, and after that all desire for drink
and wrongdoing' (he had not been immaculate in other ways) 'gradually
left me. From 1892 I had been a drunkard. After my conversion, in less
than three weeks I ceased to have any desire for drink.'
This man became night-watchman in the Shelter, a position which he
held for twelve months. He said: 'I was promoted to be Sergeant; when
I put on my uniform and stripes, I reckoned myself a man again. Then I
was made foreman of the works at Greendyke Street. Then I was sent to
pioneer our work in Paisley, and when that was nicely started, I was
sent on to Greenock, where I am now trying to work up a (Salvation
Army) business.'
Here, for a reason to be explained presently, I will quote a very
similar case which I saw at the Army Colony at Hadleigh, in Essex.
This man, also a Scotsman (no Englishman, I think, could have survived
such experiences), is a person of fine and imposing appearance, great
bodily strength, and good address.
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