The million-peopled city
Garwood, John
1853
First Efforts for the Religious Welfare of Cabmen as a Body, as made by the London City Mission.
In the for , the following appeal was made to the Christian public on behalf of this neglected class of men. So far as the author is aware, it was the very first appeal ever made for their religious instruction. | |
" Cabmen are universally known in the metropolis. We come into frequent, if not daily, contact with them. They greatly contribute to the convenience of the public, and it is most reasonable that their privations, as to the attainment of religious knowledge and privileges, should be kindly con- | |
182 | sidered, and remedied to the utmost of our power. The driving of a cab . . . is often a last resort when other employment fails; and, on many grounds, not a few who are thus engaged would abandon such an employment for ever, could they obtain a situation in which they would not be exposed to such scenes of profanity and wickedness as they are frequently obliged to witness. Among the cabmen . . . there are many who are upright, &c., . . but speaking of them generally, they are . . . exceedingly profane among themselves, &c... Ladies, when unprotected by a gentleman, are often annoyed, . . and their timidity is practised upon and taken advantage of. . . But our object is, not to describe the cabmen of London, but to call attention to them as a very large, but neglected body of persons. Day and night they are to be found on the various stands in the metropolis, and exposed to every variety of weather, with but short intervals for sleep and domestic comfort. Their home is chiefly in the streets. The Sabbath is to them not a day of rest, and not many persons care for their souls. A few Christians have spoken to them kindly, and have given them tracts; and missionaries of the have not failed to interest themselves in this class of our popula- tion, and especially so where they have cab-stands either on their districts or contiguous to them. But no systematic effort has yet been made to give them good counsel, or to awaken their attention to the claims of their own souls and to the claims of God. They are acquainted with the outside of churches and chapels generally, for they get many fares on the Sunday either to or from places of worship. But they very seldom, if ever, are found observing the Sabbath and worshipping God. What can be done for them ? It is pro- posed, that two missionaries should be appointed, whose services should be entirely devoted to cab and omnibus men. This would be a beginning, though totally inadequate to the necessities of the case." |