CONFERENCE AT YORK. 5 unsuccessful at home, we and they believe that the opposition which has commenced in England will obtain its utmost success here, and that a force of public opinion and true sentiment is being slowly generated which will cross all lands and seas, and in its progress sweep away everywhere the monstrous organization of vice against which we lift our voices to day." These words found an echo in the breasts of all present, and from that conference all departed feeling that a new era was dawning upon the whole movement which could only lead to the final triumph of the cause of justice and morality, far beyond the limits of this country. It is not intended here to record the progress of the movement in our own country, except so far as it is connected with the larger and more general movement. The Conference at York is cited as marking the first step in that vast expansion of the movement which has called forth a protest against legalized vice in many other countries, resulting in an organized international opposition to that modern slave system. The meeting at York did not break up without having passed a formal resolution, not embracing any large scheme, but merely accepting with approbation Mrs. Butler's proposition to open correspondence with opponents of the Regulation system abroad, and requesting the Ladies' National Association, who had already many foreign correspondents, to commence operations with a view to stimulate public opinion in continental countries. This work of opening correspondence, in accordance with the resolution above mentioned, was, in its beginning, an apparently feeble, as it was indeed a laborious undertaking, carried on somewhat in the vague and in the dark. Mrs. Butler, having obtained a list of addresses of philanthropic workers in various countries of Europe, set herself to post a brief appeal to every address contained in it, in the hope of drawing forth some expression of sympathy. Thus, so to speak, drawing a bow at a venture, an arrow flung into this numerous host produced a result. On the 20th of August, 1874, a letter in reply to this formal appeal was received from M. Aimé Humbert, of Neuchâtel, in which he said, "I accept your communication as providential, and recall to mind the vows and resolutions. I made many years ago as to the formation of an international league against the scourge of legalized vice. In my opinion it is with much tact, I should even say with a true divination of the mysterious depths of the question, that the English association has decided to stretch forth its hand to those persons on the continent who sympathize with its labours. England alone can take the initiative, but remaining alone, she would not have arrived at a successful issue. Now that she is about to give the signal, her appeal will be heard and understood." A constant correspondence was henceforth maintained with M. Humbert, whose first act was to supply Mrs. Butler with a list of persons in many countries of Europe to whose sympathies she might hopefully make an appeal. A few weeks later a letter was received from Mr. Joseph Hornung, professor of jurisprudence, &c., at the University of Geneva, who, it appears, had followed for several years attentively the course of the agitation in England. It was a pleasant surprise to learn from this communication that this liberal and learned man had already pleaded the cause before the "Society of Public Utility" of Geneva in 1873, in an able address in which he set forth the opposition to legalized vice in England as an example to be followed in Switzerland. From the considerations raised by these letters. and by other events, the idea gradually formed itself in the mind of Mrs. Butler and others that it would be desirable for her to undertake a personal mission to the continent. She anxiously endeavoured to obtain the companionship in this mission of Christine Alsop, a well known member of the Society of Friends, who being THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 7 of French extraction, and also experienced in missions on the Continent, would have been in every way the most effective aid in such an undertaking. Her great age, however, made it impossible for her to undertake so arduous a journey; but she was able to render valuable assistance by giving introductions, and by suggestions as to work in France. The Society of Friends had recently formed an association of members of their own body for combating the State regulation of vice. It was characteristic of that Society, whose principles lead them to promote peace and united action for good ends among all nations of the Earth, that they should have realized more readily and fully than any other class of persons the advantages of the abolitionist cause, and the duty, in fact, of its promoters of undertaking some such propaganda. The idea of a personal mission was warmly taken up by the Friends' Association, who generously offered a grant of money towards the necessary expenses. The officers of that Association signed for Mrs. Butler on her departure, a letter of introduction, to be used on the Continent, from which the following is an extract: "We desire to express our deep interest in the work which this lady has undertaken, and to recommend her and her mission to all whom these lines may reach. While hoping that we shall soon see the end of this iniquitous system in our own country, we desire that neighbouring countries, and, above all, that France—that country to which our Society feels itself so strongly bound by ties which have acquired added strength in the years just gone by-should also be delivered from this scourge, which corrupts the morality of nations, and which is undoubtedly increased by the enormous standing armies of Europe. "To God, also, do we commend Josephine Butler and her mission, May she be guided by Him from day to day, and may He open the hearts and consciences of those among whom she is about to work, in such a manner that they will be drawn by the power of the Holy Spirit to take part in this holy cause. Signed on behalf of the Friends' Association for "EDWARD BACKHOUSE, President. JOSEPH EDMONDSON. ROBERT ALSOP. CHRISTINE Alsop. J. G. BARCLAY. GEORGE GILLETT." Dr. Duff, of Edinburgh, also gave Mrs. Butler a very impressive letter of recommendation to all the members of the Free Church of Scotland on the Continent, to be used as occasion might offer.* A few days before Mrs. Butler's departure for the Continent, a meeting of women to wish her God speed was convoked in Birmingham, chiefly promoted by members of the Society of Friends. The following is a letter from one who was present on that occasion. "To the Rev. G. BUTLER, "DEAR SIR, "York, Nov. 13th, 1875. Hearing that our honoured friend, Mrs. Butler, has yielded to the wish of many, to publish parts of her deeply interesting letters from the Continent, I desire that you may be reminded of the meeting which took place immediately before her departure, and to which all then present, and she herself, largely attributed the remarkable success which was permitted to attend her labours, believe * Valuable introductions were also given by Rev. Morley Punshon, Mr. Henry Richard, M.P., Mr. Edmund Beales, and others. REUNION FOR PRAYER. 9 ing it to have been the direct answer to earnest prayer offered up there and from many other friends elsewhere who were with us in spirit that evening. The meeting was called for the express purpose of united prayer to God on Mrs. Butler's behalf, that He would guide and protect her on every hand, and prosper the work upon which she was about to enter. The service of the evening commenced with the reading of the 91st Psalm: 'He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God; in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers; and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flyeth by day. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday........He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways,.......Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet," &c. "Wonderfully appropriate and comforting to the hearts of all present were the rich promises of this beautiful portion of God's word. Knowing well that their beloved friend could adopt as her own the words of the 2nd verse, 'I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Him will I trust;' knowing that in His name and strength she had given herself up to this call of duty, in full confidence her friends accepted these promises on her behalf, feeling assured that divine power alone could sustain and carry her through the momentous and arduous undertaking. They felt indeed that His truth would be her shield and buckler, that He would enable her to tread upon the lion and the adder (of opposition and malice), that He would suffer no evil to befall her, nor any plague |