Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/265

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THE REV. E. DE M. RUDOLF
225

superintendent's old scholars. The idea was to provide the Church with some machinery similar to that established by Dr Barnardo for dealing with outcast and destitute children of both sexes and of all ages. A committee of churchmen met in the house of Mr Mark Beaufoy, afterwards M. P. for Lambeth, and it was resolved, in the first instance, to obtain the sanction of the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr Tait). The Rev H. B. Coward, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Knightsbridge; Mr Robert de M. Rudolf, of the War Office, Pall Mall, and Mr E. de M. Rudolf, are the only members of the original committee attached to the existing executive. The Archbishop, with commendable prudence, consulted both the President of the Poor Law Board and the Secretary of the Home Department as to the possible usefulness of a scheme like that suggested if carried out; and, after waiting for a period of nine months, a letter was received from the present Bishop of Winchester (Dr Randall Davidson), who was then acting as Dr Tait's chaplain, conveying the pleasing intelligence that the Archbishop had been assured by both the high authorities whom he had consulted that such a work would be a most useful adjunct to that being done by the Poor Law Board and the State for destitute and neglected children.

Obviously the work of the Society constitutes a very necessary phase of the Church's work. Moreover, it is capable of great extension. There are