Pennefather had long desired to do something in this direction, and
their desire took this practical form. In its beginning it had to battle
with all the "definite and indefinite objections" that could be advanced
against any attempt at organizing woman's work. But those days of latent
suspicion or more open antagonism are long past. The institution has
justified its right to be by doing a work that otherwise would have
remained undone.

In 1864 Mr. Pennefather was called to St. Jude's, Mildmay Park, and the
philanthropic and religious undertakings which he had begun were
transferred to his new home. He took with him the "iron room" that had
been erected for the conferences at Barnet, and continued to use it for
the same purposes at Mildmay; while the missionary training-school and
home were accommodated in a house which he hired for the purpose.

His new parish was in a part of London where poverty and want abounded.
There was no adequate provision for the education of the poor and
neglected children, so he erected a building where elementary
instruction could be given at a very low price. A soup-kitchen was
started at the iron room: clubs of various kinds were formed, and other
agencies were set at work, both for the temporal and spiritual welfare
of the people. The degraded and miserable neighborhood gradually
underwent a transformation, and the police testified that there was a
manifest restraint on the lawless locality. "To many of the waifs of
life no human hand was stretched in kindness until he came to the
district and taught them what Christianity was."[67]

A small legacy coming to him, he bought a house with a large garden
attached, and made it a mission center for the needs of the infirm and
aged; while the ignorant and careless, who would not enter a church,
were often induced to attend meetings here.

The training-school had been started at Barnet for the purpose of
training foreign missionaries; but Mr. Pennefather now saw that there
was as great a demand for home mission workers in the sorrowful and
benighted portions of the vast metropolis, so, after much deliberation
and consultation between himself and his wife, he decided to initiate
the ministry of Christian women as deaconesses. He hesitated about the
name to be given to the women whom he employed as Christian workers, but
no other was suggested conveying the same idea of service to Christ
among his suffering and needy ones, and, as the appell