The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-04-09

founded in London, about fifteen wears
ago. They told how the army had
grown in England, until there were now
over two hundred stations there; how
they began their work On the streets
here, last October; how they were driven
by the police from corner to corner;
how they secured from the owner the
use of vacant lot at Norris and Ger
maRtown Avenue, and the use of a large
room adjoining the chair factory at
Sixth and Oxford streets; how thew had
been pelted with rotten eggs and rotten
potatoes when they first began their out
door meetings, and how rowdies came TO
their hall to disturb them, but how they
now enjoy perfect police protection. and
how about three hundred conversions
had thus far attended their efforts-aII
this was told, without any air of COM
plant, or self-praise, but as a simple
statement of facts 1t would be impos
sible to imagine u more cheerful family
than Captain Shirley and his family at
home. The visitor was about to put up
his pencil, when he was startled by Mrs
Shirley, who said
Now, my brother, how is il with you I?
Have you given your heart to God ~
Il came here to interview you, not to
be interviewed the visitor replied,
=
But the earnest woman was not to be
put of. She would have an answer, and
when she got it she began to plead and
exhort with much fervor and no little
eloquencc. At last, laying one hand on
| the shoulder of the reporter and grasp
ing his right hand with her own and
looking earnestly into his eyes, she said {:
I'VE never let an opportunity go by.
We never meet a person without trying
to lead him TO the Lord, even those that
We meet and talk with on the street.
We are going to pray with you before
you 60"
ONE MAN AND FIVE WOMEN
Visions of being prayed over by one
man and five women flashed thrV Oh the
mind of the visitor, and he mag q feeble
effort to escape by stammering
| afreid it Won't do any good.'
"Well, it certainly won't do any
HARM" said the lady.
mo, it won't hurt any man to be
prayed for by good people," plucking
up courage, now that he saw he was in
for it.
In the meantime the young ladies had
cleared away the dinner things and had
got out their little hymn books. And
then, at a word from the mother, the
daughter struck up one of the Moody
and Sankey hymns, with the refrain:
HaleIujahI il is done,
| believe in the Son,
| Pm saved by the blood of the crucified One.
which was sung by the whole company
with much spirit and harmony, the
mothers alto and the fathers bass being
in pleasing accord with the supronos of
the young ladies. When the singing
was ended the evangelists fell upon their
knees. and as the Captain began his
| prav-ar yafifiouino for the SnaaHr- cnp-
version of his visitor, Amen" shouted
the wife; 1.-THE devil has Overshot himself
this time"
When the prayer was ended another
hymn was sung while they still remained
upon their knees. Then the daughter
prayed and then the mother, and to close
another hymn was sung. During an ex-
perience in newspaper work covering a
period of some years the reporter has
been placed in some peculiar and trying
positions, but never in one more uneX-
pectcd than that which ne met in Cap
tain Shirley'S house yesterday, and from
which he escaped in a very heated and
flushed condition. 1t is apparent that
these humble members of the Salvation
Army arc sincere, and their earnestness
and enthusiasm and personal magnetism
give them great power over persons of an
emotional nature.
GREAT MEETING LAST NIGHT.
Commissioner Railton, who arrived in
this country from England about two
weeks ago to assume command of the
American wing of the salvation army
reached this city yesterday afternoon and
will at once establish his headquarters
here, having shaken the dust of New
York from his feet because he was there
denied the privilege of holding meetings
IN the open air. One of the first duties
of MIR. Railton was to present Il banner
to Captain Shirley and his family, and
for that purpose provisions were made
for meeting of unusual proportions
last evening. Captain Shirley and his
lieutenants and their recruits, to the
number of about two hundred, assembled
at the old chair factory at half past T
O'Clock, and marched from there to Ath
letic hall, Thirteenth street, above Mas
ter. The converts, men and women, al
most all, wore the red hat-band with
THE Salvation Army" in gilt letters
They were accompanied on the marcl
by squad of police and great CROWD
!. of men and boys. The street il
the vicinity of the hall was
packed with people, so much so thai
the detachment of police, under com
mand of Capt Helms, had hard work tC
make passage or the procession. The
| man WIS llllCO III Nv lHhlIHR, tlnI
n more respectable looking or more de
corous crowd never assembled in any
hall. There were probably 1900 people
in the hall, two or three hundred o
whom were standing, and although thu
meeting lasted until nearly clever
o'clock there was not the slightest noist
or confusion except that caused by thu
, enthusiasm of the worshipers. The ex
ercises were confined to singing, shor
prayers by some fifteen or twenty per
. sons and speeches and exhortations from
Mr.. Railton, Mr.. Shirley and numbe
of others. Many of those who mad,
short speeches were recent converts anC
apparently thirty young artisans. The
| meeting was characterized by mucl
: warmth of expression and fervor in ne
sponses. Mr.. Railton is a man of som,
, education and considerable genera
, knowledge. He has been secretary o
the Salvation Army in England for Oh,
last seven years.