The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-04-22
"The Hallelujah Lassies."

The advance guard OF "the army Of
salvation" struck New York last week,
and Immediately on landing held re-
ligious meeting for the benefit of the
immigrants at Castle Garden This
party consists of seven women and one
man and comes from England, where
the salvation lads and lassies" have
created quite stir in some of the cities.
They wear peculiar uniform and red
bands around their hats bearing in gilt
the inscription "The Salvation Army"
They also have silk banner with red
ground, blue border, and Sin one corner"
the American flag. In the center is
yellow ground representing the sun, on
which is inscribed the legend "Blood
and Fire-N Y. No. l."
This singular body of religious work
crs have no regular preachers and no
ecclesiastical standing. They march
through the streets singing, and when
they get crowd together, stop and talk,
each telling his or her experience. The
converts are expected to join the band
and take part in the exercises. Their
work, of course, will be confined to the
densaly crowded sections of the cities
and the classes which do not enjoy or
care for the regular services in the
churches. There is plenty of evangel-
ical work for them to do, plenty of ma
terial to work upon, and 1t is such as to
put their system to severe test. 1t
may be that the "hallelujah lassies' will
sometimes be little too bo;sterous and
too familiar with sacred names and
things to suit the tastes and feelings
of the fastidious, but it must be
remembered that they are not work
ing for the benefit of the fastldious
People with refined and cultivated
tastes will go where those tastes can be
gratifed, where they can hear eloquent
or logical addresses and the musical COM
positions of the masters. But what of
the thousand who by poverty or de
graded tastes, or habits of vice, or Grim
inal practices, are the outcasts Of society
and Of tho churches There is no use of
going to such people with the methods
and appeals which are effectual with the
more highly favored classes. 1t is not
necessary to be vulgar, irreverent or
frivolous of speech, but the addresses
must be couched in simple language, if
not in their vernacular, and certain
oHhand, informal style will suit them
the better an be more efiectual. 1t is
not to be expected that the salvation
army will make its recruits over into
refined and cultivated men and women.
In manners they may still be rude, ana
in habits uncouth, but point will be
gained if those who have known no
moral restraint and have had no pure
aud worthy rule by which to square
their consciences, shall be placed under
bonds to recognize and improve their
higher natures by only few degrees.
Every religious movement which
teaches men and women to restrain
their passions, to lead pure and temper
ate lives, and to hold themselves ac-
countable to higher law, contributes to
the peace and improvement of society.
There will doubtless be excuses in con-
necton with tho salvation army"
movement in New York. Rough and
vicious men will profess suddenly to be
converted and their zeal concading their
sincerity may lead them into absurd,
fantastical and disorderly proceedings.
Without wise and experienced leaders
there must be more or less fanaticism,
and if any success should follow the
work Of the strangers it would be wise
for the churches to look after the con
verts. -Rochester Herald.