The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-09-03


ty to declare his fellow citizens banditti, In
order to try them by drum-head court
martial in time Of peace.
II Gen. SHERMAN retires before the legal
time, he will be on leave Of absence and will
receive pay accordingly under the law. He
has hitherto been unwilling to retire except
on full pay. What has changed his mind
English Views of the Salvation Army.
The invasion Of the United States by de-
tachment Of the Salvation Army was attended
with such meagre success that we arc not
little astonishcd and perplexed by the pro-
found sensation excited in England by that
section Of the church militant. Since the time
Of WESLEY no revival movement has been
watched with more attention OF been more
seriously discussed In the weightiest organs
Of British public opinion.
In the current number Of the Contemporary
Reuier, for instance there are no less than
three articles In which the history and sig
nlflcance Of this movement are earnestly ex-
amined. One Of these papers emanates from
Mr., or, as he prefers to call himself, General,
WILLIAM BOOTH, the organizer and COM
mander Of the new crusade. Gen. BOOTH, 1t
seems, had had sixteen years experience as
q Methodist minister when, In 1865, he came
to London and began to preach in the centres
Of its vast artisan population. In very few
weeks, he tells US, he had around him "a
valiant company" Of witnesses for CHRIST,
which has steadily grown up to the present
organization, which comprehends 331 corps,
76O officers, and at least Is 900 trained soldiers,
ready to speak when wanted. More than
5000 services are now held every week. while
the income available for revival expenditures
has reached $3.50, 900 per annum, and is rapidly
increasing. The publications of the Army,
which bear the appropriate titles Of The War
Cry and The Little Soldier, are said to now
have joint weekly circulation of some $780,
900. These facts sufficiently attest what a
powerful engine Of propaganda has been Gre
atcd in the Salvation Army.
Gen. BOOTH informs us that the creed pro-
fessed by his soldiers is the old-fashioned
Gospel that tells man he is thoroughly
bad and under the power of the devil, that
denounces sin without mercy, and warns men
Of eternal wrath to come, unless they repent
and believe In the crucified Saviour. Re
ferring to the charge that he dwells too much
upon dark" truths, he declares that I'VE
believe the greatest possible kindness to a
man who is doing wrong and going to hell is
to tell him so In the plainest and most urgent
language that can be used" Besides pro-
Tossing the Calvinistic creed in its most rig
orous form, the convert is required to give
up the use OF intoxicating drink, and Is taught
to regard tobacco as little less Objectionable.
1t is this adoption OF the temperance agita-
ton which has given the Salvation Army q
practical aim, and has commended 1t to the
good will and, in some cases, to the warm
support OF churchmen who would have been
the last to countenance the mere hysterical
excitement Of an ordinary revival.
Among the causes OF the success OF
the Salvation Army outside observers
concur with Gen. BOOTH himself in
giving a high place to the military Or
ganization, with its inspiriting influences
Of military titles and uniforms, OF banners
and brass bands. The utility Of such agcn-
cies for the immediate purpose OF obtaining
recruits Is indisputable, and the effective
services OF the converts after they are en-
rolled is assured by system OF management
which exhibits the rigid discipline aiiIa COM
plete autocracy Of the great monastic orders.
Gen. BooTH's authority, indeed, resembles
much more closely that OF a General OF the
Jesuits than that Of an ordinary military
commander. Few outsiders are aware how
absolute is his rule over his followers. He is
the sole trustee for all the buildings and
property Of the Army; he can by his mere
fiat dismiss any officer in the service, or
transplant him to a distant station, or to
new work. He Is empowered, moreover, to
nominate his successor in the trust. and IT is
understood II not yet definitely enacted that
Gen BOOTH is to be succeeded by his eldest
son, already prominent officer upon his
fathers staff. On the whole, it is doubtful
whether scheme OF such complete autoc-
racy can be found in any other religious
community in the world.
1t is acknowledged by candid observers that
| much good has been accomplished in certain
quarters by this curious movement. There
| Is no lack OF unimpcachable testimony to the
high character and disinterested fervor OF
those who have inaugurated and controlled
the vast organization. II am sorry" writes
the Rev. r. T. DAVIDSON in the Contemporary
"for the Christian teacher who has listened
to Gen Booth, Mrs. BOOTH, and some five OF
six of their staff officers, and has not hoped
that they may continue to speak their mes
sage with the like straightforward ability
and earnest zeal" To Mrs. Booth in par
ticular much of the success of the revival is
ascribed by Miss FRANCES POWER CoBBE
another Of the Contemporaries contributors
She is, we are told the soul Of whatever Ii
best in the movement Her genuine clio
quencc, with all its quaint and grotcsqu'
forms of pronunciation and grammar, is {
powerful engine OF persuasion; and she ha
an immense store OF sound sense and prac
tcal experience combined with n high idea
of life and duty. She pridcs herself on speak
ing the tongue Of the people," and Their
seems TO be no doubt that her style OF Ian
guagc has proved chief attraction to tn
multitudcs who frequent the meetings of tn
Salvation Army.
Thus much, it is conceded, may be said o.
behalf OF the new movement. On the othe
hand, it Is objected that this revival out
Hcrods all its predecessors in the audaciou
familiarity Of its treatment OF sacred things