Daily Republican., 1882-03-29
Paris Leltor.
Regular Correspondence.

PARIS, France, March 18th, 'a2
To night the Paris branch of the Sal
vation Army Of its forces, on the ami.
versary of the first establishment of the
Army in France. Being special SER
vice the audience were in their places
punctually at the hour indicated, a
quarter past eight, but stragglers kept
coming In until the hall, which holds
some 200 people, was crowded to ex.
cess. The number was made up prin-
cipally of poor workingmen, their wives
and children. The men came dressed
in their blouses or work day clothes,
kept their caps on their heads and OK
cept that they abstained from smoking,
in obedience to a notice on the door.
behaved with the freedom and ease of
Music Hall audience. The earnest
manner in which those present joined
in the hyIuns, no wever. prove that they
were not mere spectators, and | was
astonished to notice that many rough,
unkempt, brutal.looking men, whom
one would not have expected to find
assembled except at a Socialist meeting
or in wine-shop, sang the canticles by
heart without reference to the book.
The service was conducted principally
by Mics Booth, the leader of the French
brauch, tall, thin, earnest looking
lady, whose father, General Booth +,
had come over from England especially
tor the anniversary Ii eeting.
Various other officers, male and fe-
male were present, all wearing the uni
form Of the army adorned with u coat
of arms and the letter "S," while some
wore badges or armlets bearing the
words "Armudu Salut." The choir
having taken seats at the back OF the
platform, behind the chief officers and
the leading musician, a Cornet player.
The proceedings were opened by Miss
Booth who read out the first verse of a
hymn with the refrain "rout est bien,
oui, tout est bien." The congregation
having sung this TO u cornet and violin
accompaniment, another verse followed
anu 80 On to the end Extempore pray
ers were then offered up by some OF the
lady officers, to which the congregation
IN al earnestness repeatedly responded
Amen" Otner hymns, all SET 10 pop.
ular tunes, one OF which ! recognized ~
closely resembl ng "Malbrouck sen
Water guerre, or "We won't 90 home
till morning." followed and then a
number uf French converts related the
clrcuu stances of their being saved.
FreJue applause greeted these revela.
tions and all occasional mocking laugh
was quickly sienced by the energetic
speakers. Indeed ,he most remal ka-
bic features of the whole proceeding
was the astonishing degree of order
II al aintained among rs rough q collec'
ton OF people as IL would be possible TO
find in any capital.
This is the more curious, as all the
leaders of the movement, although
sp p,aking French tiuently, were marked
by slrong English accent, which
would have excited derisiOn had tho
crowded audience been less earnestly
d sposed Up to the moment when
wa obliged to Withdraw, not the slight
esL disturbance had taken place, and
the well behaved crowd of workmen,
although not enthusiastic, seemed de-
termiued to maintain order should
Draw ing he attempted. The army has
evidently taken hold of large number
of people during It's years existence.
No Other form of religion could have
boasted such an assembly of the lowest
class of Parisians az that collected in
the hall TO night and though the pro-
ceedings, to an unaccustoIaed eye and
ear " ere decidedly eccentric, ii must
be acknowledged they fully achieved a
deserved success. Z. A. 5.