Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1882-08-12

n NOTABLE ARMY.
The performances of that part of the Ss%l-
walton Army which has attacked the strong
holds of Satan in this country have not made
q very deep impression. But the main body
| IN England has gone on from victory to vic
tory and grown in strength until it has even
won the respect of the conservative Church
of England. So respectable" and noticeable
has it become that the Contemporary Reoieao
has thou ght it worth while to devote twenty
five pages of the August number to an &C.
count of its organization and work.
Three papers on the subject are contributed
to the Reuieao, the authors being General
Booth, the commander-in-c chief of the Army,
! Frances Power Cobbe and Rev. Randall T.
Dawson. Of these three General Booths is
! perhaps the most interesting and important,
! for, of course nobody knows any more about
| the purpose and work of the Army than he.
| He says that he came to London about seven
| teen years ago. He had had sixteen years
experience rs a Methodist minister and chad
| been privileged to see so many thousands of
hearts subdued beneath the power of the
old fashioned Gospel" that he was certain
| that it only needed to be brought to bear
| upon the Londoners to save the very worst
of them. He went to work in this belief and
| soon had ga valiant company of witnesses
| for Christ" recruited from the masses. Since
| then the Army has rapidly grown until now
| it has 331 corps, 76O officers wholly en-
ployed, and at least $4,000 trained soldiers
ready to speak when wanted. It holds more
| than G, 900 services every week.
TIo FOL Coo n
walton Army works to spread is that which
"tells man that he is thoroughly bad and
| under the power of the devil, that drags out
| the very hidden things of iniquity to the
| light of the great judgment throne, that de-
| nounces sin without mercy, and warns mon
| of eternal wrath to come unless they repent
| and believe in the only Savior the Gospel
| whose goodness does not consist in the sup
preston of all out sweet sounds of love- but
in the plain, straightforward csaseless an
| nouncement Of the whole truth; the Gospel
of a crucified Savior who shed real blood to
save men from a real guilt and real danger
of real hell, and who lives again to give a
real pardon to the really penitent a real de
| liverance from the guilt and power and pol
| luton and the fact of sin to all who really
| give up to Him whole heart and trust Him
with perfect trust" The training of con-
verts is based on the theory that a follower
of Christ ought to be ready to sacrifice every
| thing to save rebel world The converts
| are expected to take their place forthwith in
| every open-air meeting and procession, and
on or near the platform in every meeting in
! doors, and to use every possible opportunity
Of service, in singing speaking, prayer, door
keeping, selling of the Var Cry, visiting-in
| short, to become soldiers. To all who sc
| conduct themselves a soldiers pass or certifi
cate is issued, renewable quarterly. Those
| who for three months conduct themselves ir
a satisfactory manner are passed from the
general roll, on which all recruits are entered
on to the roll of eficients. The plan of or
ganization, moreover, makes every soldier in
some degree an officer, charged with the re
sponsibility of SO many of his townsfolk, and
| expected to carry on the war against the
streets, street, or part of street allotted tc
his care.
England is divided into thirteen divisions
each under the command of a major of the
Salvation Army, whose duty it is not only to
| direct ami inspect the operations of all the
| corps already established, but to see to the
| extension of the war to new localities to the
| calling out of new officers and to the reno
! val of either officers soldiers who have
ceased to be fit for their position. Each
| corps is under the command Of captain as
sisted by one or two lieutenants, who are en-.
tirely employed in and supported by the
Army, and whose duty is not only to dc
their best by conducting services outdoors
and in, and by visitation of those already
enlisted, but ceaselessly to plan and operate
for the salvation of the whole population
committed to their charge. These captains
and lieutenants are removed from one corps
to another every six months or whereabouts
in order to avoid the danger of settlement in
to old ruts, or of a too strong attachment or
the part of either the officer or soldier tc
person or place, rather than to God and the
war. The system of government is absolute
1y military. Says General Booth 1--WE
have thousands, if not tens of thousands, Of
soldiers who are ready at word to leave al
who glory in submitting to the leadership Of
the men or women placed over them for the
sake of Christ and the world"
This singular religious movement Is now
in the full tide of vigor and success, and wha
it will grow to remains to be seen. 1t has
notable weaknesses, among which wha
Miss Cobbe does not hesitate to call rowdyisn
and irreverence. But it is full of earnestnes.
| and of lofty purpose.