Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-04-20
rar SALVATION ARMY.


tain periods Of the worlds history from the
days Of the crusades down through the
periods Of the various reformations Of Mar
tin Luther and John Knox and others to
the present day. For many years the
Christian churches OF the world, while
they have grown and multiplied, have
found it impossible to reach the great null
titude Of poor and largely vicious people
who inhabt the sluns Of the great cities
class, by the way, more in need, il possi-
BILE, than any other of the kind offices OF
Christian people, and certainly in immi.
nent need of the comforting and saving
power Of the Christian religion. This was
found to be the fact in the great city Of
London, and it is fact in Springfield to-
day. There is large number Of persons
here who never attend church and who are
rever reached by religious influences.
Much has been attempted, through vari-
GUS kinds OF mission work here and else
where, and much good has been done, but
there is still large class Of persons-and
at all times large vicious element-that
have been unapproached and who seem to
be unapproachable. Hence, in the east of
London, in 1865, William Booth, Wes-
leyan (Methodist) minister, reared in the
Church OF England, undertook, by entirely
new methods, to reach an immense mass
of ignorant and irreligious people living in
that portion Of the great metropolis, and
organized what became known as the Sal
vation Army-an organization which now
has a membership of 1000, 900 persons and
has representatives in all the great cities
Of the world. The Army is indeed what
its name implies, semi-military organiza-
ton, with officers OF various grades and
with both officers and soldiers under strict
control and discipline. William Booth,
the founder Of the army, is the General,
and is assisted by his wife and daughters,
in the management Of the enterprise. The
Army has an organ, The War Cry, pub
lished both in London and New York. with
a circulation that runs up into the hun,
dreds of thousands, and large number Of
pamphlets and tracts are issued and sold
or given away-largely sold we believe.
The attention of the masses is attracted
by parades of the soldiers, to the music Of
the drum and fife, the officers and men
(and women) appearing in unform-in
army blue, in America--and the singing
at the meetings is accompanied BY the cor
net, tambourine, &c. The utterances at
the meetings are, SO far as we have heard
or known, earnest Scriptural and effective.
The official programme Of work by the
Army is given in pamphlet issued from
headquarters. Cat rs State street, New
York;, as follows:
| l. By holding meetings out OF doors, and
| marching singing through the streets, in har-
| mony with law and order.
2. BY visiting saloons, prisons, private
houses, and speaking to and praying with all
who may be got at.
3. BY holding meetings in theatres, music
ball tho -,L.
OF those who prefer pleasure to God, and by
turning factories and other strange buildings
into meeting rooms, 30 securing hearers who
would not enter ordinary places of worship.
4. By using the most popular song tunes
and the language of everyday life to convey
Gods thoughts to every one in mover and
striking forms.
5. By making every convert 9 daily wit
ness tor Christ, both in public and private.
1t is fact that is sure to become his.
torical, that the Salvation Army has
reached hundreds Of thousands of the most
hardened and vicious men and women in
the world and changed them into useful
members Of society. Many Of its converts
go to swell the membership of the
churches. More than 400 persons con.
verted and trained in its ranks have been
engaged by other different religious or.
carnations as evangelists, ministers, mis-
sionaries, students, colporteurs, Bible.
women, and the like
A high dignitary Of the church of Eng
land, his 'Lordship," the Bishop of Chic.
ester, recently spoke to his Diocesan
Conference as follows, about the Saliva
ton Army
Passing by the question on the paper,
will touch upon that of the Salvation Army
The vast numbers of that body, its complete
| organization, its gradual growth and develop.
ment, the implicit obedience which its com.
manders exact, these are things known to all
For its work is not done in a corner. Never
was mere any religious movement whlch
carried on its operations more openly, OF with
bOlder disregard Of conventional usage and
precedent. No one can doubt that the Sol.
diers OF the Army-men or women-are
thoroughly in earnest 1t has the energy
and the mpetuosity-somewhat also OF The
rashness--of youth.
Even those who look most coldly on thi;
new spiritual phenomenon must confess tha,
it has produced great effecls-its friends
would say bas won great victories. Through
its preaching and teaching, many souls have
been delivered from the bondage OF sin, many
consciences have been lightened of their in.
tolerabe load. No Christian Church can af-
lord to disregard or deprecate such an agency
in the midst OF US.