The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-22
A SCARLET WAR ON SATAN.
OpeningOfthe Winter Campaign Against
Sin by the Salvation Army.
The Sacrilegious and Ridiculously Incongru-
GUS Exhibition That Was Witnessed at the
Virginia-Avenue Rink Last Night.

The Salvation Army opened the fall and win
ter campaign against South Side sin at the Vir-
GINA avenue Rink last night, the sentinel at the
door securing meager collection of nickels and
dimes as the audience fled in. Seven or eight
chairs were in line, and the army, when the audi
ence was about all seated, filed in. headed by a
young man wearing a white helmet and blue
suit. There were three in this army, and two
of them took off their coats and glowed in
scarlet jerseys. They were ali young men.
and of about the same age. twenty-three
or twenty-five years old. The one who
laid aside his conspicuous head attire, retained
the remainder of his clothing, and by contrast
made the scarlet jerseys brighter. He is called
''the Major" probably in Difference to the white
helmet. He is a very busting person, with
great enthusiasm in his extremites, continually
moving his feet and slashing about with his
arms One of the men in scarlet was short, the
other tall, ungainly, but very fervent. AS the
proceeding went it developed that the short
one was cadet" Evans and the tall one Capt
Camp.
The Major made the announcement that he
didn't know whore they could talk Christ better
little reverence in his tone, or the easy familiarity
with which he ratified off the various appella
tions of the trinity. II hope" said the Major,
"the Holy Ghost will fall us to night and sat
urate every soul. Praise God in any way you
see fit. If you can walk round this building on
your hands and knees, and praise God, do it."
There were volunteers for this performance,
and the young man ratified on that if he chose
to do it. nobody ought to blame hint was all
for the glory of God.
Captain Camp, whose long, red jersey seemed
to lengthen him out to seven feet more, went
through the audience with Salvation Army song
books, which did not appear to find very ready
sale. The Army" started up the song, Down
Where the Living Waters Flow" At this point
the small attack of scarlatina produced cornet
and played the accompainment-not as we'll,
it must be said as Perry ingalls, could have
done it, but with much wind and earnestness.
The giant in the scarlet jersey returned.from his
song book foray in time to add to the din with
ambourine This was followed by a 'knee drill
or prayer by one of the army, the others shout
ting 'Ameni BLESSED Jesus" "Let it comet"
"Glory to Jesus!" etc, with a rapiditv that sug
eested they were sprinkling these EXPLANATIONS
from some sort of gospel pepper boX.
The prayer ending, the who had be-
wildered every one with the cornet, and who
seemed to be some sort of a musical prodigy,
seized a concertina and shook much misery over
the audience. The Major prayed after the con-
certina. He spoke of the blue, licking flames
that would eternally wrap our souls but Thou
saved us, and oh, grant that we may be the
means of saving our precious brethren who are
running to hell" At this point the scarlet phe-
nomenon laid aside his concertina and came for
ward with banjo, and sung some alleged gospel
hymns to the variety tune of
"Oh, I couldn't,
And | wouldn't,
Stay away from there" etc.
The young 'Maior" then took the audience
fully into mis- confidence and told them what a
ni1Oh rnQ Ia Ia al ont he
ago and how much he loved Christ to-day, init
mating that he was just honing to be q martyr
and with the martyrs stand.
The glibness with which all this was delivered,
and in fact with which everything was done, the
entire absence of the usual decorum and solem-
nifty of devotion struck the reporter as some
thing novel in religious exercises and when the
Major announced that the meetings were mon
sectarian," the absurdity of the announcement,
taken in connection with the homogeneous sur
roundings, was almost too much for a number of
the audience, and they laughed right out
''The army" then added to the incongruous by
singing "Oh, am the Child of a King" to the
well-known air in the PIRATES of Penzance,' 81
am Pirate King" This was accompanied by
che tambourine with dire effect. The army halted
and called for experiences, and tall man, with
a black beard arose in the audience and
said he was glad to see the instru-
ments of the devil meaning probably,
the cornet, banjo and tambourine) had
been taken and made to do service for the cause
of Christ The "Major" said anything should be
used to charm sinners TO Christ, and told re-
markable story Of venerable German who had
been drawn away from a saloon by base drum
and marched to heaven leaving the message with
his dying breath that he hoped to be met at the
pearly gates with drum of the same variety.
A lady rose in the audience and said her BIZ
BILE taught her that religion was something too
sacred to be treated in the light way it had been
there that evening. She said it was disgraceful
to have religion prostituted in that way and the
name of the Lord used it had been there that
night It was more like theater, or some thing
of that kind, than religious service. She
thought the Christians of Indianapolis should
rise and put down such mountebank perform
ances. 1t was she said. more like negro min.
strelsy than anything else
This little speech created some sensation, and
was followed by buzz of approval from large
part of the audience The major" was equal
to the emergency. IL believe" he said IF she
would give herself to Christ she might make
herself power. Oh if she would but lay her
self in his arms! I would advise her to 90 and
get upon her knees and pray to God. Christ
says whoever is not for ne is against me. AS
far as instruments is concerned, do not the
Psalms say to praise God with them. even with
the timbrel9" Here he shook the tambourine vlo-
lently and seated himself with an air that gave
out that he was of the opinion he had over
whelmed the adversary
Several in the audience spoke, indorsing the
Salvation Army and bidding them go on in
their work. One OF the speakers Endorsed all
sorts of musical instruments II say" said he
'why not fiddle people into heaven? They are
adding them into hell oil the time" One man.
who said he had been Christian thirty seven
years. thanked God for the Salvation Army, and
concluded with the exhortation, 'Let us not
walk to heaven on fowery beds of ease"
Rev. Mr.. Perkins. of the Sixth Christian
Church, rose and said that noting is more sacred
in this world than religion, and it was the duty
of every moral man and woman to lend helping
hand TO the truth. But he appealed to the think
ing people present if true religion the religion of
Jesus Christ was not something very different
from the performance that had been given them.
God certainly does not call this worship, mixed
up as it is with fun and levity. He
said he had long heard of the Salvation Army, but
this was the first he had seen of it. 1t was
enough. He did not care to see any more rs it
saarnad To hA q thing % rrnvnka snaars arainat