Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-03
ITS SILVER JUBILEE,
The Celebration of Its Natal Day by
the Salvation Army at Crystal
Palace in London.
NOVEL AND INSTRUCTIVE DOINGS.
Fifty Thousand Soldiers Dressed in the
Garb Of Thirty Nations Listen
to Gen. Booths Address.
NOVEL AND INSTRUCTIVE DOINGS.
TIE ARMI'S IDEAS ON PRISON REFORM.
Scenes in the slum Section and the Methods Of
Retaining the Fallen.
rrpom A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. !,


anniversary of the Salvation Army's birth.
Aside from the more serious aspect-that is,
the religious mission of the army-there is
always lots of fun among the rank and file
Of the army, even on ordinary occasions. L
viii never forget day 1 spent with the forces
one Easter morning at Epping Forest about
eight or ten years ago. On that occasion
there was q rival organization known as the
Skeleton Army" supported by brewers
and saloon keepers. This army was COM
posed OF the very worst characters of the
East End Of London, and its mission was to
impede the efforts of General Booths army
As a result there were many lively scenes.
But the "Silver Jubilee of the Army,"
at Crystal Palace, on the 18th inst, was tree
from all opposition; the army had sole COM
Dand, and, as the bills announced, anybod Y
who wished could have ICY hours of man
ly and spiritual recreation" General Booth
and his army had the palace for day, and
they opened the gates at $50 A M, and they
remained open for the time just mentioned.
And during that time there were sights to be
seen and facts to be learned that were worth
q journey from the other side OF the world.
1t is not often in lifetime that one ssuch
an opportunity, and, depend upon it, those
who saw the jubilee will not forget it.
RISE OF THE ARMY.
Well, there is something about the Saliva
tion Army that interests the natives of al
most every civilized nation in the world.
However we may differ regarding its OBJ
jects and modus operandi / empbatically
maintain that it is one of the most remarka-
bic organizations of modern times. To say
S1okt L. C,1 = :
only a very mild way of qualifying it.
Most of us remember its organization, and
we are aware of the determined opposition
the army has had to face from time to time
and the various degrees OF persecution that
the soldiers" have had to undergo, We
also all know of the 101 predictions that
have been made to the effect that the
''army" was simply composed of lot of
impulsive fanatics and that their wild en-
thusiasm would soon subside. However,
after all these things have been done and |
said witnessed the performance OF about |
10000 Of the army at Crystal Palace and |
saw representatives of about 80 countries or |
naiionalities. 1t is this cosmopolitan feat- |
ure that is of interest to Americans just as |
well as to the English, French or Germans
The weather couldn't have been finer and |
when the mornings sun began to chase |
away the gray and black clouds hundreds |
were.salready on their way to the palace |
Thousands of soldiers, dressed in their |
peculiar uniform, were strutting about the |
palace grounds almost as soon as the birds |
on the trees were rendering their morning |
carols Long before noon there were fully |
30, 900 members, male and female, of the |
''army" inside the palace gates. And what |
q programme they hadi Bills were posted
all over, stating in the most original fashion
when and where certain events would take
place. Special trains from all parts of En-
gland and Wales were arriving almost all
day, and when the proceedings had fairly
commenced beside the 80, 900 soldiers there
were 1000 bandmen and 500 foreign officers
and delegates. America was represented by
Mrs. Ballington Booth. The sight was, in
deed. wonderful.
THE SLUM SECTION.
These militant missionaries have ever
been original in their methods of "Chris-
tianizing" humanity, and at their Jubilee
they still clung to their notionsof original
ity. Each department OF the army, ior in.
stance, was allotted separate space, so that
visitors could at once see the plans OF work.
ing, and have ocular demonstrations as to
the results of these plans In one part one
could see what had been done by the
"Slum" section. In this section were re-
productions, horrible enough in all con-
science but still far short of the reality. of
the conditions with which the "Slum" sec
tiOn has to deal. There were rags heaped
mp for bed; old boxes for table and chairs;
grimY windows broken and stuffed with pa-
per. When these conditions prevail in
reality the army has its missionaries preach
ing the gospel of thrift and cleanliness. In
fact the 'Slum" section gave a soul-touch-
ing picture of thousands OF human dens
that abound in the eastern part of this vast
and wealthy city. And looking at this pict- |
ure one could not help thinking of the
vesrying battle that the soldier OF the army
must have in trying to establish moral re-
formation and religion of hope into such
cherries and apparently God-forsaken
dens. 1t is needless for me to say that the
Stun section was well patronized during
the entire day.
But there was another display" and to
me it was lust as impressive and interesting |
as anything in the palace. This was the |
'Shelter" section. There was a model shell
Ter, showing exactly the operation of the
system. was told there are in London |
now shelters for more than GOO persons. OF
course these shelters are merely what their
name indicates, and are for those Door un-
fortunate vretches who cannot pay for a
lodging of any kind. Well, at the Jubilee
about 800 or 800 Of these 'dossers," as they
are termed, had an excellent meal under
the auspices OF the 'Shelter" section, and a
right good time they had. There was really
nothing 20 indicate, as far as appearances
went that there was anything but reality in
the proceedings. A short distance removed
from the Shelter" section was a model
prison, and On making inquiries was in
fo-Ine5 tnat this prison system is worked in
conjunction with the shelter department.
The matter is really worth the serious
thought Of every American interested in
prison reform, and presume there are many
thousands who take an interest In the reior-
nation Of our criminal class. The object is
one Of the noblest in christendom.
TWELVE POOR PRISONERS.
Well, in this little model prison 1 found
IL men dressed in English prison uniforms
and they were employed showing correctly
what prison life is. They were working
with a will aud performing exactly the
kind of work that real prisoners as convicts
do. The truth is some of them did their
work 80 easily sud well that came to the
conclusion they had "been there before
naay a time' in reality. However that
may be they were there stepping it lively
on the treadmill, picking oakum and chop
ping wood. OF course this was all to point
out the way in which the Government tries
TO reform criminals. But in way of con-
trsst the army had its method Of prison re-
form in juxtaposition TO the Government
method. The army had at ready command
a new RED Maria to meet discharged
prisoners and take them 10 the Shelters. In-
side the maria" there are cooking arrange
nanfs and any DISCHARGED man who enters