The sun., 1890-01-12

The daughter Of an English Clergyman
Mrs. MAUD B; BOOTH. has written book about
Salvation Army warriors and warfare: Be
meath 1too Flags Funk & Wagnallsl She ie
now the wife Of the commanding officer OF that
Army in the United States, and she has an Inn
portant part In the direction Of the forces
fighting under the blue -bordered flag against
Satan's North American leRions. The book Is
written in fairly good English. 1t defends In
vigorous. dignifled language the methods OF
the Salvation Army. 1t tells something Of the
story OF unique campaigns In many lands. In
the Introductory chapter Mrs. Booth tells OF
her first Impressions OF the Salvation Army.
known In those days as the Christian Mission,
and Of the circumstances which led to her en-
listment The ospitulation of Hell-hre Jack
and the surrender Of Ten-cent Polly were not
able episodes OF the protracted strife: but. all
things considered, neither event was so re-
markable as the finding Of Q recruit in the rec>
tory from the windows OF which this young
English girl looked out upon q skirmish:
1t was In my childhood's homo. pleasant.
shady. country-like place. shut In by great
high walls and gates from the noise. dust. and
hustle Of East London, and on the gravel walk
one bright Sunday afternoon knelt group Of
poorly clad people. while In their midst stood
q man with hands uplifted In prayer. Tho
crowd was augmented every moment from tho
crowded street without; poor women. with
sickly babies lads OF an unruly type. eying
the lilacs and our windows in turn. while even
drunken men leaned against the gate and
stared In open-mouthed wonder. Strange
people, / thought; how loud they sing and
what funny words as their voices rose above
the din and hustle In the ethoroukhfareW without:
80 you must bo a lover of the LORD
oryou can't 20 to heaven when you die i
Then wondered why they knelt upon the
hard gravel walk. and why they pleaded until
their throats were hoarse with crowd that
sometimes laughed and jeered at them. The
pathos In the speakers voice and the fearful
sobs OF some of the listeners could not be heard
through my window. and the whole seemed
disiointed and grotesque compared with my
childish eXperienSS OF Sunday and religion.
:" saw them many times during the next
few years = marching the streets through
rain or now.ikneelinG upon the hard ground.
or sitting crowded together In a poor.
broken-down old theatre. with the poorest and
lowest Of that large East London parish. Yes.
sometimes watched them. as their build
ing stood Just opposite our church; and
strange the contrast used to seem when
We stepped In for few minutes on
Sunday night to listen to the merry. Joy
ful songs. Many timo after that
would run to tho window as they marched
past; by degrees could hear fresh choruses
and see larger crowds, until finally there ap-
peared flag with bright star In Its red
centre and blue border. huttering In the
wind. Iwould move from one window to an
other to keep them In view: but. after all. to
mo they wore only crowd with a flag and
some stirring songs. Later on my childish
thoughts were exchanged for other peoples
opinions and criticisms. until as the Army
passed. with uniform and with colors flying
learned to smile with derision. and TO not only
credit but repeat tales which had lost the
little spark OF truth with which they started.
II turn from those days to a time when l
'aw them as rescuers Of drunken fishermen in
he streets Of little seaport town. famed for
ts wickedness and learned to know tbem as
Eodly. earnest people. Yes. 1t was then that
ny opinions changed. and saw them as they
Fere and learned to love them; IOR truly they
EOrO pure In heart and AlloA WIN Ne for