Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-10-04
SALVATION, OH SALVATION
LAST NIGHT WAS A HAPPY ONE
FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMY.


Major BalIIngton Booth. 3 Son OF tn,
Founder of the Organization, Was Hers
and Crowds Went to Hear Him Great
Enthusiasm in Asbury Church.
Last night seemed to mark crisis in
the history Of the Salvation Army of this
city. Heretofore they have been known
as an itinerant crowd of religious enthu-
siasts. whose sole ambition appeared tc
be to make noise in order to attract
notice. At first they paradsd the streets.
sang their psalms and ratified their Gym
balls. to the amusement of the giddy
crowd, and were often subjected to In
suits and indignities. and sometimes
visited with personal violence. They
must have been satisfied last evening, as
the auditorium Of Asbury Church was
crowded to its utmost capacity and not
an available inch OF standing room was
left, while many who sought admission
were obliged to go away.
Chief Commissioner Ballington Booth,
a son of General Booth, and bis staff,
with the Salvation Army Band whoss
headquarters are in New York, arrived
here late in the afternoon, and were met
branch of this city. After a short street
supper war served Then the army,
headed by the band marched out amid
the singing of hallelujahs, the rafting
OF cymbals and the beating of drums.
Major Booth, Adjutant McFarlane and
the statf took up conspicuous position
on the platform of the church, with the
phiaf Inn adfo fa al 10 -
Several seats in the centre Of the church
were reserved for soldiers Of the army.
while several others were scattered In
diifersnt parts of the church. SO that
the responses might appear more general
Nearly all who were there were attracted
by curiosity, but the major thought
that many who came to scott would re
main to prav. Chief Commissioner Booth
was the chief attraction of the evening
He is man of commanding aspect.
major-like, six feet three inches nigh.
with black-curled hair, and a strong.
well marked English accent He is elo-
quent and entertaining, complete mas
ter Of the English language, with cap
tivating address, and even when he does
not convince, never fails to entertain.
De began by singing hymn from the
Salvation Army "War Cry" which was
accompanied by the usual clapping Of
hands, rafting of cymbsls, beating Of
drums and blowing of trumpets la an
swer to question, he asceltained that
all present were Methodists and then
loosely told them, that when he got to
Heaven he would tell John Wesley how
good they were.
He began his address proper, by his
tory of the Salvation Army orzaniza.
ton, and claimed that his organization
had made the most rapid strides for its
time of any in existence. and Of course
made the usual prediction that it would
yet be recognized by all and become uni
versal He said it now existed in thirty
six nations and had an army of $50. 900
soldiers. he next spoke of the slander
and villifcation to which they had been
subjected, told of the experience his
sister had in Paris and how she was ex-
PEELED from Switzerland. He told how
through the fundamentally of milk
man, their flag vas planted in South
Australia.
Next he turned his attention to the
United States and said that although he
was an Englismsn BY birth, he was an
American by adoption. Their flag was
planted, he said. in $40 cities and 54
villages in the United States, and they
had 81 TIA commissioners. Their oppo.
nents said that they were the scum OF
society but he was proud that the Saliva
tion Army was the first to reach the
slums, and relieve wretches, whose per
sons, those critics thought too foul to
touch their unsullied hands Then he
mentioned the good work done by the
sisters Of the army, among the slums OF
Gotham, and wound up two hours ad.
address amid the elang of the horn, the
beat Of the drum, and the HILARIOUS yells
of the Army members attesting the
appreciation in which he was held by
them.
During his address he appeared to
have an extraordinary influence over his
followers, who laughed when he grew
humorous, cried as he grew pathetic and
flung themselves on the floor, writhing,
twisting, beating their breasts and call
ing on God to save them, when the
speaker mentioned the punishment that
was in store for sinners. Several other
persons told about their life of sin before
meeting with the Salvation Army, but
now had reformed and believed that
There vas nothing like salvation, they
had found the secret out; it made them
feel so happy they were forced to sing
and shout
The gaudy costumes Of the men and
quaint headgear of the women, made
the fantasticism more complete. The
commissioner will pursue his Journey
southwark in search Of new cities to
anuouar aud mara yaaonTa - or,,.....4