Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-09-26
ARMY OF PEACE
1 SllTitiaa Army Captain Rsesllis
Sens d His gIp1iaeog-.
''Daykast Eu9lald."
5ssIs Q Journal Reporter OF Q Lie
wosk and its Sacrifices, not Attract
i've 70 Most People.

for salaries I'LL other bills are psid, presid.
Ing 1t meetings every night and visiting ID
hours every week. such ere some Of The
Gestures Of the lie Of the Sslvstiop Army
captain.
Those Who are accustomed 70 zee thu
6slvstionists on the street 10 their evening
psrsdss have rec snsiy noticed that their songs
had more Of jay snd'their tsmbourinss and
buslss clearer and more cheerful sound.
The new captain, John Z. Atkins, seems
TO have the confidence Of his followers and
. good dssi Of enthusiasm for his work.
He'd be not the latter quslity he certainly
would not have been here today. He 10 q
wslehmsn and seven years ago be could
not speak two words Of English. Five
yssrs ago be came to this country to enter
upon life work among the people Of the
United States. At the time be arrived
hsrs the English branch Of the army vas
10 What seemed doubtful struggle. TIE.
Moore, who refused 10 send his accounts to
bbbtu Sbtb tba1AehhcA W w w.
vas then at the head Of the American de-
psssmsn ut snd the followers Of Booth had
merely . foo.hold. ITO this. however. they
tsnsciou,ly chung" Gays Capt Atkins. and
- Moorss followers would leave place 20
soon ~ the meetings and consequent col
lsc,ions ceased to be profitable, we sradu-
ally gained and he has gradually lost till
nov he hiss no. more than eight corps while
the army which looks to General Booth -
Ito head has now about 700 corps in this
country"
When did you arrive 10 Augusta Cap
tain Atkins" asked . reporter.
II took charge about three weeks ago
and the average attendance has gone from
so up to 100 and tome evenings to l75 We
have more than doubled in coli, c.ions and
In tie last two weeks thsrs have been eight
converts
"Where we're you working when called
here
81 was 10 Msnehs...f. N. Il, and had
gone there from Portland, where the army
has been doing some very successful work.
During three years Of my work in Masss-
chusetts, had 1850 converts. I we'll re-
member one incident when was working
10 the little Pennsylvania mining town OF
Minsrsville. A strong temperance senti
men. had been sfoused and some Of the
saloon keepers had been obliged to close
their places Of business. on account OF the
fact that many Of their old customers had
been attracted from the saloons to attend
the Salvation Army meetiDgs. One day l
met one Of the saloon keepers on the
street and be said to ME you have
ruined my business" | couldn't re-
strain 9 Hslleluiah. He says. You seem
nightly pleased at running mans bu'l
ness My responte wss, Yes, hssys
sm when its = business like yours.
Well, he ssys, you're frank one must
acknowledge. and here's q dollar for the
work That man il now AZ ehcer OK the
Salvation Army 10 the South.
You are pretty familiar with the work
10 Eoglsnd. | presume. captain
"Y.s. wss converted to the Salvation
Army cause IL years ago in Wsiss was
the son Of .Hsrdsheli Bsptists' but was Al
uacted to the SalvAtionists. worked as .
soldier At homs for ever fur years and
thsn went to London to III, tr,ining home
under Com N andan, Herbert Booth"
"Youare Of course familiar with the work
which General Booth outlines 10 his book
'Darkes! England.
Yes, and q Was in London this sum
mer had an opportunity to see some OF
the prac ical working, OF General Booths
schemes This work believe is going with
. rush. The general has s'resdy in oper-
alton Ia London at leas. \ half dozen Of his
food depots where the poor can ge! Dights
lodging and breakfast for two cents.
When the poor human teirg comes into
these places he Is turrouuded with Chris
tisn II fiaenoes and many 90 from these
places t, the fam colony which is situated
about forty milss from London and which,
though running less than syesr. Is an as
suftd success. There are nov 1--we hum
dred in the colony aud there 10 mstch
factory among other industries that
10 running very successfully and
which pays the employees from
~ to Il cents per day more than 10
paid Ia other factories.
Can every vssrsnt that comes along get
aid from these schemes for relief"
No. A man must f,st show disposi-
ton to work and try to help himself. He
10 frst given some kind Of work to do,
saving wood 10 some instances. and if he
shows . willingness to work he is then
helped "
Are all the converts supposed to Join
the Salvation Army
mo. OF course we wish to enlist oil the
earnest workers possible in the army, but
IL anyone has preferences for any particu-
lar denomination or sec. they unite them
selves with that In many places We have
addsd many recruits to the churches
The Augusta corps Of the Salvation
Army has been in existence about SIX
years and Captain Atkins 10 hopeful that ito
best work 10 yet to come. He found them,
be says, somewhat discouraged. but now
they are taking renewed interest, and he
believes will continue to do 50.