Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-10

RECENT WORDS OF SYMPATHY FOR ITS WORK
UTTERED By EMINENT pIvTSEs-raE GREAT
GATHERING IN Nkw yoRK-ATrIIrpE OF rHt
PRESS.
THE SALVATION ARMY is REALLY II
Il danger Of becoming fashionable. Il Ger
tainls already becoming respectable. II dic
not need the cordial letters from President Har
rison, Bishop Phillips Brooks, the Rev. pr
LYMAN Abbott and other prominent men. In
Guiding the Rev. Or. Charles A. Briggs. which
we're read a; the great Salvation Army reunion
known as the continental congress in the city
OF New York week before last to prove that the
Salvation Army having passed through the two
stages Of persecution and liberation. common
TO all new spiritual movements had now reached
the third stage Of recognition and approval.
This fact was plainly apparent to anyone who
saw the great gathering in the splendid Car
negie Music Hall. aud witnessed The enthusiasm
Of hundreds Of the most prominent people in
the New York churches "a the proceedings went
on 1t is only thirteen years since the
Army. founded seven wears before by Gen.
VIM. Booth and his wife in England. first
came TO the United States. Ii met stronger
prejucices, apparently, IL rot greater opposi-
NiNh LNit Atihl Lfhidltl- IhtA
people who were beginning 20 appreciate and
admire the work which Gen. Booth Was doing
IN England found il difficult 20 appreciate and
admire the work which he was enesaV oring "a
do through his representatives in the United
States. They did not perhaps share the view
OF outsiders that the Sslvationists were q lot of
harmless but grotesqae lunatcs. but they found
II difficult to be ia sympathy with them or 10
approve aav of their methods. They were dis
posed TO think that the Salvation Army was
better adapted to England than to the United
States, and that really the sooner II
ter it would be for Christianity,
which many of them could not helu
thinking was likely TO be brought into dis
repute bv Its new crusaders. Those who or
posed and those who were indifferent 10 The
Salvation ARM in both England and the United
States have learned not to dcsrise the day Of
small things, which are but the beginnings OF
great things. 4 change amounting 20 a reyolu-
ton has taken place in the attitude OF all classes
lii this country toward the Salvation Army.
WHAT TEN YEARS HAs ACCOMPLISHED.
The New York Press gave one view Of this
change when it said during the late reunion
thine was-only ten years ago-when a big
New York audience used to laugh nightly when
the mock Salvation Army Used 70 march on in
the last act OF one of Harriean and Eart'- PLAYS
and bang their cymbals and beat their drums
and sing:
Wen give You point, and we'll give Il square,
The guy In The middles miliionaiges.
Last night an audience great deal larger
than the theatre opposite Waverly place could
have held in two nights OF the run OF the play
In question. watched the real Salvation Army
IN continental congress assembled. on the stage
of Carnegie Music Hall. while Commander
Booth read letters Of communication from
resi- era- Pow 1lr \ .H..ss
Bishop Brooks and Prof. Charles A. Brigg.. and
announced that ten ID. ID. 8 and twenty-three
clergyrneu were among the 535 people who
Joined the 'auxiliaries of the army during the
year. That was what the Salyatiouists really
celebrated last night in the first session Of their
congress. their evolution from a mere episode
of street life into a recognized factor II relis-
ious effort. The manager who woald put =
mock Salvation Army on his stage now. would
probably be awakened to his error BY the rattle
of lntredgent coins in the box Office till rafting
against each other for company's sake.
Another view of tie change is that taken bv
the newspapers themselves, always quick Ia
perceive the drift OF things and TO see what
their readers want to read about. As recently
as five years ago the newspapers of New orr
as OF other cities. gave very Little space to the
Salvation Army and filed much of that with
Gisparaging, If not condemnatory remarks
But during the recent continental congress the
New York newspapers without exception gave
from one column 20 four columns a dsy 20 the
subject. treating it not only respectfully but
appreciativeirand approvinglv, and publishing
plenty Of good pictures by way Of illustr. ton.
And since the congress adjourned articles on
SPECIAL features OF the army work have been
appearing IN the New York and other metropoii-
tan newspapers. while Hdy,per's Heelly. in its
last weeks issue, gave its central doUble-tage
picture to illustrate tine outdoor work Of the
army, ". A Rogers doing it most graphically
and faithfully.
WHAT EMINENT MES SAY.
The view now taken BY many mea in this
country is that expressed SO eioquently, repeat
edly, by Archdeacon Fsrrar on behalf Of the
best men among the English Christians. that of
entire sympathy. Bishop Phillips Brooks said
III the letter he sent to the congress:
MY Dear Dir. Booth: You and Nrs Booth
viii not doubt my sympathy in the good work
which You are doing. IL is INV sincere houe
and desire that you may have the highest Wis
DOM and the best success. am. with earnest
interest and most cordial wishes. faithfully and
truly, PHILLIPS BRooEs."
DIR. Lyman Abbott, Henry Ward Beecher'.
successor. at the head OF the famous Plymoath
Church. expressed the view Of the aus iliaries
when he wrote TO Commander Booth Il am
very glad to be identified with the salvation
Army as member OF Its AUXILIARY League.
The self-abandonlng conservation OF it's meiu-
Dcls, lAtlr uNlnS 1eltl IN Jesus NBflst. GS a
present personal Saviour from sin and misery
here and now. their absolute fusing OF the prac-
neal and the spiritual in their work. their treat
ment of men as n unit, whose spirit cannot be
permanently improved except as his spirit Is
refined and eleyated-their earnest and success
ful endeavor 10 rescue those, who, under our
civilization have been delivered over to d,.gre-
dstion and despair; their manifest possession
in thei- own souls Of the fruits of the Spirit
love. JOY and peace-commeHd them and their
work to all those who care more for the king
dom Of Christ aud the welfare Of their fellow
men than they do for questions OF personal
taste. Ecclesiastical Organizations and theolog-
ic:.l doctrines
Commander Darlington Booth, son Of the
general. and head Of the army in this country,
aud his lovely wife, Mrs. Maud b. Booth. both
of whom made such favorable impressions
when they we're in Washington, were OF course
the central figures OF the congress dividing its
honors with their three weeks old daughter
who was most touchingly dedicated by them to
God at one of its sessions. They deserve the
loving LOYALTY " the army, for its marked sue
cess in this country dates from their coming
several wears ago 10 its assistance. When they
came it WAS small in numbers, feeble
IN influence and misunderstood as well as mis-
represented. In his report TO the congress
Commander Booth able 20 say: "Durmg
the last twelve months in the United States we
have gathered Is. l9s. Se6 persons into our halls
and have made 30. 433 conversions; we have oc-
cupied 452 cities and town and established SIS
outposts; We have gained / 500 officers. each
To Tuar -