The Portland daily press., 1894-01-12
STARTLING STATISTICS.
Commander Booth Tells Of the
COuntry's Depraved.
LAST EVENINGS SALVATIONIST
RALLY AT CITY HALL.

There Were Stirring Speeches, Rattline
Music and Hallelujah wedding-A
Large Audience in City Hall
The Salvation Army has undoub tedly
been strengthening itself greatly in this
city lately. This was shown last evening
by the large audience gathered at City
hall ! to greet Commander Darlington
Booth, chief of the Army in the United
States, and Major VIM. Brewer, head of
the New England division. 1t is true
that an hallelujah wedding" had been
abundantly advertised as a feature of the
exercises, but such was also the case, on
at least one previous occasion when
Commander Booth has been here. But
on that occasion the Gospel Mission held
the audience, while last evening City
hall was none too large, both gallery and
floor being well filed.
The audience was not drawn in by the
huge and flaming transparencies carried
in the procession which preceded the
meeting for most of them arrived in
advance of the army.
Major Brewer, a young, earnest and
evidently educated young man presided.
The services were conducted after old,
regulation style, with the firing of
volleysn of amens, the beating of drums
and cymbals; but insthe personnel of the
leaders great difference was manifested
At the time of Miss Susie Swift's visit
it was shown that the Army work had
begun to appeal to the spirit of devotion
and chivalry in the educated classes.
The conduct and appearance of the
officers at last evenings meeting con-
frmed the impression made by Miss
Swift's visit
But the fact that the officers are people
of education and culture has in no way
diminished the effectiveness of all the
peculiar rackets of the Army. The hand
clapping song Step by Step," led by
Major Brewer and joined in by large
portion of the two thousand auditors,
was one of the most stirring exercises
ever seen in the hall.
The wedding was only an incident OF
o24S LhOOoAhSS fhiSu w co d T6s
ligious and praise, service. There were
testimonies from rough and ready veter-
ans of the old Salvation line, like
Captain Howard Of Brockton, and
Captain Reed of Somersworth; there was
solo, sweetly sung by Mrs Brewer; a
solo with accordion accompaniment by
one of the adjutants; and an address by
Major Brewer, in which he made an
earnest. plea for the two and a half
million unchurched people in New Eng
land. Major Brewer spoke most highly
of the work of Adjutant and Mrs. Brengle
in this city.
Commander Booth made an address of
considerable length. He said he was in
the movement because he happened to be
Graded in it, or because he happened to
be the longest son of Gen. Booth (Com-
mander Booth is about seven feet tall
and correspondingly slim. OF because he
happened to be the longest Salvationist
in the ranks. Laughter.) He was in the
army for love of it's work. He said there
was great tendency on the part of ease
olA 1AUOiAlSOAOO ofJlCdti Ill w USu
rumors about the Arny's work. 1t was
true that the methods it used were some
what novel and startling in these latter
days of the Nineteenth century; but if
those who criticise could only realize the
condition of those who are
without light they would not criticise
any well-meaning movement. In very
dramatic passage the orator declared
thar the present distress in this country
was bad, but not the darkest side of our
problem. Reliable statistics told us that
the prisons and jails of this country held
SO. 000 criminals, and that twice that
numbe were at large. Thus there were
ah alA 240, COO criminals Every year 49,
Go graves are dug to receive the forms
of $4,000 drunkards. The moderate
drinkersaare two and a half millions.
Sevcnty-six per cent of the working
classes of this fair land never enter the
door of church, and twenty-three per
cent of them have no religion at all.
These classes, the Salvationists are
working for. The Salvationists are the
mess aggressive Christians of the
day. The speaker was reminded of the
story of Texan OK teamster who was
heard shouting whoa, Presbyterian. +"
Gee, Methodist" SECT up, Baptist" ETC.
Why have you named Your oxen that
way?" asked a traveller.
We'll, call this one Presbyterian be-
cause he is true blue and always comes
cat of everything we'll And the next
OK call Episcopalian because he holds
his head higher than any of the others;
and the further OK is called Baptist be-
cause he has such taking for the water
and will not eat or drink with the rest.
Qaughter); and the head OK [ call
Methodist because he is supposed to be
able to do more than all the rest and
will not pull pound unless he is made
to-" loud laughter.)
Now if / had been there" said Com
mander Booth I should have said to that
man, you go now and find the liveliest,
hardest pulling OK in the country, and
call it Salvation Army" loud ap-
Dlause(.
The speaker then dwelt upon the work
among the moor whom the churches do