The herald., 1894-10-01
A soLDIeR OF TaR CROSS.

The coming Of General William Booth
to the United States guarantees him q
cordiSl reception all over America. more
especially by the Salvation Army, OF
which be is the founder. In company
with the Rev. James Chew, now resi-
dent OF New Zealand. he established the
first camp of the Salvation Army in O
small interior town of England. II has
grown like the banyan tree OF India
until its branches have overshadowed
half the civilized world.
Eight years ago the writer asked the
late Sir James MacBain why he gave
$500 every quarter to the Salvation
Army in the colony of Victoria. BE
cause" answered the old knight, "they
rescue more fallen women and bring
them back to lives OF honesty and good
work than all the officers of the law put
together" Margaret P, who kept
the largest house of ill fame south of
the equator, told the chief OF police in
that city that she would rather see 10
policemen come into her house than one
Salvation Army lassie. They always
took some one away with them.
That their method of worship is at all
times boisterous and borders occasion
ally upon the ridiculous, cannot be de-
MED. BUTT must be remem bered that
they have rescued many brand from
the burning; and have restored to paths
OF recsitude and decency not only women
who have fallen an easy prey to the
lecher, but men who have sunk deep
into the mire of degradation through
the debasing influences of drink. Men
need not go out of our own city to find
examples of both kinds as above stated.
Hence it is rather late in the day for
squeamish persons of either sex to find
fault with the methods OF the big man
with the red jacket who beats the bass
drum, or with the weary looking woman
who jingles o tambourine and wears
poke bonnet. Let US judge them fully
by the good things they are doing in our
midst and recall the maxim of the grsst
French statesman who said. THE end
justifes the means"
The hospitalities extended to the
founder OF so efficient q working ele-
ment amid the ranks of vice should not
be restricted to the men and women
whose torches blazs along our streets
while they sing gospel hymns to the
tunes of the thester and circus. That
is their way of worship, and they are
welcome to it, If they can rescue fallen
women in darkest London by singing
Guide me, oh thou Great Jehovah" TO
the tune of "Daisy Bell" or Little
Johnny Doogan," that is none of our
business; and the man who would seek
to cast reproach upon their methods.
while fully aware of the good they have
achieved, is lacking in moral courage.
As Ia reformer General Booth deserves
to take rank with Heber, Wilberforce
and the grand array OF unselfsh souls
that have passed on to their long
deferred reward. He has given the
means OF reform into the ranks OF the
poor and lowly that they can minister
in localities where the velvet-slippered
lady might not venture for fear OF
noisome smells; and where the mealy-
mouthed rector would hold himself
aloof lest he should aoil the broadcloth
of his straight.cut coat. The warm
hearted partissns of "the under dog" in
the fight which we call life, will vel
como Booth as the lovers of the drama
did his clsssic-visaged namesake in the
days gone by. Let the poke. bonneted
lassies raise their voices to welcome one
who has proven himself the nnfaltering
friend of poor humanity; and as for the
man in the lobster jacket, who wallops
the big bass drum, we can only say,
"More power to your elbow"