New-York tribune., 1895-06-04
THE SiLDiTiON AKIN Y.

Lord Salisbury once spoke of Christians as
hcinc divided into three schools, the Sacram'n'aL
,ho po,ional and the Emotional. Modern society
has f.und In, ast-namcd class rather a disturb
jn,, element. In the mcliaeyal Church when Il
,,a, yv,s token with emotional religion hair
cloth shirt and a cowl were given to him ana ne
WAS sent off 10 preach and prophcSy without
dancer Of working injury TO an organization
which assumed no responsibility for his new
monasti, system. but which stood ready to prolit
Lax whatever his work could give it in the way
~ converts. wealth or missionary zeal. Anglo
SAXON Professionalism has NOT always shown the
s,mo wisdom. Had IT, there would have been
II, WESLEYAN disscntcrs in England. ana the
Salvation Army would not have had To wall 80
long for recognition as legitimate aSehcF i'i
religions work among the classes on when the
churches have little appreciable influence NrcH-
hisho, Manners sutton once consccratcd a new
Bishop of Calcutta and at the luncheon III Lam
b.,h which followed concluded speech with
/ this counsel: "lcmcmber remember. my Lord
"Hjshop. that your prlmatc on the day OF your
"consccration defined your duty Tor YOU lha'
"Jutv * io mt down enthusiasm, and 10 preach
! 'hc Gospel.
That WIS the attitude Of conventional ENGLISH
]
/ manifested bv William Booth and his co-workcrS
/ In lSt., the former Methodist preacher began HIS
/ Christian mission among The East End London
Door. which afcrward developed into the SaNa'
| ton Army The Gospel there preached was not
such ~ appealed 10 the cultured II was lr1hAF
/ sonsati ional at times even vulgar. II discdru'd
/ higher criticism even to the point OF boldly anu
/ cyultanily preaching things which old-faShl"h'd
conventional orthodoxy believes, but seldom
talks about. II does not appeal To the ihteIlec''
but to the feelings The people II strives -
reach have little intellect 10 be appealed TO- nor
have they the stail sobcrncSS Of the simple ioik
/ ~ rural community, whose moral instinct anu
common sense make them worthy members oi
churches. though they have not suspicion "t
thought or emotion. The Salvation Army went
into The slun, with uniforms and bands bound
4, attract notice. II drew people by curiosity
| stirred No their emotions. and then set every
one who Joined the Army NJ work for others.
/ There has been the secret of iS power, the lor''
by which II has fll-incl the predictions or us
early critics that its scnSational,m must soon
wear out and thc movement fAl Emotion alone
would have failed in lis rciormaiory elect III"
reaction would have come and The new converts
would have rclapsod into evil ways. But work
MAS the tonic which strengthened weak Wills
gave positive aniido'e against the return -
old associations and made every convert a factor
/ for the spreading of the movement IN scoIn'rN"l
progression. The result ~ the mission mas n''
h,.n am ,umixrd success nor m unmlxcd good.
/ Not all those who assumed the Uniform. any more
,h,n all those who have worn the surpce. have
been honest and pious people. The methods OF
,he Army have been undignihcd and sometimes
"A scandal 10 people of taste and cultured rcN'r-
once 10 some it made religion seem less bcaut-
ful and appeared 10 threaten the supremacy OF
idcos and ORGANIZATIONS which they had held
most sacred But To others IL came aS the ohy
revelation of righteousness they had ever heard.
or. hearing had found It in their hearts 10 listen
70. As General Booth said several years ago.
when England WAS ringing with dcnunclaiion of
his work. the Army preached what was TO It's
hearers "the Gospel Of n crucfcd Saviour who
"shcd real blood To save men from real guilt and
"a real danger Of real hell. and who lives again
"tn give a real pardon to the really penitcnt.'
There was something real in 1t for people 10
whom no other religion was real And there is
something real in it today which brings men
AMI women 10 desire better things. To do I'M
selfish work for cause to educate them for
useful membership of religious bodies OF the
older and more polite type. The Salvation Army
is not IN end in itself. 1t has sought to take the
GOSPEL where the churches failed to reach and
educate It's converts 10 join the churches. As
"A Church il has no proper function 1t Is only
an arm for cyangcliZlton. Working on that
line II has conquered much OF the prejudice
which formerly existed against it. and has
grown into vast organization not only In Eng
land and America, but In almost every corner OF
the world where there are lost souls to be saved
and dcpravcd communities 10 he reformed in the
midst Of Christian civilization. In America the
work has been going on for fifteen years. In
March, 1850, Il missionary with seven Army
lasscs set foot in Ncwlork. Yesterday the
Army dedicated I great building, which cost
$l5OOOO. as the headquarters of lis work in this
city That building does not represent subScrip-
lions from the wealthy or the results Of begging
expeditions. 1t stands there because Of the de-
voted work OF the lads and lassies, who have
preached among the tencmcnts sold WAR Crys'
in the lodging houses. talked of reformation TO
the drunkards In the dramshops. 1t speaks OF
the PROSPEROUS conduct Of work long looked
upon with suspicion and only recently with
favor by the Christian community, and the work
ers have reason to rejoice In their achievement.
They have not always used good English; they
have led some persons 10 follow foolish courses
in their enthusiasm; they have made virtue Of
emotion among an Unconditional people, but they
have been animated by desire 30 make men
better They have worked where others talked.
They have loved where others pliicd.
The cool wave came n little ahead OF time. but
was welcomed none the less heartily for that rea-