New Ulm review., 1895-07-24
A SALVATION LASS.
SHE MUST OBEY ORDERS EVEN TO
FACING MURDER IN THE SLUMS.

This Comes Harder to the American Than
to the English Soldier-The Romance of
the Stolen Angel Which Is Expected to
Come Back With Story.
Americans take less kindly to dis
cipline of the Army than the English
do,' said Captain Elma Vickery of the
Salvation Army. Captain Vickery is
Bostonian and has been confidential
secretary to Mrs. Maud Ballington Booth
since Mrs. Booth first came to America.
"Just what does discipline of the
Army mean?' was asked of her.
Doing as one is told-obedience
without question, which is the duty of
every soldier in the armies of the world.
This discipline is wonderful training,
as one realizes watching it's effect upon
Salvationists. Of course obedience is
habit, like faith, that grows more and
more by exercising it. Now, in the case
of Americans we find always much dis
position to question. They always want
to know why before they do as they are
told. 1t becomes needful to explain all
the reasons very fully to them, while
English people accept directions with
out cavil Indeed they seem positively
to like it. l think the Americans atti-
tude in this respect is due to the pro-
pensity of all my country people to seek
to impress themselves individually upon
their environment, whatever and wher-
ever it may happen to be. Did feel in
this way myself? No, but I will tell
you why not. I had the greatest admi-
ration for and faith in Mrs Booth and
as [ was entirely under her direction the
influence of her personality subjected
me completely. I felt she must always
be right, and SO was ready unhesitat-
ingly to carry out all her commands
When a Salvationist is not sustained by
this strong personal feeling for the Off
Ger whose orders must be obeyed, it is
sometimes not easy to submit-when one
is told to 60 out and call War Crys, for
instance. That is what have to do this
afternoon down in the slums You see,
| have on my slum clothes" " an old
calico frock and detected looking straw
bonnet.
1.-The slum work." continued Captain
Vickery "is our great stronghold and
safeguard. 1t keeps us down to the level
where we feel there is most need to do
JOd's work. Mrs. Booth says the great
danger in this country for the Army
lies in it's tendency to work upward
among the higher classes. We are sent
to the lost sheep. TO reach them the
methods often condemned and generally
misunderstood are the most efficacious. -
In support Of these methods Captain
Flckery produced ''Orders and Regula-
tions For Field Officers, =" the handbook
of tactics which is provided for the
guidance Of all Salvationists in COM
mand 1t is rather ponderous volume,
bound in scarlet The contents are care
fully indexed and there seem to be in
structiOns set down for every possible
contingency.
Page 258 treats of "Roughs-How to
Reach Them" This is part Of the
counsel given:
"Be friendly with them. Make them
feel that you care for them. Make every
meeting, as far as may be, interesting
to them. Let the precise people, who
want things to be conducted without
noise or excitement, 60 elsewhere for
their sermons, psalms and proprieties.
Never let them (the roughs) go away
without some kind word from you.
Never mind if they are bad people,
The Samaritan woman at the we'll was
a very doubtful kind of character I am
afraid many Of our field officers would
have been ashamed to be seen speaking
to her in public, but the Master was not
above noticing her. -
The possibility of violence at the
hands Of the rough element is noted in
these words:
But what if they kill you?''
''Well, you must die. You have often
sung and said that you would-now
here's q chance. Make up your mind to
the worst; then perhaps he that would
lose his life shall save it,
Captain Vickery is rather delicate
looking young woman, with big, ear
nest eyes, lovely smile and low, sweet
voice. AS she spoke Of selling War Crys
in the slums it was impossible not to
associate her with the picture on the
wall above where she was sitting It
represented a Salvation lassie coming
down a dismal, narrow street in the
darkness, with the bundle of papers
which betoken her errand.
Every line of the slender figure and
delicate face expresses the brave constan-
cy of the maiden. Behind her, with
hands extended in protecting and bless
ing, follows an angel, the source of light
in the gloom.
Captain Vickery explained that the
original of this was done in black and
white by well known magazine illus
TRAITOR, Miss G. A. Davis, who present.
ed it to Mrs~Booth. A plate was made
from the picture to be used for the east
ern supplement- Of The War Cry. AS the
picture was On its way back to Mrs.
Booths Office to be restored to it's place
above her desk it was stolen off the ex-
press wagon. A reward is now offered
for it's restoration and the slum visitors
are instructed to search the pawnshops.
Il am convinced that our angel will
come back to us with a StOrv,' said