The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-08-13
A SALVATION LASS.
CHE MUST OBEY ORDERS EVEN TO
FACING MURDER ~ THE SLUMS.

III SoHeS AtAEuSE ~ iir american IMAM
to the English Soldier-The Romance of
the stolen Angel Which Is Expected to
Come Back With n 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 a
B~ostonian 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 a wonderful training,
as one realizes watching it's effect upon
Salvationists. Of course obedience is a
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 I feel in
this way myself: No, but I will tell
you why not. l had the greatest admi-
ration for and faith in Mrs. Booth, and
as l was entirely under her direction the
influence of her personality subjected
me completely. l felt she must always
be right, and so I was ready unhesitat-
ingly to carry out all her commands.
When a S~alvationist 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 I have to do this
afternoon down in the slums. You see,
I have ON my slum clothes" an old
calico frock and detected looking straw
bonnet.
1.-The slum work." continued Captain
Vickery, "is u great stronghold and
safeguard. 1t keeps us down to the level
where we feel there is most need to do
Gods work. Mrs. Booth says the great
danger in this country for the Army
lies in its 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
Vickery produced "Orders and Regula-
lions For Field Officers" the handbook
of tactics which is provided for the
guidance of all Salvationists in COM
mand. 1t is a 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 25S tre 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 elseVn mere 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 a chance. Make up your mind to
the worst; then perhaps he that would
lose his life shall save it"
Captain Vickery is a rather delicate
looking young woman, with big, ear
nest eyes, a 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 q Salvation lassie coming
down a dismal, narrow street in the
darkness, with the bundle Of papers
which betoken her GRAND.
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 a 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 its place
above her desk it was stolen of the ex-
press wagon. A reward is now offered
for its restoration, and the slum visitors
are instructed to search the pawnahops.
II am convinced that our angel will
| cOma hack RI M with q rtOrv - soid