The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-12


SALVATION ARMY IN AMERICA.
In recent mum Der OF Gan the world''
General BoorH takes occasion TO inform
his fellow-countrymen of III, feeling that
his sojourn on this continent has inspired
In him with relation to the acceptance of
his message by humanity.
The General begins by expressing him
self as sure that "sooner or later the
world will recognize and be grateful
for any labor or sacrifice endured in it's
behalf" He then goes on TO state his
conviction that "taithful adhesion to
Salvation Army principles and methods
will insure success anywhere and every
where" also that he has been much Sim
pressed by the great influence for good
exercised by the army of Christian
workers outside its ranks Concerning
the disposition of Salvation recruits,
Commander BOOTH Is even more magnani-
nous. He writes: Everywhere the
army produces the same kind OF loving,
holy and devoted soldiers. My campaign
has shown the general willingness, nay,
eagerness, OF all classes of men to listen
to plain and faithful talking about their
souls"
Such optimism is most encouraging, in
asmuch as ii proceeds from one who bases
his generous faith in the conscience OF
humanity upon the results of his labors
among classes usually reckoned as the
most hopeless. 1t is plain that there is
nothing in his work among the people
that has caused General BOOTH to look
upon them as unresponsive to toll for
their sake or indifferent to the welfare of
their starved souls.
At the time that his article was written
the leader of the army had been on this
continent scarcely more than six months,
yet he writes that within that time he
had "traveled 21,O1O miles, addressed be-
tween 400, 600 and 500, 600 persons, suffered
217 press interviews, answered PIG letters,
given 3i5 addresses, travelled ass night
and 1895 day hours" These statistics
are nothing II not amazing. And when
we take into consideration also the fact,
spoken of further in the Generals ar
ticle that his discourses and plans of
work have been scattered by the daily
papers, not only among the people of the
particular cities where he has labored, but
throughout the country, and even
among foreign nations, we begin to have
some faint notion OF the ground covered
by this remarkable army.
General BooTH praises "the wonderful
facilities that modern civilization presents
for carrying on the salvation war.n
Referring to the figures given above, he
says: sit would have been incredible
had anyone foretold the possibility of
such campaign 100 years ago-to have
carried II out then would have been i'm
possible" Evidently General BooTH has
no mistaken ideas about "the good old
times" but is quite ready to accord to
nineteenth century inventions their part
in the great plan OF salvation.
We have heard considerable talk about
the small accomplishments OF the army
in this country compared with those 1t
has to show In Great Britain. To cer-
tain extent this difference does exist, but
The statements from General BooTH's pen
would seem to settle beyond dou bt any |
question as to the army's success ON this
'ide Of the water.
The new $4,000 Barracks" recently
dedicated In New York City, stands as ma
erial evidence OF the success of General
3ooTH's American campaign.