The Portland daily press., 1895-05-23
THE WORLDS WAITS.
Major Susie Swift Speaks in City
Hall.

of Adjutant and Mrs. Brengle-A Sal
vationist Meeting.
The Salvationist meeting at City Hall
Wednesday evening twas well attended.
the interest of the occasion centering in
the presence of Major Susie Swift and
the farewells of Adjutant and Mrs.
Brengle and Captain Salmon.
The latter goes to New York to be edi-
tor Of a Salvationist magazine there,
while Adjutant Brengle and wife go to
Manchester.
The meeting opened in the typical
Salvation style. Captain Salmon, ac-
cordeon in hand, led in singing:
"Oh, twas happy day
When Jesus came to stay"
Major Swift's address consisted largely
of anecdotes of her experiences. She
said that it tseemed sometimes that the
stamp of Christian service was put upon
the soul at the moment of conversion
For herself, when her soul was changed.
she seemed to sea the Saviour as the
working man of Nazareth, who seemed
to her the model of the Salvationist.
drawn towards the social scheme of the
army. This scheme was broadening each
year and, General Booth recently de-
tailed her to manage the Shelter for
Boys in London, the wild and reckless
street arabs. 1t takes great deal of
patient fishing to gather in these wild
little fellows. But when their confidence
is once gained they are loyal and enthu-
sias tic. They do not mind being called
waits. When Major Swift gathered her
band to welcome General Booth they
carried banner with "Waifs welcome
the General" as the inscription. They
were proud of this banner, and one lit
tie fellow came to Major Swift and
said:
II say, General. that fellow who is car
rying the banner has no right to it. He
has got father and a mother and a
steady place."
had to assure the omplainant,"
said Major Swift, "that the standard
bearer was poor and homeless newsboy
like the rest of them.n
AS the procession smoved along .Tand
came to crossing, the police, as is
customary for all professions, stopped
traffic until it passed.
say, did you see the bobby stop the
traffic for us,-for us?n was the general
exclamation of the boys, who began at
once to respect themselves.
while this sudden growth of self
respect was cheering TO me, / was much
cast down when most of them produced
cigar stumps," said Major Swift. But she
managed the boys finally, and breathed
more freely when she got them into the
train. But here her troubles began.
A kind gentlemen was on board, and
when he found that the boys were con-
nected with the Salvation Army, he at
once wanted to do something for them.
So he gave each boy fine cigar.
Major Swift was almost in despair, but
she managed to make the boys give
up the cigars.
Another feature of the work among
the worlds waits was illustrated by
one sad-faced girl in black, whom Major
Swift saw in the London rescue home.
This young woman at the early age of
Is, ruined and Gisgraced, had left the
workhouse with a little baby in her
arms. Her mother was dead. Her father
admitted her to his home grudgingly;
but her brother declared lie would kill
the child if it was allowed to remain. So
the poor girl wandered forth, and at
night tramped about The babe cried
bitterly for food which the mother
could not provide. Finally, in the morn
ing, in despair, she placed the baby in
a little pond under the water. The po-
lice and magistrates could not under
stand the case; and the poor girl was
condemned to death. But on account
of the youth of tie prisoner. her sem
tence was committed. For ten years
she remained in prison, without friend
to think of her. Finally the governor
OF the prison, moved by the pitifIl case
asked her if she knew of no one who
might befriend her. She thought of
an old Sunday School teacher. That
teacher had in that time become men,
Der of the Salvation army. Through the
Efforts of the army the Home Secretary
released, the girl and turned her over to
the army. One OF her first requests
was for some black clothing to wear as
mourning for d. her father who had died
of grief when she WAS sentenced. Her
SECOND request was that SIS, which had
come. to her for good conduct money in
prison, might be sent to her brother,
who was suffering.
Last winter Major Swift went to
Northern Africa and along the Desert
of Sahara looking out places for Saliva
ZIONIST missionary work.
ADJUTANT BRENGLE
in saying farewell. said that Mrs.
Brengle and himself came here two years
and half ago, with faith and hope in
God. He had been prevented by sickness
from reviewing the work. Since January
LIST last 1886 men and women of the un-
churche ed class in the Maine and New
II hive cfrio hava hoa,,