The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-07
WITH BEAT OF DRUM
THE SALVATION ARMY MARsHALs
IT'S FORCES IN THIS CITY.
Services Held In the Churches Yester-
day-Rev. Mr.. Ellison Begins
Work at the First baptist.

udy AFTERNOON, at the opening meeting of
the Salvation Army in this city, but a
strong interest was manifested in the corps
of officers and their speeches. Brigadier
General Fielding, a large, broad and deep
ehested man, with black hair and fair COM
plexion, with bearing of command and of
no little power among his felIow-men, was
the chief. He was attired in a black, long
skirted coat, epauleted, and a red shirt
He quickly demonstrated that he was of
practical turn of mind, and as soon as Rev.
DIR. Sims turned the meeting over to him
with an expression of satisfaction at his
presence and hope for the success of the
army in this city, he called for prayer by
Ensign Black, who is to have, command of
the forces in Indianapolis. This prayer
was couched in clear-cut and well-formed
sentences. disappointing any who might
have come expecting to encounter Hitter
acy. Indeed, the entire corps seemed to
have good use of proper English. and to
be at home in the expression of their ideas.
As the prayer ended, while still kneeling,
General Fielding struck out in song
with striking refrain, beseeching blessing
from on high. Then Mrs. Captain Stuyve-
SAINT, wife of the officer in command at
this station when the Brigadier leaves, was
ordered to lead in prayer, and the earnest
voice of a small woman with white face,
a high forehead, fully disclosed under the
army bonnet rang through the church.
Captain and Lieutenant JONES' two young
women with rather angular features, arose
and sang a solo and chorus. accompanying
themselves with guitar and mandolin.
The solo was sung by the petite sister,
whose voice is thin and pitched high. and
lacks the sweet soprano quality that is,
M dp,,Hf adlx H., h. <cl1a fcfar no hra-
frain was catchy and pleasing, and the
Brigadier took it up and sang it several
times after the song was finished, many in
the audience joining in the words. His arms
swung rhythmically as the song was sung.
Captain Stuyvesant was ordered to speak
and then, one by one. each of the officers,
excepting the singers, were called to adj
dress the audience. Their words were in
the form of testimony as to how they had
come to join the Salvation Army, and most
Of them had come out of the Methodist
Church, just as General Booth had done.
Brigadier General Fielding said that he
called upon each of them in order that the
people might become better acquainted
with them. Besides Captain Stuyvesant,
there were heard his wife and Lieutenant
Sherman. AS a means of demonstrating
the style of their evangelical warfare. the
Army song, entitled Glory 1t has the
air of the jodling song and is catchy even
In Its religious dressing of words upon the
theme OF glory. The impulse was to encore
the piece. so pleasing was the song and
so much more familiar to the variety
than to the aS hes to speak
Of the work that the corps would do. He
had found, he said, that some would spell
the activity Of the officers would give any
body chance to think that the corps was
aR WOULD fae sey 81 ABOUT
the liveliest corpse that he had ever met.
He said that he could not understand why
the army should feel prejudiced against it.
1t was rather to be expected that those
who had witnessed the unusual methods
of the army are strange and run counter
to their set ideas. To have prejudice with
ated by fair-minded people Then the
Brigadier described how General Booth
about twenty,nine years ago was called to
the religion of Christ. He had heard. the
Brigadier said. the leading ministers of
that time discussing how to reach the peo--
pie. and after wrestling in spirit with God
over his convictions, General Booth decided
to give up his large and well-paid place in
as he saw ms duty. He rented dance hall
in the worst part of London and called in
the world knew including drunkards.
thieves and the fallen in every form OF
sn The d M9r h aad
several thousands to accommodate the
crowds Meanwhile there were persecu-
TONS and those whom he had left in the
church called him fanatic. fool, and
prophesied failure. The masses had failed
to come to the church under his old pastor
ate, but he knew that he taking the
church to them and his experience in rescu-
ing the most depraved soon anchored his
the very uttermost. The work came to be
known as the Christian Mission, and then
II reached t standst as it took the form
that the work had ceased to grow and he
called his officers together for conference
a military character with military titles
From that time. the Brigadier said, 1t had
not ceased to grow, and had spread all over
army grew out of need. he continued, and
so had every innovation of method. The
Brigadier then discussed the objections most
often heard to the army One. he said, was
the drum. Many condemn it's use because
it seems out OF place and disturbed be-, them
just the reason, he sa.~, why it had been
chosen. 1t was to call attention to the fact
that the meetings of the Salvation Army
drum, he said, had the same purpose as the
church bell; and he added that it costs
great deal less than the bell or the organ
which are used to draw people to church:
The drum reached ears calloused and deaf
Then was related the story of prize
fighter converted by means of the sounds
Of the drum He was about to drink glass
went to the door. He followed, attracted
by the strange music for a religious meet
ing, and in the meeting heard his own
prodigal condition described so particularly
that he was moved to tears and yielded to
the conviction of sin. He had before been
a saloon loafer, only sober when preparing
for a bout In the prize ring, and a
terror to the neighborhood and to his wife
and children. The sensation to his wife
when he returned to their wretched home
that night a converted man described
very effectively and added to the favois, BILE
impression made by the speaker.
Referring to the fact that some object to
the flag, he said 1t was the symbol Of tho
pulpit in the open air meetings, and was
ings and to indicate organization. Nc army
he said. could exist without a flag In Chi
cago, the Brigader said the army occupies
a building seating three thousand people
and pays $3.50 a month rent for it, There is
no trouble raising tie money to pas, rent
because of the good work mat is done He
related number of incidents showing the
power of the army to bring regenerati ton to
men and women Who had fallen to the low
est depths. The audience manifested the
greatest interest in the discourse To- the
last, though the subject opened so WIDE to
the enthusiastic Brigadiers views that 1t
was difficult for him to bring his dis course
to close. He addressed an audience last
night at the Second Presbyterian Church.
1t has not been many years since ii would
not have been possible for the army to be-
admitted to the leading churches of the
city, but its methods and sincerity have
stood the test and the local ministers have
cordially Endorsed the movement as one
complementing their work in strata of