The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-05
SALVATION ARMY ONE
THEIR TRAINING Is OFFICERS
AND THEIR DUTIES.
Equality OF Men ard women In the SALIVA
tiou Army-Trnininn which Women Us-
dePgo After Being Converted = New
YSrk's -Four Trntntng aarrtsous.

Yerk's Four Trnining Garrisons.
In no other organization in the world are
woman and her work placed on 30 equal q foot
Ing with man and his work as In the Salvation
army. This fact has been brought out promi-
nently since the split occurred in the American
branch Of the Army. and the question has been
asked n great many times, what does n woman
who Joins the Salvation Army have TO dor
Some interesting information on the subject
was obtained from Miss Van Norden. Miss
Van Norden, IL may DO remembered, Ia the
daughter OF Warren Van Nordcn, President Of
the National Bank OF North America, who
lives at 10 West Forty eighth street. She is
about twenty-five years old. and shortly after
being presented to New York society. six years
ago, lost her mother. She Immediately gave
up society and took up salvation. as she ex-
pressed II, and for the past four years she has
been q Woodworking soldier in the Salvation
Army.
"You want mo to tell you something OF my
life as q soldier ?" she repeated in response TO n
question. There isn't much to say about my
self, 30 I will speak of women soldiers generally.
The majority Of the Salvation Army's converts
have no church connections. When q woman
is converted she 10 received as q recruit and put
on probation, not for any specified length of
time, but according to her evidence OF good faith
in leading q better life. II she is converted at n
corps meeting. the Captain or her Lieutenant
takes her name. address, and hour OF CONVEX
sion. and never loses sight Of her during tho
days OF probation. II she is led into the new
life by a soldier. the soldier takes her name and
address and turns II over to tho Captain of the
corps. When n recruit proves herself worthy
che Is sworn in. signs the articles of war. and
becomes q soldier, and then sho can wear tho
uniform OF n soldier.
Tho soldiers make up tho backbone Of the
Salvation Army. Many n woman who works In
q store from Z O'Clock in the morning until o In
the afternoon, or in u factory from o to :, or
stands behind n cashiers desk, goes home n:
night. PUTS on her uniform, and engages in &C
tive salvation work. Many Of our women sol
diers are domestic servants in families; others
go out by the day to wash, iron, or scrub. A
soldier 10 nothing more than n church member.
Che goes about her regular daily occupation MS
any church member would. She receives no
salary, and is entitled to none. On the contrary.
she is expected TO bring In collections to
the Army, and buys her own uniform.
OF course, che cannot go about her WORK in this
uniform, !or many employers object to it, but
she Is urged always to wear tho shield OF the
army. When a woman, or man either. unen-
numbered by q family or i'll health, between the
ages of II and 80. is converted. she is urged to
become what we call a candidate; that is. tc ap-
ply for officers rank. Tho idea is to get such
women to give themselves up to live. fight. and
die in the work which the Army is trying to nc
coinplish. My work as a soldier has been chiefly
in assisting Staff Captain Edith Marshall
in interesting people to become members Of the
auxiliary and in doing literary work. but when
Commissioner Eva Booth returns to London |
shall 20 with her to enter the international
Training Garrison. OF which Mrs. Booth-Tucker
used to be the head. There | shall tako the
rorrxa ~ ipGtr ~ linn xrli.h - ~ Arn,,.
soldier for an officers commission: and who
knows but what I may be sent right back herep
I an an accepted candidate. and the reason
j wish to go to London for my training is that |
wish to 60 to the fountain head; the Army Is
still in its infancy In the United States. and
while the training that candidates receive in
the Rarrlions in this country develops holy.
loyal. and devoted officers, IL has not attained
the state OF perfection that has been reached In
England. Further than that | cannot speak, |
for that is as far as l have gone. Adjt. May
.tgnew of the candidates department is the one
To talk on that subject"
Mrs. BOoth-Tucker is tho mother Of the
women in the salvation Army" BEGAN Adjt.
Agnew. she trained tie first women who
were ever trained in the work. and from her
training. Only candidates for onicership re-
ceive training. Soldiers have to earn their daily |
is to make as many converts as possible, interest
people In the meetings, lift up the fallen. help |
the members of all churches ought to do.
NO person under II years Of age is received
executions are made TO this rule occasionally in
the Ease OF a man or woman who wishes to do
young men and women. unencumbered by
families. who can give themselves up 70 obey a
& SPm ntesssar TO 90 to Si the s iurthe s6s end Of the earth
candidates. II a young woman is converted and
her record as a soldier is satisfactory for say
ElN mnntha and aha daCidnS RI DIVA har ,yI1ln |
for promotion. The candidates department
number Of questions. all OF which she is required |
TO answer. with regard to her name. address,
should become an officer. occupation IL any.
date Of conversion, other RELIGIOUS societies with
in debt or not, and. II SO. the details Of the in
IL she has ever used intoxicating |
az sS,a teoa lSoSu or snuff; her own ability
iisyes in the doctrines q the Army
mands. We also give her a certificate In a
sealed envelope to a doctor asking many ques-
candidate. Some Of them. are: Has the eapdio
date had fever of any kindH Are her lungs
rheumatism. or v anS c ose' veins 70 ntS' pSaarrsnssiy::
livinGf II dead. of what did they die? Besides
d sSese; ts esnmi Hrs many anS StssI questions ito The
date. and returns the certificate in a
- ' - a@N tts oSSA " ~ ptoNCb tlhL 1
the candidate Is physically unfit for .he Army
service there Is no alternative but TO send her
Many candidates apply who are not
Sometimes Ill health debars them;
members of their family depend on
them for support and they are thus encum-
bered. Again. the candidate may be too old or
may lack suitability for this work.
There Is considerable red tape about becom-
ing an officer in the Salvation Army. and these
people who think that IA woman can be converted
one week and attain the rank of o Lieutenant
the next are vastly mistaken. Each candidate
has to get backing from the local officers, treas
urer. secretary. or sergeant-M ajor, as to her
spond to the deecons, stewards. and war
dens In the churches. Then she must have
oficer, and the divisional o%ficer. and
/, as the Adjutant Of this department., get the
whole together. put my signature to IL, pass IL
on to the chief secretary, Col. Eadie, who passes
his opinion, and the statement is finally sane
toned, or not, 10y the Commissioner. A woman
can only get up and thank God that she is
and on her way to heaven is no good as a
Army officer.
In case a candidate Is refused she is put on
the waiting list, and receives a number OF wait
forms asking many questions in regard TO the
use she makes of her time. the fulhlment OF her
duty to her employer, and her spiritual growth.
She returns one of these at tho end OF each
wnnnNh and kulan shA pnaa.u 49,. ~