The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-04-03

TWO BRATTLEBORO BOYS IN RE.
LJGIOUS WORK
A New Religious Army Of which W II.
Hall is the Hcad--AvthUr j. smith thf
Evangelist.

y A New Religious Army Of which " i
Hall is the Head-ATth"r j. smith III
Evangelist.
The N. Y. Tribune Saturday CAV
an interesting account Of the latest re
ligious organization. the American
League of the Grand Army OF tn
Cross, with portrait of its founde
VIM. y. Hall, who has latoly hcol
elected its president Colonel. Mr.. Hall
who is business man 1T New York
of the Hall Signal Co., and has 10
some years had quite note there
abouts AS an evangelist If forme
Brattlcboro boy. and graduate o
our High school, being the son o
Thomas S. Hall who lived for a Number
of years on Western Avenue. He was
born in Stamford, Conn, where ht
now has summer home. His grand
father on the paternal side was one Of
the organizers of the Free Will Bap'
fist church in America. His Other
grandsIrc was the Rev. W. W. Phillips,
for more than 40 years pastor OF the
First Presbyterian church. New York
city. His father, Thomas $, Hall, was
the original inventor of the automatic
block system for RAILROADS, which the
son improved and perfected.
The plans of the American League OF
the Grand Army Of the Cross are cX-
tensive. 1t is proposed that league
company, either OF men or women, or
of both. shall be formed in each
Evangelical church, each company to
be directed in its work by president
captain. Each two, and not more than
| ten, companies may form regiment
Each regiment ~ Is ucs'iIu, suu's
ITS members. III Is not ihteIueo ~
supplant the Salvation Army, the Nc!-
unteers or any othcr IeiiSious oiSani
Satioh: l ne a.owe.' NJ uoloI I'LL VI n 'ie
salvation Army says WI nan -
20 teacl the io"er ciasses 'nt opJ;J'
OF the volunteers Is 10 reach tile liiu
cue classes ana our OBJECT Is 10 'caLi
al! Glasses. we propose 10 reaclI tht
% per cent or inc peopie now n1t
reachca by the chufches or anypouy
else Inc League WIN nc stiictif al an
American ofeanizatioh' anu an tiie
oihcefs VIII De eiecieu' Az who JPN
the League VIII DC required 70 DC
come members OF some cAnrch, II tncy
are not SO when they come 10 US
he says ne mas iohe peeh COW iilceu
OF the impcratiVc necessity Tor new
reformation 1hat snaii prcah Gown
present barriers oil deadly iofiiaiisii
and chilling conventlonaiity; that
shall rouse the church Oh Gnris' 10
active pioneer efforts IN reaching thc
vast majority OF the people VINO arc
to day unreached by the saving inhu
ence OF the proclaimed Gospel OF Jesus
Christ, > While all the members OF
this movement are church members !
we do not try to favor any, particular
church. We shall probably be the
greatest feeder ot the churches III this
country. The League is entirely
favorable to the Salvation Army and
TO Darlington Booth. and wishes them .
We intend To popularlze |
our services so as to make them as
attractive as theatres, along Christian
lines as we understand them.
Rev. Arthur j. Smith. another
former Brattleboro boy and educated
At orr High school, the son of Canada
Smith, who used TO live on Forest
street, and now an evangelist OF grow,
ing fame closed series OF successful
'eviral meetings at Marshalltown, Ia.
Wednesday. The Times. Republican OF
nat place says MI EoHiitH uds
greatly pleased the pastors of the city,
md the Christian workers as well. h
~ bis manly bearing, his earnest
words and thorou.h methods of work.
ie is gentlemanly and courteous, yet
lirect and straightforward in dealing
With men and thoroughly in earnest IN {
,resentingt he gospel Of salvation.
lr. Smith is Canadian by birth but s
anne to the States when 10 years old. ]
II p he was on the road as com
lcrcial traveller. selling goods TO the c
;holesale furniture trade. In 1850 he Q
las led TO give up business and 90 i
nto the work of the Young Men s Y
'hristian Association as assistant sec d
,tary in New York and Chicago. In
$50 he accepted an invitation to go to Il
as assistant pastor with ~
IT. Chapman, in the great Bethany
lurch. commonly known as Wanama
cr's church. Here he was associate II
lperintcndont also in the BethanySun O
srship of 5000. II WAS while he was v
this great church that Mr.. Smith II
,,tt ,,tstt Il "A