The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-04-09
ooUF.1 SHIP nv SALVATION ARMY
8 strict Rules Regulate Affairs of Love and
J. larriage Among the Soldiers.

strict Rules Regulate Affairs of Love and
Slarriage Among the Soldiers.
Love at first sight doesn't go in the
SalvaTon Army. There's no room there
for loFesick maids or for signing SWANS
ana such amusements as fiirtations are
1ro"iied upon from headquarters down
to supalterns. No exceptions are made
10 thttse rules in any case. They apply
TO th3 commanders as well as to the
humble recruit just received on proba-
was admirably exemplified in the
case hi Commander and Mrs. Booth
nor ithan ten years ago. Darlington
BooW, son of the general, met and fell
in iQee with Maud Charlesworth, who
hadeecently joined the army in London.
She was only II and he was %. The rule
says that a Salvation Army woman
must be 21 before she marries, and there
was nothing for the couple to do but
wai's Gen. Booth hustled his son off to
Australia to look after the new field
there, and to make sure that his af-
lection for Miss Maud was lasting. As
soori as Staff Capt. Charlesworth be-
came of age she married the COM
mander of the American forces.
This marriage was remarkable from
the ke1Fth of the engagement. Most
engf tents in the army last about two
year he first year it is termed court
i2re "a no girl in the army can be
Jcqsf I'D Y i1Sif she has served at least one
year. If d formal engagement follows
it must last at least one year. There's
no backing out, however, after the en-,
gagement has been entered into, al
though there is nothing binding on
either side during the counting period.
As soon as the counting begins every
body is appraised of the relations, for
the superior officers of the army must
interest themselves in the couple. A
girl cannot be courted by an outsider
unless he promises to enlist in the army
and then he cannot marry her if he is
below her rank If the lover is below
her rank he must show ability that will
bring promotion, and this ability must
be certified by his superior officers be-
fore the engagement can be announced.
This requisite ability must be positive,
moreover. The young man must be in
dorsed as being capable of filling po-
sition at least three stations above that
which he holds when the courtship
ended.
All the Salvation Army laws relating
to marriage are for officers. They do
not affect the rank and file of the en-
listed men and women. They are left
free to do as they choose. The laws are
framed, though, to protect the women,
because three-fourths of the officers in
the army consist of women. They are
as a rule superior in mentality to the
men, and the aim of the rules is to spur
the men on by making them work hard
for what they desire. Some men in the
army do not amount to much until they
begin to court a girl, when they take
brace" and soon win promotion. 1t
might be noticed in passing that this is
frequently true of men in other walks
of life. The Salvation Army insists ON
this display of energy before man can
1 aspire to the hand and heart of one OF
the army's daughters, no matter how
humble she may be.
Before persons can be in line for the
position of officers they must state
clearly whether or no they are in love
and must subscribe to each of the seven
rules regarding courtship and marriage
The most important of these is the one
, forbidding engagements with outsiders
There must be unquestioned proof that
the outsider will become an officer If
the army before even the courtship is al
lowed. Strict as are the rules, they are
not always lived up to. Girls even in
the Salvation Army will fall in love and
in forbidden directions. Disobedience
to the rules means discipline and some
times expulsion, and not infrequently
the army loses bright young female
officer simply because she insists on
loving and clinging to a man who will
not join the army.
Officers must not be allowed to carry
on any courtship in the town where
they are appointed. Their influence is
destroyed when it is known that they
are engaged to soldiers. The laws add
| that soldiers so situated should ask for
removal when surrounding influences
are found to be too strong" .
In everything lovers are told that
helpmates must be chosen for the war,
and consent will never be given to any
engagement or marriage which would
take the officers out of the army" Ir
explaining the object of this law the
field book states that the army cannot
afford to educate and train officers tc
have them leave. In leaving they are
impressed that they violate their most
solemn pledges.-N. Y. Press.
The Most Crowded Spot on Earth.
The most crowded spot on the earth's