St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-06-25
The Work of the Salvation Army.

The Work of the Salvation Army.
Following is letter from the Sal
ton Army headquarters at New York
written in response to some cues
tions in regard to their work in the
United States. The letter was read
at a recent missionary meeting at the
North church, St. Johnsbury:
So far as the evangelistic side of the
work is concerned in the cities, | might
say that Philadelphia has twenty-three
corps, including two Stun posts; Chi
cago has thirty-two, including two
Stun posts; New York has sixteen,
including five Stun posts; Brooklyn
has eight, including two Stun posts
St. Louis has seven, including one slum
post; Detroit has four corps; Kansas
City has FIVE corps; San Francisco has
eleven corps; and there are many Others
that have three four and five apiece.
The total number of corps and outposts
throughout the country is $780, of which
a great majority are in cities. In a
great majority Of instances, active open
air work is carried on by these corps, as
well as the ordinary meetings in the
halls.
So far as the Social" side of things is
concerned, we have shelters for men in
New York (2), Buffalo, Seattle, San Fran
cisco, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Sac
ramento, Santa Cruz, Kansas City,
North Adams, Mass, Chicago 81, Bos-
ton, Easton, Pa, Rochester, N. Y,
Peoria, Ill.,, St. Louis. The returns from
the first fifteen OF these show that there
are sleeping accommodation for 1855
beds.
There are prison gate homes in Chicago
San Francisco and Seattle; wood yards
in San Francisco, Seattle. Santa Cruz
Boston, Waterbury and North Adams
salvage brigades in New York, Brook
Ign and Jersey City; cheap restaurants
in Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, San Fran
cisco; a basket factory in Seattle; and
our interstate labor bureau has branches
in New York, Jersey City, Philadelphia
Boston, San Francisco and Seattle.
AS you will doubtless be aware, these
social" institutions are run with the
object of helping the poor to help them
selves, and are really items in the great
scheme for social reformation known a.
General Booths Darkest England" plan
The evangelistic meetings are con
Quoted in the open air, as we'll as in ou
halls, and music and singing form i'm
portant items in them. 1t is worthy O
note that in almost any hall large enough
to hold 800 people, full house will EN-
brace citizens of almost any station il
life, and Of every sort Of religious condi
ton. Among the more important de
tails that doubtless minister to tn
army's success in soul-saving, are tn
short, clear, definite testimonies of tn
speakers, the drectness of the persona
appeals, and the fact that the Salvation
lists, taking them as whole, live on
what they profess.
In many cities, Of course, the work c
the Stun officers produces very power
full impression, not only on their imm,
date field of labor, but upon othe
classes of the community.
So far as the social" operations al
concerned, we are careful never to los
sight of several very important prime
pies:
/. II mans temporal condition
the result of his depravity, we aim I
bring him under the power of the Spir
of God, which can alone permanent
remove the causes of his condition.
2. Where mans condition is large
the result of circumstances beyond h
control, we aim to change those circur
stances for him.
3. We aim to help him by enabling hi
to help himself, as we have no wish
pauperize any person, or to weaken
any degree the seli-respect and tn,
spirit of independence without which I
man can be a good seli-supporting citize
a. We aim as far as possible to ma
the institutions selfsupporting; but,
course, you will see that this part of t
work is necessarily very slow, as t
income derived from the sale of foo
lodging, ETC., and the product OF the lab
of the people benefited can be but SIN,
for some considerable time, and the ope
ing OF every institution involves great
or less expenditure for what we have
go to the public.
Yours faithfully,
TIC. MARSHALL, Major