Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-01-21

6t@VS %en ,s,t the outcome uI5, ne
watched with inter-
est by all people who care
for the social conditions that sur
round them and who desire to see a
radical change in the treatment of the
outcast and the Ishmaelite, says the
San Francisco Chronicle. It was the
dedication of the Salvation Army con-
vict farm.
This institution, which has already
been fully described, is the only one of
It's kind in existence. 1t opens up to
the released convict a channel whereby,
outside Of city influences and surround
ed by every inducement to reform, he
may escape from the fate of the con-
firmed jailbird and become an honest
member Of the community.
BY persistent labor since the farm
was decided to them by George S.
Montgomery, the Salvationists have
been able to gather together material
enough with which to stock it. Sew
eral horses, large quantity of seed
wheat and oats, wagons and a num-
Der Of farming implements have all
been placed on the farm within the
last few weeks, and nothing remained
to be done but to dedicate the place
and begin the work Of collecting the
ex-convlcts to take charge of it.
A large number of members of the
Salvation Army, including Brigadier
and Mrs. Keppel, Maj Milsaps, Staff
Captain and Mrs. Wood, Adjt. and Mrs.
MeFee, Adjt. Reed and Ensigns Butler,
Louis Fong Sex and Thompson left this
city early In the morning for the farm.
They had brass band with them and
were accompanied by large number
of friends of their organization. Sew
eral hundred Salvationists and others
from all points in the Pacheco valley
were there to greet them when they
arrived, and no time was lost in be-
ginning the services.
Members Of the Army in Contra
Costa county had provided dinner for
the visitors, and nearly 400 people sat
down to the well-filled tables. When
the feast was over Brig. Keppel, who
has charge Of the Army work on the
Pacific coast, made a brief statement
Of the reasons why the farm had been
established, and showed in charac-
teristic manner how necessary such an
institution was. In concluding his re-
marks he said:
Think of it, friends. The convict,
having served his term, leaves the jail.
They give him a suit of clothes and
IS and back he goes into the whirlpool
Of city life. Being a convict, he can
get no work, his SIS is gone in few
days, and what is there left for him to
do? He must either steal or starve,
and there are the police and detectives
watching him at every moment. 1t Is
easy to see the result. Necessity drives
him to another crime and in a little
while the prison walls open once more
to receive him.
"The Salvation Army, with Gods
help, is going to stop all this. We are
going to take that man fresh from his
cell and get him away from tempta-
ton. We are going to say to him:
Brother, here is farm. Live on it as
long as you like and while you are tast-
ing the sweets Of liberty our Army will
find men big-hearted and noble enough
to give you other employment and help
you up We are going to help this man
to help himself. With the hope that we
will be successful in this endeavor and
in the knowledge that God is with us
and that His blessing is on us all now
dedicate this farm to His service and
in His name"
Then the large body of Salvationists
broke into loud and swelling chorus,
singing "a Way Out of Sin" their
voices echoing all through the beautiful
valley and dying away in the hills.
Over in San Quentin, where they have
Salvation Army corps, the convict
soldiers knew what was going on out
side and held song service and prayed
for the success of the farm.