The evening times., 1899-12-29
The Salvation Army.

II there be an organization which de-
serves the unhesitating support of any
community. that organization is the Saliva
tion Army. Unlike some other institutions.
II requires no pledges from its supporters.
Ii does not insist that those helped by 1t
shall join any particular Church, nor does
it refuse to give meal TO the irreligious
1t stands between the thoughtless rich and
The helpless poor. and without trying to
bring them together when that would be
impossible makes of itself a bridge across
which benefits may travel. 1t says, in ef-
feet: Here are people. dirty, ragged, dis
agreeable. diseased. vicious, unpleasant in
every way, who need to be helped. We be-
lieve that the power Of God will help
them. and that they ought to be converted,
At the same time We recognize the fact
that whether they are converted or not
they ought to be clean, decent, industrious
citizens. We think that the hungry ought
10 be fed. the homeless sheltered and the
little children cared for You rich people
have nc time to do these things. and il
you had you would not know how to go
about il, and there would not be enough
of you to do all the work But what you
can dc is to give your money. We will
attend TO the rest. We are not doing this
because we expect to make anything by
it, but because we believe that the high
est happiness is to be found in saving lost
souls and perishing bodies. All that we
get for our work is our food and clothing.
The rest of your money will be used to
feed the starving, establish homes for those
who need them, and help the unemployed
10 earn an honest living. We do not ask
whether you are Congregationalist,
Catholic, a Hebrew, q Mohammedan. or an
The best We can with it, and we dc not in
lend to use II in building big churches or
employing an expensive choir !
The Salvation Army, like other institu-
tions, has grown out of the needs of its
time. The problem of the submerged
tenth is out of all proportion to the |
pcwers which cope with It, There are, |
roughly speaking. three distinct classes in !
society. blending with one another along
their border lines. There are the very |
rich-those who need not work for the |
bare living, and whose women need not |
work at sill except as they choose. There |
IS the middle class, in which the men are
constantly employed in some profession |
or business. while the women are generally |
busy ct home. Finally, there are the poor.
and in this class men, women, and some
times children must work for their living.
At the bottom Of this division, recruited
by persons from all the others. is the pau
per and criminal population.
With this element of danger to society
the rich 90 not come in contact, and when
they do. they seldom know what should
be done with ii. Their traditions and feel |
ings are so alien TO its habits and thought
that 1t is generally hard to find a common
ground, and the rich philanthropist fire.
quently does either too much or too little.
is foolishly soft-hearted or eoldiy cynical
and busness-like. The middle class has
but little money, and less time; and most
fairly prosperous people have poor reIa-
tives of their own, to whom their first
iuty is. These dependents require all that
an be spared from the earninss of the
moderately well-to-do doctor, or shop
keeper, or farmer. The very poor do an
Immense amount of giving, in proportion
10 their meaps. because they must live
es;s.!a.1isti tiaenJ to a certain extent in