The sun., 1899-05-14
SALVATION ARMY MARRIAGES.
"Lassie" Onicers Must Not Wed Below Their
Rank-Other Restrictions.

When a young woman becomes an officer In
the Salvation Army she surrenders. TO an ex-
tent. her free choice in the matter Of husband
to the good Of the cause she has pledged her
self to serve. 1t takes some time and trouble
and expense to become An officer in the army.
Applicants must not be less than ! Z years old.
and they should not be over 33. but this is
modified frequently.
The cadet must serve four months in the
training school, and may not. after all. pass
the requisite examination. These four months
are not spent in an easy. lolling away in the
barracks with a makeshift of study There
are not alone lectures to be attended. hut the
"lassie" IL supposed to earn her living that Ia.
earn the actual cost OF her food by selling
War trys The life is hard. and requires great
devotion to the cause. industry and perse-
verance II at the end. or before the end OF
her probation she retres or Ia retired by her
superiors, all the time spent in the school has
been wasted When she graduates and is
made a lieutenant, she promises to give her
services to the Army for at least three years.
to be Jealous in the cause and obedient to her
superiors.
II is against the rules OF the army for an off,
Ger to we'd her inferior in rank There are said
to be occasional disagreements in the best
regulated families. A wife who is Lieutenant
might receive commands from her Captain
husband and not rebel for women have been
schooled for so many generations to the idea
Of obedience to the husband. But il the case
were reversed and the Captain wife should
be obliged to reprimand her Lieutenant -hus-
band in public or worse yet. put her soldier
husband in the guardhouse. family trouble.
separation and possibly divorce might follow
Gen Booth is great believer In matrimony.
For the proposed farm colony which he ex-
the Way Out OF It. the General even advocated
II matrimonial bureau. Nevertheless ii is con-
ceded that the value. to the army OF a woman
Is lessened when she becomes a wife. She
wifehood, and possibly motherhood
Should handsome young Colonel e. lassie ~
fall in love with mere soldier in the ranks.
and the two OF them make up their minds that
together. they carry their troubles to the officer
In command of their division. who investi-
gates the case. Even II thare can be nothing
found against the Young man except the diff
heart. the young woman has to wait or resign.
In any case. even when their ranks are equal,
the two young lovers must wait a year after
therc engagement has been publicly announced.
marry her soldier and not to resign her posi-
tion IN the Army she makes her decision
known, and no doubt goes up peg or two in
the estimation ot her superiorS, who at once set
themselves about heiping her in any way in
way, and that is by taking her young soldier
lover in hand, giving him plenty TO do. which,
II he does well Is made tho basis for his rapid
promotion. But even with the best OF good
luck some years OF waiting must be passed
before the two can marry. Every care is taken
IN "a" salvation Army that It's officers do not
make unwiHr marriages The ordimary soldier
TO mediocrity by marrying whomsoever he
pleases.