The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-04-30
LOVE VS.. RANK.
Cupid Hns His Trials In the saliva.
ton Army.

ton Army.
Marry thine equal in rank lest the foot
OF pride kick at thee seems to be the rule
in the Salvation Army.
Although General Booth is the most en-
thusiastic believer in matrimony and en-
courages it in the army, it must be admit
ted that this approval is-"with an under
standing The common soldiers in the
army are privileged to marry how and
whom they please. Further than friendly
advice, which is given If asked. there is
no notice taken of a respectable legitimate
love affair among the soldiers. That is TO
say, there is no official notice taken of it,
With the officers it is different. 1t costs
something in time and money to trans
form raw recruit or common soldier
into an officer. In the first place. he must
spend four months in the training school, at
the end of which time he may discover, or
his superior may discover, that he has no
talent for the vocation. But If he or she
goes from the training school out into the
world to work in the cause it is under a
! pledge that he will give his time to the
army for at least three years. Promotions
| in the Salvation Army are made after pre-
! scribed military methods. the discipline
| and obedience TO superior officers being ex-
| act and severe.
If young woman who holds the Office
1 of, say, major should meet and fall in love
with one OF the common soldiers. and this
] soldier should reciprooate and wish to
marry her, these two wouldbe lovers
must each ask the permission of the COM
manding officer of the division to become
! engaged. Then a formal investigation is
| made by detailed officers and report is
made. If it has been learned that the
common soldier is fine, manly fellow.
| good Christian, and an earnest worker, the
1
| parties can under no circumstances be mar
| ried in less than year, even when they
| are equals in rank, and the rank of officers
wishing to marry must be equal.
| 1t would never do to put the young
major wife in a position where she would
| be forced, metaphorically speaking, to put
her dearly-loved soldier husband in the
| guard house. or be derelict in her duty as
an officer. 1t is on account Of having fore
| seen, or perhaps having, in the early his
| tory OF the army, actually experienced
these complicated matrimonial and military
| difficulties that the rule exists that officers
| in the Salvation Army must be equals in
rank before they can marry.
Just the same the heads of the Army
look with favor upon the young lovers, and
are willing, when the conditions are ia
vorable, to do everything in their power
| to promote the marriage The soldier is
| taken into the training school, where, with
| love, marriage, and military advancement
| as incentives, it is supposed that he will
work and study with a vim. From the
| school he is sent out a lieutenant. care
full watch is kept of him and his work, not
in an envious, jealous spirit, but with a
view of promoting him just as rapidly as
possible. When he finally reaches the dig
| nifty of being major he may wed.
From this it will be seen that the watch
fulness of the officers of the Salvation
Army in the matter of marriages among its
members is, not to keep them from marry
ing, although ii is admitted that the use
fitness of woman officer TO the army is
diminished, naturally and properly dimin-
ished, by the paramount duties of wife and
mother, but to prevent them from making
| improper marriages.