Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-12-11
NEW RELIGIOUS MOVE.
Salvation Army Will Invade
Rural Regions of Kansas.
srUPENDoUs SCHEME ON FOOT.

Banner of "BloOd and Fire" to Be
Carried Into the Villages to Rescue
TiIIers OF the soiI-First Campaign
of the Kind Ever Attempted by SAL
vationists.
The Salvation Army is about to begin
a campaign of salvation throughout
the rural regions of Kansas. As soon
as its work under the banner of blood
and fire" is we'll under way there it
will extend its work into other nearby
commonwealths.
This is the first work in the country
regions that the Salvation Army has
ever contemplated or done in the Unit
ed States. III other countries the Army
extends its efforts among the residents
of the country, and particularly is this
true in England and on the continent.
But in the United States urban work
alone has so far been carried on.
TO carry on the religious efforts of
the Salvationists in rural regions in the
United States marks an epoch in the
progress of the Army in this nation.
The fact means that the Army now
feels itself strong enough to commence
such campaign, says the Kansas City
Times. The test. or rather the begin
ming, is to be made among the rural
sons of Kansas, though why they are
chosen as the ones to be saved is not
readily guessed. The new campaign
will be fostered and advanced by Brig
adler Addie, in charge of the southwest
division. though under the direct su-
pervision of the New York headQuar-
tiers.
First of all faithful workers, prac
ticed in eXhorting and beating the
drum, will be sent to tour the villages.
The Salvation leaders call it a Village
campaign" The banner of blood and
fire will be spread to the winds. These
pioneers. emulating Paul will scatter
the seeds of their doctrine thick and
fast. But not only will they preach,
talk, eXhOrt and pray. 1t is proposed
to settle" family. or at least single
one, to whom salvation grace has been
given in a hundred or perhaps a thou
sand villages.
Farms will be rented and in many
cases purchased. Upon these farms
the savers of souls will till the soil and
become horny handed. Each night
and in every moment of leisure they
will sing hosannas and tempt the
bucolic sons and daughters into paths
plated the plan is one of even stupen-
douS proportions. 1t involves the pur-
chase or rental of innumerable farms
all over the state in which the Army
is working. 1t means. too, that all the
vast power of the Army is to be exert
ed to bring its apostles and disciples
from cities to the country. The pur-
pose of the plan is not to relive the
congestion of the great cities. but its
Observation-Disclosures that.
While in cities the work of the Army
is both religious and charitable. in the
rural regions it will be mainly reli-
gious, for there the pinch of poverty is
not so common. 1t is said that in
many villages and even in large dis
tricts there are no churches nor minis
terial efforts, and particularly in these
localities will the work be of the great
est value. In other places, where there
are churches already established, the
work will go on just the same, though
there is no intent or desire to enter in
to competition with the churches.
The Army also proposes to organize
great itinerant brass band. This will
tour all the cities of Kansas and other
states. particularly the smaller places,
carrying religious fervor wherever it
goes. a Kansas City man will be at
the head of the band.
The rural work will be commenced
very shortly, just as soon as the Army
can complete all of its plans.