The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-24

btci tbIltIIlllH WILL CdBNeih anu MI o. Boucher and citizens of Birmingham gen. orally with regard to the advisability of establishing rescue home here. While en route to America recently from Lon don, where he attended the international reunion of the Salvantion Army, Staff Captain Berriman was on the same ship with Colonel and Mrs. Higgins of New York Colonel Higgins is the national secretary of the Salvation Army, while his wife is the secretary of the rescue work of the Salvation Army in the United States
 In Great Need. Staff Captain Berrman called the at tention of the officers for the great need of the establishment of a rescue home | in some point in the south, and suggested | that Birmingham be selected as the place. They listened to the staff captain attentlvely and finally promised to come | to Birmingham at some time in the near future to look over the field. Yesterday Colonel and Mrs. Higgins ad- dressed a representative audience at the l Jefferson theatre. The meeting was an interesting one and was fruitful of good
 results. James Bowron presided in the
 absence of Mayor Drennen, who is out of the city. and a number of representa-
 tive men of Birmingham occupied seats on the stage. The meeting commenced
 shortly after o'clock and the threatre
 was comfortably well filled.
 | The meeting was opened with singing; l Throw Out the Life Line Across the Dark Wave"
 'rhere Is a Sister Whom Some One Could Save"
 Somebody's Sister, Oh. Who Then will Dare.'
 "To Throw Out the Life line Her peril 1 to Share"
 1 The Rev J. w. Cantey Johnston' rector l of St. Mary 's-on-the- Highlands, followed
 with fervent prayer for Gods blessing | upon the meeting.
 Mr. Bowron Speaks. | owing to the absence of our honored mayor" said Mir Bowron introducing i Colonel Higgins, "the treat honor of pre- siding at this meeting has been rendered | to me, and well do appreciate the same | l have known of the work of the Salva- | ton Army since 1S75 It was then that was first permitted in my native land to aid the army in a little way, and have always considered 1t a high honor
 to participate in the meetings of the 1 army.
 ' Tt is instinct in the hearts of humanity to save helpless creatures, but we dc
 not seem to know how to do so. Today
 men and women are perishing because
 we do not know how to help them. Int
 tide of the world goes towards the saliva
 ton of souls now more than it ever dio
 before On every field of battle, where
 soldiers are left behind, maimed ant
 wounded, the great angels of mercy, witt
 red crosses upon their arms come to save
 to heal and to comfort.
 ''The Salvation Army now comes tC
 Birmingham for the purpose of teaching | us how to restore that poor class of hu manity that has fallen by the way side In introducing Colonel Higgins MT. Bow ron paid a fitting tribute to his work.
 Colonel Higgins Speaks. | Colonel Higgins said that he was pleas ed to have the honor of addressing a | Birmingham audience. He said that he remembered one time kind hearted lady | called few poor little children together | to teach them of the workings of God 1t was in thickly settled district of 8 large city, and the speaker thought per. | haps the little fellows had never before | heard of the Bible. The teacher asked her class, "Who made God?" and there was no reply. The question was agair asked and the little fellows looked al l one another in amazement, and finall, replied I do not no. mann, l didn't This little fellow evidently though hi. teacher wanted to find out who had com mitted some awful deed" said Coone Higgins.
 | Now that is just the way l am. Mir Bowron has just told you about my grea work, but l want to tell you it is my wife and not mel am only trying tC stand up and aid CT all that l can il | my humble way. But 1 am glad, like my | friend, that a desire exists in the world to save lost humanity. We are more awake to the fact now than ever. ano we'll 1t Is so. We cannot afford to lei those who have fallen by the way side continue on their downward path The Salvation Army is doing a great deal oi work along this line. Some years age our work and methods were misunder- stood and we were severely abused anc | criticized Our good deeds were spoker of in an evil manner and time anu time again were our officers thrown into prison. But thanks be to God it is diff ferent now And in this connection I want to tell you that your officers tol( me today that they have not heard { | single unkind word said against the Sal vation Army since they have been in you city. This certainly speaks we'll for Sir | mingham.
 | Saving Souls.
 But speaking of saving souls up il New York a millionaire once said to m, | that if he had his way about it he would get all of the human wrecks together ant ! set them afire. But it is not so with us | Instead of burning wreckage We want t, save it. The ministers are always oul
 friends and that reminds me of stor,
 that I once heard.
 "There was an old minister who met | d Salvation army lassie on the street Hs l stopped to talk to her and said, Sister