The Washington herald., 1909-04-10
THE SALVATION ARMY
By FREDERIC ]. HASKTN.
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

To-day IS the birthday Of Gen. William
Rooth. of the Salvation Army He IS
eighty years old An ordained Methodist
minister he went with his noble wife
into the London slurns. and seeing there
a bigger. deeper problem Of misery and
sin than had ever been met by any eX-
istipg religious denomination. they be-
gan alleviating the suffering as best they
could. and fighting sin after telling meth
DDS OF their own From a tenth service IN
Whitechapel graveyard, July ?, 1865. grew
the Salvation Army. now worldwide IN
its work Since that first earnest enort
in one Of Iondons most impossible cor
ners and amid an Indifferent sin-steeped
people. Gen. Booth has seen the move
nent spread into fifty-four countries ana
colonies. the gospel Of salvation preached
by his followers IN twenty-eight different
tongues. With over 1000 officers super
vising a religious and social work that
has brought both spiritual ana oooliy
comfort 20 millions.
The Salvation Army in the Unrted
States is one OF the nations greatest In
Gen. Booth sent over a commissioner and
six girls 70 start the work NOW
through IFS 600 corps and outposts peo-
pie otherwise inaccessible are reaeheo'
hearts long dormant IN sin are touched;
homes for the sick, poverty-stricken. and
erring are opened; work for the disneArt-
ened. discouraged jobless fellow IS touno'
orpnanases. farm colonies. and day
,s.Fv rH-
in prison are visited; millions or hungry
folks are fed: summer outings are ar
ranged for. mothers and children. and ad-
vice. comfort and instruction are given
those needing It. All this is done with
out asking: What Is your creed2' but
What is your need2
The worker in the Salvation Army must
have the courage OF his convictions. for
he breaches and labors against great
odds. It was unique and unorthodox at
first to see the gospel OF Christ preached
IN rnidstreet to the roll OF drums and
the blare OF trumpets, but ears long deaf
20 higher spiritual calls heard these when
they could hear nothing else. and COM
ing to hear more. many have been hIteo
20 a better plane OF living. Hooted
jeered. derided. the men and the "lassies
would spell danger 10 others less cour-
ageous But be 1t said 10 the great
credit OF the great American underworld.
there is rarely record Of insult or injury
ever being offered a woman wearing the
military dress and quaint bonnet OF the
order.
Evidently the Salvation Army members
have adopted the old Cornish motto
Doe the next thynge." for there IS no
piece OF good work that they have not
undertaken. and in which they have not
succeeded. Coming in daily contact with
working people they realized that better
boarding-ho homes and more healthful sur
roundings would initiate greatly 70 the
general uplift OF that body. so they have
established workingmen's hotels in vari-
Gus parts OF the country 10 the number
OF eighty or more. These offer accOmmo-
dations for over 5000 men. and annually
nearly 2500,OO0 beds are supplied 10 appli-
cants. with meals TO about one-ffth as
many.
Believing the best altruistio work Is
that which helps a man TO help himself,
this organization has opened nearly 100
industrial homes throughout the eoun-
try. placing them in large cities or con-
gested population. and maintaining them
10 work but have not found a Job. Wag-
ons from each Of these centers go over
the city collecting old papers. books.
clothes. and furniture that people discard
and are willing 70 give away. From this
mass OF rubbish and household waste a
living for thousands Of men and women
is devised. The old clothes that are wear
able are auctioned on to the poor families
at from 3 10 10 or % cents a garment.
and the older. useless ones are sorted.
graded. and packed into bales by the
men in the homes. The books are care
fully gone over and those that are sal
able are put on sale and prove a boon
10 many who could not afford TO buy
them at market prices, while bringing
small income 10 the home. All blood and
thunder novels are carefully weeded out
and put with the waste paper. All the
newspapers sent are packed in bundles
for the factories.
A member Of he industrial home force
in Washington is authority for the state
- ment that II ell the people IN each big
city would place their waste papers at
+lle disposal OF the Salvation Army post
~Aar them. a living at sorting and bund-
ling these could be afforded every vag-
rant who came into that city. Even the
most desreputable old shoes have not
been scorned by the thrifty army off,
GERS. for It has been found they can be
used for fuel in an emergency.
What IS it that these helpful folk in
tae Industrial homes cannot use? Look
at this representative list of articles col
lected In one day: Books, chairs, and
guitars a collection OF horns Of animals
and Of wax flowers, boxes OF infants
food, tooth powder and medicines. box
ing gloves and crutches. dress-maker' s
forms and photographers negatives.
lamps and sleds. notices and statuettes
and old typewriters and an old hurdy-
gurdy. IN New York alone there are
seventy-five wagons Of the army contin-
ually az work during the day. collecting
such odds and ends. The army owns its
horses and wagons. and IN that city the
harness is made by the men IN the In
dustrial homes. thus furnishing another
occupation for the otherwise idle All
these things OF widely diverse nature are
mended and sold, and the funds applied
to the support Of the homes.
The Salvation Army Iassies 90 down
among the worst dives and most dis
reputable resorts OF big cities, and some
times amid bodily danger. rescue girls
who have become immoral whether Of
their own will or not Twenty-four res
cue homes shelter these girls throughout
the United States, being able 10 accom-
modate over 5000. though about three
times that many pass through during the
year. leaving 10 follow better lives under
the supervision of the untiring army.
Within the past fiscal year the army OF