The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-09-06
Personal Experience Related BY
Captain F. P. Buyer.
WORK OF THE SAL vATl0N ARMY
First Formal Services Were Held Last
Night; Tent Will Be Used This
Evening.

While 200 and more people crowd
ed around to listen, some OF them
with bowed heads. Captain F, P.
Buyers and his Salvation Army bri,
gade preached the gospel in the
open air at the corner of Front and
Hickory streets last evening. The
meeting had been advertised to be
held in the tent, but preparations
could not be finished in time, and
SO the meeting was held in the
open. Z.
What impressed the observer, how
ever, was the orderliness of the
crowd. No policemen were called to
take care of hayward men who
might make themselves obnoxious,
for the meeting was featured by the
absence of disorderliness. This was
due largely to the diplomacy and
tact of Captain Buyers, for he does
not believe in fanaticism; he does
not go to extremes.
The subject he had chosen was
Why and How l Became Chris
tian." Captain Buyers lead a rather
checkered career in his younger
days land at the time of his reforma-
ton, he was leader in gang of
young statesmen. who were always
out for good time, according to
his own story. The story of his life
and his change from desiring world
ly pleasures to more solid and better
life, was a gripping one, replete with
human interest, as was noticed by
the intense way in which he held
his auditors. One man, who seemed
to be the worse for drink, sat on
hn rh rhx OH ltxy
interspersed some derogatory re-
er people laugh. He succeeded for
a moment, but Captain Buyers spoke
but a few words, when the laughs
died out in sickly way, and chang
ed to abject pity for the poor fell
low, that the latter arose and walk
ed out of the crowd, leaving the
rest to, follow every step in Captain
Buyers life.
Was Shoe Salesman.
Mr.. Buyers was a shoe salesman
about six years ago, and while sit
ting In the Rock Island hotel at
Rock Island, H., he heard the Sal
walton Army pass. He. listened to
their preaching and singing. the beat
of the drum, and the rattle of the
tambourine for a while, and then
went back to his companions for a
good time. Later in the evening he
retired to his room, to make out
reports for his firm. But the idea
OF those women marching up the
street and doing noble work for
their Lord, gripped him to the extent
that he could not make out his re-
ports; he merely destroyed the
blanks, and finally when he could
hold himself no longer, he went to
the barracks, where the Salvation
Army people were holding forth.
There, he changed from his worldly
life to one of devotion to Christ, al
though the change exacted a big sac
rifce. -. o..
When he returned to his COM
panions, and told them about the
change the next morning, they would
hardly believe the story and forced
him into the bar at the hotel, where
they tried to compel him to drink
One young man who attempted to
hold up the glass to him, received
solar plexus knockout that left
him helpless land since then this
young man also has reformed.
Arrested Three Times.
But to be arrested three times
because of his devotion to Christ, Is
an experience that few in COMPARE
son have had, and still fewer care
to relate. However, Captain Buy
ers has had that experience and he
is not afraid to tell it. His arrest,
the disrespect on the part of the
police for the Salvation Army flag,
which also contained Old GLORY
within its folds, and the subsequent
humiliation of the police in being
compelled to march the streets of
Los Angeles to the Army barracks,
and then apologize, are few of the
incidents related in Captain Buyers
Continued on Page Two.