The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. MONDAY, APRIL 16, 1883. The Salvation Army.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 918, 16 April 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. MONDAY, APRIL 16, 1883. The Salvation Army.

Fanaticism shows itself in many forms, but we question it there has ever been a more eccentric exhibition of pietism than is seen in the doings of the Salvation Army. The success of “General” Booth and the enormous following that he has obtained would have been more a matter of wonder if something very similar had not taken place Moody and Sankey started on their mission. Were it not that by far the greater majority of the inhabitants of the world were governed rather by their emotions than by their reason such an organisation as the Salvation Army would not exist a day. But however rational minds must condemn an institution whose proceedings are nothing more nor less than a wanton and vulgar burlesque on true religion, it is impossible to blind our eyes to the fact that among a very large class of people it is viewed with favor. Even orthodox clergymen are to be found who hesitate to condemn the movement, on the ground that the lower classes are more easily got at by the means adopted by the Salvationists than is possible in any other way. This is a melancholy confession of impotence on the part of the church, but as the late Archbishop of Canterbury favored this view of the matter, it must be regarded as only too well founded. Notwithstanding all the persuasion that is used to attain this end, it is found impossible to induce the London “rough” to attend a church, and, it is argued, if he is to be taught religion at all it must be upon a lower basis, fitted to his limited intelligence. This seems to us to be the only reason that the Salvation Army hafe for existing, and we must confess we think it a very very inadequate, if not an utterly false one. The question arises; Can the unhealthy excitement created by the absolutely meaningless eccentricities indulged in by these fanatics do any possible good ? The socalled conversions that are made by appealing to the merely sensual emotions of man cannot be lasting, and the re-action which must inevitably follow in due course will render things worse than they were before. In England we find that this re-action is already com mencing, and a rival organisation called the Skeleton Army has compelled “ General Booth ” and his followers to desist from marching through the streets in procession, in order to prevent a breach of the peace. It was perhaps the knowledge that the power ot his Army was waning that induced the “ Commander-in-Chief” to send emissaries to other lands. So far it cannot be said that this attempt to spread the principles of the Salvation Army has been attended with perfect success. In Geneva the people would not have the Army at any price, and albeit we cannot agree with the brutal manner in which they prosecuted the two young ladies who ventured to spread their new gospel, we do not condemn them for removing a nuisance. The people of Bombay dealt summarily with the emissaries in India, a “major” and some eighteen officers of minor rank having been sent to gaol. During the last fortnight the Army has made a descent upon New Zealand, Dunedin and Auckland being their head quarters. In the former place the proceedings appear to have been tolerably orderly so far, but we learn by telegraph to-day that in the northern city the larrikins made an attack on the hall and seriously assaulted the “ captain” who is conducting proceedings there. A strong objection to the visit of the Army to this colony, aprfrt altogether from the religious aspect of the question, is that it offers a distinct encouragement to larrikins to indulge in

their propensity for creating a disturbance. For this reason alorte, the 311thorities should put an end to the blasphemous and degrading mummeries, as the scene that took place in Auckland will be sure to be repeated in every city where the Salvation Army emissaries may set their feet.