THE SALVATION ARMY IN THE COLONIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2302, 14 December 1889, Page 2

THE SALVATION ARMY IN THE COLONIES.

On the evening of Ootober the 28th, tka Salvation Army held a demonstration at Exeter Hall, Strand, the objeot beiog to wel« come home Borne workers of the organisa* tion from abroad, and to bid farewell to otheri on the eve of departure* Commissioner tnd Mrs Howard were weloomed back from Australia, and farewell was said to Commissioner and Mrs Coombs previous to their departure for that country. There was also a reception I aooorded to Colonel Baker, of the Melbourne Prison Gate Brigade, and farewell was taken of Colonel and Mrs Thurman, who are leaving for South Amerioa. The large hall wai orowded with members of the army m their familiar uniform, and with sympathiser! oi the movement. General Booth presided, or rather, m the language of the organisation was fin command," assisted by Mr Bram* well Booth (chief oi the itaff), Com. mandaot H. H. Booth, Miss Luoj Booth, Commissioner Railtou, and the whole of the training and London staff* The General explained that Commissioner Howard left five yeara ego to take charge of the Aug. tralasian branch of the work. It was eight years since the Salvation Army oolorß were first hoisted m Australia, by a milkman from Whiteohapel and a builder from Yorkshire, both being Salvationists. Some persona thought that the Salvation Army had a kind of Bpell whioh they oast over the people, and that they had only to go, lee, and oonqueri Saoh persons little knew the great uphill baiinees that was ever connected with planting the oolors of the organisation m other lands, ! and m Btrange neighbourhoods, and the oon* tinued struggle there was to keep the colon flying. Notwithstanding theae difflouUiet, the Salvationy Arm ever went forward, and it had been bo m Australasia. He thought that tne Salvation Army principles were going to be the religion of Australasia. They had there 312 corps, nearly all self, supporting and self 'managing. There were 924 officers, and property valued at £106,000* with an annual income railed there of not lesi than £130,000. Amongst the aborigines there were 250 soldiers, and a mission had just been oommenoed amongst tha Maoris of New Z«t. land. For atteDdanoe and general hold ol tb* people the Salvation Army had taken the third place amidst the religious denomiriatlons of Außtralaßia.