Salvation Army's 56th Anniversary

Chronicle (Levin), 2 July 1948, Page 4

Salvation Army's 56th Anniversary

^ . * ' : " • . ' v"v. " Celebrating its 56tH anniversary tilis weekend is the Levin Gbrps of the Salvation Army. « • .

On- Sunday morning at II a.m. the morning service will be held, conducted by Major Montgomery. At 2 pjil. the band will play selections in Bath Street, oiitside the Salvation Army Hall. This Will bej followed by an anniversary service at 2.45 p.m. At 6.45 p.m. the final service will be held. Monday afternoon will see a: united 'WOmen's meeting, When women of varioUs Christian, ofg'anisafions Will be in attendahOe andi Will be addressed by Major Montgomery. it was to the Maori that the first Salvation Army ofhcers Came, and many a happy day was .spent amOng these pictiiresque ■ people and ihahy a weary mile was Walked by them. From Porirua to Foxtoii and sOmetimes further they would go ih their work of spreading the' Gospel. From this work sprang ^he organisation which now goes under the name of the Levin Corps. Previously there existed the Borowhenua Corps and its first officer was Capt. T. Ellis, who came to the district and started the Horo whenua camp at Ohau in the year 1892. The first residence was built at "Ohau by the millhands of Whiley's rnill and this btiilding still stands alohgside the railwav station at Ohau.

Present at the function will be Majbr and Mrs. A. Montgomery, of Auckland, who wili conduct the services, assisted by the Petone Salvation Army Silver Band of 2!> piayterS under ihe batori of Mr. A.-. Dutton, Who is well knowh iri hand circies. Also present will be Mrs. Pengelly, of Napier, one of tlie feading corttraltos in the Salvation Army ii. Nbw Zeaiahd, who will be the soloist for the services, ahd a. company of women singers • froni Wellington. From ali parts of New Zealand will Come visiting Salv^tioiiists to join iri the celebratjons. ! Satiirday night will see the commencemeiit of the Oelebrations when at*7.30 p.m. ari ahnivef'sary programme will be conducted by the Petone band and the visiting SOngstefs in the Salvation Army Hall, Bath . Sti'eet. This promises to be a really out-

standing programme. The band's indoor

performance will be prejceded b:y a 'march fhroiigh Dkford Street from the hall" to tlie, pOst offlce arid foack.

During the 1914-18 war ahd. the, .epidemic .which followeds much . good work was done by corps officers. Then came the Sfuiftp pefiod ahd its consequent reiief- work-, which was . undertaken first by ' Adjutant R. Prouse. • Prior to the Salvation Army acquiring its present Leyin Site, lheetiilgs were held in a.hall in Oxford Street, somewhere in the vicinity of the premises now used by Messrs. Maclean and Chapman's shop, and. a hall hear the place where the sale yards once stood in QUeen Street, opposite the Levin Park Domain. In December 6, 18'94, the name of the Horowhenua Corps Was changed'to Levin Corps. Among the many" ardent 'eaTly Salvationists . who left Levin- to.take . up perinanent.duty with tfi'e.ScLlVation Army are Mrs. Major Lee'Cnee Miss Alice Mudgway, of Winchester Street), Mrs. Major Lindsa.V' (nee Miss Muriel Pollock)-, Lieutenant Merle Kennerley, of Cambridge Street, and Major Elsie Ward , (now living in Levin after having retired following 25 years' outstanding service. One of the vety early SalI vationists, Mr. A. Lang, is still j resident iri Levin..- ! The present Corps officefs, feenior Captain and Mrs. Elliott Major, came ro Levin in January of this year, takirig over froin Capfains Williamson and Jackson.