SALVATION ARMY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 16, 14 October 1943, Page 6

SALVATION ARMY

Collection Today For Manifold Purposes

For 60 years the Salvation Army has been carrying on its beneficent work in New Zealand, and is now celebrating its diamond jubilee. The self-denial appeal is in progress throughout the Dominion, and the Salvation Army, is hoping for a record response from its soldiers, adherents, friends and sympathizers, 1.0-day day the citizens of 'Wellington will have an opportunity of showing their goodwill toward the organization by contributing to a street collection. The self-denial effort is the chief source of revenue for the upkeep and furtherance of the Army s great spiritual and social work in New Zealand, also its missionary endeavours in non-christian lands. The social service of the Salva.ion Army is the outcome of a great system which is founded on a most careful, persistent and intelligent study, for over half a century, of problems, which confront all Government and civic authorities—problems presented by the wicked, the lawless, the unfortunate and the very poor of great cities. Many eminent persons throughout the world have recognized this fact and have paid high tribute to the army’s work. President Roosevelt recently said: “Great as have been the army’s contributions to human .betterment through its manifold activities, I like to think that perhaps we owe our greatest debt to General William Booth for his pioneer work in arousing his contemporaries to a, sense of social, consciousness and social responsibility. The army is carrying on its spiritual and social work throughout the world, and in New Zealand alone it has 37 social institutions which meet the needs of large numbers from childhood to old age.. It has seven homes for children, where Hundreds of boys and girls are being cared for and trained to become worthy citizens. It also maintains maternity hospitals and industrial homes for women, a sanitarium for inebriates, a training farm for boys, homes for old men and women, and industrial homes, shelters and hostels for men. In the prisons mid police courts army officers are welcomed as the friends of the distressed and tae solvers of many a problem. Side by side with its social operations, and indeed complementary to them, is the evangelical work of the army. Army oihcers are ever proclaiming the Gospel o. Christ on the streets and in their halls. . The missionary work, of the army is constantly growing in importance. Despite difficulties caused by the war progress is being made in many fields, it rom 'China, Africa and India come reports of advances. In several Asiatic lands the army’s work has suffered heavy blows from the war, which makes it all the more imperative that the army be ready to re-establish its operations in those lands after hostilities by training officers who will be prepared to go in and take the opportunities then presented. The army is already looking forward to the dawn of the new day after the war. Plans for the rebuilding of a shattered. world are already in the making, and General Carpenter has set up a department in London for post-war relief work. The army has expressed a resolve to turn sympathy into loving service on behalf of the unfortunate and thus continue to deserve the enconiums of all men of good will.