THE NEW SALVATION ARMY COMPANY (SAINTED).

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3669, 18 April 1883, Page 4

THE NEW SALVATION ARMY COMPANY (SAINTED).

Although not generally known, it has been arranged by a feAV pious and eu'.<'i']|iri.ing persons to enlist and drill a Salvation Army iv Auckland, to compete against the Importod Squad. Tho idea was first started or evolved by the worthy member far A.ailcmata. We are told, after he had been impressed Avitli the sense of his iniquities —many and great as they cont'cssedly are—that he offered some preacher, Avhose name Aye have forgotten, ~■>() a year I'm* three years to remain in Auckland, to minister to his spiritually calamitous condition. The offer not being accepted, the idea of forming a local Salvation An ny came into his mind. It was, Avithout doubt, a hap]>y thought, 'whether regarded as a work ul' supererogation or a commercial enterprise-. The Crusades, be it remembered, arose from piety and commerce. The only one thing* required for the formation of the Army avus a large amount of impudence, easily convertible into brass, as the recruits pay for their own enlistment, clothing, and drill. _A good-lookiug, mid-dle-aged Avoman, Avith a contralto voice, and a man avlio can read, are the only 2>crsons required to be the leaders ot tho Army. A reclaimed Magdalen and a converted prize-lighter make the most valuable and efficient officers. There was little trouble in iinding an officer of either sex of this kind, but there was some difficulty experienced as to avlio should b.c employed to leach them the drill the Auckland Salvation Army Compan}- (Sainted) had determined to adopt. It Avas proposed by Mr George .•tames, one of tho promoters <>f the Company, that the projector should be act it to Dunedin to learn himself the Salvation drill, but this expense avus saved by tbe majority ol'the proniotors deciding to adopt a drill of their oavii devising. Ultimately the arran. incut come to was this : —The projector of tlie Company and Mr Richard Felt us were appointed a Committee to devise the Ncav Drill Rules, and drill—the one the captain, the other the captainess. After this matter had been arranged, and the committee had met several times, a disunite, avc are informed, arose as to which of the committee iiuai should drill the female warrior, but the question was decided by spinning a coin in the air, instead of by the Apostolic method of drawing lots, when the duty of drilling the captainess devolved ou Mr Richard Feltus—a duty he readily undertook. Mi* Joe. Moses, the well __m\.i tailor and clothia*, who has just opened his premises, has been commissioned to make the officers' uniforms. The Company will be run on strictly commercial lines. The shares are 2100 £1 shares, nothing paid up, equally apportioned among the 2>i'omoters. The shares, the secretary infol*ll is us, are selling at 30s. The names of tlie mystic seven men are : A\ r . J, Hurst, marine dealer; John Luudon, Native agent; George Staines, gentleman ; Henry Brett, musician ; Richard Feltus, attorney, other than of law : David Cunningham, publican : and Mr Spurgeon, preacher. The only preliminary expense saneth .-d v,-111. be the. cost ;f ,h\* uniforms uf the ofh/'ei's,'and the ad-vertisements—-"both of Avhieh disbursements will have to be paid in cash. It is proposed by the Company to lease the Choral Hall for a term of years, and the Company's agent, broker, and secretary, Mr John King, of the insurance Buildings, has been requested to obtain the necessary arrangements to obtain the lease. The officers are to be paid so much per Aveek, and boarded at the Governor BioAvne Hotel, in company AA'ith, and on the same terms, as the Maoris and Morman elders, the surplus of the collections (Avhieh will be made' at every meeting; being di\ided among the promoters. Bills on the Bank of Faith wi 11 be issued, signed by the captain and captainess for the payment of cither expenses. It is uncertain yet Avhether Mi- Hurst or Mr George Staines .ill lead the choir, but Aye are re<H_ te<l to .-t;ito •rood twins -ivill be ._■!■_ to a good gentleman of colour avlio has good teeth, and can play the bones. AYe had almost forgotten to sua' that Mr C. 0. Montrose has been employed by the promoters to write a hymnal for the Auckland Sah'ation Army Company (Sainted\ to avoid the danger arising from an infringement of th. copyright huv. —Auckland Free Lance. '