SALVATION ARMY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 July 1931, Page 6

SALVATION ARMY

“A DEADLY BLOW.”

LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL BILL ON DEBATE. LONDON, May '2ll The Salvation Army Bill came up for a third reading in the, House of Commons on Monday. Many members of tb e Salvation Army were in the public galleries to hear the debate. Mi' Ede (Lab., South Shields) moved an amendment, the effect of which, he said,:; would be, that before ; the Salvation Arniy now a voluntary body, could be turned into a body the faith and practice of which would he ruled by an Act of Parliament, the matter must be sumbitted to and approved by at least three-fourths of the census boards in each country in which the Solvation Army had a territorial commander. Some 5000 paid officers, a large majority of whom were in favour of the Bill, had been consulted in this country,’ hut 20,000 unpaid officers had not been consulted. To rule the appointment of the General of tbe Salvation Army, a great international organisaby a British Act of Parliament, was not to" make the work of that international organisation easy.

Mr F. Smith (Lab., Nuneaton), in seconding, pointed out that against t ie 5000 officers here who had approved the proposals of the Bill, there were 25,000 throughout the world who had not been consulted, 250.000 officers who were assisting in maintaining the organisation and probably upwards of 1,500,000 soldiery who had not been consulted.

Sir Kinglev Wood (Con., Woolwich WO, opposing the amendment, pointed out that if the Bill were not passed the present General of the Salvation Army could appoint his successor by means of what was known as the secret envelope system. Tf the Bill were passed as it stood, the next General would be elected by the High Council of the Army.

The amendment was negatived. CONFINED TO SECULAR MATTERS

On the motion for the third reading Sir Kingsley Wood (Con.,; Woolwich W.), speaking for the promoters, said that the measure was entirely confined to a modification of the secular maeliin ery, and was not concerned with spirit nal matters at all. It provided that in future the election of the Gener ’ 1 shcnil. he by the High Council. It also sought to enact that the property belonging to the Army in England and Northern Ire land should he vested in a trustee com pany. The evil of sob trusteeship was everywhere admitted particularly in the ease of >an organisation like the Salvation Army, to which contributions came every year from the public in such large amounts.

Mr TT.olf.prd, Knight (Lab., Notting ham S.) moved the rejection of the Bill He was satisfied that the changes .sought could be effected -under existing trust deeds, without coming to* Parliament.

Mr Frank Smith (Lab., Nuneaton), seconding, said he knew from personal experience that General William B 'oth his wife, and General Ri*amwell Booth hoped thatj there would never he Parliamentary interference with the work of the Salvation Amy.

Officers had been ordered to write to members of Parliament urging them to support the Bill. The promotion of the Bill was a wicked, wanton, and unnecessary expenditure of money given by large hearted people to feed the hungry clothe the naked, and shelter the home-i less. The election two years ago of General Higgins provided the only black page in the history of the movement. It would make the faces of the readers of its history in years to come burn with shame that in the name of religion one of the basest acts of treachery— (Loud protests and cries of “Shame!”) The Sneaker: The lion, member must on the third reading confine himself to what is in the Bill and not to the history of the movement. (Hear, hear.) Mr Smith, proceeding, declared that if the Bill were passed, the Horse won hi deal one of the deadliest Mows n~-s,siblo at one of the most vital features of the Salvation Army—its international asneot.

Mr Lrmsburv (First Commissioner r>f Works) said that, he was gcjn<r t.o vote against the third reading. Tim S.alvat'on Army had been brought into the nos tien it occupied without this law That was the greatest argument for leaving things as they were.

The third reading was carried by 221 to 31. . - - .