SALVATION ARMY ORGIES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3022, 4 December 1882, Page 3

SALVATION ARMY ORGIES.

The London correspondent of the Christchurch “ Telegraph ” says '‘The Salvation Army continues to monopolise a large share of the public attention. It cannot, however, ho said that they are gaining ground amongst thoughtful or religious people. Tho more, indeed, the latter see of the Army’s proceedings,the greater becomes their disapprobation. During the Moody and Sankey revival the increase of insanity was upleasantly noticeable, but since General Booth took to what the poor cal 1 “carrying on" it has become simply prodigious. Those who have noticed the well-nigh delirious excitement pervading certain sorts of revival meetings will easily comprehend. No weak mind could stand i.t lopg. The other day the Army held a great gala in honor of having acquired the large buildings known as the Grecian Theatre or Eagle Tavern, This house, situated in one of the poorest and most densely populated quarters of London, has provided honest and healthy if somewhat melo-dramutlc, entertainments for many thousands of hard working families, and the drinking shops of tho district are so far the groat gainers by its extermination. Tho Salvationists, in point of fact, are likely to do little or no good here. The best visitors come from a distance. City road fo.ks are notorious for sound sense, and they themselves cannot understand why they should be deprived of their theatre by a lot o£ noisy eccentrics who though nominally the friends o£ law and order, yet turn night into day with brazing brass bands and yelling “ hoodlums,” and rejoice in having attracted to n poor, yet hitherto EaMy respectable neighborhood. all the pickpockets of Whitechapel and cut-throats from R dclifEe Highway. A friend of mine attended the opening festivities at the Grecian, and was subsequently introduced by Mrßooth to one of his most intereßling,and—bo it added

—recent recruits, a converted burglar. “ I may,” said this gentleman to me afterwards, “have wronged the repentant creature, but all the time he was describing to me how he ‘found Jesus,’his eyes were fixed on my cold watch chain with covetous eyes.” When he entered I had to tell the General that not all the conversion be was capable of woul; induce me to accompany the erstwhile “ burgling one ” five yards down a lonely lane on a dark night. The proceedings at this eventful reopening of the Grecian Mnsh from nil accounts have been more entertaining than edifying. There was a consecration song sweetly sung by the Miss Bo'-lhs with the refrain “ I will be Thine,” vari ed after the usual profane manner of Ihe Salvationists, by the substitution of the words, “ the Eagle is mine ” in the last verse, and there were of course the customary groanines, hallelujah shoutings and amen villy-firings by which the Army are in the habit of rehearsing, what they call spiritual but which it is to be feared, is occasionally spirituous excitement. Amongst the incidents of the meeting was the spirited rendering of a new song by “ Major” Smith, with the attractive title “Blood and Fire." The “ Major” was once a godless and ill-paid acrobat, but is now saved and draws (what ho admits to be) a “ very tidy salary” as a Salvation officer. He accompanied the ditty by jumping up and down like a jack-in-the-box, and the effect, we ought all to be glad to hear, was ‘ must humorou-,’ The ‘Major’ disposed of, Generalßooth introduced an elderly lady named Annie Taylor, who announced with obvious pride that she had been’ sent to gaol over 400 times for drunkenness. This statement was greeted with warm applause, ‘lndeed, 1 as a convert who afterwards addressed the meeting too pithily remarked, ‘the bigger the beast yer hare the better yer liked ’ere,’ A real live murderer, could one be caught, would be quite a ‘ star.’ ”