RELIGION GONE MAD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1213, 5 August 1884, Page 3

RELIGION GONE MAD.

The Salvation Army at Adelaide appears to be taking h ave of its senses. A monster demonstration, which was IHd the other day at Hindmarsh, a suburb of Adelaide, was characterised by disgraceful blasphemy and buffoonery. The procession Wis head'd by a brass hand, and about thirty “coryphees” dancing and playing tambourines. In front of 'h-se rode Captain Gore, who joined the main body at Gaework Hotel. He was mounted on a donkey, in imitation of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, ami he wore a scarlet tunic and cap. At the signal from the crowd he touched the ass with a whip, with hue intention of making it go; but the ass’objeoted, and a large congregation of lanikius, who were in the immediate vicinity, began to yell and deride the wretched creature. The ass persisted in its refusal to go, and, about forty or fifty of the people who surrounded Gore attempted to push it. In the confusion which followed, Gore was nearly thrown upon his head, and the animal, having become frantic, attempted to force a passage for itself through the crowd, and vainly endeavored to jerk Gore off, Aflei Further difficulty the animal s obstinacy 7 tvasovercome, and the procession proceeded ii considerable distance toßrompion park, fliere the ass absolutely refused to go

any further. A ring was made frmn among the hoodlum and rough element, winch formed (he majority of the prod ssinn, and Gore, singing a bloodthirsty hymn, attempted to ride into it; As the animal declined to go, Gore dismounted, and the. crowd lifted it up by mam force and carried it into ths ring. Gore remounted, and then began an acrobatic performance on its bad?, amid the chants ami halleluiahs of the soldiers. As the ass refused‘to be a participator in this ludicrous proceeding, Gore amid cries of “Amen” and “ Praise the Lord,” seated i himself with his back to the donkey’s head, and grasped madly at us tail, in order to keep his position. He varied his proceedings by sitting on the donkey sideways, and' was again thrown. The crowd by this time had reached over 1000 persons, and became quite hilarious at the ineffectual attempts of the captain to retain Ids seat. The unfortunate ass was now discarded, and the crowd moved off to a vacant piece of ground, where another ring was formed. The proceedings which ensued were on a par with what preceded, and at times were of a disgusting character. They consisted chit fly of what were termed “ Hallelujah gallops,” in the shape of jumping and dancing to the strains of a band, and the tinkling of tambourines, while others, arrayed in imitation of niggers in a minstrel performance, danced a number of jigs to the strains of several concertinas. This was followed hy a “Hallelujah merry-go-round,” of the lowest music hall tyne. A decrepid < drum, and a thing described as a flag, were placed in the centre of a ring, and i the male and female soldiers danced t round it, throwing their arms and legs 1 about in a manner which called forth expressions of disgust. This disgraceful 1 orgie terminated with what was billed as t a “Praise (he Lord corroboree,” which consisted of a hide.eua clashing together of a number of musical instruments and a dance, after the manner of a blackfellows’ entertainment. After this came the ordinary collections, and tea and public meetings in the Army’s own barracks in Bowden. The Press protests in (he strongest terms against this horrible, painful travesty of religion, the _ like of which never was seen in Adelaide, or, indeed, throughout the whole of Australia. Adelaide at the present time is overrun with these religious maniacs.—Australian Exchange.