BLOWING SALVATION INTO SOMEBODY.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4791, 17 May 1884, Page 1

BLOWING SALVATION INTO SOMEBODY.

1 (To the Editor of the Evening Star.) Sib,—lt is well known that lama very curious sort of an individual, watchiife every curious movement of these remarkable days ; consequently, I have narrowly watched Ibese war army people,; having', read their old country war cries. I don't believe in them a bit, so far as religion is concerned, and of course don't buy the N Z. " War cry." yet they will persist in shoving it under my door. Well, sir, of course they shove it there in order that I may see it, and I suppose with the object in view that I should read aid believe in the rubbish it contains, come to the penN tent form, and follow 'their miserable delusions. Well, they mate a mistake; the Book I follow does certainly contain? common sense—and^ something very much superior to common sense also—and I fain wish that everybody understood that Book, and followed its precepts; if they did I am quite certain they would soon cut the war army, and those who are wavering would soon decide to have nothing to do with it, Well, sir, Che things having on several occasions lately been shoved under my door, I hare Ten* tured to take a peep at a number or two, and I came across the following gem: .

" The Gbkbhat. on Bauds.—Tbia mutt bis our general rule with regard to B >nda:—They are to work for the good of the Corps and for the Balration of boulb, end nothing elie. We are not going to etick them up on the' platform, no? march them through thestreets, for them to perform, and to be. admired. They are to go there and blow what they are told, and what the Commanding Officer thinks will be beet for the good ot the Corps, and, the Salvation of souls, and if, they won't blow for thie object, let them stop their playing. We want nobody like that amongst v«. The man must blow his cornet, and shut his eyes, aud believe while he" prays that' he , is blowing Salvation into, somebody, ayd ' doing something (but will be tome good. Let him go on bettering while he hits his drum, or blows his cornet, and he will be just as anxious about the pray\ r- meeting ; he won't want" to" buckle up and rush off; he will say, " What id the uee of all my beating, and blowing, if I do not see somebody come to the penitent form ?" —all bis beating and blowing is to get the people first into th» Barracks, and then to the penHent-form. Officer*, explain this to your bands, and I hare no fear but they will see it. • There mas never a more obedient, willing, and pliable lot offo 7ks than the Soldiers of the Salvation Army"

Of course the General is Booth, but is not this extract a cariosity of religious ; literature P The richest sentence, how* ercr, is the last one, and proves beyond i doubt how closely "the General" has ! studied the gullibility of the lower clases of society in matters of religion. Any I being on two legs, or cren on one, male or female, with a good mouth and a wugging tongue, can as easily gull the masses; especially, the ladies, as he or she can swallow their dinner. Such character can, and do, often succeed in" this line. All history proves the fact that there is nothing so easy as to gull the multitude, es» pecially upon quack religion and quack., medicines; and once he or she thoroughly* gels a hold upon their susceptibilies, the money flows in like water, as if has al"' ready done on the TJbames. I could hardly hare supposed there had been so many niunies on the Thames, as the pro* ceedings of the W7A. have brought to light. I am, however, pleased to observe that many are now beginning to open their eyes, and to see the delusion tiey have been under, and, that instead of sil-. ver and gold flowing into the., W. A. boxes as at first, the circulating medium has changer) to buttons, conversation loz« I enges, tin tacks, hair pins, and other non. descript coinage. This, Sir, I view as a sign that the people are once more returning to their natural senses, if not lo their spiritual, and that we shall not afterall require a lunatic asylum at the Thames, —tarn, &c. f ' - , W. Wood. . P.B.—ln another,number of the' Cry I, find a writet saying that if the people will not have W. A.-Salvation, he would lay -them on their backs aod raoi it downiheir j throats. Oh- ye who know- tbe-nature of true religion! Cau folly go further tbaa tbii? ' ;.-"'■■-..« ■['::!, -'' ■■