A SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE WITH THE SALVATION ARMY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1673, 30 April 1884, Page 2

A SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE WITH THE SALVATION ARMY.

There are very few Masterton residents who have not satisfied any curiosity they may feel as to Salvation Army services by a personal attendance, but some of our country friends may feel an interest in a description of one of them. On Sunday last a member of our staff attended the regular evening service in' the Masterton barracks. The interior divisions of the old school building have been pulled down, and the visitor finds himin a large, spacious, but not very lofty hall, which will comfortably seat some six or seven hundred persons. Shortly after seven o'clock the room filled. At the far end was a raised, platform 1 on which some fifty or so soldiers were seated, Lieutenant Kear and a few of the loading members in the foreground and the rest clustered behind. Here and there, a red uniform varied tho platform groupe, but "the dim religious light" which prevaded the room was unfavorable to very minute observation on the part of a modest reporter leaning against the wall at the opposite end of the building. Regular rows of seats were placed from the platform to; the door, whero two guardians of the peace in police uniform were stationed,'and between the seats was a narrow gangway, up and down which a salvation

sergeant marched continually, showing visitors to their seats. The congregation was a mixed one, but it was, taken , ns a whale, an orderly, well dressed assemblage. Occasionally some members of it manifested impatience when a prayer was too long or too dull for them by stamping with their feet or by talking, but the sentiment of the majority was on the side of order and decorum, and the gentlemen in uniforms at the door were not on this occasioii required.to enforce or even suggest good behaviour. What the congregation, or rather tho uncon'-. verted section of it, like is: the singing. They'join in this heartily -they get. plenty of it, and as long as they have this privilege they appear satisfied to' behave themselves; Probably last Sunday evening, there were more people in the Salvation Army barracks than in all tho churches of .'the town put together, and.thp majority of them were' .evidently nonmembers of other churches. It was noticeable that when the services'of other religiousestablishments concluded some of their members who had: attended them looked in to see the Salvation Army on their .way home. At the Army services people are free to walk in and out in an orderly manner. It is, however, expected, that egress and ingress shall take place during the singing. While a prayer is being offered or an address given the doorkeeper will close the portal to prevent undue interruption to such portions ofthe service. Singing, praying, addresses and testimonies make up the service-singing especially. A sister offers up a brother follows and then might come a hitoh-a third voice from the platform is not raised as the second one subsides—but in a moment the difficulty is met by a sister beginning in a low voice the

first verse of some well-known hymn. The platform responds to her signal, and the audience joins in with theplatform, till platform and audionce are in full swing -together,, and the commanding officer (on his knees) keeps the time by vigorously clappin» his hands together. When-the hymn is concluded another; voice is v ready to carry'on the prayer! Then a sister who possesses a good voice and an excellent delivery-4he sisters as'elocutionists appear to surpass tbo brothers—gives ; out tho verses of another; hymn. The refrain of it is "Here's my heart, and here's my hand I" As these words are sung tho commanding officer lifts up his hand and waves it. The half hundred, soldiers on the platform lift up their hands and wave them, and the audience do the same, The scene at this moment is almost ah exciting onethe spirit of enthusiasm is evoked and' the waving of hands is apparently' the most effective part of the proceedings; A little later on, a sister, who lisevidently a favorite^with.tho audience, delivered, a brief address'^'sort ! of plaintive appeal;.: <<Why,",she said; "wont you say farewell, to your sins todghtr I iemembdr when;:l-said . farewell to mysins, I ; was gladden I said it. Will' you not say farewell to sin and Satan to-night and journey With us to heaven!" An old Wesleyan class-leader then delivered a short ser-'

mon with" considerable ability. The next spoko at some length.. Hia voice was husky, and as he put it, "he could not make it ring round the the building.' A few weeks of continuous meetings have evidently, to a considerable extent, broken down his strength. He alluded to his"%roaehing:''. tleparlifre from Mastei;toiij, and. b,oasted;'that, though an.uueduca,tedraan,;sixj)y : souls-had beensaved-Bincejhearrived in Mastertqn (a little.more than a montJi ; ago.); During one. of the presomewhat resembiing small Noah's Arks -r.were circulated, and the response to them seemed very general.