THE SALVATION ARMY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4086, 11 April 1892, Page 2

THE SALVATION ARMY.

■. Anniversary lloetings. v ]'; A Trades Vnioa Domoastration. ; " The eighth anniversary of the Salmon Army corps in Masterton as celebrated on Saturday and unday. . last • with demonatra-. one of great joy and entluisiaaoi. It i now just eight years since the first Hallelujah lassie," attired in the iistume so peculiar to the Array and ccompanied by a noisy timbrel, made or deb'ufc in this town and prepared be way for the officers, by whom a orps was established; The grotesque ttire, the strange gesticulations, and be peculiar methods adopted by this ew.olaßß.of.jjeo|ile wereatfirat severely ritici?ed, , Religious. croakers re« jrred to the of the Army in nything but teims of endearment, 'barisees shook their heads in disgust t what they called a mild, form, of ilasphemy, and 'what is,known as the 1 goody-goody " section of the comuunity turned up their eyes, ffith holy, ibrrofi Meanwhile the Army was leating its drums, sounding its cymlals, and by nightly visitations to the lighways and bedge? compelling the ieople to oome in. Eepcntance and emission of sins''was .proclaimed) lonvei'ls Were made in 'scores, and riany of those who had been lost to lociety, steeped in iniquity- and rice, and looked upon as the very ioum of the earth, wero taken f om lie gutter, reformed, and made 'espeotable, Others, who in nn evil ioment had yielded to teyjptation, ind by an after course of wickedness lad disgraced families of undoubted respectability were induced to ; mend ibeir ways, and re-instated to theii sooial standing, It was nc .uere excitement which could ac jomplish this work—the Supreme power musi have been employed. Foi jight long years the Army has fought beneath the "red, yellow, and blue," through circumstances attimesadveise, 1 and with opposition from'quarters ! least eypeoted, and to-day it is more firmly established in the'town than ' aver. Its influonce has been felt far I and wide,- and on looking at the procession as it passes nightly through 1 the thoroughfares, one cannot help ' seeing the living testimony of the good work done. The drumiscer" tainly not always beaten as it might ' be, and the strictest regard for harmony is perhaps not observed in the playing of ; the brass iustruments, but these are mere trifles, The ends attained have most assuredly justified the means. The Army is now a recognised institution, and its many triends will hope that its future career will be as successful as the past, The anniversary services wero commenced on.Saturday, when a, trades union demonstration was held, Colonel Bailey, the. chief of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, was in - command, and was assisted by Major Bobinson,. Captain Kowlands,. and other.officers, The open»air procession was a brilliant success? About fifty soldiers, dressed in. costumes illustrating: their • daily occupation, marched through the'streeta, displaying coloured lights, waving bannerettes, singing' lustily, and bearing specially-prepared .lanterns with- such legends as" You are going to Hell;" " Prepare to meet thy Goil," " Will you damn your soull" " Shun Hell," and " Death is on your track." The indispehsable collection" having been taken' up, the procession returned to the barracks in Dixon Street, headed

oy tne brass band, The ball was fairly well filled, dospite the fact that a silver coin had to be paid for admission. ■ The meeting was a' novel and extraordinary one, ■ Arranged on the platform were sewing machines, wash tubs, cradles, anvils, saws, knitting machines, etc,, etc., and as the band played and the audience I sang, the various artisans and soldiers in general performed their daily . avocations with the greatest energy, quite oblivious of'surrounding circumstances. ; Here was an experienced ladies'nurse, with infant child in arms, pressing it, to her bosom, and congratulating it upon Ihe fact that it was not of the opposite Bex, and ■ there the industrious washerwoman and laundress l ' actively : engaged' in turning out linen by the dozen. A little further along the platform was a smiling young' lassie; winding her wool in preparation for knitting, and several others working away at the sewing machine, whilst in the front was a lad renairiuer finW 'iuul

another exercising his ixiusgle with a LapdiSfiw, The blacksmith; the newspaper vendor! the general lahomer, were eaoh represented, and a grand sight it was to see them all so enthusiastic and withal happy! The meeting was full of life, vigouf and Army "go," arid was not concluded Mil an advanced hour, the results being in every way satisfactory, : Pour services were held on Sunday, oach of which, was largely attended, and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed. In the afternoon a number of'soldiers were sworn in ; beneath the Avqiy flag, The anniversary tea is to be held this (Monday) evening, to be followed by a monster meeting, -at whicb Colonel Bailey will 1 lecture on the progress made by the Army through" out the world. • : 1 ;