SALVATION ARMY SPECTACULAR DEMONSTRATION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 79, 3 April 1914, Page 2

SALVATION ARMY SPECTACULAR DEMONSTRATION

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS. NEW ZEALAND DELEGATES FAREWELLED, The second National Congress of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, which was opened in Wellington last week, was brought to a conclusion with a spectacular demonstration and farewell to the forty-two delegates, who are proceeding to the International Congress in London, in the Town Hall last evening. The vast auditorium • was well filled with Salvationists and their friends, and the proceedings throughout were characterised by the greatest ehthusia&m. Commissioner W. J. Rieharde, officer in command, presided, and associated with him on the platform, were his chief secretary and entire staff of the Dominion, the whole of the delegates' to the National Congress, and children from the different Salvation Army Homes. After an opening song, prayer, and march, played by the massed bands, the chief secretary (Lieutenant-Colonel Powley) stated that the missionary work of the Army was a great and potent factor amongst the heathen nations of the world. The Army had thousands of missionaries already at work, and reinforcements were being called for, General Bramwell Booth being determined to send no fewer than 1000 missionaries abroad during the finst five years of his term of office. Following upon Colonel Powley's remarks, a spectacular demonstration was given of the Army's work in India, Java, China, and Japan. Bands of soldiers, representing the peoples of the different countries named, entered in native attire and bore testimony to the progress being niadei Adjutant Carter, recently of Bareilly, India, stated that the Salvation Amiy in India now possessed' close upon 1,000,000 soldiers and adherents, and amongst its various institutions had no less than twenty-three criminal settlements in which it was endeavouring to reform between 4000 and 5000 people. Colohel Powley announced that f.his year, after the International Congress, the Army was goihg "to invade China." A second demonstration was provided in the saluting of the Commissioner l.y representatives of every nectioti of tho Army within the Dominion, and this was succeeded by an illustration of the social work of the Army in New Zealand. The Army has eleven Homes in the Dominion for work on behalf of the wometi and children, and several nurses from these Homes entered and. with babes in their arms, sang "The Sleeping Song." Farewell speeches were delivered by representatives of the departing delegates, amongst whom is the Commissioner. The Commissioner, in his remarks, said that, with two or three exceptions, the delegates were paying their own. fares to London. He was satisfied that the Army in _ New Zealand was going to progress during their absence. One of the most wonderful results of the congress was achieved on Wednesday morning when fifty delegates volunteered to go to any portion of the earth to cohduct niissionary work. (Applause.) During the evening a, number of son^s were sung heartily by the City Corps Songster Brigade and the congregation, and displays of physical drill were given by the girls from the Florence Booth Home and the boys from the Eltham Home. A selection was also provided by the Wellington City Band. The gathering was brought to conclusion by the consecration of the delegates and the pronouncement of the Benediction.