THE SALVATION ARMY.

Evening Star, Issue 7409, 3 January 1888, Page 2

THE SALVATION ARMY.

Anyone passing up Princes street on Monday night, a little before eight o'clock, might have seen the novel spectacle of a white man seated on the front seat of a cab, his legs crossed in true tailor fashion, with bare feet, gorgeously arrayed in a flowing eastern costume, turban, and all complete ; while inside tho vehicle sat a lady similarly attired. A brass band, with plenty of drum, led tho way, and a crowd of men and women, shouting and singing, completed this curious procession. To the uninitiated tho whole affair would seem strange, but any who know would have volunteered the information that it was Colonel and Mrs Taylor (just arrived from India) in a warchariot, leading the Salvation Army. Following tho procession, and getting insido tho Army fortress, a goodly number of people of all kinds wore assembled. Colonel and Mrs Taylor, who havo lately been appointed to the command of the Army in New Zealand, took their seats on the platform, being greeted by a " volley " from the soldiers present. The Colonel, who was minus boots and stockiDgß, apologised for keeping on his turban, saying that it was tho Indian custom to keep tho head covered but tho feet bare. After the usual preliminaries of singing and prayer, Colonel Taylor gave some interesting particulars with regard to India with its 250 millions of peoplo, reforring, amongst other things, to tho wonderful productiveness of the soil, its network of railways, and the splendid telegraphic and postal arrangements which, notwithstanding the difficulties consequent on the vast uninhabited tracts of country to be traversed, are wonderfully complete. To illustrate this he related an instance while travelling right in the depths of the jungle, miles away from any station, of having a telegram delivered to him by the official messenger. Mrs Taylor gave some amusing aud novel details of social and domestic life among the Hindoos. They never destroy life, not even vermin, and thorefore no one need ever be lonely in India—there was always plenty of company. How thankful everyone should be that they lived in a Christian land. In India a Mahomedan was not allowed to see his wife until they were married. She knew one man who after marriage made the discovery that he had got a. wife with only one eye. We Christians had much to be thankful for. She referred to the inferior position and secluded life which the Hindoo women lead, and how difficult it is to reach them with the news of salvation. Colonel Taylor quoted some figures showing the progress the Salvation Army had made in India. They had three divisions i—Ceylon, Guzerat, and Madras. In the former island tney had fourteen corps, and the work was carried on entirely in the Cingalese tongue. Lately they had also twenty-three Native cadets in training—six women and seventeen men. Many of them could speak three languages—English, Cingalese, and Tamil. In Guzerat the work was among tho lowest caste of Natives. The total number of officers at present at work are 195—108 being English, eight Eurasjans or half-castes, and the remainder Natives.