SALTATION ARMY

Evening Star, Issue 17379, 15 June 1920, Page 4

SALTATION ARMY

MEETING OF PEOPLE LAST NIGHT. Fully two-thirds of the ground floor seats in tho Dowling street Citadel were occupied last night," the occasion being a gathering of persons under 26 years of age to hear General Booth. Cheers" greeted the vis ; tcr as he entered at about five minutes after the appointed time. Commissioner Hcdder gave out the hymn ' Come, Saviour Jesus,- from Above," Commissioner Kitchen led in prayer, and Commissioner Lawlev announced another hymn, after which the general read the lesson, which consisted of the last 10 verses of the second epistle of'the Corinthi ns. As the general rend he expounded. He laid stress on the words " examine yourselves." They meant that one was to take stock and not wait for the judgment bar. A great many persons spent" their strength in examining to see whether others were in the faith. The apostle's injunction meant that each should examine lrmself. Adjutant Bernard Booth sang to the tune of 'When the Swallows Homeward Fly,' the old hymn 'Vain delusive world, adieu, with all of worldly good.' Old vers : ons of these lines gave "creature" instead of " worldly."' " Probably that - text is now out of date. The" singer possesses a fine baritone voice, which has been well trained. General Booth then started his address. He said he was glad to be with young people. Though born 63 years ago, he still felt the youthful spirit. All the future lies in the hands and the hearts of tho young. It was nice to know that thers were so many young people in tho Salvat : on Army. The increase was not as largo _as it might be, but it was a great thing to have an increase when other churches were conplaining that their young folk were leaving. When he attended Bii'kinghr.ni Palace the King a--ked him if he did not think it a bad sign that reports were coining from all over the world that the young people did not so to church. ■ He did net know if the King was rel : g : ous in any particular sense, but he was an earnest man, and a go::d man, and he said : " 1 tell my pec-file here (indicating the courtiers) that it a man only kneels down once a day and acknowledges his Slaker it is something in his life not to leave God out." Being informed that the Salvation Army found not a decrease but an increase, the King added: " I know the Salvation Army ; perhaps I know more about them than you think.' When I was at the Naval School I used to go to their meetings sometimes," and His Majesty went on to say, with a twinkle in his'eye, "They have 'had many a halfcrown out of me." The general went on to -ray that he wished voung people would realise that there were 'times when they could help one another when no one e'.so could. He knew from experience that a young person in the same position as another could sometimes do more for him than people in higher positions. Young people's work everywhere would make for better progress 'if the voung people ; wou!d only help themselves a "little. He- wished to speak about one or two danger points. One of these was that sr.mo persons were not, clear about their experiences. They wished to be good, but found tho unconverted heart an obstacle. If the heart, was not changed all the works of a person were so_much building upon sand. The speaker enlarged on this subject, and then, before taking op another point, he__ gave out a hymn. Whilst "this wag being sung Commissioner Hodder called the two reporters aside and told them that their -presence was fidgetting—perhaps he said " vexing " or " disturbing"—the general, and the commissioner asked them to move out of sight or retire. Therefore it comes about that we do not know what happened subsequently.