THE SALVATION ARMY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 31, 23 January 1929, Page 9

THE SALVATION ARMY.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I read in your paper, this Tuesday, January 22 issue, under heading of “S. Army Crisis,” quite a long extract quoted from the Christchurch “Sun” headed “Army’s Chest.” ' General Booth’s “Free Hand.” Now for the best part of fifty years 1 have been in the habit of cutting out from newspapers, magazines etc., extracts on various subjects, and keeping them for future reference. 1 am very fond of reading history. It struck me that I had a dipping from an English magazine carefully pasted away.about this Professor Huxley and tho Salvation Army. 1 found it, and 1 here give an exact, copy of it. It is dated June, 1897—that’s 31 years ago: “Professor Huxley in 1890 expressed a somewhat contemptuous opinion of the Salvation Army, giving it as his opinion that the great sums of money for which General (William) Booth has made a successful appeal, would never be accounted for satisfactorily, and that tho Army was irresponsible from a financial standpoint of view,—it was a great array of begging evangelists, its funds were all in the bands of one man, its management was absurdly autocratic, and time would probably prove that its friends would be swindled. “General W. Booth’s career, in the management of his City Shelters, Rescue Homes, .Social Farms and Colonies beyond the Seas, has so far overwhelmingly refuted Professor Huxley's predictions. On the twentyseventh anniversary of the founding of the Salvation Army, General W. Booth expressed his willingness to have all his financial transactions examined by expert students of accounts. If the reader will open such a. volume as ‘Hazell’s Annual,’ a London year lunik, totally nonpartisan in this matter, be will find this sentence: ‘Tho report of Lord Onslow’s committee was in all respects satisfactory in regard to the application of the funds, and the working of the scheme.’/ Year 1894, page 561). Since that report no responsible critic in any position of prominence has ventured to question either the honewtv or the sagacity of the financial management of the Salvation Army.’’

The foregoing is a full word for word copy. Lord Onslow was one of our New Zealand Governors. I remember his term very well. I came to New Zealand over forty years ago, and I am an old stager. I well remember ever since 1878 all sorts of criticism, more destructive than helpful. After some fifty years’ trial I think the S.A. has had a fair test, anyway. I am not going to comment noy further. I leave that to your readers Yours trulv, TWO SIDES Tn EVERY YARN. Hastings. 22/1/29.