THE SALVATION ARMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6566, 2 December 1882, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE SALVATION ARMY.

■* . nowfa g article, by Cardinal Manning, fits ,0 in t b e September number of the •funerary Review :— been asked to form and express on the Salvation Army, I give >J under correction. But I need o Uo«ißg, hat x bave been preaent at n0 wWrZc preaching, and judge of it only of its own members. _ •S" , £w a perfect circle on paper is one '° t eirry it out in stone is another. mental conceptions are always imreaped ia eencrete human works, on the eternal shore has do :«TV* nf evil With good : the Church ;n is the fie! d of v ' i,c "" and tares - I"* r rtali of oid and the Puritans since ft ß litient of this myetery of the loni;*e f \ !a r Go d. It is well to bear this iu ire judee of any men or works I jjto e " i, a <; may we not. look to hud in : wi.ioh i< of human origin, and ; on the stability of man? Water above its source. ■ : *sn<hefirst observation I would make ou ! L c u-tion Army is thv.S it could never • &t B • but for the smr.tual desolation 1 f ree V S n d- for to our own country my i be confined. ! ;, a of Elizabeth the: whole people, ! *" • \ the Catholics who remained steadi within the Established I Wr 1 Tlse Brownists began the sepa- ' f what Mr. Skeats lias called "the ' These Nonconformist }■ continually multiplying, claim at * W"a«i to divide- the population of Eng--1 with the Anglican Church. i fh if v,-e separate those who arc ex--3 from the multitudes who I F s °[ mfsively and nominally Anglican, J who arc explicitly -oneonformists \rc kind from those who are only Cf pjv acd nominally Nonconformist*, i* 33 will be * residuum ou both sides of 3 n- s over whom religion has no power. I flfrVve and die outside of any religious ! 'when an attempt was made, some forty I .mi to ascertain the extent of church '""IS London, it was computed (hat all I rUttog places of worship, giving to •", (jjjjc services on Suuday, would pro- " £, for about SOO,OOO persons. The popu- \ * o f London was then under two rLs-it is now nearly four. And, great -s C L (forts of church building have been, / iottoovtion of church room is certainly ■i * Loiter than it was ; it is almost cerv; fjf Ices, for the population has increased •% iViasTdly than the church room. What, $ M is the spiritual desolation of London? d 77' inr man etand on the high northern r j* which commands London from West *' rjjstscdask himself: How many in this ssair'" "seething whirlpool of men have iOTtS* 2 baptized ? have never been taught ¥ iCtrUiian faith? never set a foot in a i girth*"' How many are living ignorantly 3£d! tow many with full knowledge are *i wjiiiig the laws of God? What multi--1 blinded, or besotted, or maddened j. Jriak? What sins of every kind and c LvA beyond all count, are committed * fct ind night ? It would surely be within ai sjtrath to say that hill the population in i 2 U) km ire practically without Christ and p-i jjjiont God in the world. If this be sc, Jtt jjj, jj occe we can see how and why the gig Sfotion Army exists. In a population >j8 45 of faitb. and religious life it could have ijj! s pis**- There would be no need to ™* WpJ,^ o conscious craving to satisfy, no onbul desolation to break up. Its good j?| jjjjirs Tfould b2* already known, and its timings daily anticipated. A watohman's > yi Stb vs good at midnight, when men are sr| kpiDg. It is needless at noonday, when '. sa are wide awake. We may in some 1 e faree cieasnre the need for it by the re- , elicited. The spiritual deso- '. Lcsdon alone would make the . H iilration Army possible. f a Ii passing by railroad through Birming- , i bh. ilanshester, and Liverpool, themmu- t ': ik of Epires, steeples, towers, bell-turrets, j pUes, and roofs, with crosses and other , v I vtea of religion, must force itself upon the ( S -=: >Bt observant eye. Where would the , }r \ owledge of God, and of the Name of our ( "j itUener, have been now but for the zeal < iriictivityef the many irreconcilable and , * ■ lia conflicting bodies who have reared and ] ~%j ißinned these places of Christian worship ? t jnwtheleas, how great multitude in all J V 3 Mt cities and towns never "set a foot iu , j] imli«'JiiEet3ng-ht:>:se. i'- j fo a?un, throughout the provinces of c i lijisHd and Wales, there are, it is to be a JmU, wiHioas liviag without faith and in T if? , , "• " -^ fe B. To such a population a voice crying a tj Hold's Name isesa warning in the night, rj -5j 3sre is,' also in the most outcast a voice c f* tatui'.wen. The conscience in man is as x tie vonn tdat dietli DOt; and even in the q rart aad most depraved it bears witness fflut the sins of their life and state. The a Trdj death, judgment, heaven, hell, are to s &3 not mere sounds, but strokes upon the q f; kL There are, indeed, men who are n = "fut feeling," but they are. like the eight- j, j a among mankiud, exceptions and ano- | -j s »j< nLa. The mass of men believe in right ilj alwong, and judgment to come. They o I bw that they have souls, blaspheme as cMiercrs may. They hope for a better 6 , 5a »ft«r this, and they believe that an evil ' & here •srill end in a worse hereafter. This nt tie strength of Wesley in thf last m etar.7, and is thh strength of William Jj ftj mh ia this. He and liis, for seventeen gi "an tiirt more, have been caliisiß men to \H S B "' *° tGr,J *°" These are \S ftnn» traths which, like seeds wafted by Q >y b wines or carried by birds, strike root t y Bee the?• fall. Good seed will prow who-<WBOR-3 it This was the meaning of St. c , when ha said, ''Sc-ne indeed, even out v 'eiTj- ami content™ , - ; ljut some also for Sq fM will preach C _t-:r,t. Some out of *nty : . . . ? ,,,d some out of >l£ >et' Eion. . . . . Bat what then? j. -*iaat hr -aL whether by oee:ision jf] Koj t.-;,&, Christ 'm preached : in this also i Sv.2 JJW! * M, au ' ; wi !' re J oice -" st - I>aul c f*-- **" J.?; herc'jy ?aiiC.tion th« r—'ichinj; of **. ?■;•..• jo witty-j; Leing aunt, much less or fuult3 of their preach- _ *? w. s so far as it made known the Name j * areicv.?vio:i of C-irist it was to him a ' jS ,<ae °! joy. Imperfect or un.-.nthorised „ A ftjcl a? ;„ t!le l;nit . y of tho chuich is j j •f : . bnt outsidfl its unify it is at least fi i *** '-''.i tnith made known to tho-e who " S «Jix.Slisten to its perfect Within " ty of faith the Ciiv.rc;i has freely 'p 1 r5L te:l !ts " lf;n >bfcrs to teach the truth, j ,■ « «■ taucis of Assist was nev.-- .1 priest, but. J, f Mueil i-veryv.-htre. ]J. John Coloin- I )I I not even a de..co-:, but a layman ! ' i *f md yet from the hour of his" con- ! ,' g 0 1 he went about prer.ehi:)"- tlie Name i T J till he died. And aft"r death, as | f ,. " ' ographcr tells us, when he lay upon " ff bi * the people came and kitted hie ,' *° « if he were a priest. The. T.iJvine ! ~ "31 '® ODl m. indeed, Jrom C<A <:o tlic ; j "M L l,Oi: t every meinbor rf it ln.iy ina!;s ' r "Y vf° mv " The Spirit and the IJrid.j say, : „ * C he that h^-ih - lct him *=»•• r EVm, j, ln a wliero there is no j 1, 3 !ki l' any voic " crvin-j a jVagin :nt of j l! R hIL" 1 ? P re the \.-av for Jfim who is : T ' 1 γ-wt truth. " T to ; *' tn these prccautio:'.s we mav go , JjJltMnt f sar of m-.-uuderstood, to ™ l out wh a t thingn in the Salvation Arrav V i and what tliii::.'-i :.rc to :,c fc.-ta-d ' * I 1 ''* the future. _ '' i^trt^ -couat ° f itfron '- jr - Boci!, ' B ° (,3! S ? l » i io:i Arrav no fecrecy '"I Ki"*U»ties of its own. it -, ..-.,.,. „« the I«'wv^ ,tS . V,, ° an<l acta " I-'ullV-rs to ° 1 j t TiOdy tue results of its own pxperienco. £ ? Irris, i D ° P at<:il t medicines or mysterious , 1 JndfaTJ-e. P res<;r iptions, but. desires the ' I viaon llfnsio: J of its; teachiug and mode of j; "1 T t"lHV aas no in its teachini;. \ J «sl»» t0 tI!C "old-fashioned Gospel" of , i rom " real S uilt . a "d real danger ? 4 tel I , hel V' llirough Him who cfvrs ? hiffi? 01, 4 ,° the rea ">' Ponitcnt,"'anrl '! k" ' i lO reall >' give up to Him a whole j 4.1 - n V rast Hi,,l wit,i a perfect trust." T j *b>thri aoctrin2 >*• hoids as "embodied in ~ * creeds of tne Church." [' 3 rho com* 63 tbat "■ si " h si ". «o matter '', J *» Si J fc, aDd that thero (;:i!i,,01 |je V tl * D ' Vme di »Pl««""« ; and t!,at I h «?„ « for accepting or ~ 1 I P"fECt deliverance from sin I', I *iti»r. b y oar Lord.' , ' It denl; lar W ; v *'; I nOta Ol the IJclievi,, - ;, I doctrines may easily tl I tte «e».l • ls d ">' to opromineat anil , I 4. ST ve of eternal truths. 1. , 1 for ft t! l at we ou fi ht to la y d own our I I ■* l «*5S!.' aITO J iO,, of otherF ' ™ *>><» full n § 5 ui the second precept of charitv. ~ 1 :bi, « BoS railit * r y- "Having „ 1 B u «rnment by committees and by o

democracy, and finding that those who worl do not care to talk, and that those who tall do not much care to work, its governmen was rednced to two simple principleanamely, to authority and obedience. 6. Its officers and preachers are con tinually, and often suddenly, changed fron place to place, to prevent local and persona attachments. 7. The General haa never reeeised ; penny out of tiie fucrls of the Army; ant thi» Army depends absolutely on the pro videnoe of God. L'uf it ccuius to posses; property in trust. S. It believes itself to be guarded againsi the admission of s-i-lf-secking and interested peopl.; l:y t!:u jjreat sacrifices they musi make to iiiv.miie members : and '"ilronc-i" by l}:r. heavy obligation of holding from ni1."}!' , . , .-! to twenty-tive meoting? a week, extending over thirty to thirty-five hour? ; and of tprn; , .;::;; eighteen hours in vi.'-uini; t!io \>nnr. I tl. Finally, >.Ir. >"coth deeiarcs his resolve i that the Salvation Army shall Dever become ; a soot. He cites the I'.iiluro of John Wesley j in liis r.ttetnpt to miintiiii an nnsectarian j position. The meaning of this would seem 1 to be that the niir of the Salvation Army 13 to promote ceneril and personal religion apart from all bodie-", and, above all, apart 1 from all controversies. Tiiis summr.ry is almost in th? words of I its chief; and, if the work nnswered to tho conception, it would rank high anionir the movements external to tho Catholic unity iu prudence, zeal, and devotion. It exru-ts a life of labour, in poverty, in sacrifice of self, aiifl in obedience. It is a Ic-j3 pleasing task to turn to t!i£ ether aspect of the Salvation Army, :>r..l to points to the fears which it suggosts. 1. If it were certain that the conflicts and assaults of which wo have heard :tro?e as inevitably r.s the :,!:'. .-lions o: .St. IV.ul .-it Antiocb, Icooium, ;md Lystra, we feel no check to our sympathy. Hut St. Paul did not go h> ,".nvy, i;or -.vitl; the pomp and eiremnstitico of \var. If, on tho oilier hand, this hold bvnnng be .1 sign of apcistolic courage, it is liarcllv a of ap-)sto!i« prudence. It is hnrdly "the -Tilvent of " the •Sou of Peace ;" nnd it* founds :tre rather cf tlie whirlwind than of the still sm-jll voice. It is lianl!} , like the conduct of our Divine Master, who, when the Pharisees v.vre offended, "withdrew Himself," lest they should add siu to sin. It is one thing to rebuke sinners us St. Pe-or and St. Stephen did, and another to challenge opposition by military titk-a and movements with drum's and fifes. These things seem not only unwise for the Salvation Army, but dangercus to souls. The " offence of the Cross" is inevitable if we preach "Christ and Him crucified ;" and both wisdom and charity lay on us an obligation noc to add to it by any needless provocation. '2. We also need a. clearer explanation of its teaching. It says that salvation and

sanctilication are the work "ot a moment." There is no doubt that the forgiveness of sin is bestowed in a moment, as when the father fell on the neck of the prodigal on his return ; and when our Divine Lord said to the man sick of the palsy, "Thy sins be forgiven thee ;" and when in His Name at this hour absolution is given to the contrite. All this is an act of grace ou God's partfull and complete v.-neii He bestows it. They who are forgiven are in a state of salvation, in which, if they parsevera, they will be saved. But the work is nut yet finished ; and sauctification is only begun. God might, indeed, complete it, like our regeneration, in a moment. But He iio>'s not do so. That is not the Divine method. The cleansing of the soul aud the infusion of perfect sanctification are progressive works. This was said in an article in the War Cry, in substance correctly enough, though in words aud phrases not suiiicieutly guarded. 3. A still craver objection iu to be found in the practice of what is nailed " the training of converts." "The moment any man, woman, or child professes to have received remission of sins, we require thorn to stand up and tell the audience." In this we must believe spiritual dangers of the most perilious kind to be inevitable. First, each one is to be the jmlgo of his own state ; next, he is to make instant and public profession of it. Against those who resolve the certainty of their adoption as sons of I God into their own inward consciousness, | even Luther said, "I rest my adoption not ou my own assurance, lmt upon the act of God in my baptism." This is building ou the rock, the other is building on the sand, j If the Salvation Army builds its work ou | such foundations, how can it stand ? Thero j is no form of deception or self-deception svhich this dees not invite. They wiir* j know least of themselves, of the sinfulness 3t sin, and of the sauctity of God, would be among the. first to believe in their own salration. If there be any warning in God's iYord more constant and more urgent than , mother, it is humility and self-mistrust. , Fbe instant public profession—that is, tho ; sailing of all eyes, aud oars, and attention : jpon themselves—is the last tiling that the ; Spirit of God in any record of Holy Scrip- ] :ure counsels or warrant?. Tho rising up of , my one in the midst of :i congregation with , ;uch a profession seems liko, "God, I thauk ] Ciiee that now I am not as other men .ire ; ] iot even as those around me.'" This surely s s not the voice of huniility, nor could any : lumility long endure such a training. If it 1 ie said that 'such public profession is an act j jf thanksgiving, we mnsE answer that the | •, jp3t thanksgiving is the humblest. If it b'j j aid that it is a humiliation, we must answer , igain that self-imposed humiliations are the ( nost subtile of all snares. It may bo that a { )orson of mature experience in tliL- spiritual , ife may without sell-consciousness lay open ( lis life aud state in public. But that men, j vooien, and children, knooiiug in the front j '; O\v of a public meeting, should at the lutset of their conversion tell the audience j he work of God in souls without , lauger to humility, sincerity, or reality, is j iontrary to the spiritual experience of the r rorld. i This observation extends to the usnge of c naking the "Saved" put an"S."or .some j nch sign, upon their collar, liclieving the j ast danger of the spiritual life to be what is j :alled " the Storm in tlie Harbour"—that is, t pirit'.ial complacency springing from self- f :onsciousncss and self contemplation, which "] vrecks even those who have escaped from ]j he perils of the deep into the port of safety a —we must look with groat fear upon a a ystein which systematically ctlls out into t .ctivity tho self-complacency litont in all ,j nen, and trains it by an elaborate external n liseipliue. Such was not tho training of the t irst Disciples, or of tho early Christians, or |, f the confessors and martyrs of any ;ige, p whether in persecution or in peace. 1, lumiiity, sorrow for .';in. conversion to God, iko tho frost, and the dew, and the light, r , rork silently aud with a Divine power. a Vn old writer says, " Ira ost. non gratia, r , am quis ponitur snp'ir ventnin iiullos s , labens radices in uoliditate virtutnm." \. ?he history of the C'iui-lli is full of ex.-t.'nph's t , f conversion which havu no root% or j-uch v nly as arc in Uoih ami blood. Th'-y hav-j ~ icon the )i:r-;t public and ni:lf-pre'ila;med, • iut the least fruitful. m:d the- l«;ast ".biding. ~, f this be; true within tho unity of tlVu ,'., Catholic Church, and uinkr tho strong !, ;pidauco of its discipline, whit may we }, uok for among tiiosu v.-ho are outride of its u belter, and e:ioo_-e their own guides and -~ heir own way? " M •1. And this !er.f!-3 0:1 to aiiot'iir fear. t , i'liere is a distinction to In: ever maintained | pctwi.'un essential devotion and .-<!usihk> do- j ■otio'.i : lvatweoti the ra';ional .sorrow fur tin ! ]-, nd thy emotional sorrow lor sin. Ksni.-'ithl ' 1 icvofion is a c'jii-st.u.:. and fervent e"urei=e j - ; it t\f. will in obedii-iu--? io God. Rational I Z orrow for s'li is tho jndg:in.-nt <>i the ■, vaso-.i I b nd the eon»cii.-nce cniideinning ourj'-lvi.-,-. i '■ ind thosa thi:igs arc c-.lm and inward : j j' 1 li'ttn th'.y have no ontivard rign except a ! ';, ihange in lifo. Mi'.ny of tne most devout j s ' lave little nmotioM, a-vl many ot the ir.i'st I j lenitfiit never .«i>i»'. .1 ixv.r : but their pi«;iy j „ nd their ••ep(.':it: , .nci. t i.; deep, still, -anil | 11 ihanpeless. They begin in the .spirit, :uid I ° hc-y end in the spirit. Not so thorn: wiio [{ legin in emotion, or c:-:citc:iii-ni, or self- h •oiinciousness. Tin.rc is groat daiiL-e:- lost '' hey should end in (ho ik-sh. All who havo | " iavo liad expc-iimi.-i: i:i these thitujs will j : ' :no'.v tlic mc-aiiin;.! of i!;i-.;e fev,- v. or.l-'. 1 ii. One more ejection is as follows : — j ~ "lie: licad of the Sa!vatio.-i Army is resolved i K ' hat it shall never become a sect. Jn this ; "■' ie is vise. A sout is t-cv-ii .-.-ti rrotvju-d. J!<- : j 1 coma to v.-ish that ; t may not bo :i :-cct, but j ,',', spirit, which, !il;o tlio four v.-inds, n>;iy \ i. ilow upon all the valley of dry Lohl , .!— mvn, -*'; i-omcn, children, srets, communions. .-.thl, % 3 perhaps he would say. Churches, ijuiuk- ,i ning and raining tlic-m all to a higher lii'u. j •'■• : o long as the .Salvation Army tcacho3 tho j hroe creels in their true sense, and does T. lot assail the Catholic faith or Church, it i.s '' O far doing a constructive, if it be only a '~ ragmentary work. God " would have all c ] neii saved, and to come to the knowledge i> >f the truth." .So far, then, as it brings ' s ' nen to any truth, oven though it b<? onlv : / me truth, such as a beliof in God, iu thi's 1'

•k evil and unbelieving generation, it is doii Ik a work beyond its own foresight. Lookii ut as we must over the spiritual desolations England, every voice that speaks for God en our slide. In the measure in which i 1. teaching is more perfect our hopes r.nd 01 m sympathy grow greater. When the Apost ul said, " Master, we saw a certain man cas ing out devils in Ihy Name, we forbad hii a because he followeth not with us," the a [d swer was, "Forbid him not, for he that 3. not against you is for you." If it be sa ; S that the Salvation Army docs not cast 01 devils, St. Augustine would answer that tl ;t conversion of a eoul from sin to God is d greater miracle. And no man can dou' ,t I that God makes use of His own means 5t i bring souls to Himself. At limes He us „ : some whom He lias not sent, to rebuke tho: a j in whose hnurl.s the Apostolic commissir 0 ! slumbers. NevertluOps?, we have a co: u I viction that tho Salvation Army will eitln ! become a sect or it will inc-H ;ivay. Th e I world is not the abode of dWmbodk ~ I spirits. Tiir- history of Christianity abni y . : daiitly prove- that neither thn human ii a ! tellf.ct nor the. human will can aloi , i perpetuate any te;i.-!nng without cliang. 3 J Nor can iiunr.sn authority or human ob:1 J dicuce _ perpetuate itsi.-lf witliout r.n 0 t ganiaation which compacts and sustaii j both. But what is sucii r.n organisation bi [ ! a sect— one more of the separate bodic ■> I which have either departed from sosii 3 j parent fcuf, or have themselvc 1 ! together out of tho dispersed and scatter? i i units in our •.vildpnws of souls? Th t J Divine WisOnin has pioviiled for tlie pel petuity of trr.i!; in n vi s :M u nnd world-wid , I organisation, iu \vb\c\t the faith is puarde j laud sustained "yc-t'.-rday, an.l to-day, an J the same for ever " Our lidclity to thi ; ! Divine aini immutable organisitioii, whic 5 ; "is terrible r.s nn army' with tianners t I tiivfs to in n n:oa--urint,'"rc-d. whcreliy v/ I outside of ;:.-, \::-.\'\. :<; U ] the .lancers t , ' whicl; those <:.■■.::,'l. ; .;s ] o:ll l. . ' Tiicr-- r:-;P"irs : i'l nnr :.;■]•?, :-.ml th:it . i «-;,vi.7n Arn'..v . ItA i,:-.t..-,i:,1 dissolutin. . ■ would be :•. :;:;:■■.!■ ,->•;: wit:< tli f i demoralisation fnmi the rc.ikh'.- ; in wi::<-ii :'io 'ino-t s-tc-vd "ui-.ject I aro r.T'ti;:: tr.;.t. ■:. ; n Utr. l.i-'t im;i:b>r o , : the Cor.' , .einp'.ii;'.;-y !-.'..:vi.-\*-. in two articles . ; examples we'.-•■■ ;;iv..:i uv too di:> , ! pleasing to hv r. ; p-■.'.■! lu-n-. They won , j well called •• lw.'viHU." Xo lnistal.e i ■ i greater than to thiiik tlmr. to :i k ~: Go, I and of Divine things in !<>v.- lan-Mngo brinj: truth nearer to the minds of f.hc poor or o the nnuducated. ?s'o words are more ele i vated. and none more intelligible to tin i multitude, than the the foui Gospels. Low wcrdngom-rat«l<jw thoughts I words without j-uvi-rencc dust.-ov the veneration of the human iniii-i. Wiici mar ceases to vener.-.f.u h..; to worship. Extravagance, _i-xng!,'.'r:ilion. nnd eo;u?eness arc daiig'.-ri im.'iiJt.M to all po;>:;br proacliors : and those things ea-;i!y p: !¥ .--. into a strain which shocks the mor.U klmis-.;, :md dcadc;is tlie instincts of piety, l-'.iiniliaritr with God in men of chastened mind produces :■. more profound veneration : in Hiifh.-istwi'-/] minds it easily runs into an irreverence which borders upon impiety. Even the Seraphim cover their faces in the Divine Presence. When levity or coarseness is permitted in preaching, or prayer, or hymns, we fear that it will dctidon the ivsvercue« of some and provoke tho blasphemy of others. Tho War Cry and The Little'.Soldier are both disfigured by such language, and the latter by still graver faults. Ceaseless watchfulness would bo needed to keep its preachers and teachera within the limits of pure and sober speech. But who shall control the utterances of men, women, and children in tlie front row iu the moment of their supposed conver.-iiou ? And above all, whon such unbecoming language is used, and even enjoined, as a means of rousing attention ? They who do so .aust have forgotten St Paul's rejection of human arts, :iud liis simple trust iu tlie Word of God, and iu the power of His Spirit. Iu all this the action of tho Salvation Army is deplorably below tho mental conception of it given in its own professions at the outset of this paper. Such are some of our fears for this zealous Put defiant movement. Our fears greatly overbalance our hopei. Nevertheless, onr heart's desire and prayer is that they who labour so fervently with tho truths' they know may be led-'into tho fulness of faith : and that they who are ready to give their lives for the salvation of souls may be rewarded with life eternal.