THE SALVATION ARMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6820, 26 September 1883, Page 6

THE SALVATION ARMY.

ARRIVAL OF MAJOR BARKER. | Yksthrday forenoon a crowd, assembled on ] the wliarf, on the arrival of the Waibora from 1 the South, to see the reception of Majors Barker and Pollard and their comrades, Cadet Foley; and Bandmaster Tucker, by the brethren and sisters of the Auckland Salvation Army Corps, No. 2. A detachment of the "soldiers" were on the wharf, under Captain Bowerman, Lieutenant Innes, and other officers; As the steamer reached the wharf the army commenced singing a hymn. Several carriages were in waiting, and after Major Barker (senior officer in Australasia) had been "sainted" and responded, thanking the people for the kind

reception given, he, witn Major Pollard and Cadet Foley, Bandmaster Tucker, and the Auckland officers, were driven up to Mr. Brame's residence, Vincent-street. Along the route the carriages were accompanied by the •' soldiers," who sang hymns as they marched along in ttie rain. There were a goodly number of people on the wharf to see the ceremony. The proceedings wet;e of an orderly character, though two or three or. the larrikins, in their small way, tried to make it otherwise, i Great disappointment was expressed at the non-arrival of Mrs. Barker, but when it transpired that that lady was lying sick at Wellington, much sympathy was expressed to Major Barker.

A "BLOOD AND FIRE" MEETING. At three o'clock a ' 1 blood and fire " meeting was heUl in the Theatre Royal, when the lower portion of the building was filled with a large aud respectable audience. On the platform were the officers, soldiers, and Hallelujah lasses. Major Barker conducted the meeting, and he and Major Pollard and G det Foley delivered addresses relative to Salvation Army work in New Zealand and Australia, but as they went over the same ground in greater detail at the " Holiness Sleeting " in the evening, it is unnecessary to refer further to the speeches. Some interesting "testimonies" were given by various men and women, and the meeting, which was throughout of an orderly an 1 enthuiinstic character, was closed by devo- ! tional exercises, led by Captain Bowerman, and the Bene-liction by Major Barker. .... THE "HOLINESS MEETING."

' In the evening a " Holiness Meeting " was held, in the same place, when the spacious, building was crowded to excess by a respectable assemblage.'

e After devotional exercises, Major Barker addressed the meeting, and gave an account of the work in Australia. He said that he landed in Melbourne in September, 18S2, and went on to South Australia, where he started the Salvation Army movement, with the assistance of officers from home. There were now- there thirteen stations and thirty officers,- with a South Australian War Cry. In-Victoria, they commenced at Hotham, the Rev. A. 6. Clark (Baptist); of West Melbourne, plo.cing his church at tli-rir disposal for two days, and giving them the collection to stare their work, and it was from that germ the move-' ment m Victoria had sprung. There were now in that colony nine stations,' with forty officers; including cadets. Last week a new ~ bai racks was to be opened at Hotham, costing £1200. capable of "holding 1500 people and 200 " soldiers." ttie funds being raised by the working class. Atf Oollingwood; a corps of over a thousand soldie.s had been formed. A small mission hall: had been placed at their disposal by 'Dri Singleton, but it proved too small, and ■they had bought » large Evangelistic Hall ;f6r'£iooo, the money being all :forthcoming. At l'rabran, through the kiudness of ,: a Kendeman, they had purchased a : brick ibuildirig capable ©f holding 1500 or 2000, . ivorking men-finding most of the money. In :Little Bourke-3treet, Dr. Singleton lent them a hall, where they drew together the worst; characters; and succeeded inreformiug maiiy: At Ballarat they were about to build a barracks, and at Sandhurst had purchasedland, and intendrd building a barracks..* At. this- place he (Major Barker) had been brought before the Mayor, aud Cadet Foley arrested' for selling , the War- Cry,-but,the Mayor, when he "knew the facts,"told. them to go on, and hoped God would bless their work. If it cost him . his re-election, he

would protect them, and he cams to'their, meVtiugs himself. At Emerald Hill, the head quarters for Australasia, they had rented the .Academy .of Music, which will seat 3000, at a rental of £4 50 a year. ,\ The shops in the 'basement?were used as book and uniform depots, and the cellars as a printing department'(cost defrayed by a gentleman) ...and where was seut forth Salvation Army literature;. ' In addition they had accommodation ■for 20. cadets. This hall was nightly packed, aiid they had a.right of purchase. They were about to open at Geelong and other places; ..In a short time Uiey intended to break ground in Tasmania. In New South Wales they, had nine stations with 20 officers, and. its own, divisional War Cry. A man ib. Sydney had kindly helped them to seenre a .'valuable site in one of the principal thoroughfares, and they were about to build a larg*/barracks there, the soldiers having already collected £Looo,tawards.;that„object.' In Queensland they had two stations and :four.officers. The work had only just begun i,.there. The total strength in 1882 was four' stations and five officers, and in' September, i 1533, they had.oO. stations and 124 officers. [ J?ii& War-Cry circulation for Australia and. i New Zealand was over 60,000: weekly. ' He thauked the people hce for their, kind;re-, ception of him, and' only wished he : was, a captain that he could be stationed here, aa he was favourably impressed with Auckland. His mission was to make a tour of inspection of the New Zealand stations, investigate finances, and see that everything was on a sound business footing, and- the propertytrusts properly vested Cadet FuLett gave a short address, narrating- how he came to join the Salvation Army. His career/was a mos: remarkable one. He had biit-r in Auckland in 1857, served.a term of iraprisonment in Dunedin; been, in Melbourne in and out of Pontridge . Gaol for nehrly 20 years, having had various terms of: imprisonment as card; larrikin, and boxer. -He was converted through a Salvation Army captain visiting the gaol; and who had'been an old acquaintance of his. 'In the presence of-over a thousand prisoners-ne. got im hi; knees and.asked God for mercy. On his getting out of. prison the Salvationists ■ took him in hand. ; He related, with much humour, ; his feelings / on meeting his old chums in Little Bourke Street while he was selling the. War ..Cry, one of .them buying his first number to start him. One burglar; - who went into the '.Temperance bourne,..to a Salvatien tpeeting, just to while away'the.tinie .iu the evening,: with his tools on; him : to break into a Collins-street, establishment, was so struek.by his (the speaker's) testimony and experience, that he could not .commit, the burglary, and. subsequently joined : .Salvation . Army.- There . were several men in it now who had.done 19 and 23 years'sentences.; . In Pentndge the number of prisoners had been reduced one-third. He hoped to be faithful. to the last, for it was not what men had been, but what they are, that was the real test. Major Pollard an ..account of his connection with the Salvation Army in his acquaintance with Major Barker there, and the way.in which he was. selected' .. to come to . New Zealand. He gave an raccount of the work in New Zealand; which he. 'started -at : . Dunedin. {'There, ; were now nine corps in -New Zealand, viz., two'. at Dunedin, two at Christchurch, and one each , at Invercargil', Oamaru, Timaru, Wellington/ and Auckland.:. It was intended shortly to open. 1 stations' at' Ashburtori, Napier,. Port! Chaliaera, aiid other st»:ions in the! North laland; Captain Wright, A. D.C., had been promoted.to the rank of Staff-Captain by Major Barker, ana would, now take"charge of the North Island, as a district, the whole colony still remaining... in. charge of himself : (Major. Arrangements were being made to have one gentleman appointed in the South'. Island, and. another in the South.Jsland,' as' 'trustees, to-, hold, the, property,of the Salya-I tion. Army in ...trust,., in conjunction with ■.Major. Barker, and r: himself,, as co-trustees The necessary legal steps would be taken to have the society registered and incorporated, so that the property would be ..secured,to the. people. The monies collected in the North Island , would be spent in, benefitting the North Island. . There were in,: the ; colony, nine stations, and ..the - circulation,'of ;the New Zealand .War-. Cry ;weekly,., 15,000. At Duntdin, during Major.^Barker's'visit, £150 had been collected fur general work at Christchurch, £120 ; at Wellington, £150.' The first barracks in the colony would be erected in Auckland, capable _ of holding 1500 people, and costing £1700. They saw their way clear to defray the expense. He hoped that Major and Mis. Barker would be able to pay them a visii at the opening of the new Auckland barracks. At Wellington he had this week bought the Apollo Hall,

which when fitted 115 would hold over 2000 people. £150 wa3 raised the' first night. the project of purchase was made known. Bandmaster TtJCKEB said' a-few words as to how he was brought into the Salvation Army at Christchuroh. • • Some " testimonies" were than 'given, among those testifying being the ex-captain of the Auckland Skeleton" Array, who is still staunch to his colours. Devotional exercises, engaged in alternately by men and women, brought the proceedings to a close. Bandmaster Tucker accompanied the choir on the cornet-a-piston. Captain Bowekman announced that this evening Major Barker would present the colours to the Auckland carps in the Theatre Royal at half-past seven o'clock. The meeting to-morrow evening will be at St. James's I Hall, when addresse? will be given by Majors

Barker and Pollard. Major Barker and party return by the first Southern steamer; Major Barker and Cadet Foley, if not Major Pollard, going on to Melbourne. During the stay of the party here it is intended to itake them to Kauri Forest, Titirangi, and other places, to see the beautiful scenery around Auckland city. Bandmaster Tucker has been promoted to be staff trumpeter, and will be engaged in organising the various Salvation Army bands throughout the colony. Captain Bowerman and Lieutenant Innes will probably "farewell" ai the meeting at St. James's. Hall on Thursday, prior to goir.g South. I destination has not yet been disclosed, but they will be relieved by Captain and Mrs. Graham (the latter being a lieutenant), of South Bunedin. Major Barker and party, and the whole oE the Auckland officers, with a number of their friends were entertained to tea last night by Mrs. Macky, of Chapel-street.