THE SALVATION ARMY AND "AUNT MARTHA."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8986, 17 September 1892, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE SALVATION ARMY AND "AUNT MARTHA."

The 27th anniversary of the Salvation Army was celebrated by a largo meeting in Exeter Hall on July 25, when General Booth delivered the anniversary address. He said that the army had now 5000 officers at home and about 6000 abroad, and the papers of the Army had an annual circulation of 47,000,000. The labour bureau had registered 16,493 applicants for work, and found employment for 4696. He said he was quite ready to have a committee of impartial men to-examine tho accounts of tho social scheme, but they must be men of standing, and their opponents must pledge themselves to accept their decision. Alluding to the missionary enterprise of tho Army, he said they had begun work among the coloured population of Jamaica; and there was tin one whom he was better pleased to see than tho lady at the end of the platform, who, having been introduced to tho Queen, wanted to be introduced to the "General." (Loud hughter and cheers.) Mrs. Ricks, thus alluded to, left her seat, and advancing along the front of the platform, her face wreathed in smiles, shook hands heartily with the General," who made her a little speech of welcome, explaining that she was the widow of a former President of tho Negro Republic of Liberia, a statement which accounted for her complete suit of mourning. He added that she probably did not know much about the Salvation Army before she left Liberia. Had she done so she would no doubt have come to England specially to see it. Mrs. Hicks, still beaming with delight, stood patiently beside the " General" till he had ceasfcd and the cheers had subsided ; then she suddenly became animated. My children," she said, with a slightly foreign accent, "I joined this Army six years ago. Long since, before I saw the Queen, Jesus was my great Captain. That is all. I have ' salvation -filled. The statement was greeted with fresh cheers, which seemed to give Mrs. Ricks additional energy. Amid peals of laughter she suddenly began to dance a kind of jig, facing first to one side, then to tho other, gesticulating towards the platform, then towards the meeting, shouting something which could not be heard, shaking hands with the people close to her, bub never for a moment ceasing her dance. As she showed no signs of stopping, several members of the Army came forward and led her back to her place, where for some time she sat with her eyes closed, swaying herself backwards and forwards, the picture of perfect content.