THE SALVATION ARMY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11301, 20 December 1898, Page 3

THE SALVATION ARMY.

RECEPTION OF COMJIANDANT H. 800 TH..>'.;.::, ■, :

Commandant Herbert Booth; ;who is no» ;) : oil a visit-to the colonies of Australasia, iu> : -; ■' rived on the,22nd by the express train from'-. ... Invercargill, and. was accorded "a' very hearty ,; and by no means undemonstrative reception;... .;■ at the Caversham railway station, though .the reception was officially regarded as informal,..-; J Before the time for the arrival of thesouthern1, - express a large number of officers and-mem; ;' bers of the Army, with the City Band of tK« 'J Army, in full force, assembled on the station '; platform, and awaited with considerable ;uool-.";-- ; patience the arrival of the train, for the ar-; - : rival of any . member of General Booth?? .... family is an event of no mean consequent! to : the members of the Army, and Comniantlant ' ~ Herbert Booth is understood to *be exiiep-.... ■tionally popular in the best and most creditable sense of popularity. . ' _ V':l;-:,\ 'Representatives from all the corps in~'tsjs!. I ':.v' district 'were in attendance;'-all ;in full. ui*i-> ' form, and some wearing bright sashes, bearing V the word " Welcome," while: others carried "i.";" : flags. Amongst the staff officers present were.'; Major Harris and Captain Lock. ' •;"'.,' The train was late, and did not arrive until-:;.:. SjiOjand when it came in and thecdmmaridarit; '.-; accompanied by Colonel Peart and Colonel; ■':> Hoskin, landed,, they were received with en? .y -. tl.usi.ism.' Commandant' Booth' was"' intro-V-'.V-' duced to the officers, and, addressing the.'.' members of the Army as comrades, thanked v, I them and said ho hoped they would never, >'-.'" have to regret this meeting, and gave 'a. word"...' ■ ' of commendation to the Dunedin band; : .' '■ '"■:' interview. . ." ■ .■':"■■.'...V':'... Commandant' Booth at once left the station ■■','' for Major Bennett's quarters at Cavershain' " for'much needed, but temporary, rest and re-, ■.■'>:' freshment; but while doing so granted, an .; interview,, in'the cab, to the representatives:■,•■'; of the press. No one will be likely to accuse the, :' Salvation Army officers of idleness, their dili--'' ;■ genco. and vigilance are well-known, and' the • leaders in the movement are acknowledged. • examples in both respects, and during the few'-i:.. moments at the station quite a number of; - '. written communications were received. The commandant, after glancing at these do.cn-:> ( ments, said: "I, have just received a tele- ..' gram stating that ono of the biggest buildings '. ,' in Sydney has just been taken to be fitted outI'■,!"'•' as a men's shelter, and a women's shelter,>arid !|t a working man's hotel. In that place we ex-! pect to have, accommodation altogether,.for ( ■ between four and five hundred people.. That > ':'',:' is our latest venture in connection1, with* our.•■;;■'social wflrrk." Continuing, the, commandant,, .i; replying to queries, said:. "This is.my third- ;: visit to New Zealand. My first was some .10 ; ' years ago, and. my second.some. 18. months C;.-.; since.- 1 am making my present, hasty/.visit' ;: for two purposes. First, I am here "to •'".in- "/'■ spect all our corps, to visit our own people, and to encourage our officers and soldiers; - and, in the second place, I desire to .maks ;.:. the necessary preparations for the approach-; ing visit of tho general. My father, who US :: in excellent health according to the last-ad-; vices, never worked harder than; now—he. is '•'-. ' a marvel to us all, and expects toisp^end his seventieth birthday in Melbourne, and.a few. weeks afterwards to be in this colony. - It'i'is" ■■■:.' expected the general will arrive at the Bluff :■ on the 7th of March hext_, arid he will visit : ■"'. Ir.yercargill, Dunedin, Christchurch, Welling-,, ton, and Auckland. . I am collecting for the. :' social work of the Army, and giving limelight :. lectures that! have been very successful. £_-.. have given these lectures in the chief centres of population in• Australasia, to, altogether '/: abou,t 40,000 people within the .last;' six,' . weeks. We have something new in the way r : of limelights—Views of our social work in operation, with fourteen cinematograph •':,-. views. We are the only people who make;; our own films, and these show the different -, : ; types of people among whom we work, aril ;• the way we work among them. 'At -Inver- ■",..':. cargill we had a great meeting, and. I ,waa ..' much encouraged by tho condition and stand- ■■ ing of the Army there. The Theatre Royal v was jammed, and a more enthusiastic and ■ sympathetic audience I have never.addressed : in Australia. Judging' from the records;1-I''.'! .should say the standing and work of the Army, jr ■".'•. throughout New Zealand is'distinctly-better:,.', than it was 18 months ago. During the,last ' two years we have done much social work.^ :; We have purchased a new rescue home hereV ' and we have furnished" and opened a large" ; "■; establishment in Christchurch as a prison gite./.'..' home. Then we have bought an extensive -\'--j' property for a new rescue home and a new.. -■'■■:-. maternity home, in Christchurch, and have :■';. fitted them out. Thero is also a new prison 'V gate home in Auckland, and a. new. rescue ■r; homo there, so that even along the lines pf v : social work alone we: have; made more-lrapid '• .';'< strides during the past two years than.in any.\':> previous period. As to our relations,.with :•',; other churches, a large section of the ohorcHes-.;-;? look upon us with the utmost friendliness,* \..; and support our work. To them we are- ii>- .i;,, debted for a great deal of help..- Of:,'course •;■;■. there are others that do.--not.look upon us'in';-.' that way, but our own attitude towards the ; . churches is that of-an advance guard,1 en-;'," deavouring to preach the. Gospel .of Christ,;■; and to .uplift the poor, and also to go'amongst ■;; that particular section of the eonimuni'ty.;that' j'-j; is-not touched by any church. The.'churches,.'■' are indebted to tho Army, I contend,,^for/a-;': largo amount of awakening new spiritual-life;: '■ and force. For instance, the records .show. :!v: that last year in Australia thirty, thbusand'" people knelt at the penitent forms./of^the:. : ; Aimy. A large proportion; of those-r-I-'-db ,'-; not say- the chief portion, but a considerable...'.:".-'. proportion—belonged to other.: churches, , visited our barracks and got blessing, -insjnrarV.-| . tion, and help there; and,we never suggest !. ■' that they should'*join the Army, but send ■;'; .thorn back to their own denominations. 'There-. ,: fore, while the churches give us, I. admit, :' ' valuable assistance, on the other haud -the-;. ■ Army gives them much assistance iv the way ; I have suggested. In connection with our. ■ '('■ social work alone, we have raised the contri-,;''•>■ butions in Australasia, since I have been rhere," : from £4000 to £11,000 par annum, and within .-M the last 12 months have spent £33,000 on' new .-,■;■:■ schemes in connection with tho social work.": -;f