THE SALVATION ARMY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13106, 17 October 1904, Page 2

THE SALVATION ARMY.

Colonel Gilmour, of tho Salvation Army, assisted by Majons Cain and Gumming, condueled services yesterday in tlio ban-licks dt South Duncdin, and also at tho Fortress, Dowling street. , . Colonel Gilmour mado somo reference to tho congress, which ho said had been doscribed by the London papers as tho greatest missionary gathering history liad over produced. ' The first of tho meetings took pkco in tho Albert Hall, which seated 12,000, and was iu tho naturo of a welcomo to tha foreign delegates. The first part of tho welcome meeting took tho form of an international march past, contingent after contingent, representing neaHy all peoples of tho earth, passing over tho platform nnd being recognised by Sir Bramwell Booth, chief of the staff, whilst the liugo audience, sent up round after round of app'.auso. During the next part oi tho mooting addresses wero delivered to the General by each of the territorial doinnianders, t.ho .General in a pithy address making a suitable reply. For tlw bulk of tho other meetings a building capablo of seating 5000 was ereete<l in tlio Strand. At tho dedication services of this temporary building tho General had .said: "Thirty-nine years ago within it few days, on a hot, sultry, July Sabbath afternoon, I walked past this spot on my way to tho eastern part of this great metropolis to conduct what was expected to ho a very short Salvation campaign, That was a memorable day in my, history, and a memorable day in the history of a great many more. My field of labour was theMile End; my tabernaolo was tt rough old tent in a disused burial ground; my audience a crowd of poor Whitechapelcrs; and the result, bles-ed be God, was a few desolate souls at tho mercy seat. Looking upon this wilderness of misery and sin, I dared to put myself by the sido of my own blessed Lord, and said: 'Thy work shall be my work, and Thy business'shall ho my business.' 1' went homo to my wife and said ' Darling, I ha'vo found my destiny, and I have also given you to it, and all wo have and are.' 1 Tho General had then proceeded to say that it was 10 years since tho last international congress. Then tlio Army was at work in 42 different countries and colonies, speaking 29 different languages. No\v it was speaking 31 languages in .49 different lands; corps and societies, had grown from 4533 to 7210, officers and cadets from 8539 to 14,291, local officers from 19,690 to 45,339, bandsmen from 12,440 to 17,099, juniors from 73,367 to 325,000, social institutions from 220 to 644, periodicals from 36 to 63, with a circulation of a million and a quarter per week. Every week tho Salvation Army held 500,000 open-air meetings and 970,000 indoor?, and visited on an average 11,000 drink shops a week. The pnblio meetings in tho Strand, continued Colonel Gilmour, were chiefly of a spiritual character, Salvationists and ministers of nearly all denominations assisting in prayer meetings. Tho General's audience with tho King was most opportune. Tho official statement issued for publication had said: "Tlio interview was of a most gracious and cordial nature. The King listened with evident pleasure to what the General had to say, and showed special interest in everything relating to efforts on behalf of tho poor. As General Booth was leaving tlio King's presence his Majesty expressed his sympathy with objeots so near to tho General's heart, and his cordial good wishes for the continued prosperity and success of the work of the Army." Colonel Gilmour then proceeded to refer to subjects discussed at the congress, and said that the conclusion of tho ijreat .meetings the colonials were glad to learn the information that it* 1 was tho General's intention to visit the Commonwealth nnd New Zealand early' in 1905.