SALVATION ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23221, 19 June 1937, Page 11

SALVATION ARMY

THE MOSGIEL CORPS FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE < 5 JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS The Mosgiel Corps of the Salvation Army, which for 50 years has been carrying on in a faithful manner the work which was the ideal of the founder of the movement, General William Booth, will celebrate its jubilee with a series of meetings at Mosgiel commencing today and continuing until Monday. From the time the Army commenced its activities in the district in 1887 until the present day the record of the corps has been one of unceasing toil in the interests of humanity, and its officers, both past and present, can well be proud of its achievements. \ HISTORY OF CORPS When the Salvation Army first commenced its humanitarian activities in New Zealand it did not receive a very good reception, and in

only a few places. where this new religion was started did its officers and soldiers go free from abuse and scoffings. But in spite of many setbacks the Army persevered, and today it occupies a high place in the i community. The Army’s work was commenced in Mosgiel in, the year 1887, and for a period this outpost was carried on from South Dunedin before it was finally established as a corps. Today Mosgiel can be reached from, Dunedin in a few minutes on a good bitumen road, but in the latter part o| the last century it was more difficult of access, and during the winter months the officers who faithfully plodded wearily out to the little township through rain and mud must at times have been disheartened by the conditions they had to face.

One little incident which serves to show some of the difficulties met with by the early officers is told by ex-Captain Aston, one of the first men in charge of the corps: 1 “To-day," he says, “I possess very happy memories of my stay in Mosgiel 50 years ago. When we arrived we considered we needed a band, and that it was an essential need. Having secured from various sources a number of brass instruments and a drum, and after about a fortnight’s tuition (most of the men were new to the job and scarcely knew the business end of a trombone) we ventured out on the streets. Believe me. the noise of the trumnets around the walls of Jericho had nothing on us. As you know. Mosgiel is a Scottish town, and though we did not know it at

the time it was against the council by-laws to create a noise of any kind or to play in the streets on Sunday. The drummer and myself were summoned and fined 30s, or 48 hours in the Dunedin Gaol. Needless to say we went to gaol. On our release there was a great demonstration in the Town Hall at Dunedin. Nothing daunted, the band was again on the job on the following Sunday, and this time all the band was summoned to appear at the Outram Police Court. We secured the services of Mr Sim (afterwards Mr Justice Sim), and through a defect in the by-law the case was dismissed, with witnesses’ expenses and costs against the council.”

During the 50 years the Army has been operating in the Mosgiel district, over 100 officers have been I stationed with the corps, and of I these many are still fighting on in | other parts of the world. This band I of unselfish workers could tell of 1 many stories of their experiences j during their unremitting fight i against sin, immorality and poverty, j and although they met with many difficulties which would have daunted people whoso ideals were less strong, the work progressed and grew. Gradually the public began to I realise the value of the Army’s acti- ! vities, its attitude changed, and the 1 task of the officers became easier. Many kindly acts were done to assist them in their work, and one officer ' always found his dinner in the oven i ready to eat when he returned home

from his Sunday’s services. To-day the Salvation Army is recognised as a useful and necessary organisation which seeks out the lost and degraded souls, warns the young people against folly, goes into unsavoury and even dangerous haunts to rescue the unfortunate, and the Mosgiel Corps, although never very strong numerically, has always shown a strong front against sin and has taken an honourable place among the thousands of other corps all over the world which are fighting against it. The unselfish service of its officers during the Great War period and the influenza epidemic of 1918 was outstanding, and the present officers, Captain and Mrs L. H. Jones, are carrying on successfully in the same spirit which characterised the work of their predecessors. Captain Jones entertains the hope of obtaining a brass band to enliven the open air work and the indoor meetings, and already the young players whom he has in hand have made good progress with their instruments. JUBILEE PROGRAMME The programme of meetings for the jubilee celebrations is as follows: To-day.—Jubilee tea, Fire Brigade Hall, 6 p.m.; welcome meeting, Salvation Army Hall, 8 p.m. To-morrow.—Meetings, Salvation Army Hall, 7 a.m., 11 a.m., and 7 p.m.; united march past of lodges, fire brigade, Scouts, Cubs, etc., from Mosgiel District High School to Coronation Hall, 2.30 p.m.; presentation service, 3 p.m. Monday.—United women’s meeting, 2.30 p.m.; grand jubilee programme, 7.45 p.m.