SALVATION ARMY CITADEL OPENED

Taranaki Daily News, 6 June 1927, Page 10

SALVATION ARMY CITADEL OPENED

COMMISSIONER JAMES KAY PERFORMS CEREMONY

COMMODIOUS CONCRETE BUILDING AVAILABLE

LARGE GATHERINGS ATTEND WEEK-END SERVICES

After many years of waiting a new citadel for the Salvation Army in New Plymouth was opened on Saturday on the site of the old hall on the corner of Brougham and Powderham Streets. The cost of the building and land was £4886, and of this amount about £3OOO has been obtained already. The ceremony was performed by Commissioner Hay during the afternoon in the presence of a very large number of people, including the Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson), Mr. C. E. Bellringer, M.P., prominent officers of headquarters staff, and ministers and laymen representing the local churches. There is seating occommodation for 320.

At 5 p.m. a public tea was held in the Workers’ Social Hall. Then there was an open-air meeting at the usual place in Brougham Street, followed by a largely attended service of praise, conducted by the commissioner in the citadel. At the conclusion a number of persons knelt at the penitent form. In addition to the customary services yesterday, Commissioner Hay lectured to a large audience in the citadel on “The Salvation Army as a World Redemptive Force.”

THE BUILDING DESCRIBED

FACILITIES FOR ALL BRANCHES. WORK OF THE ARMY INCREASING. Though - the exterior of the citadel is not advanced sufficiently for the removal of the scaffolding at the sides, the front part, facing Brougham Street, has been finished off in white cenfent and an unobstructed view could be obtained of it yesterday. Above tlie doorway is the crest and the words, “Salvation Army,” while marble slabs on either side bear 'the following inscriptions: “Opened to the Glory of God by Commissioner James Hay on June 4. 1927, Bramwell Booth, General”; “The Salvation Army, New Plymouth—Corps established on .March 1, 1884—Praise ye the Lord,” Concrete has been used in the construction throughout, and the design is both pleasing in exterior and interior, and eminently suited to the needs of the local corps, probably for some years to come. In fact it is remarkable howmany facilities have been provided on a limited area without in any sense giving the impression of overcrow-ding. In addition to the main- hall, the roof of which may be raised to enable the erection of a gallery when needed, a second story on the Brougham Street frontage contains rooms for Bible classes and bandsmen, the latter being equipped with instrument lockers and music cupboard. A covered passage-way from Powderham Street gives access both to the main hall and the young people’s hall in the rear. This part has separate rooms for an office,primary children, boys’ and girls’ Bible classes, and corps cadets. There is a well-appointed kitchen. ‘

The principal entrance to the main hall is through a small vestibule on Brougham Street. Heavy cross beams support a roof of oiled timber rising to nn apex, while below- are white plaster walls that meet an oiled panelled dado. The rows of seats are of a similar amber colour. They extend to the penitent form that runs along beneath a platform providing accommodation for officers, bandsmen, pianist and songsters. On the face of this structure, in letters of gold, are the words. “Draw Nigh to God.”

Simplicity and solidity are the main impressions left after an inspection. The building will be warmed by a central heating system which, though not included in the original contract, was offered or such favourable terms that the opportunity was too good to let pass. The labour for the installation was given free. The architects were Messrs. Grey, Young, Morton and Young, of Wellington. and the contractors. Messrs. Boon Bros.

THE OPENING CEREMONY. There was a big crowd in Brougham Street on Saturday afternoon, and a group photograph was taken before pro. ceedings commenced. After the singing of “The Old Hundredth” to the music of the band, Commissioner Hay said that he umst have had the honour to open 500 or 000 similar buildings in different parts of the world. He hoped this one might have the blessing of God and might be the means of salvation formally souls and a benefit to the beautiful town of New Plymouth. Throughout the world there w-ere 17,286 centres of Army activity. He then unfastened the door and, declaring the citadel opened, invited the people to enter.

The service inside followed the usual Army plan, many hymns and rousing choruses being sung. Commissioner Hay, after reading the scriptural account of the words uttered at the opening of the temple in Jerusalam, said that in the course of time many millions of worshippers must have gathered there. There were no Gentiles to-day and the Army halls differed from the temple in that they were open to all kinds of men, women and children, hypocritical people, the best and the worst. In that respect this building was distinctive.

Brigadier Scotney, property secretary, then led in prayer, following which the Lord’s Prayer was recited, and Colonel Carmichael, divisional commander, conducted the hymn, “Oh God, our Help in Ages Past.”

After welcoming the Mayor and Mr. Bellringer, Commissioner Hay said this building was being spoken of in 1910 when he was first here and now they had it. He knew of some corps that bad been waiting 40 years for new halls and had not got them yet, so New Plymouth was fortunate. Various suggestions had been made regarding a site, but eventually this one was decided on. Ti n-iissioncr described the various

facilities offered by the citadel and said it had not been a.u easy matter to provide them. They would have liked other things, too, but the best had been done under the circumstances. PROGRESS IN NEW ZEALAND. The Army was 44 years old in New Zealand, and it was therefore likely that in the next 50 or 60 years these opening ceremonies would often occur. He had only been in the Dominion nine months, yet this was the ninth or tenth building he had opened. The Army was not as old a body as the Roman Catholics or the Anglicans, or even his childhood friends, the Presbyterians, so there would be many buildings to open. The commissioner congratulated Captain Thorne, who was so well and favourably known in New Plymouth, -Messrs. Boon Bros., the foreman of works, and the many comrades who had helped. All had been very busy, and on the whole most people would agree that this was a very passable Salvation Army building. The cost to date of the land and building w-as £4502, which, with £384 for additional land, made a total ot £4886. The New Plymouth corps had undertaken to raise out of its own bank balances and from its friends in the town and district £2600, and, as nearly as could be told, the figures at present were £2201. In addition . National Headquarters had given £650—£400 for the building and £250 for land. Then out of divisional funds Colonel Carmichael had contributed £l5O. Therefore about £3OOO had been found towards the £4886 required. The Mayor congratulated the Army authorities on this attainment of their desires. He himself had realised years ago that the old building was unsuitable. As Mayor he was glad of anything that contributed to the welfare of the town, and he therefore welcomed such institutions contributing to the •jnoral well-being of the town, through the teaching of the gospel. Mr. Bellringer said the Army stood for the old gospel that was going to save the world; he did not know- of any other gospel that could do so. Despite, unrest in the world to-day, he believed there was a movement towards the Spirit of God that was going to work a change and bring about a great revival. He congratulated the Army on obtaining such a fine building aud hoped it would be a centre of interest, in the town for everything that was right. The Army had always stood shoulder to shoulder with other institutions in the fight against the great evils that dragged men and women down. Referring to the Army’s fight against the drink traffic, he paid a special tribute to Envoy Buick.

BIRTHPLACE OF SOUL-S. Colonel Carmichael said that for something like 17 years they had been agitating to have a building fit for New Plymouth. The new citadel should be the birthplace of souls. The first to kneel at the penitent form nad been the commissioner, whose thought and prayer must have been that God should be honoured in this place and many brought to Jesus. Envoy Buick said that when he first joined the Army in South Australia there were no barracks either in Australia or New Zealand. He remembered in Melbourne and Adelaide that kneedrills were held in the streets. Sometimes they were pelted with rotten fruit and roughly treated and some had to be sent to the hospital.. They did not then have the sympathy of the public as they did to-day. He was glad he was a Salvationist, for it gave one some spiritual backbone and sweetened life. The Army to-day was a mighty redeeming power, and tens of thousands in Australia and New Zealand had been put right by it. Other congratulatory remarks were made by Captain Ward (Waitara), Captain Martin (Inglewood), the Rev. F. A. Parry (Baptists), the Rev. P. J. Cossum (Methodists and Ministers’ Association), Sergt.-Major Richardson and Comrade Harris.

About £5O was still required for furnishings, it was stated. Captain Thorne handed round subscriptions forms, and a collection w-as made. The combined result was over £26, although there were still a number of promises to be handed in.

THE WORLD-WIDE ARMY. ACTIVITIES IN MANY COUNTRIES. LECTURE DY THE COMMISSIONER. Something of what the Salvation Army is doing in its widely-scattered activities throughout tlie world were

told to a very large audience in the citidel yesterday afternoon, when Commissioner Hay lectured on “The Army As a World Redemptive Force.” Mr. C. E. Bellringer, M.P., presided in the absence of the Mayor and when introducing the speaker he expressed the hope that the Army would never become “too starchy or respectable.” That would be dangerous. During the past 30 yetirs very great progress had been made amongst the black races, said the Commissioner, far more than any similar period of history showed among the white people. It was difficult to assess the value of the redemption of the world, but the cost could be calculated to some extent. The Army was 62 years old, yet to-day it had 17,286 agencies working up and down the world. There were hundreds of churches with ministers to be paid and there were millions of Christian people labouring in the cause. When these things were calculated it became a. matter of Christian economics. After observing tiro social and charitable work in various parts or the world, he was satisfied that God was bountiful and that the work was worth while. They had an answer to the statement' that everyone was out for his own pocket in the many great things that were accomplished in the mission field and etsewhere by men and women. Bad as were the drink traffic, immorality and social inequalities to-day, ho was hopeful; God was engaged in the great task of bringing back the world? to Himself. MUST BE EFFECTIVE. Redemptive work had to bo done effectively. It was all very well to have Homo show, Hag-waving and trumpeting. It was not a necessity, however. They- did not like moral spasms or religious spasms. What was wanted in the world was continuity in religion. It did not follow that the measures adopted by Christians in the last 100 years would be the measures of the next 100 years. The ways of carrying on the great work were legion and might be cnanged 100 times. But they dare not change the doctrines of Christianity, such as the forgiveness of sin. The work of the Salvation Army had been scattered throughout world and some thought that General Wm. Booth must have been a great organiser to place it in such far-away countries as Australia, China and Japan. But it was not according to plan that the Army had grown. Perhaps it would be correct to say of the founder that he had a largo mind. It was once said of him that he was not an Englishman but a world's man.

The expansion of the Army into America, Asia and Africa required money. In his 41% years in the Army he could not remember meeting one man who had said he was sorry he had helped. The" giver of money was satisfied with what has been done.

The Army had been a great success in Scotland, the land of his birth, said the Commissioner. Tens of thousands had been converted and many ministers in other churches had received tnerr impetus at the Army penitent farm. He had known many drinking Scots converted by the Army. Progress was great in England also. In two years’ time they would be celebrating the centenary of the birth of William Booth. The movement had commenced in his heart when he was 16.

The Commissioner spoke of the courage of the founder in going into the East End without money or a committee and persevering in the face of opposition, the generosity of his staunch friend William Denny in forwarding a cheque for £lOOO during a bitter newspaper attack, and sticking to the General through thick and thin. Ono Scotswoman had left £75;000 to build Army halls in Scotland.

'Rhere was an advance of GCOO or 7009 every year in England.

ONE THOUSAND BANDS. There were ICoO bands and General Bramwell Booth had recently given a set of instruments to the thousandth. The Army was a great force in England. Ireland was a difficult problem, but great progress was being made there, too. As a young officer, he nad spoken on the Grand Parade, Cork, for 20 minutes to 400 young fellows, mostly Roman Catholics; they listened quietly. Then a superintendent of police came over and asked him how he managed it; it did not often happen like that and something would happen later. It did, for that night all the windows in the hall were broken.

Speaking of the Army’s progress in other lands, the Commissioner said that in Denmark 12 members of the Royal Family took the War Cry each week. France was one of tlie challenging parts of. the world. One hundred years ago it "turned down the Christian religion and said “This is the age of reason,” but reason alone had not got her forward. In France the Army had a great man as commissioner. He Aid not need to come to them for money. H was doing great work, as were a great many other men with money who were working for the Army throughout the world.

Holland used to be a stronghold of Protestantism, but where Ptotestantism is lukewarm Catholicism would wipe it out and half of Holland was now Catholic. The Armv had dona a great deal to raise tho mentality and vigour of the people. In Sweden, there were a great many corps, 500 or 600 strong. There a town the size of New Plymouth would have a corns 300 strong; they were working against the drink traffic. Regarding the expansion of the Army among the backward nations, the Commissioner said that India had Buddhaism 600 years before the birth of Christ. Some people saw great good in the Eastern religions and the philosophy ot Mrs. Besant, but they had to be judged by what they accomplished. From the results, he would rather have Christianity than ail the others put together. Lying seemed to bo the meat of the Eastern people. Many more Christian people should have gone to India. The Britons had pocketed the gold and taken the nectar without giving an adequate return, but now, after .many years, the value of the Array was bring recognised by the Governor-Gen-eral and the princes. After noting the wonderful progress in China and Japan, and the heroic work of women officers in the latter country, the Commissioner said that in Japan, the most thickly populated part of the world—with a population of 33,600,000 in an rfrea less than that of New Zealand —there was tho scourge of leprosy.

WORK AMONG LEPERS. Tho General had decided that the Army should take in 590 more sufferers, making a total of 3000 lepers being eared for. Many of them were converted and there were cures. Great Christian work had been done among

the natives of Africa during the past 40 or 50 years. At tlie end of the Zulu war there were only 200,000 Zulus but now there were 1,250,000; Christianity had taught them how to look after themselves. The work being carried on was surely and steadily making it impossible to have native rebellions, at any rate south of the Zambesi.

Despite the saying that Americans chased the almighty dollar, in America physicians, men of the literary and governing type with a large vision had seen that the future would be bad unless tho sale of alcohol were abolished. “If we Jiad a little more -spunk in New Zealand we would do it, too.” It had been suggested that if Commissioner Eva Booth camo to this country aud talked to the people and the members of Parliament, tho Dominion would be turned toward prohibition. Pussyfoot Johnson had described her as tho greatest power for prohibition in America. The Army in tho States was widespread and there were 5000 officers—more than there were in England. Ho had seen the Army’s work in every part of the world except South America. During his 12 years in Australia he mubt have travelled 600,000 miles and carried on 500 meetings a year. Tho Army there was certainly a vigorous and growing force. It had taken 44 years to fit him for the charge of New Zealand, continued the Commissioner. He had already visited 83 corps here, having travelled from south to north. The gospel was being preached in 250 places, some of tho corps having from 400 to 600 members and others only 25. There were 1 1000 bandsmen. Tho sum of £lOOO u week was being spent in social work, which included homes for orphans, men and women anc in -other institutions, lie was delighted that the Dominion was carrying on so well. Ono Dunedin man had told him that New Zealand con’d not carry on without the Army, and he had backed up his remark with a handsome donation. In a few weeks' time a new men’s homo would bo opened in Auckland. It was hoped to start 25 new corps. Forty or 50 officers were being trained every year and more were needed. He considered the prospects for children's work In New Plymouth were very good.

The Commissioner concluded by referring to Mr. Bellringer’s remarks and expressing the hope that in 40 years’ time the Army would not be “more re respectable, but more intense than ever.”