THE SALVATION ARMY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1150, 20 September 1883, Page 3

THE SALVATION ARMY.

The Salvation Army, under the com- • raand of Captain Smith, opened fire at ' Temuka last Tuesday night. About 40 of them—male and' female—came out from Timaru in expresses, and commenced -.the attack-about-a quarter'past seven • o'clock t by parading the itreet headed by "' the Salvation band. TheyHhen jentered the barracks (the Volunteer Hall) .and 1 took up their position on the stage, while •° some of 'their juvenile members "employed ■ > themselves ■in selling hymn books and '-■- War,.Cm. . Shortly aftei the hall became '. "packed[full, with people. Never before "has there ,beeh such a crowd seen ,|n it. .•' It'was densely crowded and- we believe d that many had to.go away without 'being •bla tojjain,admission. The stage presented Very picturesque' appearance. Cantain '' Smith v waS r the centre figure in the front . rank, and on either side of him were what he called 'Hallelujah Lasses' and uniformed individuals.' One was introduced ' at' a subsequent period of the meeting as ' the War Correspondent.' Behind these r ;>'was the'band,"and- a large number of "boys and men. ' Captain Smith is a bright and intelligent' looking young man, apparently about 28 years of age. He spoke very fluently, and with good effect, although' he is evidently not an educated . rqan. He ; is very pleasant looking, and the good-natured, kindly way in which he met some rebuffs at the outset, by asking for fair play, won the whole audience to his side at once, After a few words of appeal for a fair hearing the proceedings were opened with the singing of a hymn, In the chorus of which the baad joined. The band did its best, but as this was the only tune it could play it did not trouble the meeting again. At the request of the captain, 5 the ' War Correspondent 5 engaged in prayer. Although he boasted at a subsequent period that he was undoubtedly saved, whilst engaged in prayer he knelt on one knee only. All the others went on their two knees and appeared most devout. Captain Smith , followed with a very earnest prayer, and all got up and joined in singing hymn 13 of the " Soldiers' hymn book." The perormance of the Army would not be so ridiculous only for the way they have of flinging their arms about while singing. The whole crowd of them on the stage kept waving their handkerchieves, clapping hands.'and flinging their; arms about n the .wildest'mariner]while' singinj, going on, arid some of them—especially the female portien indulged in this practice to such an excess that one would think their was a screw loose somewhere. Captain Smith next announced thit the • majority of them had given 1 up sin, and he called upon some of them to give their testimony. A young lad dressed in a guernsey jacket, highly garnished with red letters, told the audience that not ; many weeks ago he used to stand at street corners in Timaru, smoking and indulging in sinfulness, but now, bless the Lord, he was saved. A Hallelujah Lass next appeared. This .was the young lady who had attracted most attention during the evening. Her looks, the frantic,,,way ;in ' which she ■ used her hands, and her' ~ general deportment* presented an irresistibly comical picture, and when she stood forward to give her testimony she was met with roars of laughter and some chaffing remarks. She, however, turned out to be high mettled, and returned the chaff with something that bordered on bad temper.' She told 'the young men at the back' that when they had had their say, she would have her say. All the f speakers, l; by tlie' way, directed all their s conversation to ,'the young men at the back.' It was they that wanted saving, it was they that were doing the service of the Devil; although, to do them justice, they behaved tolerably well. The many foolish references that were directed towards the ; young men at the back was sufficient to drive them ..to become more noisy than they were. But to return to the testimony of'the comical-looking young lady. She continued, after Captain Smith had obtained a hearing for her, to tell the , |ti , people she hadbeen a' great sinner. She had beeb as low as she could be; she had been a faithful servant otthe Devil for two years ; but now, bless the Lord, she was a faithful servant of God. Another Hallelujah Las 3 sang a hymn, and another, about 14 years of ace, said she had been a very wicked sinner, but now she whs saved, and so on with half-a-doz'm more similar testimonies. On

: ' ; : 'account, of some slight noise that was .. made, Mr Buxton, of llaugitataj stood up and claimed a hearing for the speakers.

He gave a description of' what he saw in Christchurch, how the Army had 'converted an associate of Ned Kelly, and said he felt convinced that they were doing good. The Bev Mr Hayes, of the Primitive Methodist Church, Geraldine, also spoke. He said he owed it to Mrs Booth, the wife of General Booth, that he »»as leading a religious life, and he felt it a privilege to stand up and bear testimony to the good the Salvation Army wa s doing. At this stage a drunken man who had bee 1 n interjecting remarks all the evening, became unruly. He was a big stout fellow, and had a big stick in his hand, on one end of which there was a lump larger than a man's fist. Perhaps it was the look of the man and his stick that made two or three soldiers of the Army who came down in the early part of the evening to remove him put up with his interruptions until the police came. However, they came, and the man with the big stick was speedily borne to che door, and thense to the lock-up. Cnptain Smith, who was Bpeaking during all this time, made a yery telling speech in which he exhorted those present to mend their ways, He invited anyone from the audience to lead in prayer, and Mr Eli Pratley did so, and was followed by Mr R Ward, who prayed with great fervor. The Captain then invited all who were converted to go up to the penitent form and make a public confession of it, but no one came, and after some more singing and praying the meeting terminated. At the close Captain Smith asked for a show of hands as to whether ,the people would like them to come again. • Every hand in the room was up at once, and he then announced they would probably come next week. Captain Smith's gentle manners, and pleasant, good-natured ways will always secure for, 1 him good-will, and a hearty. welcome wherever he goes, but he would do well to leave .some of the Hallelujah Lasses, who have a great down 'on 'the young men at the back, at home.'