WORK OF SALVATION ARMY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18646, 15 August 1930, Page 3

WORK OF SALVATION ARMY.

ADDRESS BY ADJUTANT FRIBERG. At a meeting of the Timaru Women Citizens’ Association, held in the W.E.A. rooms last night, a most illuminative address on the organisation and work of the Salvation Army was given by Adjutant Friberg. Mrs C. E. Shallcrass presided. Speaking generally of the worldwide activities of the Salvation Army, Adjutant Friberg stated that the doctrine was preached in seventy-two languages in no fewer than eighty-two countries throughout the world to-day. It had been his privilege recently to visit his native land, Sweden, and even there he had found the Salvation Army at work. Officers of the Institution often had to give up their homes and occupations to lead a life of selfsacrifice in following in the footsteps of their great leader, William Booth. The work could not be carried out on the scale it was to-day without a large expenditure, and in 1929 the sum of £52,000 had been raised in New Zealand alone, in support of tneir activities. In New Zealand, individuals were cared for from infancy to old age in a comprehensive system of homes. The first class of home catered for infants between the ages of two and five, and when these reached the latter age, they were transferred to separate homes for boys and girls. Here they were educated and taught a trade, that they might be able to make their way in after life. On attaining a certain age, the children were sent to work on the industrial farm at Eltham, where they were given a wage, and taught to save. As a result, when they were able to leave the home, they had some trade or occupation to which to turn their hand, and also a certain amount of money with which to start in the world. As an example of what could be achieved by this system, the speaker quoted the life of Bramwell Cook, who had passed through the various homes governed by the Salvation Army, and who later had made his mark in the world. After leaving the Eltham industrial farm, Cook had decided to enter the medical profession, and had attended the Otago Medical School, where he gained high honours. He subsequently became a doctor, practising in Wellington, but later graduated to Oxford University, where he won further degrees. At this stage, however, the call of the Salvation Army was strong upon him, and he discarded what promised to be an eminent career to throw himself into Missionary work. Salvation Army workers did a great deal to help prison authorities, and in the after-care of those leaving prison institutions. Adjutant Friberg said that on a visit to the Borstal Institute, he had found thirty-seven boys who had expressed willingness to follow the teaching of the Salvation Army. These boys had been kept in touch with, and on completing his term of confinement, one had become a staunch worker, later to be made an officer of the Army. In this way it could be seen how a boy’s life could be altered. Even in Timaru the Salvation Army was doing good work. Not a day passed that someone did not come to him asking assistance in the way of food or shelter, which was always gladly given. Throughout the town many homes were visited, and hundreds of parcels given to the poor and needy, but these people were by no means encouraged to rely on the Army for support. The aged were cared for in what were known as “eventide” homes. Here old couples who were destitute were given homes, and allowed to spend the evening of tf ir lives together in peace, under the ministrations of the Salvation Army. The distressed were still further assisted in shelters in the four centres. Here men who were out of work were given a bed and a meal until they were able to find employment. The various activities of the Salvation Army, as outlined by him, were but New Zealand’s part in a world-wide endeavour to follow the example of their leader, General Booth, in providing relief for the destitute, concluded Adjutant Friberg. The Adjutant was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address.