THE SALVATION ARMY.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 158, 22 September 1883, Page 11

THE SALVATION ARMY.

: '. , ' ♦ SOIO2 EXTRAORDINARY TESTIFICATIONS. Taking a quiet stroll 1 the other evening,; we suddenly heard, at no very great distance, the sounds of vociferous singing emanating from a hall. Outside a little knob of hoodlums were keeping time to the music with eat ; calls and other unearthly noises, .which clearly identified them with the children of Satan ; hut a tall policeman; emerged at that moment from an adjacent pub., and, having, wiped his moustache with his coat sleeve, made, a descent on the larrikins, exclaiming, " Arrah, git outer that wid ye now J" and the crowd, was scattered like chaff before the wind. Haying nothing particular to do, we entered the building, in ; the hope of whiling away an hour or tvyo, and were not disappointed. There was a numerous and miscellaneous assemblage, containing a goodly sprinkling of old Women and young people of both sexes, many of whom appeared to be in perfect " sympathetic accord." On the' platform were several young men in a uniform • which at the first glance we mistook for that of, the Artillery Volunteers, but on closer, inspection it proved to be the dress of officers in the Salvation Army. There were also several girls in hideous bonnets of the coal-scuttle design, which, completely concealed their pretty faces. . The* Army had got through its preliminary skirmish-; ing and knee-drill, and had settled down to serious conflict with the enemy of mankind, and now the' commanding officer invited penitents to mount \ the platform to "testify." For a few minutes, there was no response, and the officer repeated his invitation, coupled 'with an earnest and stirring protest against timidity or lukewarmness. Then there was a movement among the congre-; gation, and a man stepped up. He had tlie air of a well-to-do merchant.. His, dress was of faultless black, with a, liberal display? of. spotless shirt-front.. He had a kindly, benevolent expression of countenance, a mild blue eye, ; scanty bair, whiskers , turning to grey,, and alto- 1 gether the look of a dear, good Christian man \ with an irreproachable character. He said :— My dear Christian friends, I have been a. very! wicked man, but I am happy, to say that I have* found grace and am saved. (Here a gentleman f on the platform, exclaimed " Hallelujah 1" in a deep, fervent tone of voice.) I used to salt my invoices, and cheat the Customs. , I sold inferior goods at exorbitant prices to unfortunate small retail tradesmen whom I got, under my thumb, 5 and when it suited me I used to put the screw? upon them, wind them up, and scoop the pooi. (Praise the Lord !) I ruined several men in this way, and doomed them and their families to. destitution. (Cries of " Shame [") But, my" dear Christian friends, they were very wicked sinners— never went to church or the Young Men's Christian Association, or accepted my tracts, and no ; doubt it was a righteous judgment for their sins. (Cries of " Hallelujah !" and " Serve 'em right !") ■ I aiso imported bad whisky and gin and riim, and bottled it off into bottles bearing choice labels, '■ which I got printed by a good Christian firm in this city, and have sent hundred's of men and women to gaols, lunatic asylums', ,or drunkards' graves. (Cries of "Shame l .") But, my dear< friends, this was also a judgment upon them for tHeir sins, and the headaches produced by the; bad quality of the spirits prevented many other people from drinking, and caused them to repent and join the Q-ood Templars or the Blue Ribbon Army. (Cheers.) But now I am a churchwarden, a leading member of a church, a Sunday' School teacher, and a large contributor to charities ; andj as I have made enough money, I mean, to retire from business, and leave a handsome, donation in my will to churches and benevolent societies. (Praise the Lord !) The next to ascend the platform was evidently a lawyer. His face wore a hard, dry, cunning, expression, and he attempted a sickly smile, which ' more resembled a leer. He said : — Grentlemen of the jury — I mean, > kind Keristian friends; lam ; a lawyer. I was trained in my profession by a gentleman who used to lend accumulated church funds (".Hallelujah !'O on bills at 180. to 200 per, cent, per annum, and make out sham mortgages ' on which ,he paid the church 7 or 8 per cent. (Groans.) After a few years, I got so well initiated into the. business ;that when the time came to be. admitted to the bar, and I set up.on' .my own. account, I diddled my former master out . o£ his richest clients, and nobbled all the business' for myself. I have 'defrauded hundreds >'• of; widows and orphans, told* the blackest lies, defended .the . most 'hardened criminals, : extor- . tioners, and swindlers, and ehabledJ-tbem to cheat 1 justice; and defraud just claims.! I have forged j deeds;; charged the most exorbitant fees, and never scrupled to throw over! a poor • client > for '^a ; rich one»- But, dear !frietids, ; I' have given. large ; sums to the< church— (Praise the Lord!).— my; wife ' has *' always given! a : tray at the soirees ; we \

"have.Been rej^ar attendants ''a^jpls^LftE^o*'"' private lire, I am penitent, and feel that a 'have* found grace. (Hallelujfb: 1) . A dapper little, man,, shere5 here v moujajted, "platform, and, striking an attitude,, began. to speak i» a very, sonorous voice \ as if he was accustomed, ft> address public meetings. He <said; : -^My dearly beloved friends, I am what is. called a flp^nqier. I lend money out at interest, -/it any, rate,, I. get above 100 per cehti"per annum/" I. ~ get/ advances f torn, a Bank for , that* purpose, and^ery pften,'when they are doubtful about a bil). offered for discount 'by qtne'.oi:' tkeir.' regular, customers,, they lay me era, and' l do jiTat' loO^'er cent. ?j '^nk go snacks with the Bank/* I assure it'js a> ..very*profitable j business, 1 a%d' enableS me £ td 1 |iye freely of my substance 1 ' £0 ireligibus 1 obielsfßV i( i^ fact;, I never-put lessUhan a'ShUlidg iriibhe%iSe on Sundays. (G-lory!) r But, my friend^ 1 Ffifel" very sad on account of a sin which' l comiftnvfc'i&l the pther day in charging 5 &' pobr'tnl^a 200^r cent., and I trust you will pray for me. (Hallelujah!); 'In future, I shiill show my; repentance by never charging more- than. 100 jper 'cent.'— (Praiße the Lord!) — and when E ha^e to xei use a/ good bill on a Sunday, l^ shall make upUheJriss by charging double 'to the 'first>client lhafccomesr on, the, Monday. • ■ ■ p-:*. •• ■ i- • •.• • * v ■'• [Lefc us sing an 'im/J ■<>■.■■ .v- .•■> ) •■■ •; < l !^<s ( Several other, penitents ;testifie,4> .among :^»hom was a. baker w^o .cphfessed that, he habitually gave short weight,, a miil,er. whjCj.pleaoied guil.tytio' mixing inferior flour and selling itifpr best brands, 'a grocer .who sanded his sugared sold.gum le^P* . for tea, a. tailor who cabbaged, h^s.mas^er'sjplp^h, a Sunday School teacher,, who .h^ad jbeeij involved, in several disgraceful amours, and a newspaper man who had. dared to, tell the truth. „r We were just about to ieave / the < jbuildmg,ia disgiist when we suddenly iwoXe, 'and^^realjsed that it was but the " baseless fabric of a yision • ~ a. : m6re dream.' That last whis^V idone^t^e business. , ' Salvation Ar, m y penitent?,. never "testify" in this way. .\ ' '. ' "..!,'*'