THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST ON EARTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VII, Issue 11, 14 March 1891, Page 2

THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST ON EARTH.

The first funeral of a Salvation Army dosser took place recently in London. The deceased was George Cheffings, aged 38 yeais. He went to the shelter some six weeks ago, and had been a legular visitor since that time. The poor fellow belonged to a highly-respectable and well-to-do family, but in consequence of his life of drunkenness he had become an outcast of society, and his friends refused even the last respects of burying him. This duty, therefore, devolved upon the Salvation Army, and a coffin with red panels and borders of blue and yellow was made in the army’s workshops in Hanbury-street. On either side the army’s crest was painted on the coffin, and a plate also adorned the lid stating the name and age of the deceased. Under the command of Staff Captain Potts some 250 dossers (f. e., occupants of the shelters who either pay 4d or earn that amount in the workshop of the Army for their supper, doss, and breakfast) assembled at the Whitechapel Shelter, each wearing a white armlet with the letter ‘S’ in red upon it, the Army’s token of mourning. The coffin, the colour of which attracted much attention, was placed in an open bier drawn by two horses, and headed by the International Trade Headquarters Brass Band with the colours, followed by the officers from the various shelters, the procession proceeded along the MileEnd Road to Bow Cemetery. Notwithstanding the snow, which fell heavily the whole time, the procession attracted much attention, and was the subject of respectful comment. The rougher element doffed their hats as the coffin passed them, and one was heard to say, ‘ Well, they are giving the poor chap a decent funeral, ana that’s more 'an a good many would do.’ As evidence of the feeling of sympathy existing among their fellows the dossers had from their pence purchased an artificial wreath of flowers, which they placed on the coffin, on which also laid a holly wreath with a card, ‘ From the Westminster dossers.’ At the graveside StaffCaptain Potts otticiated, and his remark that their comrade had gone to a city where hunger and rags were unknown, brought forth an exclamation of deep ‘ amens ’ from the assembled dossers.