THE SALVATION ARMY : A SKETCH.
BY AN OFFICER OF SEVENTEEN YEARS' STANDING.
What is the Salvation Army ?
It is an Organisation existing to effect a radical revolution in the spiritual condition of the enormous majority of the people of all lands. Its aim is to produce a change not only in the opinions, feelings, and principles of these vast populations, but to alter the whole course of their lives, so that instead of spending their time in frivolity and pleasure-seeking, if not in the grossest forms of vice, they shall spend it in the service of their generation and in the worship of God. So far it has mainly operated in professedly Christian countries, where the overwhelming majority of the people have ceased, publicly, at any rate, t© worship Jesus Christ, or to submit themselves in any way to His authority. To what extent has the Army succeeded ?
Its flag is now flying in 34 countries or colonies, where, under the leadership of nearly 10,000 men and women, whose lives are entirely given up to the work, it is holding some 49,800 religious meetings every week, attended by millions of persons, who ten years ago would have laughed at the idea of praying. And these operations are but the means for further extension, as will be seen, especially when it is remembered that the Army has its 27 weekly newspapers, of which no less than 31,000,000 copies are sold in the streets, public houses, and popular resorts of the godless majority. From its, ranks it is therefore certain that an ever-increasing multitude of men and women must eventually be won.
That all this has not amounted to the creation of a mere passing gust of feeling, may best be demonstrated perhaps from the fact that the Army has accumulated no less than £77^,000 worth of property, pays rentals amounting 10 ,£220,000 per annum for its meeting places, and has a total income from all sources of three-quarters of a million per annum.
Now consider from whence all this has sprung.
It is only twenty-five years since the author of this volume stood absolutely alone in the East of London, to endeavour to Christianise its irreligious