I have endeavoured to give your readers some idea of the proceedings of the Salvation Army. My present intention is to explain the rules by which these proceedings are governed. I have twice had occasion to quote from the “Orders and Regulations” issued for their guidance. I now intend to review them in a little more detail. But just let me be allowed a little preliminary explanation. The “Salvation Army” has grown out of a “Christian Mission” established by the Rev. Wm. Booth. Mr. Booth, I find, was born in Nottingham in 1829. He became a minister of the Methodist New Connexion, and then developed into an uncontrolled evangelist, many gentlemen of means and influence helping him both with their countenance and their coin. Mr. Booth’s name has become identified with the whole movement in a very peculiar manner. He not only takes control of it, but his name is affixed to all books which have any reference to its affairs. For instance, “The Salvation Army Song Book” is stated on its cover to be by William Booth, though it only contains the ordinary revivalist hymns, altered here and there for the worse. “Heathen England,” again, contains the name of William Booth on the title page, although it is evidently written by a gentleman who signs himself George R. — King George, I suppose. The little work called “Orders and Regulations for the Salvation Army,” has also the name of William Booth on the title page; and in this case I take it for granted that the book is “The General’s” own genuine production. It is shrewd enough to have been written by Machiavelli. I think that in a previous article I called it an un-Christ-like production. On a more extensive perusal I have seen no reason to alter that opinion. The book is clever in the most worldly sense.
At the Circus the other day I heard one of the “Hallelujah Lasses” speaking rather energetically about the enduring results of the labours of the Salvation Army. This was a thing that I wanted to hear about. I have witnessed the effects of conversion. I wanted to know how long they lasted. Material for guessing is supplied in the “Orders and Regulations.” The Salvation Army has been in existence for thirteen years. In October 1878, it consisted of 5,000 men and 100 “commanding officers.” These are not great victories to record. Five thousand men! Why, one would imagine that almost as many converts had been made in Newcastle and Gateshead. But let us look at the means by which they are made. We are told at the end of “Heathen England” that there are “Wanted always, men and women for the Christian evangelistic staff; men and women of God, anxious to devote their lives to the work of saving souls.” We are then informed that those who are not wanted are:— “Persons who, ‘being out of employment, desire to give themselves entirely,’ &c., &c.; who ‘do not think they can be expected’ to exhaust all their strength in labouring day and night to save souls; who ‘if engaged, will endeavour to give satisfaction to their employers’; who will take any notice of the fact that their ‘friends object’ to their going or living anywhere or doing anything they are asked to do; who desire ‘light employment,’ ‘find their work begin to tell on them,’ &c., &c. Who would like to know particulars as to salary, hours, &c., before engaging’; who ‘are sometimes troubled with doubts about the inspiration of the Bible, the divinity of Christ, the atonement, election, the possibility of falling from grave, eternal damnation, or the personality of the devil’; who ‘having had considerable experience’ in our kind of work think they know how to do it.” If persons of this kind may not apply who, then, are those who do apply? Persons like the “converted sweep,” the “one-eyed captain,” the “Hallelujah Lasses.” I believe in the sincerity of these people. I should be the last to cast any imputation on the sincerity of their motives. I especially believe in the women. They are all wildly earnest; they all filled with enthusiasm; they wear themselves out in what they call “the service of God.” What, then, is their condition? I believe they are paid twelve shillings a week. Out of this they are obliged to keep themselves in food and clothes in strange towns. Do they complain? I am led to think so, for I find this sentence in the orders and regulations:— “How ridiculous for C.Os. to be groaning about financial difficulty whilst drawing salary and allowances beyond what they have often been content with at some earlier part of their career.” Ridiculous, indeed! The “Hallelujah Lasses” have taken a house in Newcastle, and their means have been so straitened that some friends of the movement have begun to send them food instead of money; but the compiler of the “Orders and Regulations” has prepared for such a contingency. He says: “Pressure put upon the people will frequently cause them to make presents of food as well as money, which a conscientious C.O. will of course consider in drawing any amount for salary.” One need not comment on these things. The hardship of them is at once apparent. But I have more to say about the money element in the concern.
Nobody, I think will accuse me of writing ungenerously about the Salvation Army. I have tried to say the best I could of it. I have described the class which it was influencing; and I have wished all success to its efforts. But I cannot conceal my opinion that the “Orders and Regulations,” dissipate much of the glamour which it would otherwise create. Let me refer again to the part which deals with offerings. Here is a liberal quotation:— “Unless special circumstances, such as the extraordinarily crowded or empty state of a building, make special reason to the contrary, the system of collecting at each Sunday service will be commenced from the first, and the evening collection will always be made before the main part of the service commences, or as soon after the opening hour as the whole congregation likely to be present are seated. In addition to any collection made a plate or basket may be held at every door so that any who have been missed in collecting may have an opportunity to help. With collectors strange to their work it will be necessary for the C.O. from the stage to watch carefully over the collecting, and to give needed directions to prevent seats from being passed over. The collection must be carefully explained in all cases. The total expenditure weekly for ‘hire of buildings, gas, bills, &c.,’ should be mentioned if heavy — the fact of its being our universal custom and the invariable generosity of working people being pointed out — always giving a caution against the idea that anyone unable to help is not welcome. Whilst the collection is being made, a solo or song known to everybody should be sung. It is a mistake to make any other announcements, or sing anything requiring a book during the collecting, as it divides attention too much. From the first, some respectable person should, if possible, be asked to be present at the counting of collections and offerings, and to initial the entry of them in books; but of course it is necessary to make sure of a real friend, if possible, for this. It is not well to make known the amount of the offerings at first, and indeed at no time is it wise to publish them to the whole congregation. The mass of the people will never suspect real soldiers, and it is therefore foolish to assume any possibility of suspicion, or to make any statements with a view to meeting it.” The shrewdness of these instructions, nobody can doubt; but the “Orders and Regulations” are equally shrewd all through.
Most evangelistic bodies look for help and countenance to the ministers of other denominations. The Salvation Army, however, regards ministers as an untrustworthy class. That is not an extraordinary circumstance, for the compiler of the “Orders and Regulations” doubts human nature in general. In giving instructions to “commanding officers” as to the “search” of new districts, he says:— “Almost every one exaggerates the number a building will hold. In hearing from a stranger, therefore, about a building you cannot get yourself into, ask, particularly how the seats are divided, as to aisles, galleries, &c., and then, by closely inquiring as to the size of each division, you may get more exactly to know than you otherwise could the size of the place. Always ask, ‘Where did you sit when there last?’ and that information will help in questioning as to the rest. But the only information we can rely on is that which you get by the use of your own eyes. An officer on this duty has no business with bashfulness or propriety. He should never wait to know whether he may go here or there. If a theatre door be open, walk in and inspect every part of the building until somebody objects. The remark that you want to see the manager, and that you are a perfect stranger groping your way, will generally satisfy everybody, and prevent officials from treating you with disrespect. You can afford any quantity of apologies after you have got the information you wanted. But if you go in a humble, timid way, people will take advantage of you continually.” Again, under the heading “Look into men’s eyes,” the “commanding officers” are told:— “In talking with anyone on business, always observe the eyes closely, and take notice of tones of voice and manner generally. You will often learn more in this way in a second than from what the man says in an hour. It is only by such observation that you find out whether a man is really friendly or otherwise, and so know how to deal with him.” Then, as to ministers, and Christians in general, the instructions run:— “if possible, avoid making inquiries of members of churches; any way, you need not tell them what you are about.” As to ministers in particular, the “Regulations” are very suspicious. The “commanding officer,” it is said, “will not seek ministers, but should he be thrown into their company he will talk to them in such a way as to discover their own spiritual condition and plans without saying more than is necessary as to his own.” A minister’s opinion as to the capacity or the suitableness of a building is considered to be quite untrustworthy; whilst that of a theatrical manager may be generally relied on. On the other hand, ministers are to be won over with soft words. “To make ministers and others engaged in Church work friendly,” say the “Orders,” “you must say that you attack those who are quite outside their range, and that from the want of education amongst us, we cannot be in competition with them. With teetotalers, the fact of our forbidding the use of liquor to all our men, the almost universal adoption of the principle of our people generally, and the reclamation of great drunkards, will produce sympathy, even if they do not love spiritual work.” Other difficult persons are to be dealt with in the same way. For instance, the instructions run:— “Should you meet with a gentleman ‘interested in any good work,’ do not be in too great a hurry to tell him all. Find out what his own views are, and dwell upon the points in which we meet them especially. If you find that he objects to some of our operations, ‘female preaching,’ &c., never argue, but dwell upon other points — above all, show the great results achieved by the means and persons actually raised up by the Army.”
I have long been of the opinion that human nature was a very poor kind of thing, but this book considerably reduces my estimate of it. It makes such large discounts for its weakenesses. It is acknowledged here that souls of a certain class can only be saved through melodramatic performances. The “Orders and Regulations” say to the “commanding officers”: “Let everything about you show that you are peculiar religiously, and that the forces you represent will introduce an entire novelty when they come.” Hence those peculiarities of religious service which I have previously made a feeble endeavour to describe. People are to be attracted by curiosities; by the exhibition of eccentrics; by converted giants and sweeps and cobblers. A hymn printed in “Heathen England” exhibits very effectually the literary status of the movement. It runs:—
The idea of pulling out of the fire anyone who is sunk in the mire is what Polonius would call good. But let me return to the “Orders and Regulations.” “Commanding officers” are most particularly instructed as to the hire of rooms. They are to be particularly careful to get them as cheap as may be. A curious instance of the way the rules are followed was furnished by our own district. A public room in a town which I shall not name, was to be had at a certain price. The “Hallelujah Lasses” thought that the sum fixed was too high; but instead of bargaining with the owner, they engaged in prayer for the conversion of his soul. It happened that he was a local preacher for one of the Methodist bodies. As to the hire of buildings in general, the officers are given some very shrewd directions. The books says:— “With publicans, theatre proprietors, and others who have special buildings to let, it is generally well to call attention specially to the probable permanency of our tenancy, if the building proves suitable. To be able to get £50 to £100 a year from us will make many of these friendly enough.” I think this is almost enough to quote. Five more parts of the work which I have been dealing with are to be issued. If they are beaten out of the same hard metal, they must be curious to read. Rules for religious life based on Sir Garnet Wolseley’s “Soldier’s Pocket Book,” are something strange and new. This is the first revivalist movement we have had of that kind. All others have wanted system somewhat; but they, at least, avoided such a cold-blooded system as this.