The Salvation Army Meetings
By Editor
A SUBSCRIBER wishes to know if the SIGNS approves of Adventists being in common attendance on the meetings of the Salvation Army, of their speaking in their meetings, and partaking with them of ice-cream suppers. We consider the methods of the Salvation Army to be the worst sort of a caricature on religion, and we cannot understand the condition of mind which will enable a well-instructed Christian man to find any pleasure in them. That there are conscientious and respectable people among them, is nothing to the point; the fact remains that their proceedings have more in common with the circus or the minstrel show than with Christianity. We are not prepared to admit that they do any good. Their preaching is all emotional and destitute of practical Christian instruction, for the reason that few if any of their speakers have any Christian experience. We cannot believe that men who have just come from the bar-room and the gambling-table, and who have been "converted" by a big noise, are capable of leading people to Christ. Besides this, the language used by the speakers of the army is irreverent, and sometimes as shocking to the sensibilities as intentional swearing. We have never seen anything entertaining or instructive either on the streets or in the few barrack meetings that we have attended; and we would most earnestly protest against anybody's attending their meetings out of curiosity, since no one can afford to hear sacred names and subjects handled in so flippant a manner. The War Cry is the organ of the Army, and here is an utterance clipped from the issue of February 10:— "Right here, I want to say that I believe the word 'faith' is the most unfortunate one to be found between the leaves of the New Testament. I can't believe in a God like the God of Moses. I can't believe in a God who would come down in anger and swear, and call for vengeance, and who had to be reminded by a man like Moses of his promise to save a certain people." This language, which was part of a speech, was "heartily commended" by another speaker. That it is downright infidelity no one need be told. Our opinion, in short, is that the Army tends to beget irreverence and immodesty on the part of its members, and contempt for religion on the part of onlookers.