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The War Romance of the Salvation Army

E >> Evangeline Booth and Grace Livingston Hill >> The War Romance of the Salvation Army




"I did not see this, but one of my associates did. He saw it last winter
in a dismal place on the Toul sector. A file of our troops were finishing
a long hike through rain and snow over roads knee-deep in half-thawed icy
slush. Cold and wet and miserable they came tramping into a cheerless,
half-empty town within sound and range of the German guns. They found a
reception committee awaiting them there--in the person of two Salvation
Army lassies and a Salvation Army Captain. The women had a fire going in
the dilapidated oven of a vanished villager's kitchen. One of them was
rolling out the batter on a plank, with an old wine-bottle for a rolling
pin, and using the top of a tin can to cut the dough into circular strips;
the other woman was cooking the doughnuts, and as fast as they were cooked
the man served them out, spitting hot, to hungry, wet boys clamoring about
the door, and nobody was asked to pay a cent!

"At the risk of giving mortal affront to ultradoctrinal practitioners of
applied theology, I am firmly committed to the belief that by the grace
and the grease of those doughnuts those three humble benefactors that day
strengthened their right to a place in the Heavenly Kingdom."



MY DEAR COLONEL JENKINS:

I take pleasure in sending you a copy of my report as Commissioner to
France, in which I made reference to the work of the Salvation Army with
our American Expeditionary Forces.

I cannot recall ever hearing the slightest criticism of the work of the
Salvation Army, but I heard many words of enthusiastic appreciation on the
part not only of the Generals and officers but of the soldiers.

I saw many evidences showing that the unselfish, sometimes reckless,
abandon of your workers had a great effect upon our men.

I am sure that the Salvation Army also stands in high respect for its
religious influence upon the men.

It was pleasant still further to hear such words of appreciation as I did
from General Duncan regarding the work of Chaplain Allan, the divisional
chaplain of General Duncan's unit. He has evidently risen to his work in a
splendid way. It is a pleasure to have this opportunity of rendering this
testimony to you.

Faithfully yours,

CHARLES S. MACFARLAND,
General Secretary.



The _New York Globe_ printed the following:

HUNS DON'T STOP SALVATION ARMY. MEETING HELD IN
DEEP DUGOUT UNDER RUINED VILLAGE--MANDOLIN
SUPPLANTS THE ORGAN.

By Herbert Corey.

JUST BEHIND THE SOMME FRONT, May 3l.--Somewhere in the tangle of smashed
walls there was a steely jingle. At first the sound was hard to identify,
so odd are acoustics in this which was once a little town. There were stub
ends of walls here and there--bare, raw snags of walls sticking up--and
now and then a rooftree tilted pathetically against a ruin, or a pile of
dusty masonry that had been a house. A little path ran through this
tangle, and under an arched gateway that by a miracle remained standing
and down the steps of a dugout. The jingling sound became recognizable.
Some one was trying to play on a mandolin:

"Jesus, Lover of My Soul."

It was grotesque and laughable. The grand old hymn refused its cadences to
this instrument of a tune-loving bourgeoise. It seemed to stand aloof and
unconquered. This is a hymn for the swelling notes of an organ or for the
great harmonies of a choir. It was not made to be debased by association
with this caterwauling wood and wire, this sounding board for barbershop
chords, this accomplice of sick lovers leaning on village fences. Then
there came a voice:

"By gollies, brother, you're getting it! I actually believe you're getting
it, brother. We'll have a swell meeting to-night."

I went down the steps into the Salvation Army man's dugout. A large
soldier, cigarette depending from his lower lip, unshaven, tin hat tipped
on the back of his head, was picking away at the wires of the mandolin
with fingers that seemed as thick and yellow as ears of corn. As I came in
he stated profanely, that these dam' things were not made to pick out
condemn' hymn tunes on. The Salvation Army man encouraged him:

"You keep on, brother," said he, "and we'll have a fine meeting for the
Brigadier when he comes in to-night."


TAKING HIS CHANCES.

Another boy was sitting there, his head rather low. The mandolin player
indicated him with a jerk. "He got all roughed up last night," said he.
"We found a bottle of some sweet stuff these Frogs left in the house where
we're billeted. Tasted a good deal like syrup. But it sure put Bull out."

Bull turned a pair of inflamed eyes on the musician.

"You keep on a-talkin', and I'll hang somep'n on your eye," said Bull,
hoarsely.

Then he replaced his head in his hands. The Salvation Army man laughed at
the interlude and then returned to the player.

"See," said he, "it goes like this----" He hummed the wonderful old hymn.

The floor of the dugout was covered with straw. The stairs which led to it
were wide, so that at certain hours the sun shone in and dried out the
walls. There were few slugs crawling slimily on the walls of the Salvation
Army's place. Rats were there, of course, and bugs of sorts, but few
slugs. On the whole it was considered a good dugout, because of these
things. The roof was not a strong one, it seemed to me. A 77-shell would
go through it like a knife through cheese. I said so to the Salvation Army
man.

"Aw, brother," said he. "We've got to take our chances along with the
rest."

At the foot of the stairs was a table on which were the few things the
Salvation Army man had to sell, up here under the guns. There were some
figs and a handful of black licorice drops and a few nuts. Boys kept
coming in and demanding cookies. Cookies there were none, but there was
hope ahead. If the Brigadier managed to get in to-night with the fliv,
there might be cookies.


NO MONEY, BUT GOOD CHEER.

"Just our luck," said some morose doughboy, "if a shell hit the fliv. It's
a hell of a road----"

"No shell has hit it yet, brother," said the Salvation Army man, cheerily.

Fifteen dollars would have bought everything he had in stock. One could
have carried away the whole stock in the pockets of an army overcoat. The
Salvation Army has no money, you know. It is hard to buy supplies for
canteens over here, unless a pocket filled with money is doing the buying.
The Salvation Army must pick up its stuff where it can get it. Yesterday
there had been sardines and shaving soap and tin watches. To-day there
were only figs and licorice drops and nuts.

"But if the Brigadier gets in," said the Salvation Army man, "there will
be something sweet to eat. And we'll have a little meeting of song and
praise, brother--just to thank God for the chance he has given us to
help."

Here there is no one else to serve the boys. Other organizations have more
money and more men, but for some reason they have not seen fit to come to
this which was once a town. Shells fall into it from six directions all
day and all night long. Now and then it is gassed. A few kilometres away
is the German line. One reaches town over a road which is nightly torn to
pieces by high explosives. No one comes here voluntarily, and no one stays
willingly--except the Salvation Army man. He's here for keeps.

Men come down into his little dugout to play checkers and dominoes and buy
sweet things to eat. He is here to help them spiritually as well as
physically and they know it, and yet they do not hear him. He talks to
them just as they talk to each other, except that he does not swear and he
does not tell stories that have too much of a tang. He never obtrudes his
religion on them. Just once in a while--on the nights the Brigadier gets
in--there is a little song and praise meeting. They thank God for the
chance they have to help.

That night the Brigadier got in with his cookies and chocolates and his
message that salvation is free. Perhaps a dozen men sat around
uncomfortably in the little dugout and listened to him. The man of the
mandolin had refused at the last moment. He said he would be dam' if he
could play a hymn tune on that thing. But the old hymn quavered cheerily
out of the little dugout into the shell-torn night. The husky voices of
the Brigadier and the Ensign and Holy Joe carried it on, while the little
audience sat mute.

While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high.

Then there was a little prayer and a few straight, cordial words from the
Brigadier and then, somewhere in that perilous night outside, "taps"
sounded and the men were off to bed. They had no word of thanks as they
shook hands on parting. They did not speak to each other as they picked
their way along the path through the ruins. But when they reached the
street some one said very profanely and very earnestly:

"I can lick any man's son who says THEY ain't all right."



"I have just received your letter of the 30th of July, and it has cheered
my heart to know you take an interest in a poor Belgian prisoner of war.

"Since I wrote to you last we have been changed to another camp; the one
we are now in is quite a nice camp, with lots of flowers, and we are
allowed more freedom, but it is very bad regarding food. We have so very
little to eat, it is a pity we can't eat flowers! We rise up hungry and go
to bed hungry, and all day long we are trying to still the craving for
food. So you will understand the longing there is in our hearts to once
again be free--to be able to go to work and earn our daily bread! But the
one great comfort that I find is since I learned to know Jesus as my
Saviour and Friend I can better endure the trials and even rejoice that I
am called to suffer for His sake, and while around me I see many who are
in despair--some even cursing God for all the misery in which we are
surrounded, some trying to be brave, some giving up altogether--yet to a
number of us has come the Gospel message, brought by the Salvation Army,
and I am so glad that I, for one, listened and surrendered my life to this
Jesus! Now I have real peace, and He walks with me and gives me grace to
conquer the evil.

"When I lived in Belgium I was very worldly and sinful--I lived for
pleasure and drink and sin. I did not then know of One who said, 'Come
unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.'
I did not know anything about living a Christian life, but now it is all
changed and I am so thankful! Salvation Army officers visit us and bring
words of cheer and blessing and comfort. You will be glad to know that I
have applied to our Commissioner to become a Salvation Army officer when
the war is over. I want to go to my poor little stricken country and tell
my people of this wonderful Saviour that can save from all sin!

"On behalf of my comrades and myself, I want to thank the American nation
for all they have done, and are still doing, for my people. May God bless
you all for it, and may He grant that before long there will be peace on
earth!

"I remain, faithfully yours,

"REMY MEERSMAN."



THE "STARS AND STRIPES" SPEAKS FROM FRANCE FOR THE
SALVATION ARMY.

A copy of the "Stars and Stripes," the official publication of the
American Expeditionary Forces published in Prance by the American soldiers
themselves, just received in Chicago, contains the following:

"Perhaps in the old days when war and your home town seemed as far apart
as Paris, France, and Paris, Ill., you were a superior person who used to
snicker when you passed a street corner where a small Salvation Army band
was holding forth. Perhaps--Heaven forgive you--you even sneered a little
when you heard the bespectacled sister in the poke-bonnet bang her
tambourine and raise a shrill voice to the strains of 'Oh death, where is
thy sting-a-ling.' Probably--unless you yourself had known the bitterness
of one who finds himself alone, hungry and homeless in a big city--you did
not know much about the Salvation Army.

Well, we are all homeless over here and every American soldier will take
back with him a new affection and a new respect for the Salvation Army.
Many will carry with them the memories of a cheering word and a friendly
cruller received in one of the huts nearest of all to the trenches. There
the old slogan of 'Soup and Salvation' has given way to 'Pies and Piety.'
It might be 'Doughnuts and Doughboys.' These huts pitched within the shock
of the German guns, are ramshackle and bare and few, for no organization
can grow rich on the pennies and nickels that are tossed into the
tambourines at the street-corners of the world. But they are doing a work
that the soldiers themselves will never forget, and it is an especial
pleasure to say so here, because the Salvation Army, being much too simple
and old-fashioned to know the uses of advertisement, have never asked us
to. You, however, can testify for them. Perhaps you do in your letters
home. And surely when you are back there and you pass once more a
'meeting' at the curb, you will not snicker. You will tarry awhile--and
take off your hat."



We have received a letter from Mr. Lewis Strauss, Secretary to Mr. Herbert
Hoover, who has just returned from France, and he says that Mr. Hoover's
time while in Europe was spent almost wholly in London and Paris, and that
he had no opportunity for observing our War Relief Work at the front. The
concluding paragraph of the letter, however, is as follows:

"Mr. Hoover has frequently heard the most complimentary reports of the
invaluable work which your organization is performing in invariably the
most perilous localities, and he is filled with admiration for those who
are conducting it at the front."


THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE (MAY 17, 1918), QUOTING FROM THE
ABOVE, ALSO SPEAKS EDITORIALLY.

The acid test of any service done for our soldiers in France is the value
the men themselves place upon it. No matter how excellent our intentions,
we cannot be satisfied with the result if the soldiers are not satisfied.
Without suggesting any invidious distinctions among organizations that are
working at the front, it is nevertheless a pleasure to record that the
Salvation Army stands very high in the regard of American soldiers.

The evidence of the Salvation Army's excellent work comes from many
sources.




APPENDIX.

A Few Facts about the Salvation Army



It has been truly said that within four days after the German Army entered
Belgium, another Army entered also--the Salvation Army! One came to
destroy, the other to relieve distress and minister to the wounded and
dying.

The British Salvation Army furnished a number of Red Cross Ambulances,
manned by Salvationists when the Red Cross was in great need of such. When
these arrived in France and people first saw the big cars with the
"Salvation Army" label it attracted a good deal of attention. The drivers
wore the Red Cross uniform, and were under its military rules, but wore on
their caps the red band with the words, "Salvation Army."

There is a story of a young officer in sportive mood who left a group of
his companions and stepped out into the street to stop one of these
ambulances:

"Hello! Salvation Army!" he cried. "Are you taking those men to heaven?"

Amid the derisive laughter of the officers on the sidewalk the
Salvationist replied pleasantly:

"I cannot say I am taking them to heaven, but I certainly am taking them
away from the other place."

One of the good British Salvationists wrote of meeting our American boys
in England. He said:

"Oh, these American soldiers! One meets them in twos and threes, all over
the city, everlastingly asking questions, by word of mouth and by wide-
open trustful eyes, and they make a bee-line for the Salvation Army
uniform on sight. I passed a company of them on the march across London,
from one railroad station to another, the other, day. They were obviously
interested in the sights of the city streets as they passed through at
noon, but as they drew nearer one of the boys caught sight of the red band
around my cap among the hate crowning the sidewalk crowd. My! but that one
man's interest swept over the hundred odd men! Like the flame of a prairie
fire, it went with a zip! They all knew at once! They had no eyes for the
crowd any more; they did not stare at the façade of the railway terminus
which they were passing; they saw nothing of the famous 'London Stone' set
in the wall behind its grid on their right hand. What they saw was a
Salvation Army man in all his familiar war-paint, and it was a sight for
sore eyes! Here was something they could understand! This was an American
institution, a tried, proved and necessary part of the life of any
community. All this and much more those wide-open eyes told me. It was as
good to them as if I was stuck all over with stars and stripes. I
belonged--that's it--belonged to them, and so they took off the veil and
showed their hearts and smiled their good glad greeting.

"So I smiled and that first file of four beamed seraphic. Two at least
were of Scandinavian stock, but how should that make any difference? Again
and again I noticed their counterpart in the column which followed.... It
was all the same; file upon file those faces spread out in eager
particular greeting; those eyes, one and all, sought mine expecting the
smile I so gladly gave. And then when the last was past and I gazed upon
their swaying forms from the rear I wondered why my eyes were moist and
something had gone wrong with my swallowing apparatus. Great boys! Bonny
boys!"

The Salvation Army was founded July 5, 1865, as a Christian Mission in
East London by the Reverend William Booth, and its first Headquarters
opened in Whitechapel Road, London. Three years later work was begun in
Scotland.

In 1877 the name of the Christian Mission was altered to the Salvation
Army, and the Reverend William Booth assumed the title of General.

December 29, 1879, the first number of the official organ, "The War Cry,"
was issued and the first brass band formed at Consett.

In 1880 the first Training School was opened at Hackney, London, and the
first contingent of the Salvation Army officers landed in the United
States. The next year the Salvation Army entered Australia, and was
extended to France. 1882 saw Switzerland, Sweden, India and Canada
receiving their first contingent of Salvation Army officers. A London
Orphan Asylum was acquired and converted into Congress Hall, which, with
its large Auditorium, with a seating capacity of five thousand, still
remains the Mammoth International Training School for Salvation Army
officers, for missionary and home fields all over the world. The first
Prison-Gate Home was opened in London in this same year.

The Army commenced in South Africa, New Zealand and Iceland in 1883.

In 1886 work was begun in Germany and the late General visited France, the
United States and Canada. The First International Congress was held in
London in that year.

The British Slum work was inaugurated in 1887, and Officers sent to Italy,
Holland, Denmark, Zululand, and among the Kaffirs and Hottentots. The next
year the Army extended to Norway, Argentine Kepublic, Finland and Belgium,
and the next ten years saw work extended in succession to Uruguay, West
Indies, Java, Japan, British Guiana, Panama and Korea, and work commenced
among the Lepers.

The growing confidence of the great of the earth was manifested by the
honors that were conferred upon General Booth from time to time. In 1898
he opened the American Senate with prayer. In 1904 King Edward received
him at Buckingham Palace, the freedom of the City of London and the City
of Kirkcaldy were conferred upon him, as well as the degree of D. C. L. by
Oxford, during 1905. The Kings of Denmark, Norway, the Queen of Sweden,
and the Emperor of Japan were among those who received him in private
audience.

On August 20, 1912, General William Booth laid down his sword.

He lay in state in Congress Hall, London, where the number of visitors who
looked upon his remains ran into the hundreds of thousands.

His son, William Bramwell Booth, the Chief of the Staff, by the
appointment of the late General, succeeded to the office and came to the
position with a wealth of affection and confidence on the part of the
people of the nations such as few men know.


SALVATION ARMY WAR ACTIVITIES.

77 Motor ambulances manned by Salvationists.

87 Hotels for use of Soldiers and Sailors.

107 Buildings in United States placed at disposal of Government for war
relief purposes.

199 Huts at Soldiers' Camps used for religious and social gatherings and
for dispensing comfort to Soldiers and Sailors.

300 Rest-rooms equipped with papers, magazines, books, etc., in charge of
Salvation Army Officers.

1507 Salvation Army officers devote their entire time to religious and
social work among Soldiers and Sailors.

15,000 Beds in hotels close to railway stations and landing points at
seaport cities for protection of Soldiers and Sailors going to and from
the Front.

80,000 Salvation Army officers fighting with Allied Armies.

100,000 Parcels of food and clothing distributed among Soldiers and
Sailors.

100,000 Wounded Soldiers taken from battlefields in Salvation Army
ambulances.

300,000 Soldiers and Sailors daily attend Salvation Army buildings.

$2,000,000 Already spent in war activities.

45 Chaplains serving under Government appointment.

40 Camps, Forts and Navy Yards at which Salvation Army services are
conducted or which are visited by Salvation Army officers.

2184 War Widows assisted (legal and other aid, and visited).

2404 Soldiers' wives cared for (including medical help).

442 War children under our care.

3378 Soldiers' remittances forwarded (without charge).

$196,081.05 Amount remitted.

600 Parcels supplied Prisoners of War.

1300 Cables sent for Soldiers.

275 Officers detailed to assist Soldiers' wives and relatives; number
assisted, 275.

40 Military hospitals visited.

360 Persons visiting hospitals.

147 Boats met.

324,052 Men on board,

35,845 Telegrams sent.

24 Salvationists detailed for this work.

20 Salvationists detailed for this work outside of New York City.


SALVATION ARMY WORK IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

1218 Buildings in use at present.

2953 Missing friends found.

6125 Tons of ice distributed.

12,000 Officers and non-commissioned officers actively employed.

11,650 Accommodations in institutions.

68,000 Children cared for in Rescue Homes and Slum Settlements.

22,161 Women and girls cared for in Rescue Homes.

30,401 Tons of coal distributed.

175,764 Men cared for in Industrial Homes.

342,639 Poor families visited.

399,418 Outings given poor people.

668,250 Converted to Christian life.

984,426 Jobs found for unemployed poor.

1,535,840 Hours spent in active service in slum districts.

6,900,995 Poor people given temporary relief.

40,522,990 Nights' shelter and beds given to needy poor.

52,674,308 Meals supplied to needy poor. Constituency reached with appeal
for Christian citizenship.

132,608,087 Out-door meeting attendance.

134,412,564 In-door meeting attendance.


NATIONAL WAR BOARD.

Commander Evangeline C. Booth, President.

EAST.
Peart, Col. William, Chairman.
Reinhardsen, Col. Gustave S., Sec'y and Treas.
Damon, Col. Alexander M.,
Parker, Col. Edward J.,
Jenkins, Lt.-Col. Walter F.,
Stanyon, Lt.-Col. Thomas,
Welte, Brigadier Charles

WEST
Estill, Commissioner Thos., Chairman
Gauntlett, Col. Sidney,
Brewer, Lt.-Col. Arthur T.,
Eynn, Lt.-Col. John T.,
Dart, Brigadier Wm. J., Sec'y.

FRANCE.
Barker, Lt.-Col. William S., Director of War Work.

As indicated in the above list, the National War Board functions in two
distinct territories--East and West--the duty of each being to administer
all War Work in the respective territories. The closest supervision is
given by each War Board over all expenditure of money and no scheme is
sanctioned until the judgment of the Board is carried concerning the
usefulness of the project and the sound financial proposals associated
therewith. After any plan is initiated, the Board is still responsible for
the supervision of the work, and for the Eastern department Colonel Edward
J. Parker is the Board's representative in all such matters and Lieut-
Colonel Arthur T. Brewer fills a similar office in the Western department.
Each section of the National Board takes responsibility in connection with
the overseas work, under the presidency of COMMANDER EVANGELINE C. BOOTH
for the raising, equipping and sending of thoroughly suitable people in
proper proportion. Joint councils are occasionally necessary, when it is
customary for proper representatives of each section of the Board to meet
together.

The National Board is greatly strengthened through the adding to its
special councils all of the Provincial Officers of the country.

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