The War Romance of the Salvation ArmyHill, Grace Livingston
History
The War Romance of the Salvation Army
Hill, Grace Livingston
World War, 1914-1918 -- War work -- Salvation Army
The one thing that these people seem to feel is really worth while is
bringing other people to know their Christ. All other things in life
are merely subservient to this, or tributary to it. All their
education, culture and refinement, their amazing organization, their
rare business ability, are just so many tools that they use for the
uplift of others. In fact, the word “others” appears here and there,
printed on small white cards and tacked up over a desk, or in a hallway
near the elevator, anywhere, everywhere all over the great building of
the New York Headquarters, a quiet, unobtrusive, yet startling reminder
of a world of real things in the midst of the busy rush of life.
Yet they do not obtrude their religion. Rather it is a secret joy that
shines unaware through their eyes, and seems to flood their whole being
with happiness so that others can but see. It is there, ready, when the
time comes to give comfort, or advice, or to tell the message of the
gospel in clear ringing sentences in one of their meetings; but it
speaks as well through a smile, or a ripple of song, or a bright funny
story, or something good to eat when one is hungry, as it does through
actual preaching. It is the living Christ, as if He were on earth again
living in them. And when one comes to know them well one knows that He
is!
“Go straight for the salvation of souls: never rest satisfied unless
this end is achieved!” is part of the commission that the Commander
gives to her envoys. It is worth while stopping to think what would be
the effect on the world if every one who has named the name of Christ
should accept that commission and go forth to fulfill it.
And you who have been accustomed to drop your pennies in the tambourine
of the Salvation Army lassies at the street corners, and look upon her
as a representative of a lower class who are doing good “in their way,”
prepare to realize that you have made a mistake. The Salvation Army is
not an organization composed of a lot of ignorant, illiterate, reformed
criminals picked out of the slums. There may be among them many of that
class who by the army’s efforts have been saved from a life of sin and
shame, and lifted up to be useful citizens; but great numbers of them,
the leaders and officers, are refined, educated men and women who have
put Christ and His Kingdom first in their hearts and lives. Their young
people will compare in every way with the best of the young people of
any of our religious denominations.
After the privilege of close association with them for some time I have
come to feel that the most noticeable and lovely thing about the girls
is the way they wear their womanhood, as if it were a flower, or a rare
jewel. One of these girls, who, by the way, had been nine months in
France, all of it under shell fire, said to me:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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