Dudley - Salvation Army

(Capt. Veal).- Glorious times at this Station, Major Blandy and the "Gipsy Lass" with us. Great crowds. Saturday night, grand march: powerful time inside. Sunday morning good open-air grand marching, four fiddlers. Blessed time inside at eleven am., half full. Afternoon marvellous, the "Gipsy" in her costume, leading the processions. On arriving at the Hall, found it full. Marched to the Market Place and had an open-air meeting, the "Gipsy" speaking and singing on a tub to three thousand people. Two meetings in the Hall at night. Closed with eleven souls at the feet of Jesus.

From, 'The War Cry,' page 3, 26th January 1882.

Capt. Frank Veal has a lot of grand Soldiers at this town, and they will never forget our visit. We had some splendid marches, thousands upon thousand following, and singing our songs with us. Sunday ifternoon at 2.30 the Hall was so full that we could not get anywhere near, so we all turned out and marched in a dense mass to the Market Square, and there spoke, and sang- and read the Word of God to about 3,500 people, who listened to the Truth so attentively that we were easily heard in the houses or either side of the wide road.

We held two services at night, one from 5:30 til seven. We dismissed all who were not crying for mercy, and another congregation came from another door, and we dealt out there the Bread of Life, until nearly ten or eleven souls came out for God.

Ought not some philanthropist of Dudley to help us get a large building that their neighbours may be able to hear the Word of God, for which they evidently hunger. this.

From, "The War Cry," page 4, 9th February 1882.

(Capt. Spinks) Our soldiers are in good trim, and we are still marching forward in the battlefield, banging away with our great big Salvation guns, which are bringing down the enemy to the feet of Jesus. Thirty-seven have fallen like dead men since our last report.

From, "The War Cry," page 3, 2nd March 1882.

This Corps has been at work for the last four years, but we have always been crippled for want of room. However, God has blessed us in a wonderful manner, for the last six months we have had a good lot of “Blood and Fire” soldiers and we expect, in a few weeks, to be in a Theatre which will hold from 1,500 to 2,000 people and I have every reason to believe that we shall have a great, mighty work in Dudley.

From, 'The War Cry', March 1882.

This is just one example of what was happening here. More reports can be seen from the War Cry in future months/years and in past editions.

...37 have fallen like dead men since our last report.

From, 'The War Cry', March 1882.

Hallelujah! This town is all on the boil and the Salvation Army is still marching along. We are having some grand times and great victories. Praise God forever! Drunkards, gamblers and pigeon flyers are getting saved. We had 43 converts this last week; making 140 since the Theatre was opened, but that is not half what is going to be. The police are very good to us here. God bless them, they protect us well in the open air.

(the comment above that things would get better once they were in the Theatre were proved correct.)

From, 'the War Cry', May 1882.

I do not know where the meetings were held.