Penrith - Salvation Army

Penrith is going like a house afire. Last week sixty-three souls saved; Barracks too small. Sunday, 7.00 a.m. fifty-three present, five in the fountain, nineteen for the day. We mean to have the town. 

MAJOR DOWDLE

From, "The War Cry," page 2, 23rd February 1882.

(Capt. Hemmings) -During the past week the power of the Holy Ghost has been with us. One young man who on Saturday night was in the dancing saloon, came on Sunday night into the Barracks to scoff at The Army and was there convicted of his sins as a sinner before God. He came on Monday night and fell into the fountain. Hallelujah! At our seven a.m. Prayer Meeting, on Sunday morning, a drunken cock-fighter came in with us, and cried to God for Salvation; now he is in the ranka testifying of the love ot God in his heart. On Wednesday one of this new comrade's companions came into the meeting drunk. When I asked if there was a sinner present who would hold up his hand for Salvation, he dropped his head upon his breast, held up his hand, and came weeping to the Mercy-seat, where he found Salvation. He has been, I am told, one of the worst characters in the town. Salvation every night throughout the week; sinners weeping their way to Jesus. Sunday was a day of victory. Great processions and streets crowded. We seem, indeed, to be sweeping all before us. Scene at night beyond description: hundreds who were unable to get into the Barracks, had to return home. The publicans are now crying out; they say where they before took a shilling they now only take about eight pence. Hallelujah! May the Lord save both the publicans and their customers. Sixty-three souls for the week,

From, "The War Cry," page 3, 23rd February 1882.

 (Capt. Hemmings) — We are going along gloriously here. One hundred black sinners have wept their way to Jesus since the opening and now testify outside and in, to what God has done for them. On Sunday, a man who has just been rescued from the Jaws of hell, one of the worst characters in the town, stood up in the Market Hall, before three thousand people and testified to the great change God had wrought in him. He has not long come out of prison. where he had been for two years, for nearly killing his wife. After the night's meeting we counted twelve souls, making twenty-seven for the week. Praise God!

From, "The War Cry," page 3, 9th March 1882.

During the last fortnight some of the blackest and worst of sinners have come to the feet of Jesus. It does our souls good to hear wife beaters, bird catches, cock fighters, gamblers and drunkards get up and tell how wonderfully the Lord had saved them. On Sunday night our Barracks were packed to excess 3,000 out of a town of 9000 inhabitants. We had some glorious testimonies. A converted wifebeater said, “Five weeks ago I was rolling up the street drunk, but since then God has rolled away my load of sin and now I am a happy man."

From, 'The War Cry', page 3, 23rd March 1882.

I do not know where the meetings were held.