Smethwick - Salvation Army

Captain Parkins says that when she commenced the work here, nine weeks ago, she thought if there were a "Sodom" still on earth it must be Smethwick. We cannot put in print all the evidence she could supply from the experience of the first few days in that remaarkable wooden shed theatre, the back seats of the hen roost gallery, being atmost invisble from the stage. She had had a terrible tussel with a rough man at that corner only the previous Sunday, and amongst the multitude I saw there were a delightful mixture of the roughest and most violent sort. 

But the scene is changed, long before I reached the spot to which I was enquiring my way through the dimness of the early morning, I heard the welcome sound of 

"Crown Him Lord of all."

evidently sung by people who meant to do it.

When I saw the glorious company on the stage, led by the new Lieutenant, I thought, "Well, this is a real rehearsal" To be sure all the Corps were not there, but if only these present learnt how to Crown Him Lord of all, there could be no doubt as to the ultimate result.

I found the Captain at home so ill that she really had no business to be about at all. But it is no use regarding the appearance of a sick Salvation Army Officer. Nobody who saw her the next day after all the toils of some eight meetings would have believed it was the same person. We take a deal of killing.

I did persuade her to stay inside during our morning march, and as the Lieutenant was a stranger, we had to be guided by some of the Privates. The Captain had been telling me of a locality, known as the "Forty Thieves," past which no well-dressed man dare venture in the dark. With true 'Blood and Fire' instinct we were led to the spot and got a splendid crowd of openly ungodly livers to talk to. But neither here, nor anywhere else, all day was there the least show of opposition, the only ruffiaisum manifested, being indeed the result of an earnest desire to get into the building on the part of multitudes who could not possibly be got inside it.

The morning procession and meeting, indoors, were good, but the afternoon ones were better still. I noticed with special pleasure a number of well-known ranks of children adding splendidly to the effect of the march. I wonder what is done with all the thousands of little Soldiers who ought to be helping in every procession? Surely it must be the stupid old prejudice against children that robs us of so many lines of our choristers. Captains, look to it!

The congregations inside seemed to me most orderly and attentive, considering the characters that composed them, and it was well worth while to have had any amount of difficulty to raise up a stage full of trophies like that. Some of the converts were greeted with a shout of welcome, even from their unconverted workmates as they came forward. There they were, visible, unquestionable trophies of mighty saving power; men, who only a few weeks since, some only a week ago, had been the drunken slaves of the devil

"This time last Sunday morning, I had an aching head, but, thank God, I'm happy now. said the first man who came up to me in the open-air.

Such converts are likely to make useful Soldiers. I thought the remark of one of the converts of the day very striking. When I said to him, "Now, then, if God has done anything for you, get up and tell them so!  He rose, swung round to the gallery where his mates most do congregate, and said:

"Now, then, I don't care for anybody! I am going to follow Jesus now."

The fight at night was most excellent. All could not stop to see the list of the penitents out of course, but all who could, stayed and fought unwearingly from six till ten. May they all continue to enjoy and manifest the "care for nobody" Spirit of God.

P.S. The poor Captain being much worse, I bave Just seen the 231st again, this time on a wet Sunday. They marched through the rain and mud better even than the previous Sunday, and captured fifteen souls.

From, "The War Cry," page 2, 2nd February 1882.

I do not know where the meetings were held.