Willenhall - Salvation Army

Crashing in at the theatre are numbers of men and women who never hardly saw the inside of a place of worship till the advent of the army into this place. Men who drank and swore and mocked, now testified to God's saving power. 26 came forward on Sunday, making a splendid total of 76 for the week seeking a Saviour.

From, 'The War Cry', November 1881.

WILLENHALL (Capt. Payne)—This week the work has been glorious. Several poor drunkards rose to their feet and walked boldly to the penitent-form, where, after some severe struggling, they laid hold of Christ by faith. On Monday, the 30th December we had a grand tea-meeting in the afternoon, 400 sat down.In the Theatre we had a glorious time, tourteen souls found their way to the Mercy seat.

From, "The War Cry", page 3, 12th January 1882.

At this place the people also are so willing to hear about the Saviour, that I believe we might have held a continued service, without breaking, for days and night, if we could have sustained them. The first night the Theatre was so full at six o'clock, that we could get nowhere near the door. We had to effect an entrance by a little door under the gallery, and when inside, they were obliged to pull up a floor board and pull us up, and on the gallery we had to walk a plank over the heads of the people, across a partition six feet high, with three inch iron spikes, before we could get to the stage; but, thank God, we got over safe and after a blessed time, sixieen men and women came out for God.

We held a meeting for Holiness at noon the next day: Theatre full fourteen found pardon, And at night again, a crowd of anxious souls. After a powertul time, we wound up with a shout of victory from forty souls, whose chains of sin had been broken by our King in the service. May Captain Payne and Lieutenant Baugh never rest until the town is moved.

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

Willenhall, which is only 3 miles from Bloxwich, is being shaken by the mighty power of God in such a manner as I never remember seeing a town shaken before. Not only in the Army, but in every chapel in the town, hundreds of souls are getting saved. I spent Sunday last, February 5th with them and indeed it was a never to be forgotten day.

At night all the chapel people joined us in procession. It was said that there were from 1,000 to 1,500 Christians marching all at once through the town into the Market Place, where we formed a big ring all round the Market Place eight deep. After a short address, we separated and went singing a lively song to the Theatre and the others to their own chapels.

We had 40 souls and at the other chapels a goodly number of souls were saved.

From, 'The War Cry', page 2, 2nd March 1882.

Note: In 1881 the town's population was 18,461, so over 5% were in the march and likely over 10% of the town was saved.

I do not know where the meetings were held.