The War Romance of the Salvation Army | Page 5

and untrue to those who had
gone before, if they had deserted any post, or shirked any duty, because
cloaked with the shadows of death.
This explains why their dear forms loomed up in the fog and the rain,
in the hours of the night, on the roads, under shell fire, serving coffee
and doughnuts.
This is how it was they were with them on the long dreary marches,
with a smile and a song and a word of cheer.
This is how it is the Salvation Army has no "closing hours." "Taps"
sound for us when the need is relieved.
Three of our women officers in the Toul Sector had slept for three
weeks in a hay-stack, in an open field, to be near the men of an
ammunition train taking supplies to the front under cover of darkness.
The boys had watched their continued, devoted service for them--the
many nights without sleep--and noticing the shabby uniform of the
little officer in charge, collected among themselves 1600 francs, and
offered it to her for a new one, and some other comforts, the spokesman
saying: "This is just to show you how grateful we are to you." The
officer was deeply touched, but told them she could not think of
accepting it for herself. "I am quite accustomed to hard toils," she said.
"I have only done what all my comrades are doing--my duty," and
offered to compromise by putting the money into a general fund for the
benefit of all--to buy more doughnuts and more coffee for the boys.
Salvation Army teaching and practice is: Choose your purpose, then set
your face as flint toward that purpose, permitting no enemy that can
oppose, and no sacrifice that can be asked, to turn you from it.
Again, a reason for our success in the war is, our practical religion.
That is, our religion is practicable. Or, I would rather say, our
Christianity is practicable. Few realize this as the secret of our success,
and some who do realize it will not admit it, but this is what it really is.
We do worship; both in spirit and form, in public and in private. We
rely upon prayer as the only line of communication between the
creature and his Creator, the only wing upon which the soul's
requirements and hungerings can be wafted to the Fount of all spiritual
supply. Through our street, as well as our indoor meetings, perhaps

oftener than any other people, we come to the masses with the divine
benediction of prayer; and it would be difficult to find the Salvationist's
home that does not regard the family altar as its most precious and
priceless treasure.
We do preach. We preach God the Creator of earth and heaven,
unerring in His wisdom, infinite in His love and omnipotent in His
power. We preach Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, dying on
Calvary for a world's transgressions, able to save to the uttermost "all
those who come unto God by Him." We preach God the Holy Ghost,
sanctifier and comforter of the souls of men, making white the life, and
kindling lights in every dark landing-place. We preach the Bible,
authentic in its statements, immaculate in its teaching, and glorious in
its promises. We preach grace, limitless grace, grace enough for all
men, and grace enough for each. We preach Hell, the irrevocable doom
of the soul that rejects the Saviour. We preach Heaven, the home of the
righteous, the reward of the good, the crowning of them that endure to
the end.
Even as we preach, so we practice Christianity. We reduce theory to
action. We apply faith to deeds. We confess and present Jesus Christ in
things that can be done. It is this that has carried our flag into sixty-
three countries and colonies, and despite the bitterest opposition has
given us the financial support of twenty-one national governments. It is
this that has brought us up from a little handful of humble workers to
an organization with 21,000 officers and workers, preaching the gospel
in thirty-nine tongues. It is this that has multiplied the one bandsman
and a despised big drum to an army of 27,000 musicians, and it is
this-our practice of religion-that has placed Christ in deeds.
Arthur E. Copping gives as the reason for the movement's success-"the
simple, thorough-going, uncompromising, seven-days-a-week character
of its Christianity." It is this every-day-use religion which has made us
of infinite service in the places of toil, breakage, and suffering; this
every-day-use religion which has made UB the only resource for
thousands in misery and vice; this every-day-use religion which has
insured our success to an extent that has induced civic authorities,
Judges, Mayors, Governors, and even National Governments-such as
India with its Criminal Tribes-to turn to