The Rev. R. Coffey on the Salvation Army.

Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 142, 18 June 1883, Page 2

The Rev. R. Coffey on the Salvation Army.

Last evening, at St. Mark's Churoh, the Rev. R. Coffey preachod on the Salvation Army. Tho rev. gontloman commenced by pointing out that, according to the Acts of the Apostles, the history of the "Kingdom of God" allowed that even in its infancy it was troubled with divisions within itself. In St. Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians we found him speaking of divisions within, the very word used being one which we had taken almost litorally from the Greek— Schismata— while in tho second contury we found actual division not only within, but also that dissent which we found nowadays. The principle of unity which Christ stamped on His kingdom was broken, and dissent had existed ovor sinoe. The Registrar-General of England had enumerated 163 religious sects, which, of course, would find their way in turn to every part of the Queen's dominions. That very evening a new seot called tho Salvation Army was establishing itself in Wellington. Here, then, we had anothor instanoo of Christ's ideal of unity being tramplod upon, and, what was worse, men and women who called thomselves followers of Christ, did not yet realise that this multiplication of sect-life was an evil thing, which they ought in every possible way to discountenance. This new sect was a serious matter, beoause it was not wanted; it was serious beoause of the waste of power it involved. Mill, in his Political Economy, had said that when a society hod roachod its best it was lamentable to find that a large proportion of its efforts and talents were used in the direction of neutralising each other. Thus the multiplication of sect-life was playing into the hands of the enemies of Christ, their object being, by sowing dissension, to bring His Kingdom to nought. When tolerant men like Mr. Spurgeon, of the London Tabornacle, spoke against the "Army," they deserved to be listened to. Mr. Spurgeon had protested against the Christian religion being made a game of soldiers, while the Convocation of Bishops had apparently endorsed the remarks of one speaker that it was the duty of every clergyman to beg his people to have nothing to do with the "Army." He( Mr Coffey) should that evening beg of his congregation to have nothing whatever to do with it. He had in his possession some advortisements of the Army, which, if he were to read them, would make his hearers laugh, and as he held that laughter, or any lightness of conduct, in God's House was an unpardonable sin, he declined to read thorn. That, however, did not prevent him from referring to their mode of worship. That mode was highly to be deprecated. It was contrary to common senso, to sound reason, and the teaching of the Master Himself. It was, moreover, utterly alien to the habits of Churchmen. Anglicans, on the whole, were quiet; Salvationists were noisy — their system was religious rowdyism. Anglicans, as a role, were reverent; Salvationists were simply ludicrous, and much of their success had been won by an appeal to the ludicrous element in humanity. Let not the curiosity of his hearers carry them to the Army meetings, and let them also keep their ohildren away from them. Notwithstanding the objectionable features of the Army, there were, however, some things in which Anglicans might copy the Salvationists. The Army recognised Satan as an enemy that must be recognised. "Hell" and the "Devil," which hod been considered scarcely musical enough for ears polite, had beon almost banished from respectable pulpits in the Church of England, and here was a protest on the part of the Army against their banishment. The "Army" also showed Churchmen an example of standing up in tho face of opposition and obloquy. Then every member of the "Army was a worker; there were no drones. How unlike this to what we found in the Church of England! Tho Churchman's idea of religion seemed to be something for himself— something to save himself from Hell and the Devil. However much he objected to the "Army," ho could not help regarding their advent as boing sent by God for tho purpose of biting them into activity and inoculating them with fresh life, and urging them to do all they could to advance Christ's kingdom.