Holiness alone delivers success!

Folloowing on from my blog a couple of days ago on holiness I came across the following snippet from The Officer Magazine, March 1894...

"The last two or three issues of the USA "Cry" to hand have contained correspondence with reference to "what constitutes a successful field officer?" following figures are given as an example of an officer's work, and as showing the possibility of lifting a "hard go" :-

Seven Months Preceding

Total attendance at meetings 7,532
Total attendance of soldiers 1,655
Number of open-airs 21
Number of soldiers at open-airs 217
Number of souls saved 4
Number of soldiers on roll-call 20
Number of recruits 0
War-Crys 75
Soldiers in full uniform 6
Soldiers wearing S's and badge 8

Seven Months Captain Well Saved

Total attendance at meetings 19,238
Total attendance of soldiers 4,930
Number of open-airs 100
Number of soldiers at open-airs 2,216
Number of souls saved 60
Number of soldiers on roll-call 39
Number of recruits 6
War-Crys 150
Soldiers in full uniform 14
Soldiers wearing S's and badge 32

I think no one would deny that the above record is a success. Now, how was it done? “Visiting," says one. No, not at all, for the captain was alone nearly all her term and had too much other work to make a speciality of visiting. "Open-air work," suggests another and we admit that to a great extent; but the root of the matter is neither visiting, open-air work, soldiers' meetings, singing, speaking or anything else but the grace of God, given to those who seek it to the exclusion of everything else. All other things are branches, leaves and blossoms on the tree of Salvation Army service; but the root, the trunk which makes and holds up the branches, blossoms and fruit is a daily consecrated body, soul and spirit."

Holiness will prove to be the salvation of the Salvation Army.

Love and prayers

A