TWO
Strictly From Memories
Beginnings
Nobody remembers anything about the #2 corps down on Central Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. All we have is a starting date – 1886 and names of officers with very short appointments. Captain John Willis was the first officer listed. He came to the corps on July 31, 1886.
Two years later, on February 1, 1888, Captain L. Hays, along with Cadet E. Carr were the first officers assigned to the work in Pasadena. On February 2, 1888, the day after the opening, the Pasadena Daily Union carried a front-page story …
THE CITY BESEIGED
The Salvation Army Opened Their Batteries Last Evening, Long Siege Promised
The hosts of the Salvation Army have laid siege to our city and are carrying on a warfare with the wicked. The Army marched up Fair Oaks Avenue from their barracks in the Butterworth building last evening and paraded the streets for a short time, singing the songs of salvation and finally entered Williams Hall where they inaugurated their campaign in Pasadena.
It appears as if the Pasadena opening had help from soldiers in other parts of the city. The story refers to “a number of other people who had joined the Army in Los Angeles testifying to their experience which was in some instances quite interesting.” It also stated that “no insulting remarks or disturbance occurred to interfere with the exercise.” The Daily Union story continued:
While the manner in which the Salvation Army carries on its work is open to much criticism, there is no question but that they have in the past, and are still, accomplishing a vast amount of good.
The reporter noted that the leader of the evening (unnamed) explained that “the Army reaches a class of people who seldom see the inside of a church and has been instrumental in raising many a fallen woman or helpless drunkard from a life of misery and shame.”
It is hoped that as long as the army carries on its services in the same line as was followed out last evening, that no hoodlum element will be allowed to disturb them.
The story concluded with the fact that services “hereafter will be held in the room over the Butterworth provision store, South Fair Oaks avenue, opposite Vineyard street.”
In a book, discovered by Harry Sparks, titled Pasadena: the Early Years and written by Henry M. Page, we find an interesting excerpt. It was included in a chapter titled: “A Tendency Toward Insolvency.”
The Salvation Army came to Pasadena at this time. The advance guard arrived on January 26, 1888, and announced that the invading host was not far behind. If the press truly reflected public opinion, the local citizens looked upon this turn of events not only with alarm but as an affront to the religious life of the community. It seemed to the people that there was no work for the Army to do in town. “The city can do well enough without aid of such a nature,” was the general sentiment.
The press felt that its reaction was confirmed a few days later when Salvationists held their first street parade. The drums frightened a horse pulling a streetcar causing him to run away with the car. The car finally left the tracks on South Fair Oaks Avenue and suffered some minor damage. Not long after, the city trustees placed the center of town off-limits for Salvation Army parades because of the effect the music had on horses.
The Army disregarded the resolution, continued their street gatherings, and were periodically haled before Judge Van Doren who always cautioned them against frightening horses and tried to persuade them to use other streets. But the Salvationists said that the Lord was on their side and they intended to clash the cymbal and beat the drum, marshal or no marshal.
For a time they were subjected to much heckling at the hands of the younger citizens, but after while it was conceded that perhaps there were a few in town in need of redemption and that they were doing some good in spite of the cornet player: “…either cork up the horn, or muzzle the hornist.” The fact that the Salvationists met every day without fail brought on the comment that if the Board of Trade had as much enthusiasm, Pasadena’s economic recovery would have been much more rapid.
As was inevitable a group organized to lampoon The Salvation Army.
A new salvation army is being organized by a number of young men in town led by Hancock Banning. The gentlemen who will take an active part in the organization and who will go down the avenues like Sherman’s army have been assigned the following positions and duties: Hancock Banning – “Hornblower Gabriel”; Charlie Bell, “torch light”; Romeo Windsor will carry the banner this winter; Eddie Fordham will by “first agitator”; and Jim Doty will be second. Mr. Rankin will impersonate “John the Baptist.”
But the Salvation Army, despite some opposition and good-natured ridicule, was in Pasadena to stay, and as time went on played an increasingly important role in some phases of community development.
Now we know where the “Do-Dah” Parade got its start. I hope the comrades prayed for Hancock Banning and friends.
Nothing seemed to interrupt the Army’s commitment to street evangelism. Neither laws nor traffic nor hoodlums stayed their dynamic ways. Speaking of the early days in Pasadena, historian J. W. Wood said: “Hoodlums threw stones and tried to break up the meetings, but the Army continued its work, and in the end gained the support of the prominent people who began to realize that this was no gathering of irresponsible persons, but a real organized religious body.”
The open-air service stand was at Fair Oaks Avenue and Colorado Blvd. Fair Oaks was the main street in those days – and the only problem was horses. The drum scared them. Captain Anna Beall and her Lieutenant, Lou Bingham, were arrested in 1889 and then again on January 1, 1890 – possibly during the first Tournament of Roses Parade. Each time they demanded a jury trial and the charges were dismissed. This became a tactical pattern. Demand a jury trial and get the charges dismissed. In March of 1890 they were arrested along with the drummer, Mr. William Davey. Charges were dropped, but the drum was confiscated. A news article records that “Captain Beall, however, was equal to the occasion, and the record of her tact and diplomacy has been preserved by H. A. Reid.” He says: “When the time arrived for the Army to have its street meeting and parade Miss Beall went to the city marshal’s office, and in the sweetest and most smiling way of a woman’s gentle persuasion asked: ‘Mr. marshal, aren’t you going to let me have my church bell’? “This was irresistible, and the marshal laughingly handed her the imprisoned drum.”
Reid also mentions an incident in which President Harrison and his party arrived in Pasadena. He reports that as an immense throng greeted the distinguished guests at the Santa Fe depot, Postmaster-General Wanamaker suddenly left the Presidential group and, “pushing his way through the crowd, heartily greeted the women he had noticed in Salvation Army uniforms and gave them words of commendation before rejoining the President’s group.”
Reid adds: “No doubt this incident added somewhat to the prestige of the Army, but the real foundation on which the prestige rests is upon its record of work accomplished.”
