This is the first monthly report from the Salvation Army station.
I ENTERED Pickering on the 23rd of December, and on the 24th took my stand against the pump near the marketplace; hundreds gathered round to hear the Word of God proclaimed, and since that we have had some of the largest open-air meetings I ever saw, notwithstanding the very severe frost and very deep snow. Crowds follow us to the Salvation Hall (formerly a chapel, and holding 500). The hall is packed every night to suffocation and on Sundays hundreds cannot get in. One dear brother said, "It had been a hard job to get the people into a place of worship in Pickering, but it was the hardest job we had to get them out." And so we find it is; and I hope soon that some of our rich farmers and quarry managers will help us to swell the bounds of our Salvation Hall, as it is far too small already.
The people have been very kind; they are willing to do anything to keep the Hallelujah Marys here.
The publicans are crying out, and they say it is no use of opening the public-houses on Sundays, they will have to close, for they say we take all the people to the noisy crew. Oh, praise God. I and Sister Stevens mean to roll the old chariot along. We cannot tell how glorious the work is going on, but we have a brave lot of converts; they will sing and talk and do anything for Jesus and tell the people to "gang along with us." Oh! hallelujah.
From, 'The Salvationist', February 1879, pages 35-6. ·
I do not know where the meetings were.