KinSource - Tale of the Week

KinSource

Minnesota Tales

The St. Paul Daily Globe, October 4, 1895, p. 2

WED IN UNIFORM.

HALLELUJAH WEDDING CELEBRATED IN THE SALVATION ARMY.

COMMANDER BOOTH THERE.

CEREMONY WAS PERFORMED IN MARKET HALL BY MAJ. JEWELL.

JOINED TO WORK TOGETHER.

Talk With the Distinguished Head of the Forces in the United States.

"I call upon those present here to witness that I take you, Edith Vivian, to be my lawful, wedded wife for better or for worse ('A-a-men,', 'Praise the Lord!'), and this I declare upon my honor as a true soldier of Jesus Christ!" Then Capt. Francis Jewell, of the Salvation Army, slipped a big gold ring on the chubby hand of Lieut. Edith Vivian, repeating the words of a distinguished-looking officer, standing behind, whose elongated red waistcoat formed a glowing background for the lieutenant's fair, blushing cheeks and dainty dark blue "hallelujah" bonnet. The lieutenant, of course, wore her uniform, but even a hallelujah bride must exhibit pretty clothes, and the bonnet was tied under a dimpled chin with a full extra yard of fine silk ribbon. The blue gown was there, just as it appears every night upon Seventh street, yet never was a tamborine carried back of the big drum and in front of such a snug fitting jacket of rich blue cloth, displaying such a trim and taper waist. And who will complain even if Commander Ballington Booth, major general, in command of the American forces of the Salvation Army, was delayed three-quarters of an hour yesterday afternoon in Market hall, while Lieut. Edith arranged her glossy chestnut curls in ultra fashionable waves about her suffused temples and back of her pink little ears. Capt. Jewell was, of course, above such weakness, but he had a charming crease in the legs of his new trousers, his brass buttons were twice as brilliant as those of his commander, and a seam loosened visibly on each side of his compressed, though manly, chest, whenever he stole a glance at the prettiest lieutenant in the army.

The couple stood before a little table at the edge of the stage. Just back of them was Commander Booth, a very tall, erect, slender man, resembling his father, the noted general in chief. The son has a sallow, intellectual face, displaying a hawk-like nose, heavy black eyebrows, brilliant black eyes, with an intense, yet abstracted, expression, and a black mustache, most luxuriant and military. Above the heads of the interested trio and occasionally tickling the commander about the ears were joined two great flags of the army, whose staffs were held by a happy, though nervous, young soldier boy on either side. The commander read from a fat, red-covered book a covenant by which the bride and groom agreed to join themselves together, chiefly with a view to their increased usefulness for religion and the Army. The couple having verbally assented to this compact, the commander then read the vows for the groom, who repeated them, sentence by sentence. The bride did the same. It was noticeable that, in spite of her titles and tambourine, the lieutenant not only promised to "love and honor" the captain, but to "obey and serve" him as well. Subsequent assurances were given the reporter that the promise would have been the same had a captain been the bride of a lieutenant.

The ring put on, the groom dropped his bride's hand, but he quickly grabbed it again at a suggestion from his best man, and repeated "I put this ring on your finger as a sign that we are married together in accordance with the solemn pledges here given." Commander Booth not being legally registered in this state as an ordained minister, Major Jewell stepped forward and pronounced the captain and the lieutenant man and wife; the captain kissed the lieutenant with a military vigor, and the delighted couple rushed at once from the stage. A corporal's guard was at once ordered to arrest and bring back the impetous young people. As they stood once more by his side, out of breath and a trifle confused, the commander exclaimed, amidst cries of "hear! hear A-a-amen! a-a-amen!"

"I have married many hundreds of couples in all parts of the world, but I never before met with a couple so anxious to get away immediately after the ceremony!"

The husband and wife were next obliged to make a few remarks expressing their not unnatural pleasure at being present on the occasion. The cornets burst forth, the tambourines joined in and the hallelujah wedding finished with howling shouts of "Praise the Lord."

The bride is nineteen years old and came from Ishpeming, Mich. The captain is from Sheboygan, Mich.

Commander Booth arrived in the city at 2 p. m. He came to St. Paul on his way to Minneapolis, where he has important business. He spoke there at the Lyceum theater last night, and will return to New York tomorrow morning. He appeared at Market hall yesterday in company with Major William H. Cox, editor-in-chief of the "War Cry." The two were received by a gathering of 200 soldiers and eighty officers representing every part of the military district included in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Northern Michigan, and commanded by Major Jewell. Previous to the wedding, hymns were sung to the tune of "Sweet Marie," and other familiar airs, and addresses were made by the commander and by Major Cox. The former speaks with a full voice in a slow and clerical tone. He has, indeed, been ordained as a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church. His address was carefully prepared, cogent if not animated, and, in style and matter, was of a much higher order, than many were inclined to expect who do not know the resources of the Army. He advocated an active, aggressive religion, not ashamed of itself, entirely unselfish, which would induce one to seek salvation not only for one's self, but for one's neighbor.

After the ceremony the commander gave an interview to newspaper men. He spoke of the vast growth of the American Army, which in nine years, has secured 300,000 regular attendants at its meetings, which includes 200 officers and 33,000 uniformed privates. He said that the army had grown relatively much faster in this country than in England, where it was established thirty years ago.