Good News from Chatham
As recorded in the ‘Christian Mission Magazine’ in July 1874 (when our corps was only 8 months old). We thank Peter Wood for this excerpt.
Corps Historian Peter Wood
A SKIRMISH WITH BALLAD-SINGERS
One Saturday, as we came up to Military Road, we found our usual stand occupied by some ballad-singers, who were giving forth some filthy songs of the devil to a great crowd. We looked on for a moment, then drawing off a little, commenced our meeting with prayer in the usual way. This done, we found the enemy still in possession of the people, many of whom seemed greatly to relish the amusement provided for them, especially the publicans round, and the half-drunken fuddlers, who had come out to a feast so in keeping with their depraved taste.
However I gave out a hymn and commenced with my violin; the brethren with me joined in, and in a few minutes we left the ballad-singers almost alone. This did not by any means suit the opposition, so a half-drunken man was sent out from one of the public houses to see what he could do. First he offered me a penny – this I refused; then he tried by force to stop my playing; in this he was hindered by my brethren; then he tried to sing a song, but we drowned his voice with our hymn. Then he tried to dance, while the crowd shouted ‘shame’ and very soon a number of soldiers in the crowd, losing their patience, bonneted him!
And finally, he made his retreat, while a mob of boys, who had hitherto backed him up, pushed and pulled him so desperately about that he was very glad to get back into the public house for shelter, leaving us with an immense congregation, attracted by the scrimmage, to whom we preached the everlasting gospel.
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