Three hundred Salvation Army bands from outside of London had arrived. These, with the fifteen hundred bandsmen of London, constituted a company of five thousand instrumentalists.In addition to these there were gathered together sixty thousand Salvationistsrepresenting every section of the globe.
The War Office of the British Government commissioned an agent of the Secret Service to watch the proceedings and report on the Army's organization. That at the time was not known, but was afterward stated by W. T. Stead, an ally and firm friend of the Army. More than fifty members of Parliament, nearly all of them from the Labour representatives of the Tom Burt type, were seen on the Crystal Palace grounds. Men of wealth like John Cory, John T. Denny, one of the Rothschilds, Samuel Morley and others were present ; as were Robertson Nicoll, W. T. Stead, Morgan, of Morgan & Scott, publishers, Lady Frances Balfour, sister-in-law of the Earl of Balfour, and many more of that intellectual order.
No small attraction of the day was the Musical Festival, defined on the programme as "The Battle of Song". Nothing even approaching this in spectacular display and volume of song was ever before seen or heard in the Crystal Palace. (or since? Sven)
The orchestra, like an immense amphitheatre split in the middle, formed the half of a great circle. Around the Conductor, Herbert Booth, on the lower seats, were massed the string bands. Next in order, and about the half-circle, were the brass instruments carried by members of the SA Household Troops and Home Office Bands. Back of the bands was ranged the first company of singers. Nearly every company (corps) in the London Division was represented. Recruited from all ranks of London soldiers…. Up and beyond these was the main body of singers, to the left twelve hundred male voices, each man clad in a red jersey and holding in his hand a fluttering pennant. On the right there was a corresponding company of female voices, each lassie robed in the sombre uniform of the bonnet and darkblue, and each holding one of the many coloured pennants. Above this great choir, fringing the semi-circle at the top, was the junior choir, a thousand girls ranged above the women and a thousand boys above the men. Each of these juniors held a flag, making another brilliant scene.
Fry presided at the Grand Organ, Bandmaster Appleby was in charge of the brass bands, and Bandmaster Slater directed the string bands. The total strength of the choir, including the orchestra, was five thousand….. On the cue by Herbert, Bandmaster Fry struck the keys of the organ, the women singers removed their sashes, then their bonnets, and suddenly the sashes were seen to stretch out into broad folds of pure white, the more splendid to look upon because of the contrast with the flaming red jerseys worn by the men. The reader can easily imagine the soul-stirring effect produced upon the audience of more than fifteen thousand people when, in response to the baton held by Herbert, that mighty chorus thundered forth the battle song of the Army, the words by Colonel Pearson, the Pioneer Poet of the Army. and the music of Herbert's composition :
God is keeping His soldiers fighting ;
Evermore we shall conquerors be :
All the hosts of hell are uniting,
But we are sure to have victory.
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