Early Opposition
During the late 19th century and early 20th century many local councils employed a person in the role of “Inspector of Nuisances”. The role seems to have had a wide-ranging job description that allowed various inspectors to harass the early Salvation Army.
In Orange, The Salvation Army was told in 1891 that it was no longer allowed to have street marches or meetings. It didn’t stop them and a climax was reached with summonses served on 30 of the participants of a Salvation Army procession. The local police magistrate convicted and imposed fines on the whole group, leading to The Salvation Army’s central War Office in Sydney appealing against the conviction in the Supreme Court, and the ruling was reversed.
After the battle for freedom to march and preach in the streets of Orange was won, Salvationists still faced opposition from some quarters and this was particularly noticeable in their pub ministry. On one occasion two comrades entered one pub and were locked in the parlour by some patrons!
