Early opposition easing

Although the Sydney press had been openly hostile to the commencement of The Salvation Army in Sydney, it was obvious that its attitude had changed significantly by the time the Army set up camp in Newtown. The Sydney Morning Herald, on 20 March 1884, reported on the opening of the Newtown Salvation Army Hall as a commodious barracks for the Newtown contingent of The Salvation Army. The article gave a detailed account of the building and its opening meeting. It reported that Mr N Melville, MLA, on taking the chair, was warmly applauded. He referred to the early days of the Army in Newtown. The few have multiplied and had become a thousand. The Army had accomplished what other organisations had failed to do; they had taken the Scriptures to the fallen, and had been the means of raising them up.