CALM FORTITUDE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 216, 11 September 1940, Page 10

CALM FORTITUDE.

AFFLICTED LEADER. WILLIAM BOOTH'S BLINDNESS "As his secretary, one of my curious duties was to take out liie artificial eye each evening, bathe it and then put it back next morning," said Lieutenant Commissioner J. Evan Smith, the NewZealand commander of the Salvation Army, when speaking to a group of Auckland men the other evening on the founder of the Salvation Army, General William Booth. The speaker went on to say that once, when he had been called away on urgent business, this duty fell to his housekeeper. When the secretary returned a little later, he was surprised to find that the General was looking the wrong way; the housekeeper had put the eye in tlie wrong way. The New Zealand Commissioner was secretary to the General, for five years and, in closing his talk, told the story of the old man becoming 'blind, and his reactions to this terrible affliction. It was- in South Africa that the General became conscious of the growth of a

cataract in one of his eyes. He wa3 then 78 years of age. When he reached England, on his return, he decided to undergo an operation. It was performed at his own home, and was successful. On his recovery, he set off on a motor tour of England, speaking to the people in the market places of the various towns visited. A microbe got into 'his eye, causing an abscess to form, the result being that the eye had to be removed altogether and replaced by the false, one. Later the other eye became affected, and a second operation was necessary. This was a failure and the duty of informing the great leader fell on his son, Bramwell. The scene was a tense ! one, in a darkened bedroom ■where the old man had his head swathed in bandages. "I stood at the foot of the bed," said the Commissioner, "and Bramwell held his father's hands. "Bramwell said, 'I am afraid, General, it is, all up.' " 'What do you mean, Bramwell ?' sharply queried the General. 'Am I never to look into your face again?' " 'Yes, father, I am afraid that is so,' almost -whispered the son. "There was a dead silence, a very tense one, with the old man breathing hard. Then he braced up, almost star" ing into space, and said: 'Well, Bramwell, I have served God and my fellow man as best. I could with my eyes now, I'll go on serving Him as best I can without my eyes.' Then turning in the direction of his secretary, he added: "Come on, let's get on with our work.'"