GENERAL BOOTH.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1528, 26 August 1912, Page 2

GENERAL BOOTH.

MEMORIAL SERVICES BY ARMY- , OTHER TRIBUTES, PREFERENCE IN THE CHURCHES. Special memorial servicer; were held h the Salvation Army .Citadel, in Viviai Street, yesterday, in connection with tin ; death of General Booth, the founder aw leader of tho Salvation Army movement Thore were crowded ' congregationthroughout the day. Tho speaking rai in tho Citadel was draped in white, wit! the word "Crowned" in largo letters am a cross and a crown. At the morning service Major Camii chael spoke on "Tho General as a Teach er," and Staff-Captain Ncwbold and Cap tain Canty also addressed the meeting Captain Suter rendered a special solo. At tho afternoon service each of the speakers made reference to the mannci in which the General had personally holpec them as individuals, and Mr. E. Tonk' spoke of the loss which tho community had suffered by the death of the Army': leader. Major Carniichae], in speaking of "The Father of the Organisation," re ferred to General Booth's acquaintance with the crowned heads of Europe. H< described tho General as one. of the great est personalities of tho ago, and lie add ed that he had conduced to the peaco o. the world by binding! the nations to gether and promoting in its truest sens< the brotherhood of man. The band played a special selection; "When the Eoll is Called Up Yonder I'll be There," and the servico terminated with tho singing of "Nearer, My God, t< Thee." A Memorial March, tcok place, in the evening from Dixon,Street to the Citadel, whero the evening service commenced at 7 o'clock with the singing of cue of th( hymns composed by the late General. Brigadier Bray then addressed the meeting, after which the band played "The Dead March .in Saul." Sister Mrs. A. Collins then sang "Promoted to Glory,'" a solo written and composed by one of the General's sons, and sung on the occasion of the death of .the General's wife. Commissioner Richards, in addressing the congregation, spoke from Hev. xiv, 13: "And I heard • a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are tho dead who dio in tho Lord from henceforth. Yen, saith the spirit, thai they may rest from their .labours, and their works, do follow thorn." The Commissioner traced the career of the late General from h. ! s birth on April 10; 1829. up till he commenced work in the Easl Ivad of London, and founded the Easl London Mission, afterwards called the Christian Mission, and finally formed into tho Salvation Army in 1877. The "War Cry" was issued (luring the following year, and Commissioner Richards was one of those who had to do with the ea'.e of the first issue. As an instance of the General'a zeal in the interests of the people, Commissioner Richards recalled that 21 years ago, when ho was conducting a memorial service for the late Mrs. Bcoth, his leader had instructed him not to spend all tho time in speaking about Mrs, Booth, but to choose a subject that would benefit all those present. He would desire the samo now on tho occasion of his own death. By his death a great man had been taken from the world, from the poor a great omsoler, and from the Salvation Army a kind father. In the midst of sorrow—and he had had many great sorrows—he was always faithful, "The Lord is my Helper," was his watchword, and ho would rise up again to. his work, filled with the spirit. He was ono of the hardest of workers, and ho persevered when everything seemed against him. His work would live for ever, because die hod been at work for G2 years upon tho human heart, and his effort was chiselled s> deeply on tho life of the poor that it would oe seen 'when the books were opened on the Judgment Day, In conclusion, Commissioner Richards referred to the testimony to the deceased General's work that was to be had from those saved from the gaols of all nations, from the public-houses, tho poor women, the children rescued from starvation. On the Gcner.i"s arrival at tho Celestial Kingdom there would indeed bo a multitude to welcome him. i AT ST. PAUL'S. THE TRIBUTE OF THE VICAR, At St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral yesterday morning, tho vicar (the Rev. A. M. Johnson) paid a high tribute to the life and work of General Booth, basing his remarks on tho words, "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." Mr. Johnson said that no truo history of the times in which we lived could 1)3 written without taking into account tho work of tho Salvation Army. Its origin and development' were the outcome of William Booth's hunger for righteousness, and his earnest desire to bring the example of Christ into the common life of men and into the lives of very common men. Mr. Johnson went on to refer to tlw splendid social work of. the Army, which was still expanding, while he believed he was correct in stating that the actual membership of the Army was decreasing. He attributed this decrease to the neglect of sacramental religion, without which the spiritual life could not be pernianchtly satisfied. Mr. Johnson did not agree- with the prediction that Genoral Booth's death would be followed by the disintegration of the' Army's social work, and thought that if this work was taken over by the State it would lose tho motive power on which its success had depended. Tho enthusiasm for religion and tho daily witness for Christ of members of the Salvation Army put tho averago churchman to shame. Mr. Johnson ooncluded by referring to the fact that General Booth's hunger and thirst after righteousness had been satisfied in that ho had lived to see such a wonderful measure of success for his life's work. ' UNITARIAN FREE CHURCH, ANOTHER TRIBUTE. Preaching at tho Unitarian Free Church yesterday, tho Rev. W. Jellie said: I desire to put into words tho feelings I am sure wo all share at the honoured and regretted death of General Booth, the founder and head of tho Salvation Army. Tho Army is a religious body, tho theology of which is utterly abhorrent to us, oafcd as it is on tho cresds of the Orthodox Church, and asserting the everlasting punishment of the wicked and redemption, this by blood of Christ. With .imany of its methods of work also wo can have little sympathy. But it is all tho more imperative at such a time as this that wo should stretch out a hand over the fence which dividas us and recognise our common hunianily in the sorrow of a people for the death of a great and good man. Much as .wo differ wo can cordially admire sincerity and unselfishness and unlimited zeal, and simple goodness of life, and immense abilities thai, were consecrated, not as with the vast majority of men, to the making of money, but to the improvement of the life and condition of his fellow men, irrespective of race and blood. We thank God that there has been in our time a man like General Booth, and our hearts go out in sympathy to tho men and women who mourn his loss to-day. Our age has seen much remarkable organisation. It. is an age of organisation. But none in all tho world is quite as remarkable as his, based not upon getting, but giving; not upon selfishness, but upon self-sacrifice, for the salvation of others. It is a tribute to the good there is in human nature. General Booth has-mado his work upon our time, and. we trust that his Army will long (=urvivo him to bo his memorial to coming generations. At the conclusion of the servico the organist, Miss J. Newton, played the "Dead March" in "Saul." • Reference to the death of General Booth was also made at several of tho other churches in the city. PUBLIC OPEN-AIR SERVICE. (By Telegraph.—Prese Association,) Christchurch, August 2D. A public servico in memory of the late General Booth was held in Victoria Square this afternoon, and was very largely attended. Tho Mayor presided, and other speakers were tho Revs. C. H. Laws (Methodist), T. Tait (Presbyterian), I. Bernstein (Jewish), S. Hende'rson (Primitive Methodist), and Brigadier Gist (Salvation Army). Tributes we paid tn the Uts leader of the S-ilvation Army, and special hymns wore sung-