THE LATE MRS. BOOTH.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1569, 12 October 1912, Page 11

THE LATE MRS. BOOTH.

WOMEN OF SALVATION AEHY,

Twenty-two years have passed since the death of. Catherine Booth, and possibly the younger generation scarcely realise how infinitely the Salvation Army is indebted to her zeal, whole-hearted devotion, and extraordinary capacity. But for her high qualities, her profound self-sacrifice, it is not impossible that the Army might iiever lave been called into existence. Born in 1829, the same year as General Booth, she died in 1800, thirteen years after the Army was founded, having put in an amount of work that rarely falls to-the lot of either man or woman..

When the liev. Wβ, Booth came- out of the Wesleyan Methodist body, giving. up a" comfortable living, a certain home, though liable to change (since Methodist ministers move in circuits), and a fixed salary, choosing the life of an itinerant missionary or Evangelist, he made a great sacrifice.. He.married Catherine Mumford in 1855, when both' were twenty-six. I'or many yoars afterwards they'h'ad no settled home, not even when there were four young children, the eldest boing four years and three months old. First they were billeted in one stranger's house, and then in another's. ■ .

Many kindnesses were showered • on them, but still, sho has recorded how pleasant it was to find themselves in. lodg- ' ings for awhile, their children with them, instead of with '.heir grandmother. Mrs. Mumford seems to have been as anxious for a settlement, as ever was Cromwell, but Mrs. Booth realised that her husband needed her "presence, care, sympathy; neither is he willing for it himself. Nor can I make up my mind to parting with Willie" (Mr. W. Braimvell Booth, the newly-appointed General pf the Army). Burning Their Boats. It was with.Mrs. Booth's full consent that the General turned his back on

salary, home, and regular work, having abandoned tin impracticable offer the Conference at Liverpool made him in ISGI. Mrs. Booth wrote at the time, "I have told William that if he takes the step, and it should bring me to the workhouse, I would never say one upbraiding word," And a week or two later she continues, "We have no money coming in from any quarter now, nor has William any invitations at present. . . . But I tell him that God will provide, if he will only go straight on in tho path of duty." Life for Mrs. Booth was one long sacrifice. ' A. most devoted the children were left largely in the grandmother's care, that she might lend her husband not only the comfort of her presence, but solid hslp in the making of- his sermons and addresses. He frequently asked her to write him the heads of liis sermons, and at one time she did this every week. General Booth once wrote to her, after praising her sketch on "Be Mot Deceived," "I want a sermon on the Flood, one on Jonah, and one on the Judgment. Send me some bare thoughts, some clear, startling outlines." Leader of a temperance band, and teacher of a large Sunday ♦ school class, on several occasions praying in public, Mrs! Booth always resisted her husband's entreaties that she herself should preach. At Gateshead some neoplo besought her, seeing that she could pray so beautifully, to "talk to them" at a meeting. She was horrified, and wondered that they could think of it. c The truth is, she was an exceptionally timid woman, as much so as the most silent, orthodox feminine member of any church or sect. Beginnino to Preach. Shortly afterwards some newspaper ventilated tho question whether women ehould or should not preach, and Mrs. Booth wrote "Practical Religion," in which.she answered tho question affirmatively. A few weeks later, when recovering from sickness, it flashed upon her that it was a clear duty to slough off this timidity, and soon afterwards she "testified." It was.a great victory; all: who heard her-realised that here , was a witness whose! lips'had been-touched with fire from the nltar. But, the discovery .of her great powers separated husband and wife'the moi«. The harvest was too great, the labourers too few to permit them to work together. Sirs. Booth conducted great. Salvation campaigns at Lye, Rotherhithe, Margate, Portsmouth, Brighton, and, most difficult of all, in the West End of London itself. The meetings in the.West End began at three o'clock, society men and women crowding to the hall, though no bill, was published, and remaining till six. Mrs. Booth wrote thnt words of fare were given her, and the audience sat spellbound. At the Dome, Brighton, 3000 atended daily to hear her addresses. She was indeed one of the Army's great warriors, an inspired teacher. It is not easy to decide whether she excelled most as a/preacher, as a wife, mother, or head of a household, for in each capacity she was perfect. Of her eight- children, all save one, an . invalid, devoted themselves to the work of the Army. Nor is this surprising if wo gauge the mighty influence of the mother on them. She reminded one of her sous, "There are plenty of men of one idea, that of gold getting. . '. . But, if I know my own heart, I -would rather you should work for the salvation of souls, making "bad hearts good, and miserable homes happy ... if you only get bread and cheese all your life, than that you ehonld fill any other capacity with .610,000 a year." ' The young Booths did not suffer the fate of Mrs. Jellyby's household, for she made her children's clothes so beautifully that she was frequently asltcd to pass on. the dressmaker's name. When ehe baked or worked in her house, the work was perfectly done, down to the smallest detail, nor could she suffer laziness, incapacity, or the pretence of work. She waa well known as a great .temperance reformer; indeed, her first speaking in public was for this cause. Equal Opportunities for All,

On her death in 1890 her remains were carried to Congress Hall, Clapton; betwoen Tuesday and Sunday it was estimated that 50,000 people.filed through the hall to pay their tribute of love and devotion to the Mother of the Army.. General Booth preached her funeral sermon at Olympia, London's largest hall, when 20,000 people were present. The following day the remains were carried to Abney Park cemetery, a. distance of five miles, through countless _ throngs; the police declared that nothing like it had been seen since the dea,th of the Duke of Wellington. It' the Army has done great things in every civilised country,it )3 partly, due to the fact that General Booth had a genuine helpmeet, every whit as valiant a, Soldier of tho Cross as himself. The Army is one 61 the very few religious organisations that affords absolute equality of opportunity to both sexes, and it proudly boasts there is no post that a woman may not fill. For many years Mrs. Bramwell Booth, who has given twenty-nine years of devoted service, has been head of the women's social work in the United Kingdom. All tho shelters, rescue homes, homes for inebriates are under her capable direction. Commander Eva Booth, daughter of the late General Booth, is in command of tho Army's extensive operations in the United States. Commissioner Mrs. Booth-Hellberg has charge of the work in Denmark. Commissioner Hannn Ouciitcrlony commanded the Army in Norway, but is now retired. Brigadier Hod wig von Haartnian, who died in 1902, was the head in Finland. Colonel Yudda Bai hnd all the Punjab territory under her direction. Now that a bishop has publicly expressed doubt as to whether the Church has given woman the rwsition to which her talents and capacities entitle' her, it may easily Iβ that her rehabilitation is more largely due to the initiative and inspiration of Catherine Booth than to any other factor. —C. S. Bremner, in. "The Queen."