SALVATION ARMY

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1928, Page 3

SALVATION ARMY

FORCES DIVIDED

(JEXER-AL BOOTH’S CONTROL

LONDON, Dec. 13. The “Daily Mail” says that, the .summoning of Hie High Council of the Salvation Army to decide General Miamweii Booth's fitness to retain office has caused the formation of two .sections of opinion, one intent on tin* continuance of the Booth family's dynastic control, i lie other advocating a revision of the Army’s Constitution, because the system of vesting control of its possessions and operations in one man has outgrown its usefulness. JL is eon tended that the Army is no longer a solely religious body, :i,s it is a. huge commercial and financial concern employing thousands, for which il is thought the Constitution .should he altered to provide for hoards of trustees to limit the General's autocratic poweralso, that .instead of General Booth nominating his siieeessor, the Army should select its own leader.

[The retirement of General Bramvvell Pioolh. head of I lie Salvation Armv, and the son of the founder, was announced early last month, following on a serious illness. It. was slated that he had deposited tin* name of his successor in a sealed envelope with his solicitors. The Army decided to summon its High Council, an unpreeedeniod neiiim. io fight, that issue, de-,-hiring that the office was in no way hereditarv and miiiding out that General Ro d-li held, on the Army's he--1,-iIE \) ;>o.<)::•!),<i'00 in properly throughout. the world, including L‘ 1.010.000 in Australia and New /"aland, o.f wh.b-b he was sole trustee. Tin* High Council has been summoned to meet- early in January lo decide, the “Daily Telegraph” staled, whether the General was able to discharge tin*.duties ot his ollice and. if lie was considered unfit, to appoint a successor. The Generalship ha« ihe.m ".iaced with a Commission until the il.igh Gbum-il meets. U was iinuoum-ed on Xovemher ‘.!7th that. General Booth was out of. danger. |