“THE ARMY’S ” FOUNDER

Hokitika Guardian, 17 April 1929, Page 5

“THE ARMY’S ” FOUNDER

WILLIAM BOOTH.

This year the Salvation Army is celebrating the centenary of the birth of its great creator, William Booth. He is always considered to be the founder of the Salvation Army, and with perfect justice, because it was owing entirely to his initiative tiiat the work which began in the East End of London took definite shape, and became the genesis of what is now a mighty and world-wide movement. But 'from the hour that he went home to his wife and made the memorable declaration, Darling, I have found my’ destiny,” by which he meant that he had resolved upon his life’s work, Catherine Booth became one with him in heart and brain for the building up of the new enterprise.

Never were two natures more perfectly blended in high endeavour. William Booth was sanguine in temperament, dominating in spirit, feverish in energy. His were qualities without which great achievements are not made' By splendid contrast Catherine Booth combined womanly gentleness with rare power of intellect. He had the brain of a visionary and the passion of a prophet. She had the mind of a judge. God-directed and. God-posse§sed, they made an invincible combination,* and that alliance was necessary to God’s purpose for the making""’bftf.the Salvation Army. 1

KNEW MISERY;

Born in Nottingham oh April 10, 1829, no early religious influence’',was exerted upon William Booth, ; and -no restraining hand presided overphis tendencies. . There was no, little; attempt to mould his life and character. He developed a fiery temper and •an impetuous will, and formed his own ideas, venturesome indeed, and soon became the leading spirit for his acquaintances. From birth he was in close contact with the noise and overcrowding of in-

dustrialism. Reverses soon saw his family reduced ifrom the'standing of a prosperous business man’s home to a condition when William Booth was apprenticed to serve in a small pawnbroker’s shop in the poorer part. of Nottingham. Here the founder of the Salvation Army became- thoroughly acquainted with the miseries and Sorrows of the poor. It was “Joseph in Egypt,” and to the credit of William Booth, he did much for the poor, the orphan and widow, but perhaps the >

harrowing scenes of early boyhood had' an ineffaceable influence upon his after life and work. ; .

THE ONLY WAY.

Seized by a divine compulsion as a lad ofls years, he pictured.*that Christ alone was the balm for the sorrows of the world, and expressed his theme in open air, lodging _ houses, kitchens, prayed on sidewalks, or conducted meetings in cottages, besides earning his daily’ bread. Business hours were from seven to seven, or sometimes eight at night, and his self-appointed duties wefe attended to immediately The demands of his employer were satisfied.

It is recorded that Qooth’s mofetmarked trait was a passionate benevolence; a governing feature of his life being goodwill to his fellows. To benevolence was allied a temperamental simplicty, a guilelessness and candour that was the one great secret of his power, though it led him at times into what was momentarily regarded as indiscretion. Outstanding in its strength was his granite and superlative will. He was immovable, and, .therefore, in the passive sense, invincible. It pleased Providence to allow William Booth to live 47 years from the day of the Army’s obscure beginning, to see it grow under his hand and to enjoy the honours of

personal qualities went wrong. He was no stickler for the niceties of dress, at witness King Edward’s remark on seeing him arrive at a garden party in a soft hat. “See him,’ said His Majesty', “see him arrive in the hat he inherited from Goethe.” My own memories of Lord Haldane go back to the days when he "‘as a very keen supporter of the London School of Economics, then in its beginnings in a few small rooms in Adolphi Terrace, for some of his passion for education found vent in his encouragement and more material help to that institution now of worldwide repute. Although he was regarded by students with some awe, Lord Haldane was quite human. This autobiography records modestly liis realisation that he possessed few social graces and his attempts to correct this. “I even took some dancing lessons,” he says, “in the company of the distinguished member of the medical profession, Airs Garrett Anderson, who, like myself, had t>eeome distinguished in public affairs, and a\lio, like myself, was desirous of making up for the deficiencies of a somewhat restricted upbringing.”