THE BOOTH FAMILY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5439, 24 June 1929, Page 2

THE BOOTH FAMILY.

WORK FOR SALVATION ARMY. INCIDENTS IN GENERAL’S LIFE General Bramwell Booth, whose death took place last week, has worn the uniform of the Salvation Army for over half a century (states the “Dominion’). Although not such an impetuous character as his father, William Booth, he has always been noted for doing everything he took up thoroughly and well. At one time some waifs, rescued by the Salvation Army, were put to work in a brickfield. In order to discover just what the work entailed, General Booth himself learnt the work of briclrniaking. He was, of course, nominated as leader of the Salvation Army by his father in a secret letter The actual scene of the nomination must have been impresive. Gathered together in that same room one day in August, 1912, were fourteen of the leading members of the Salvation Army. They included, incidentally, Mr J. Higgins, the present General. Bramwell Booth said he had called them together to hear the reading of the document appointing the successor. The Salvation Army solicitor produced a sealed envelope. He said it had been handed to him by the late William Booth exactly 22 years ago "to the very day. Outside the envelope, in the dead General’s handwriting, was written merely the words “Appointment of my successor.” It was ,siged and dated Augmst 21, 1890. Al! present inspected th‘6’ momentous letter. The solicitor then carefully opened it, without breaking the seal, by cutting through the bottom of the envelope. We know to-day what was in that letter, and the nominated General Bramwell Booth has now passed away, the last General to be nominat •ed in this manner. Evangelism seems to have beeh hereditary in the Booth ■family. Father and son were by no means the only members to take up religion. The Booths were an oldestablished Derbyshire family, their history going as far back as the 16th century. Samuel Booth, the father of William, left Derbyshire for Nottinghamshire in 1787, and married Sarah Lockett. 1

The first William Booth died of consumption at the age of 24 years. His half-brother, destined to become General Booth, was named after him. Before these days the Rev. Abraham Booth had become a noted Baptist preacher, whilst Gregory, Dean of St. Paul’s, wak a kinsman of Samuel Booth. This Doan’s son later became Bishop of Mauritius. But the threads of family evangelicalism do not end there. There was another Dean in the family, for Hannah, Dear. of Chichester, was also closely connected with the Booth family. It would be untrue to say that Bramwell Booth’s career has not had its complications. Twice the family has been bitterly estvanged. Curiously enough, in each case the Salvation Army in the United' States proved the bone of ■contention.

In 1896, when Bramwell Booth was his father's Chief of Staff, another’ brother, Ballington Booth, was in charge of the United States. He was suddenly ordered to England. He refused, resigned, and started the Volunteers of America. They are still in existence, but are not very powerful. Evangeline Booth then took over the responsibilities of America. In 1922 Branjiwell Booth, dissatisfied, like his fatiher, with conditions in the. United States, peremptorily ordered Evangeline Booth to return to England. She flatly retfused, but eventually she was reinstaffed before a serious rift occurred. To-day the American Salvation Army represents over half the strength of the whole organisation, and its properties are* appraised at the reproductive value of nearly eight million pounds. It was once rumoured that Bramwell Booffh had nominated his daughter, Catherine, as successor. However, comparatively recent history was destined to alter, this, and curtail very considerably the powers of the leader of the Salvation Army, which at one time were in many ways greater than those of the Pope himself.