“GREAT HUMANITARIAN”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 635, 11 April 1929, Page 7

“GREAT HUMANITARIAN”

TRIBUTE TO GENERAL BOOTH WELLINGTON CELEBRATIONS Press Association WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The Wellington Town Hall was crowded to-night for the celebration of the centenary of the birth of General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. The Mayor, Mr. G. A. Troup, presided, and the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, was present. A unied prayer giving thanks for the gift of William Booth to the world was recited aloud by all present. “With great daring and courage Thou didst endow him,” ran the prayer, “and didst call him out to raise this army and to gather this force for the salvation of the world. May his life and labours inspire us and may we follow Thee as he followed Thee throughout all our days.” The Mayor said General Booth laid down his plan of operations on a world-wide basis, and so great was his faith that it gave him the needed audacity to press into all countries. He had the vision of the seer. The world was truly his, because he conquered it. It belonged to him more than it belonged to any other livingman. Mr. Troup noted with pride that the Salvation Army headquarters were still in the land of its birth. He said he regarded William Booth as a great international institution. He was a great humanitarian who established land and industrial colonies, banks, insurance companies, printing and publishing works and many other trading concerns, hospitals, hostels, homes, training institutions and emigration bureaux. These were all auxiliaries to his mission. The Mayor also paid a tribute to Mrs. Catherine Booth, wife of the founder. Sir Joseph reviewed in detail the life of William Booth and the work of the Salvation Army in New Zealand from its commencement here in April, ISB3.

“The army,” he said, “has obeyed the Divine instruction to go out into the highways and by-ways, and has carried the Gospel to almost every country. I hope the army will continue its work for centuries to come, and that it will ever be inspired and guided by the influence and ideals of its famous founder.” Commissioner Hay, Mrs. Commissioner Hay and others also spoke.