The Daily News WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14. A GRAND OLD MAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 66, 14 April 1909, Page 2

The Daily News WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14. A GRAND OLD MAN.

General Booth, the founder, organist and leader of the Salvation Army, th most remarkable religious and human: tariau organisation of modern timei who celebrated his Bt)tli birthday on Sal urday last, is one of the recognised fort most personalities in the world to-day His has been a wonderful life, whethe considered in its results, in the man agencies for philanthropic work he ha inspired, or whether regarded mere l, by itself as the history of a man wh' apparently delies the ravages of tim in his tirelessness for well-uoing in hu inanity's cause. This latte r aspect i probably the one that forces itself una the notice at the moment. Genera Booth's energy is tremendous, and li seems capable of the same exertion in his 80th .year as astonished men ii his prime. About live years ago tli General conducted a vigorous ton through Australia and New Zealand—: tour that was almost triumphal in th universal acclaim iwith which it was re ceived. He lias been almost coutinuall; "on tire road" ever since. Last yea lie was stout-heartedly touring Soutl Africa. He travelled there nearly 400' miles ia trains and delivered a hundrei addresses all glowing with the llame b au unquenchable passion, and deelarinj to all men the message in the general' own words that, "The practical exempli fictitious of goodness, truth, and right eousness ia the supreme need of al classes of society." Now he has jus returned from a live weeks' busy tour o Russia and Scandinavia, and lias relat ed his experiences to the i-'ron heiug scoffed at as a. religious fanatic a dissenter from orthodoxy, he has livei to receive the plaudits of the. liighes in the land. General Booth commence! his special organisation when he founi that the churches had no room for hi: peculiar work and methods. Born a Nottingham in 182!), he was baptised ii the Anglican Church, and as a boy con verted in a Wesleyan chapel. He was ; street preacher at an early age, and being cut off from membership of tie Methodist body by a short-sighted mi"i ister, he was ordained a minister of tin Methodist Now Connexion in May 1858. Three years later he withdvev from this body on their refusal to se him free for evangelistic work, William Booth, his iwife, and four child reu, in his own words, "went out to gether, not knowing a soul who wouli give them a shilling, neither knowinj where to go." Revival tours of Cornwall and tin Midlands saw the introduction of th< novel methods which later shocked tin orthodox as practised by the Army. V special sensation was caused liy tin ''Hallelujah Band" of converts, a kirn of star company of notorious wife-beat ers, poachers, prize-lighters, and grca drunkards, who had been changed ii character by the revival services. The; were billed extensively before the meet ings, at which they related their pas crimes and the effects of their convcr sion. "The band," writes a biographei '•attracted to the meetings many win certainly would not have stirred to lies an archbishop or priest. That was pre ciselv what Mr. Booth intended. I ■was one of his earliest ami most success fill endeavors to lind the masses, un< make the lowest in the social scale wil linglv attend a religious service." A these meetings Mrs. Booth was' a fri ipient speaker, as well as her husbant Their expenses were defrayed by th collections. In .Time, ISUS, work \va commenced among the slums of th East End in an old tent, whidi a gal uVstroved after a few Sundays, and al teittiirds in an old dancing-room. Th first tveck-night place after the ten mas au o]d warehouse. "When crowi ed." wrote the General much late: which was not ordinarily the ease, i was frightfully hot, especially in sun: mev. If we opened the windows th boys threw stones and mud and An works through, and fired trains of gun powder laid from the front door in wards. But the people got used li this, shouting 'Hallelujah!' when uh< cracker* exploded and the powder flash ed." A stable in Whiteclmpel Koad, ; carpenter's shop at Old ford, a wooder idled at I'oplar. a "penny gall" at I-imc house, a covered skittle alley in Whitechapel, a low beerhouse called the Eastern Star, and the old KtUngluim Theatre, were scenes of other meetings as tile'work extended, and in these curious surroundings .hundreds of rough characters were "reclaimed.'' In 1870 the name of the movement was changed to "The Christian Mission." All-night prayer meetings, testimonies of reclaimed scoundrels, street processions, visits to slums, and a soup kitchen for the poor were features of the work at this tittle. In spite of ribald interruptions, street assaults, and the disfavor of authorities, the movement grew apace. Annual conferences were inaugurated, and iiuilc unconsciously l:,, e work assumed n eemi-uiilitavy organisation. In 1577 the name "Salvation" Army, an inspiration of the fieneral, was adopted, ami the red jersey and rank nomenclature followed. In December, 1879, appeared the first "War Cry." In 187!) the work was introduced to America by the Sliirlcv family, who were followed iv Commissioner i?ailton; Commissioner Hootli-'Tucker bore the bright Hag over India and Captain and Mrs. Sutherland were sent to aid the Australian work, ivhieh John Gore and Saunders, emigrant converts, had commenced in Adelaide- and Sydney. Since then the flen■ral 'himself has travelled in every county of the world, and the activities of he army have multiplied and become MiormmiK The first 'footing of the \rmy in Mew Zealand was gained r.i juncdin in April, 1883, and many can -emeinber still the astonishment ami lontiliiv which their novel conduct then ,ml loii" afterwards produced. From |„. South Island the movement spread u the North. «»'l '>""' u is «-'«talilislie.] „ „ver iW town'; i" H''* country, and is last enemy has probably been cottcrted to admiration by the zeal and lioroiigbness of its work. To-day, the I ieneral is as insatiable as ever m Ins: eal for dealing with social problems „d the upliftmcut of fallen humanity, nd the wish that the Salvation Army s Grand Old Man" may long be spared o his noble work is felt over a world- j ,'ide field.