A Great Evangelist

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 9, 28 August 1912, Page 6

A Great Evangelist

HEX tli<* faithful shall ■ ■ I Minimoil the h< roc«, the statcs--1 I JL men, and the poets an<l philanthropists <jf the Victorian period- —high up among the greattst will he found the name, and memory of William Booth, whose life hax been most, fortunate in the achievement of the noblest purposes ami most honourable in the maintenance of the highest ideals, and whose death has «ome quietly while he planned still fnrt’u r activities for the good of mankind. 11 is convictions and methods won lor him—in spite of preju-. dice- the most complete triumphs in all the fields of his act ivity. Of him it can be truthfully said:--“The world was his parish and to do good was his religion.’’ t William Booth was the son of Church of England parents, ami was baptised into the fold of the Anglican community. Bill the ('chocs of a Methodist revival made a strong appeal to him, and he joined the Wesleyan body. At that time, hm lie himself saiil, “To me there was one God, and Wesley was His prophet.’’ Young Booth desired to enter the min* istrv, but. the physicians forbade. V Young man.” said the doctor,’“you are totally unlit to stand the strain of a Methodist minister’s lift* for twelve months. It will land you in the grave, and send yon to the Throne of Penitence to receive punishment for suicide.*’ Mr. Booth, who began work at an early age, in consequence of the death of his father after a serious reverse of fortune, renxoved from Nottingham to London in 1849 to better his prospects. In London he joined the Reformers, a body which had seceded from Wesleyan Methodism, and eventually gave up business to become an evangelist under their auspices. It was at about this* period that he first met Catherine Mumford, who was destined, as Mrs. Booth, to play so remarkable a part in the subsequent organisation of the Salvation Army. Air. Booth was earning the modest stipend of £5O a year as an evangelist when Miss Mumford —now affectionately remembered as the “Mother of the Ariny”—resolved to throw in her lot with him. Mr. Booth became an ordained minister of the Ah 4 hod i st, New Connexion, and bis first year of married life was spent in evangelistic work in various parts of the country. Eventually, however, as it was thought that his ardour in that direction was too pronounced. he was summoned, much against his inclinations, to assume regular ministerial duty. In so doing Air. Booth acted in opposition—possibly for the first and last time —to the advice of his wife, who was convinced that her husband’s true role lay outside the recognised sphere of pastoral work. A crisis was not long delayed. Mr. Booth wanted to get ba k to the freer ind less •.-onven-tion.il methods of preaching to which he was accustomed. IDs application wa* considered by a conference of the Methodist Connexion ut Liverpool, and a compromise was suggested. When Mr. Booth stood in doubt as to whether he should acquiesce, there came from the galleiw, in ♦ leir and decisive tones, the word “Never!’’ It was Mrs. Booth who *poke. Iler husband hastened from the platform. and hi* wile from the gallery, and in the doorway of the hall they embraced as they \owed to face th a world together. Thus Wesleyanism h>£, ami the world gained, «» great evangelist. Home am! salary were g-ven up, and this* although Tour children under the years of ago \ijimed parental s.ipport. With Lille delay Mr. and Mr-. Booth ’•darted on an evangelistic) campaign in Cornwall, South Wales, and I Bl i k Country. It w.w attended with great -»ii «■»•**. It was at Walsall that Mr. Booth made a startling de par Liiiv hy forming a “Hallelujah Band,” • •insisting of converted poachers and \/»‘ lighter*, an I of gaol-birds* generally. I he **alv.rJun Army wa* not formally t»!g.iiii«vd until .It miary, *lBB7, hut it r»-ally iad it** foundation in an Ea*t-ond m’*-»on. which began in Wliiterhapel in )k<m. The Eastern Star, in Whitechapel Koail. was taken *ver a* head* qua tiers, and here was formed the Bm-lcus of most <4 t-bose Salvation Aru»y schemer vhi.h have had su.L ex-

Remarkable Career of General Booth

rt i nordinary developments in these later days. Thus early Mr. Booth had learned the great lesson that the physical and the spiritual canrtot lie wholly divorced. So soup-kitchens and free break I’uMs wore provided for those who wore afterwards, in Mr. Binotth’s own language, to be “tackled” about their souls. About this period the volunteer movement occupied a large space in the public mind, and, in drafting his annual i(‘port, Mr. Bocth spoke of his helpers as “an army of volunteers.” Then, looking over his secretary’s shoulder, ho said: “Strike out volunteers, an.l call it an army of. salvation. No. better still, <all it the Salvation Army.” So the title was resolved upon, and in the following year tin* organisation was framed after < a refill study of manuals of the British Army. General Booth’s soldiers were for some years the subject of what, hy the light of later events, must be described as helpful persecution, The public did not understand the mission of those who wore the red jersey or the poke-bonnet, and still les% did it appreciate processional music as presented, to a rough accompaniment of trombone, triangle, concertina. ‘ or drum. “Saints of God, lift up your voices” wa*S not, it was considered, appropriate for a mere mouthorgan obbligato. So the crowds broke, up the Army’s processions, and magisti.ites were not friendly when charges of obstruction were preferred. The hostile attitude of ithe civil powers was, indeed, the subject of great concern to General Booth, and he still recalls how*, when street violence was at its height, he and his followers received fresh entouraginent from his wife’s reminder that “triumph must needs lie by way of Calvary.” To-day persecution has ceased. The Salvation Army uniform is respected by the roughest, and its bands, no longer untuneful, and comprising probably a. qua.rter of a million instruments, number not a few crack musicians. So rapidly' extending an organisation naturally attracted external attention, and it is an ope'n secret that at one time General Booth was approached with a view' to the Salvation Army allying itself with the CTuirch of England. But undenominational from its commencement, the Army ha»s so remained — the Cinderella of all sects and communities, the formal ally of none.