The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-12-04
THE SALVATION ARMY.
Something About It's Inception and Trans
ference to America,

1STouCo TO Am0E1C8s
The idea of the Rev. William Booth,
q Methodist minister (when leaving the
regular ministry he started the Saliva.
ton Army was clearly borrowed from
that Of 1gnatius Loyola when he found.
ed the Society of Jesus under rules o.
military discipline. To the idea which
took possession of tho ex-soldier. Logo,
Ia, Mr.. Booth added the itinerant sys.
tenn of the founder of his own denomina.
ton, John Wesley. The uniform Of
the army and the war cries attracted
many, just As the cry of "No Popery'
drew the apprentices of London, at the
Lord George Gordon riots. Happily
for Mr.. Booth and his lieutenants, the
adversary they vowed death to was the
abstract devil, and the weapons of their
warfare were not more carnal thar
tin kettle helmets and penny trum.
pets. By paying and provision.
the continuance Of a standing army
ready to march and get in everybody.
way at the word of command. The
novelty and eccentricity of the move.
ment, and the fact that it offered new
field for the combative energies of the
groggy bruisers of London gave it head.
way: the commissions granted to bel
ligerent females were a positive relief
to the domestic circles of the British
kitchen, and all those aggressive and
pugnacious humors which flesh is heir
to found vent and safety-valve in the
quixotic encounters of the "crazy patch.
work" regiments with the windmills Of
sin. With keen business faculty, the
Rev. William, now General" Booth,
invested in real estate, purchased public
houses for barracks. and even gained q
lease of the notorious Eagle Tavern:
and low concert hall in the city road.
The income of the Salvation Army in a
single year was 100000, which not
only made it's officers and privates "con-
tent with their wages" but enabled the
General, after the manner of Capt
Gen. Ignatius, to send his regiments
to foreign parts. It was an I'M
happy hour for the United States, and
particularly for the City of Churches,
when Booths awkward squads came
marching through our streets, Our in
telligent police stared with open
mouths at law-defving adversary that
that took possession of the City
Hall steps, and when a charge was
made upon them repulsed it with dir
of unearthly music compared with
which the united war-songs of Chero-
KEGS and Chippewas would be soothing
and peaceful. The nervous system OF
"the finest" proved quite unequal to the
confused noise and garments rolled in
blood" of the Salvation Army.
But like the Roman and British En-.
pire the army became too vast for sim
gle management. The Rev. Gen. Booth
forgot his usual business cunning when
be dreamed that real estate could he
purchased and held in his name the
same in this country as in his
own. Hence the schism which
has led to the Br fish commander of his
forces here becoming so Americanized
that he has incorporated the army I'M
der the laws of this State, thereby maxi
ing it independent of British control.
Booths empire is dismembered; his
colonial subjects have revolted and lift.
ed the banner of the stars and stripes
instead of the union jack. There seen 8
no reason why Maj. Moore should not
make as good thing out of the Ameri-
can Salvation Army, which has issued
it's declaration of independence and
been recognized by the State of New
York, as Gen. Booth, who, by the way,
has made his regency q hereditary mon
archy by appointing his eldest son,
Booth q, as his successor, has made Of
it's British arent,-Brd6k1yn Eagle.