New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-26
A "SALVATION FUNERAL
STRANGE SCENES AT THE BURIAL OF MRS.
BOOTH.

Salvation Army para1eS and meetings nave Deeu
nretty familiar to the world for years. Not long
ooo we had also an opportunity to see what o
salvation Army wedding was like. Now comes
Salvation Army funeral, In an intensified form
u combines the characteristics of the other func-
lions: their curious blending OF pathos and OF
bathos, OF earnestness and of levty, of the sub
lime and of the ridiculous. On the whole, it does
not commend itself to the observer. 1t has ex-
cited much derision and contempt. To very many
people it seemed vulgar and to many earnest
Christians it seemed exceedingly irreverent. Yet
at times it was undeniably and irresistiby i'm
| pressive. 1t is said that the managers OF the
Army are we'll satisfied with the manner in
which the event occurred That is o curious thing
| TO say though no doubt it Is we'll meant
The first act in this great mortuary melodrama
took place under the vast roof Of Olympia, place
| hitherto devoted to circuses and wild West"
shows For many hours special excursion trains
| had been pouring into London men and women
wearing the uniform Of the Army" and other
persons who were DESTROYS Of being present at o
celebration which was likely to be impressive and
certain to be unique. Long before o'clock. the
| hour appointed for the beginning of the ceremony,
crowds began to flock into the building. and by
| the time the service began fully 10000 people
| were assembled 1t was motley throng, but dec
orous and reverent. On the platform were grouped
| many brass bands, and at o'clock these began
| to play very slowly the melody Of the wel-known
| hymn tune Rockingham" and the peculiar char
| acter of the service was at once manifest. There
was no officiating minister, leader so to speak,
| of the congregation to direct their actions By
| words spoken. The eve was appealed TO- In the
| first place the voice followed. Thus while the
| band played the tune above mentioned. the fig
| ure was hosted upon pole on the platform; II
| was lowered, and was hoisted Quietly, and
with military precision, the audience rose to their
| feet and sang the hymn, When Survey the
| Wondrous Cross" Then, in response to another
numerical sign followed silent prayer, and after
it the congregation rose, while the bands played
| selection Of airs and the funeral procession en-
| tered.
The order Of the procession was, according to
| the official programme, as follows: Advanced
guard OF male staff officers OF the rank OF staff
captain carrying the draped flags of the nations
occupied by the Army, in red jerseys; the twelve
| senior male soldiers Of London the twelve senior
female local officers Of London the twelve senior
male local officers Of London; twenty out OF the
oldest female field officers in the Army, carrying
the first colors ever used in the Army, which were
presented by Mrs Booth TO the Coventry Corps
twenty out of the oldest male field officers of
| the Army, in red jerseys, eight female ensigns,
eight senior male ensigns, eight female adjutants,
eight senior male adjutants twelve senior female
| staff captains. twelve senior male stat captains,
the majors, the colonies, the commissioners, o
contingent Of the wives Of the majors, colonies
and commissioners, with sundry female officers
above the rank Of staff captain; the flag under
which Mrs. Booth died at Clacton. carried by
CAPTAIN Carr, her faithful attendant the coffin,
carried by selected staff officers, representatives OF
different nations the General, the Chief Of Staff,
the Commandment the Marechale. Mrs. Commits
sioner Booth Tucker the Field Commissioner, Miss
Lucy Booth, Miss Marie Booth, Mrs Bramwell
Booth Mrs Herbert Booth. Commissioner Booth
Tucker, Commissioner Booth Clibborn, Commits
sioner Raiton the Generals grandchildren, q
representative for Commissioner and Mrs Balling-
ton Booth. who have not been able to cross from
America in time for the funeral, carrying the
United States flag, and the members of the
Generals household. with those who at different
times had been in attendance on the deceased. y
After the entry of this procession, the numer-
ica signals began again, and in response the Lords
Prayer was repeated and hymn sung. Then
there was silent reading alternately Of Scriptural
passages and OF passages from the biography OF
the deceased. So il went on until the signal num-
Der "30' was hoisted, at which the members of
the Generals family sang, with pathos and feel
ing, the chorus We shall walk through the
valley Of the shadow Of DEATH which they sang
round the bed of Mrs. Booth when she was dying.
Twice was the verse sung. AT the first singing
General" Booth attempted 10 rise, but fell back
in his seat overcome but the second time the
verse was given he made an effort, rose, and joined
in the singing. Then, in dead silence on the
part Of the assembly. while the bands played,
a lesser procession than the original one filed out
of the building This over, the whole gather
ing rose, and after singing the first verse Of the
Old IIundredth Psalm dispersed.
The next day witnessed the funeral procession
from Blackfriars to Abney Park Cemetery. 1t
was a raw. foggy day, but the streets were
densey thronged with spectators, and the pro-
cession itself numbered many thOusands-50,0 600
according to one estimate. Its head consisted
of 5000 officers Of the army men and women,
marshalled in fifteen battalions. Each battalion
carried q flag, some Of them number OF flags.
| generally OF white. with inscriptions in colorcd
letters, such as Love one Another, Save your
Soul.- Believe in God" and one specially strik-
ing flag bearing the words Mother Of the Sal
walton Army" The coffin carried on an open
hearse, and bore no embems beyond Mrs Booths
bonnet and cloak, and the flag Of the Army.
| The deceased lady was an earnest advocate OF
funeral reform, and, knowing her views upon the
subject the family had requested that no floral
offerings should be sent Accordingly, none were,
eycept three or four wreaths which were placed
at the head Of the grave. The hearse itself was
decorated with flags at the four corners, and but
| for these slight mement0es the whole OIL inc
funeraI narap6ernalia was of the simplest descrp-
tom ton. Eight Of the Army officers brought the
| coffin out of the headquarters and placed It on
| the hearSe. Fifty young women ranged them-
selves Internationally on either side, in line
With the car and at a quarter past , the pro
ccssion moved onward along its difficult route
IN n carriage Immediately behind the hearse,
escorted by the Chief" and the "Commandant
| of the Staff OH horseback.
Although at the cemetery no one was aamltted
| u;thont q ticket. a crowd Of some thousands as
sembled at the grave two or three hours before
| the arrival Of the procession When at last all