Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-10-29
WOMAN As BISHOP.
Remarkable Character and Career of the
Late Mrs. General Booth.
'1''''7E I ~ 'Aa" 'a'sfts.


The death of Mrs. Booth. which re-
/ moves from the world one of the most
unseliSh and most unwearying of its
workers, also puts as il were a tail-piece
/ 20 one of the most remarkable chapters
/ OF MS progress. From the social point
OF View, perhaps the most important
characteristic of the great organization
over which Mrs Booth and her husband
nave presided with such success is its
perfect recognition of the equality of the
sexes. Born sixty years ago, active for
the last thirty years in the public life
OF the platform and pulpit, it will be
seen that tine career of this remarkable
woman has covered the period which
above all others has opened and signal
lied the public careers of others of her
sex. 10 is true that religion and not
politics has been the field of Mrs.
Booths activities, while politics is the
sphere which has most notably accepted
the wOman'S entrance during her life
time. But, though. the contrary may
appear at the first blush, 10 will be seen
on reflection that there was just as
great need of some dauntleSS feminine
pioneer in the religious as in any other
sphere of public usefulness.
Sixty years ago women We're indeed
allowed To Doe religious, as they were
allowed 20 bc philanthropic-in
obScurity But, with tho exception
of the Society of Friends, none of
churches had allowed them to
throw themselves into the work outside
the narrow confines OF that limitation.
Even as Miss Jones as the hospital at
Liverpool. or Miss Nightingale among
the wounded OF Crimca, had at first TO
contend against storm of suspicious
and half-Shocked disapproyal, even rs in
another philanthropic field Elizabeth
Fry had TO struggle hard for any I'M
grudging recognition of the holy work
among the prisons, 50. too, 10 was with
any woman who felt stirred TO play
grand part i'm the religious movement.
Tradition ruthlcSSly thrust her back.
Her place was beside the hearth, not in
the active. struggling world of men.
The rcactionary barred the gate 10 poll
ties. and. as we have seen, To phian-
thropy; but before the gate of religion
stood mo- less formidable a figure than
81. Paul himself.
That famous dictum OF the Apostle OF
the GentileS became as wcll-wOrn on the
lips of prejudice as Mills one word
about protection in young colonies has
become upon the lips of modern protcc-
tiouisjs. Let your women keep silence
in the churches" st. Paul charged the
CoriuthiauSl; FOR il is not permitted
unto them % speak. but they are COM
maudcd % Doe under obedience, as also
saith the law. And ii they will learn
ANYTHING. leg them ask their husbands
900 home: for 10 is a shame for women TO
speak iu the church" Among such
Biblical cvaugeiStS as those of the Sal
Walton army there may well have been
some scarchingS OF heart over those
words before the policy Of Paul was
finally thrown over As an anachrOniSm
I'm the modern world. But thrown over
it was. according 10 am Interesting arti-
Gle I'm the new number of the RCriclr ~
Rcri1r>. I'm 1875. when the absolute
equality of the sexes in every depart
meut of the organization was >Olcmuly
and formally affirmed.
From that point In its career dates
the phenomenal progress of the army.
That. We take 10, is the work of the
woman who died ON Saturday. aud we
will venture 90 say that during these
months when she has been living pa
tieutly ON death-bed of the most
-rievous pain she has never for one
moment regretted that part OF her
achievements. Others have made pos
>ibic 90 the modern world the woman
as social worker, the woman aS politi-
clan. Mrs Booth saw in women that
union of spirituality with practical COM
maud Of detail and organizing power
which is if anything the special gift
needed in the high places OF any church.
/ And to Mrs. Booth accordingly We owe
+ the Woman as Bishop.
We are not aware that the Originatiou
iof any of the distinctive features OF the
/ salvation Army has ever been absolute
/ 'v and publicly credited 10 Mrs. Booth,
I with the exception. perhaps, OF the sim
ulc uniform of those religious VIVIAN
Idieres. the "Hallclujah LaSSeS." What
the General says about the conSort who
has worked with him SO faithfully and
SD long is that without her he would
have done nothing Of all his work, and
THAT the army is as much the chlld OF
their marriage as any OF the able and
energetic sons and daughters who are
now laboring at his side. That IS enough,
and that also serves TO remind us
of one pleasing thing. Like other wo-
mcu who have proved in their own per-
sons their right TO serve society i'm pub
'ic. Mrs. Booth also has demonstrated
in herself how well that public work
goes hand in hand with the old service
of the home. An intensely nervous
and retiring woman by nature, who
never 90 the last learned 20 address a
meeting I'm her husbands presence, Mrs.
Booth has for thirty years exhausted
/ herself by ringing and stirring speeches
to large assemblies. From her youth
% suffering invalid, she has worn herself
out with all the drudgcry of evangelical
ton. But while she has thus given us
"a splendid example ~ the Woman a
Bishop, she has quilted herself no less
well OF the womanhood Of mother and
of wife.