The record-union., 1894-12-27
THE SALVATION ARMY'S CHIEFTAIN.
Arrival and Reception of the Famed
General Booth.
He Addresses Four Meetings In This
City-Lar2e Audiences Gather
to Listen to Him.

Sacramento had the honor yesterday of
the presence of General Booth, the
founder and head of the Salvation Army.
who is making a tour of the United
States.
The local army corps, with the Char
ioteers' Band of San Francisco, marched
to the depot on Tuesday evening to meet
the General on his arrival from Fresno.
The depot was thronged with memb
of the Salvation Army and others. The
train was late in arriving, and. while
waiting for the train, the band rendered
q number of familiar selections.
When the train stopped the crowd
surged around it in vain effort see the
world-famed evangelist. So dense was
the throng that many were unable to see
the General When he made his appear
ance mighty cheer went up from the
crowd. The cheering and music from
the band was kept up until General
Booth entered a carriage and was driven
to the residence OF j. II. Glide, at Ninth
and III streets. After taking a lew min
uteS of much-ueeded rest he was driven
to the Congregational Church, where be
delivered a lecture on Social Evils, :"
slums and among the riffraff OF London.
1t was some time before General Booth
made his appearance on the platform,
and the cause of the delay was ex-
planned by one of his staff officers, who
said The train was late in arriving, and
that the General wanted a little rest be-
lore commencing his address. The audi
ence was requested to arise when the
General appeared and give him real
California welcome. While waiting for
the meeting to commence several selec-
tions were rendered by the band.
A request was made by one OF the staff
officers that if any clergymen were pres
ent they come forward and take seats on
the platform. The invitation was ac-
cepted by Rev. r. NJ. Stevenson of
w estminster Presbyterian Church, Rev.
A. b. Banks of the First Baptist Church,
Rev. a. G. Herrick of Calvary Baptist
Church, Rev. A. J. Sturtevant of
Emmanuel Baptist Church and Rev. w.
S. Hoskinson of the English Lutheran
Church.
After the ministers had become seated,
General Booth and Mayor Steinman
entered from the church study, and the
entire audience arose and cheered as the
General and Mayor assembled the plat
form.
introduced Mayor Steinman as the Chair
man OF the meeting. The Mayor said it
was pleasure TO him to present General
Booth to a Sacramento audience. He
described the General as genuine phi
lanthrophist and said the world should
contain more men like him.
General Booth thanked the Mayor, the
Salvation Army soldiers, and the people
of this city for giving him such grand
welcome. He said the people were get
ting accustomed to hear him, and he
knew that the people in this country
listen to him with sympathetic hearts,
He would enlighten his audience, he said,
on the social operations of the Salvation
Army.
"W hile it is true of the darkest of dark
est England" he said, ''the same evils
exist ana are To be found in other parts
of the world. When / came TO South
Africa l told my officers to go and see If
they could find anything OF the class we
left behind. Reports came 10 me from
my officers that they found squalor, crime
and SlumS.'
The speaker said he had ooked into the
statistics OF this country, ana found lis
Verging on the same conditions and un-
less something is done on the lines ne
would point out, we will sink lower and
lower.
There are similar circums ances that
call for your sympathies to deal with.
Four years ago L published IN Darkest
England aud fifty years Of my life have
been with the mlserIes OF men. 1t has
been my desire, from my earliest child
hood, to benefit mankind, but that is no
credit to myself. 1t was simply an out
cropping OF nature. l left my church to
go into the wide world, not knowing who
would open their door Tor me. 1t was
done TO get at those outside of the church.
1t Is danger TO salvation to slC aside and
not go out To work for the salvation Of
men.
l., I
We're million persons who had never
crossed the threshold of a church. 10
seek them L consecrated my life. After
twenty-five years. work my book was
published. We don't like 10 look at
misery; we are selfish lot. You say you
have got miseries of your own, and are
content to look out for yourselves. What
the eye never sees the heart never grieyes
1or."
General Booth said that when he started
out he found three classes OF people in
England. First, the destitute poor-the
starvation crowd. American people, he
said, know nothing of hunger. There
are people in England who are hungry
all the time. Think what morality must
be under such circumstances.
The General then described the locality
oil the SIumS III London, where the sun
never shines. He also described the
squalor and despair that enabled and
IDONeu MIN 10 WrlLo MS DOCK. 1le Sal
walton Army women who go among the
poor through the sluns in London, he
said, are called Slum Angels. In his pill
grimages he had found the Same condi-
tions everywhere.
There is a rapidly increasing army
that is composed of two classes-tne VIC
ious and the criminal. Iexecrate evil
I condemn them who crafty themselves.
drunkenness is deadly vice, and no
drunkard has a place in Heaven. All [
ask OF you is, If a man is down help him
up. II a man says he can't reform, our
business is TO help him.
The General then desert bed the facili-
ties at his hands 10 care for fallen women.
The criminal classes are growing very
fast. There is comparatively nothing to
be done for man once down but to pun
ish him all the time.
When come To a place everybody
says have designs on their pock etbools.
W hen meet rich man L lay plans to
pick his pocket. l do it for benefit.
What is TO be done to help the poor souls?
Every minute Of my lie is mortgaged
for God. If society wants TO help these
millions OF tramps, drunkards, paupers.