The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-05
BOOTHS ACCORDED
A ROYAL WELCOME
Magnificent Meeting at Elm Park
Church.

Magnificent Meeting at Elm Park
Church.
ARRIVED IN THE CITY YESTERDAY
Commander and Mrs. Ballin gtOn
Booth Explain the Causes and
Wherefore Of the American VOlun.
teer MOvement..MajOr Tumble
Accompanied Them..Their Visit
Was in the Interest Of the Movement
in Scranton.
Commander and Mrs Ballington
Booth and Major Trumble of New York.
leaders Of the American Volunteer
movement, arrived in Scranton at LIS
yesterday afternoon They were met
at the Delaware. Lackawanna and
Western station by Captain Hannah
Masland and Lieutenant Nellie Green,
who have charge of the movement in
Scranton, and by Colonel and Mrs. H.
M. Boies. The distinguished visitors
were escorted to carriages which con-
veyed them to dinner at the Boies resi-
dencc. In the late afternoon Com
mander Booth and Major Trumble were
rendered a reception at the Young Mems
Christian Association rooms; Mrs.
Booth was given parlor reception by
Mrs Boies, at which large number of
ladies were present and post of the
Defenders League was organized.
The coming of the Booths was signal
ized by a greeting which in numbers
and enthusiasm 1t would be difficult to
surpass; and the visitors accepted 1t
with keen appreciation. At s o'clock
in the evening Elm Park church with it's
spacious auditorium and galleries was
unable to seat the numbers that passed
through its doors. A steady stream of
people was entering from 7.D until $
o'clock ana after all the seats and chairs
We're occupied hundreds were Obliged to
avail themselves of standing room only.
At O'Clock Commander and Mrs,
Booth, Major Trumble, Captain Mas
land ana Lieutenant Green entered the
church and took seats at the altar.
Rev. James Mcleod, d. D., pastor of
the First Presbyterian church, an
nounced the hymn, Onward, Christian
Soldier" in which the congregation
joined, and after It was sung, Dr. Nc
Leod invoked divine blessing. Colonel
Boies introduced Commander Booth in
felicitous way and called him the
George Washington Of the second revo-
luton
COMMANDER BOOTHS ADDRESS.
The speaker assured his hearers that
the reception accorded to Mrs. Booth
and himself pleased them very highly.
He said that for ten years past they had
been carrying on mission in this
| country and were the recipients of
prayer and assurances that were gener-
| ously bestowed and they We're enabled
to accomplish untold good in the work
Of uplifting men and women to God.
| However long was the distance from
one place to another in establishing
posts of the Salvation Army, they al
ways found willing spirit among the
people which compensated for the trials
that confronted them.
He has been frequently asked of late
If he is out Of the Salvation Army. Up
to JAM 6 of this year Mrs. Booth and
himself were in command of the army
in the United States, which comprised
representation of over one million ad-
herents. with 1000 posts among 500
cities Of the country. On the morning
Of Jan. he received letter from the
international center informing him that
he must make ready to take his fare
wells and sever his relations with the
army in this country. The letter was a
great surprise. 1t ordered him to re-
port in England and said his successor
would be on hand to assume the duties
of commander.
Commander Booth submitted to the
international center a plan which HI
would agree to: namely, that he should
go to England to consult with the lead
ers there and Mrs. Booth would remair
behind In charge Of the army. He sub
mitted other terms that he considered
equitable, for 1t was hard to sever hi.
relations so summarily with his post.
here. The international center refused
to listen to him, and on Jan. 81 he wrot,
another letter refusing to go to Eng
land, and that night stepped from tn,
army. trusting in God, but without any
idea Of starting new movement.
LETTERS CAME FROM ALL PARTS
They needed physical rest, and pro
ceeded to enjoy brief vacation. Blu
within few days from all parts of tn,
country there came an avalanche Of let
tiers, from high and low, men in ecclesi
astical, municipal and state life, eXhol t
ing them not to rtire to private life, bu
to take stand, with the assurance anC
support of the American people. New
names were suggested. Some urget
them to take Spiritual Giants" Others
recommended christian Crusaders,
and still others Modern Israelites,
but the title, Volunteers Of America,
was suggested, and it comprehended 81
much that it was readily adopted
Twelve weeks ago the Voluntee
movement held its first service IL
Cooper Institute. New York, and on tn
following morning headquarters wer
opened up in two small rooms in tn
Bible buildeing. At present there ar
65 posts, 9 battalions, and headquarter
were opened last Monday in Uniol
Square building. Ten thousand squar
feet of floor space are occupied: 45 off
GERS are in charge, the movement own
its printing plant, and the Volunteer Ga
zette, in circulation only eight weeks
has 10000 paid subscribers.
There are those dear friends. the crit
les, however, who predict that tn
movement may not be successful. Lik
an old lady who was invited to see tn