The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-22

COMMANDER AND MRS. DARLINGTON BOOTH.
ences exist. Still he drops phrase occa-
sionally which suggests his English birth
and education. He is a tall, thin man,
whose physical characteristics are empha-
sized by the uniform he wears. 1t is the
we'll known uniform of the Army, but on
the shoulders shine the three gilt stars
which tell his rank. He has almost the
look of an asoetic. His face is thin and
very pale, and it's pallor is heightened by
contrast with his very black, thin mus
tache. His own experience in the work Of
the army Commander Booth has on the
tip of his tongue in brief phrases which
suggest frequent repetition. No doubt he
is asked to tell the story Of his life very
often.
He became convert when quite a child,
and he began Sunday school work before
he entered college. At college he suffered
a great many taunts and even blows be-
cause of his faith, but he continued there
until he was 10, when he entered on the
Army work. He was imprisoned at Man
chester-and imprisonment to a Salvation
Army worker is not disgrace; it is the
martyrdom of the cross. Later Mr.. Booth
was in charge of a training school for
men, where he says he gained great deal
of experience, and the men who passed
under his training are many of them in
leading positions in the Army ranks to-
day. He was promoted gradually through
the various degrees, and they are many.
They begin with a recruit and work on
upward through the grade of lieutenant,
captain, ensign and SO to brigadier and
then to commander. He reached his pres
ent grade when he was sent to America,
shortly after his marriage to Miss Maud
Charlesworth the daughter of rector at
Linehouse. Mrs. Booth was made COCOON
mander with him, and she. too, has had
charge of the work throughout the coun-
try.
Hardships at First.
The Booths went through bitter ex-
perience when they entered on their work
in this country.
1--WE have passed through three periods
Commander Booth said to me -reminis-
Gently. 1.-The first was the period of intol-
GRANGE The Army work has been baptized
with blood in this country. Women have
been mobbed. A boy in western city
was hung up by his thumbs while jailer
applied the lash to his back. A man in St.
Louis was struck in the head by a brick,
and his blood dyed the sidewalk. When
they picked him up, he was dead. Those
conditions, I am happy to say, no longer
exist. Then came the period of mere toll
erance People were pleased to look on us
as harmless fanatics, but they shrugged
their shoulders and passed by on the other
side. We were only 'riHrah to them.
Gradually came the day when we received
not only recognition, but sympathy and
help, from Intelligent men and women ev
erywhere. That is the condition which OK
lists today. There are 400, 600 people in the
United States today who are contributing
to the work of the Army. Where nine years
ago there was not an Army uniform to be
seen in New York city, today I could as
semble 1 900 people in front of this build
ing within short notice. In Philadelphia,
whore there was not one worker nine years
ago, there are today IS corps at work. In
one of them there are 90 men, of whom 28
are ex-jaiIDirds. And it is not the fault
of the twenty ninth that ne Is not ono too.
He was spirited away and hidden by his
friends to escape arrest We have 36, 600
soldiers in the Army today, and we preach
every week to coE1<eSation of 1, 600, 0o0."