The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-04-01
For Good Of Others Men and Women Filled
With the Holy Ghost Labor DeYoutly.
THE HEATHER MAJORITY OF MANKIND.
The Salvation Army Has Only to Be
in tho Future Precisely What IL
Continually IncrenSing Success
In tho United Stntcs.

cableGram has been received from Lon
don by the Independent, from General
William Booth. founder OF the Saliva
ton Army, London:
Your request Is another token of that
universal American interest i'm the fu
ture OF the Salvation Army, which am
sure the past sad controversy can ONLY
have increased.
with the arrival in New York of the
new commissioners. closes any personal
disputes as to their predecessors,
whose work they Will no more de-
sire to depreciate than do; nor shall
we wish to meddle with any body of
Americans who with opinions differing
from our own, may desire to carry on
religious work I'm the country. 1t Is one
OF our lnvaria bic rules to let other or
ganizations. working for God, carry out
their convictions undisturbed
The Salvation Army has only to he
IN the future precisely and growingly
all that 1t has been In the past TO in
sure continually increasing success
In the United States and every other
country. What 1t has become God has
made II by means nf the voluntary exer-
tions of men and women filed by the
Holy Ghost with unselflsh devotion to
TIE good OF others. It's future depends
upon the absolute maintenance of this
standard. Every present Indication
leads me to the joyful conclusion that
our American comrades Will not allow
their position 20 he narrowed even at
the bidding OF strong personal affec-
ton, but that they will persevere i'm
the march toward that universal con-
quest Tor Christ upon which every one
enters on cnllsting beneath our flag.
"Of course we do not expect to main
tain this principle In every land with
out difficulty and temptation, but the
whole record OF American history com
pels us to regard Americans as among
the likeliest OF people fully to appreciat te
and thoroughly to overcome every con-
ceivable barrier which may lie along
the path of fidelity to religious convic-
ton"
What our American force will vet be-
come | cannot help estimating by what
| have lately witnessed among the cX-
'trrmeSt Democratic Communwealths of
the Southern world. Just where men
must revel in unlimited opportunity TO
carry out their own plans. they most
highly appreciate the devoton which
leads the free to become the slaves OF
Christ and the servants of the poor
That Is why Australia has done more
lAopurtionately than any other nation
to help us in the evangelzaiion OF the
world.
The vast problem of the future to
Shi'5l pcpl'iS Is the conquest LOT lIOQ
OF the enormous ana growing heaten ma
jnrity of mankind. For that work the
army In India and Japan has sworn
hnH is showing peculiar adaptation. But
the united resources Of all Christian
lands can alone suffice TO deal with this
most urgent enterprise, and the Oriental
PEOPLE, accustomed TO witness the most
unbounded self sacrifice to their help
less idols of false ideal. will never yield
to the devotees of new religion whose
re'nunciation Is not es manifest as that
prac,iced by themselves
TO give up the hope of American CO.
operation in the conquest of the largest
half OF the world would be equivalent 10
desruiring as to the success OF our di-
vine mission among men.
Painfully as we have felt the possibili-
ties in America of the destruction of tha /
confidence which Is never 30 seriously af-
feCted as hy desertion. we think we also
see there how the perseverlng faithful
ness of the few most eventually secure
the restored and increased interest of tho
Intelligent many, so that no temporary
estrangement among our outside friends
in this or thai locality can shake our
faith as t. the ultimate result And
what we may already have lost have
been far more than compensated for by
what we have gained among our own
soldiers in every other land. Nothing
can be. more vital 10 Inc army : strength
and success than that It's people every
where should belong belong TO II from
deep. settled convictions other than per-
sOEal influences or passing excitement.
The late events have forced all officers
and soldiers 10 ask themselves why
they follow the flag, and the result has
already been a very greatly deepened
resolve to devote themselves In a fuller
conservation than ever to the Christlike
task OF seeking the salvation of the
whole world.
Therefore / consider our prospects i'm
menselybetter than at any previous pc
rIld of our history and / trust the
American press, whatever they may do
for any other institution, will continue
10 give us that unchanged support which
unchanged and increasingly self-deny-
Ing activities for such an object as that
for which we fight deserve.
The organic unity. real and lasting, of
world wide force, organized for
benetitting the shining and suffering
crowds Of ali nationalties alike, should
appear Utopian or even impractical, LI
can readily understand; but how the
avowed friends of the Army, and the
open admirers of the work of God al
ready done by 1t, can condemn this prin-
ciple OF union so interviewer In its his
tory and so plainly underlying its very
existence and be angry with me for
clinging to II with indestructible energy,