San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-03-11

no More to Him Than the Other Children
of the Army Commends the Army for
its Steadfastness.
NEW YORK, March 1.-THE Her.
aid this morning says: A cable
dispatch from Gen. William Booth
has been received at Salvation
army headquarters. 1t is the first
public utterance OF the patriarch
head of the army since the dissen.
sions began. Two days ago the
general arrived in London from the
east and Immediately had a con-
ference with his eldest son, Bran
we'll, after which the dispatch was
written. 1t was read from the
platform at the holiness meeting
at headquarters last night.
Commissioners Eva Booth began
to read the document to the audi
ence, from which all save Saliva
tionists had been excluded, but be-
came so overcome by emotion when
she read about the family love
which has "subsisted" among the
Booths until now. that she called
upon one of her officers to finish for
her. This is the dispatch, which Is
dated International Headquarters,
London, Eng:
Comrades Il find it impossible
to describe the sense of sorrow with
which / am overwhelmed today.
On receiving details Of the great
loss which has fallen upon US in
the action of my son, your late
commander, every high anticips-
ton of my heart for him for nearly
forty years, seems to have been
swept away, and every tender asso-
citation of his life with my own and
with his beloved mother seems
likely to be trampled under foot in
this hour of his sore temptation.
"The melancholy course OF
action, upon which has embarked,
has been taken in the face of the
representations of the chief OF staff
in spite of the affectionate entrea-
ties of his brother and one sister
and one Of my most trusted off,
GERS, sent expressly to New York
to reason with him, without any
communication with me OF any
kind in utter disrega OF three
telegraphic messages from myself
urging him to meet me in London
on my return from India to which
cables / have not even received re-
plies.
"But, though sorely wounded by
this calamity, / am more than ever
resolved In the strength Of God to
direct the government OF this army
upon the principles Of equal JUS
tice between man and man.
81 have never permitted the
close relationships OF family love
which have subsisted between me
and my children to secure for them
any preference in the affairs OF the
kingdom of God over their COM
rades, who, though not blood rels-
tions, have ever been dear to me
for their works sake and / will not
do so.
"Your welcome to my daughter,
Com missioner Eva, in her tempo
rary command has much gratified
me.
"Now every sensible mind must
recognize that had L been anxious
to retain the loyalty Of my own son
by sacrificing the principles OF the
army, 1 should have had at the
same moment lost, and deservedly
30, the esteem of all honest hearted
men as well as the approval Of my
own conscience.
"The suggestion that / had
sought to Anglicise the army In
the United States is at once false
hood and calumny, You, who
have heard me plead the cause of
the lost world, know 1t Is. You,
who have stood with me near the
cross know l have pleaded with
you to devote your lives for no less
purpose than that for which the
Bleeding Victim died-the saliva
tion of every nation.
"The Salvation army is as much
American as it is English. 1t is
for the children OF the poor and be-
longs to every lands.
Comrades 1 rely upon you. L
have done so since the first mutter-
ings of this storm reached me in
India. You have acted just as /
should have had expected you to
act. By your toll and self sacrifice