The San Francisco call., 1896-04-15
NO SPLIT IN THE ARMY,
Brigadier Keppel Says Seced-
ing Salvationists Don't
Count.
NO NATIONAL PREJUDICE.
The American Jurisdiction May Be
Divided Into Three Command.
cries or Sections.

| Considerable comment has been called
| forth in local Salvationist circles by THE
CALLS dispatch of yesterday containing a
statement purporsing to have been made
by Mr.. and Mrs. Ballington Booth. In
brief, the statement imputes to General
| Booth an intense aversion to things and
ways American. So far, say the ex-
| commander and his lady, does the vener-
able generals antagonism extend that he
| is about to divide the United States juris-
diction of the Salvation Army into three
sections, each section having a slice OF
Canadian soil tackled to the north of it.
Popular rumor went further yet, assum-
ing that the generals intention was to
divide the United States Salvationist
workers so as to prevent anything like
national feeling among them, so far as
their work might be concerned. To more
effectually put down any approach to a
distinctively American branch of the
| Salvation Army it was said the general
would have each American district en-
brace small portion of Canadian territory,
in which the jurisdictional headquarters
would be located and to which all dona-
tions would have to be sent after the ex-
enses of each branch had been paid. The
statement of e1-Commander and Mrs.
Ballington Booth would seem, to some ex-
tent, at least, to bolster up these flying
reports.
Brigadier Keppel, though busy man
is good conversational. His attention
being called to the statement of Mr.. and
Mrs. Ballington Booth he read it through
carefully before making any remark.
This, he said at length, ''you must
understand, is our first informa ton on
the subject mentioned. Until we receive
orders directly from London we cannot
allow any newspaper statements to influ-
ence US. AT present, also, it seems to me,
1t would be premature to express an opin-
ION, except In purely personal way. 1t
is only my personal view of the matter
my individual opinion-that 1 am able to
give.
First of all, there has been no split in
the army. Its history, like that Of every
other organization, is dotted with deser-
tions and secessions; but in the Salvation |
Army there has been no corporate division |
commander, and Mrs. Ballington Booth |
was immensely popular. Both possess |
fascinating personal attractions and de-
votedness to their work which gained |
for them the respect as well as the |
affection of their subordlnates. Yet, when |
they left the army their following was
small and comparatively insignificant. |
Brigadler Fielding of Chicago was, per-
haps the most important member of the
army 10 secede with them. Major Glenn
of New York. the cashier and accountant
of the New York headquarters, Staff Cap
tain Pattie Watkins, whose singing has
made her famous, and two or three other
captains, with scattering detachment of
the rank and file, make UP the sum total.
Major Glenn has sent in his submission to
the army and asked for readmisson with
in its ranks, and have heard that Captain
Pattle Watkins has done the same.
the nf ha
can jurisdiction. 1t would appear that
General Booth, in considering the matter,
was swayed rather by ideas OF convent
ence and facility of travel than by any no.
ton of national feeling. The United
States is too large country for one COM
mander.
During the nine years of Ballington
Booths incum bency he visited the Pacific
Coast only once. l would not wish to be
quoted as saying anything definite, nor
can speak with precision in this connec-
ton; but | think the American iurisdic-
tion will be divided into three comman-
deTies, one embracing the Pacific Slope
with British Columbia, perhaps, thrown
in, with the commanders headquarters in
San Francisco another comprising the
territory west from Detroit to the Rocky
Mountains, with headquarters at Chicago,
and one covering the Atlantic Coast, with
its center in New York City.
perhaps North Dakota, Montana and
some other Northern States and Territories
may continue to be governed from Toronto,
owing to the greater facility with which
they can be reached and visited from that
point; but | have no reason to believe that
such will be the case. l do not believe
however. that General Booth wishes to
render the army odiouS to loyal citizens of
any country. Though governed from Eng
land it is not English; nor is it American.
1t is a worldwide agency for good, and is
entirely free from all national limitations.
If policy can be mentioned in connection
with work whose only object is the saliva
t1on OF souls, this, it seems to me- is the
only safe policy for the army to pursue"
When asked as to defections from the
army on this coast the genial brigader re-
piled:
'They have been few and unimportant.
In San Jose twenty-three of our soldiers
had seeded, and yesterday Sunday the
ringleaders came back to their old al
legiance. In this City we have three or
four ex- soldiers in what is called the Cos
pei Army There is another band of three
or four men known as Jesus Army of
which I personally know little, save that
its moving spirit is man of deep piety
with tervent love of souls. None OF his
adherents are deserters from the Salvation
Army, so far as / have learned.
''To sum up the whole matter" con-
cluded Brigadier Keppel, as he rose in
answer to request from one of the clerks,
''tne grand cid army is not divided: there
is no split in it: it continues to receive di-
rectlons as to its plan of work from Eng
land: but its field is the world and its only
sovereign the God whose majesty it seeks
10 serve"
nrEvrar0 nrrr IVY