Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-12
GEN. BOOTHS MESSAGE.

First Public Utterance ON the Saivnt
ton Army Troubles. u.r-,t-
The following is the cable message sent
BY Gen. Booth, commander of the Salvation
Army. to New York headquarters. previous
ly spoken of in the London dispatches to
The Star:
The Message.
Comrades: 1 find it impossible to describe
the sense OF sorrow with which 1 am over
whelmed today. On receiving details of the
great loss which has fallen upon us in the
action of my son. your late commander,
every high anticipation of my heart for him
for nearly forty years seems to have been
swept away. and every tender association
of his life with my own and with his beloved
| mothers seems likely to be trampled under
foot in this hour of his sore temptation.
THE melancholy course of action upon
which he has embarked has been taken in
the face of the expoStu,ationS of the chief of
staff in spite of the affectionate entreaties
of his brother and one sister. and one of my
most trusted officers sent expressly to New
York to reason with him. without any COM
munication with me of any kind, and in
utter disregard of three Geographic mes
sases from myself urging him to meet me in
London on my return from India, to which
cables have not even received reply.
But, though solely wounded by this ca
lamity, am more than ever resolved in the
strength of God, to direct the government
of this army upon the principles of equal
No Discrimination.
II have never permitted the close relation
ships of family love which have subsisted
between me and my children to secure for
them any preference in the affairs in the
kingdom of God over their comrades, who,
though not blood relations. have ever been
dear to me for their works sake. will not
do so!
Your welcome to my daughter, Commits
cin ENyyQ fr, hnrf
much gratified me-
How every sensible man must recognize
that If had been willing to retain the
loyalty OF my son by sacrificing the prin-
ciples of the army, I should at the same
moment have lost, and deservedly So the
confidence and esteem Of all honest-hea rted
men, as well as the approval of my own CON
science.
THE suggestion that had sought to An
glic!se the army in the United States is at
once falsehood and a calumny You, who
nave heard me plead the claims of the lost
world know it is. You have stood with me
near the cross. and you know that under the
shadow of that tree have pledged YOU to
devote your lives to no less purpose than
that for which the bleeding Victim died-the
salvation of every nation.
For All the World.
1.-THE Salvation Army is as much Ameri-
can as 1t Is English. 1t Is of the kindred of
the poor, and belongs to every land Com
iaoes' rely upon you. nave done so since
the first muttering of this storm reached mo
in India. You have acted just as 1 should
have expected you to act. By your toll and
self-sacrifice and devotion you made the
army what it Is in America, and YOU have
not been willing to stand by and see 1t de-
stroyed Ne
You will show no want Of patience with
those who have fallen beneath an almost
unparalleled weight of temptation and fat
terry. You will pray for them without ceas-
ing. You will by daily faithfulness compel
even your most bitter critics to see that we
are seeking only the good of all men. Yon
will allow no difficulty to check your adj
vance. You will not fail your general. You
will not fail your Lord. Let us remember
the millions without God, and devote our
selves anew to their salvation, and He will
grant US our hearts desire and fulfill all our
counsel.
"Your general, full Of love for all,
WILLIAM BOOTH"