The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-28


torial officers shall change. AT the
time the order came for Ballington and
Maude Booth 10 bid farewell there were
twenty other changes made of a ike
nature.
Darlington Booth, when the order
came. called together 500 OF the officers
OF the army before whom he laid his
grievances The other side was repre-
scented by Eva Booth, Colonel Nicol and
Herbert Booth. The great majority
of these officers before they had heard
both sides were firm IN the belief that a
great wrong had been done 10 BalHng-
ton Booth, and went there with the de-
termination 10 support him. When they
had heard both sides they almost unan-
imously decided that Ballington Booth
was mistaken and had misjudged the
spirit in which the order was given.
Darlington Booth, in part, in his let
ter said:
my Dear Chief:-This letter is not
written actuated by mere impulse. nor
penned through mere stress of feeling
On the contrary, its contents have been
pereptually facing US for some time
past, and We find ourselves hopeleSsly
and helplessly driven 10 take the stand
I'VE do.
a
time, when he is so perfectly aware Of
our feelings, is nothing short OF cruel
move We are concerned Brought to Z
check-matei The instructions 70 relin-
quish our command came 10 US without
a word from the General himself. al
time when he knows we cannot pro-
claim 10 the world that I'VE are sure our
beloved General has planned this with
far-seeing wisdom" etc. When We
cannot say that cit is the Joy OF our
lives to march in haste at his command,
etc" Nor could we truthfully say that
1--WE believe he loves or cares about this
country and understands its people and
therefore has made this move in its in
terest," etc. We have 10 be sincere
and cannot pen or speak that which We
do not feel and believe.
" 'Second-These instructions came TO
US when the general and you both fully
understand that we have neither the
heart nor the confidence to accept anoth
er appointment. Our position is quite
different from other commissioners.
Commissioners Howard. Herbert and
Coombs for example, may be right with
London, and hence may feel free 10 20
10 another command, and they probably
look upon the world as their parish.
Our attitude is different, We cannot
be nisincere. There are many things
which stand between us and the posi-
biHty Of our taking another appoint
ment, and they constitute the chief Bit
terness OF our present position. This
being the case, it looks TO US as though
the General had had an utter disregard
of our future. There is, therefore, no
course open 20 us but TO hand over
nd n Ia
which he knows so well is deared than
life itself to US, and then stepping out,
which for the sake of our dear and de-
voted troops, we shall do as quickly and
as quietly as possible. We have no
doubt that the General will say with
but slight regret: Let them GO" but
he Will be responsible for the wrecking
OF our future lives and the filling of our
cup with unmiXed sorrow "
To this Bramwell Booth replied:
The instructions came to you from
me, on the generals order to me. 10 send
them in his name You k3ow he was on
the other side of the world travelling
and holding meetings day and night.
and you have never before raised any
question about receiving his wishes
through me under such circumstances
But the real answer to this complaint
is that the general had both in Eng
land and America spoken TO you OF
your farewell as an approaching event
and 1t is not quite straightforward TO
write as though you had no intimation
of his intentions from himself. You
had.
The order to farewell reached you,
you say. at time when you cannot de-
clare that you feel It has been wisely
planned. 1 am very sorry that this
should be so. But 1 do not see how 70
help such occasions arising If there
is TO be general at all. If there IS to
be government of any kind In the Sal
walton army, that government viii have
TO decide such matters You know
what you say to a field or divisional
officer who does not think you have
planned his change wisely? You tell
him to trust in God and in his leaders,
and TO go straight on with his instruc-
tons.
That you do not think the general
loves or understands America, or has
planned this change OF your appoint
ment in its interests. Well, I am sorry
you do not think so. assure you I have
good ground for knowing that he both
loves and understands America well.
He loved II, II you Will allow me 10 say
studied II before you did, and began TO
suffer for IL before you did. I must
say that 90 not think that such crit
icisms OF the generals relations 10 any
country are either seemly or wise in
your mouths. ! have had constant op-
portunity OF judging, and I say deIib-
erately that in no nation under the sun
has the general been more deeply i'm
pressed with the greatness of our op-
portunity and more affectionately tnffu-
enced towards a great and generous
people. To say that he does not love
America IS a cruel calumny
As 10 the change not being made IN
the interests OF AmeTica-How DO YOU
know? Are you 50 self confident that
you do not think anybody else III the
world can take that commando How
can you possibly fOresee what the gen
eral Will do? I am pained % the
heart that officers OF the Salvation ar
my who have for years demanded OF
their subordinates constant obedience
10 its discipline. as you have done,
should raise such quibble when they
are asked TO apply that discipline 10
themselves
Let me say that no change he has ever
been called upon 70 make. has given
the general more thought or prayerful
than this With two or
three other great commands Il has been
upon his mind and heart for months. IN
deed for more than q year gone by
The interests OF Amerlca-that IS OF
the work OF God IN America. and in all
the world. has been the one leading ele- |
ment IN al that elaboration, and now
when he has come 10 the point OF carry
ing out what he believes he has received
OF God, you come forward and because /
You do not think Il IS wise that you
should rrrt5-sa rr1r.t-.a ont % fr.a c,-rma-i |