The record-union., 1897-10-10
THE OLD AND NEW.
Commander Booth Explains the
Difference Between the Armies

/
In an interview on the subject of his
withdrawal from the Salvation Army,
Commander Booth said:
When taking into consideration the
primary and indispensable difference
between the new and the old move
ment, I do not feel that the American
public win expect any apology from
me on this trip for the existence of the
Volunteers of America. 1t will be re-
called that at the time of our forced
separation from the Salvation Army,
Mrs. Booth and myself distinctly prom
ised that if we felt led to inaugurate a
new movement the same should be dis
tinctly American in its character and
[ have reason to believe that the prin-
ciples we have incorporated into the
same are ample justification for its
Organization.
Perhaps we, who had been formerly
associated with the old, or English
movement, can the better appreciate
the elements which have been incorpo-
rated into the Volunteers, and having
suffered as few can understand, in the
interests Of this country, in order that
we might build into the structure GER
tain American principles of stability
and permanence it would be manifest
~ unfair for even the most prejudiced
to pass by the movement without at
least considering these differences:
"F'irst-In the old organization the
government is essentially and unalter
ably one of autocracy. Not only is the
General-in Chief of the Salvation Army,
4, III fv,a a1c IA
al control, but in direct opposition to
the spirit of this country he elects his
own successor; whereas in the Volun-
teers of America the government is es-
sentially democratic, and by a provis-
ion in it's constitution, the officer in
supreme military command shall be
elected by the soldiers and the new
movement is governed by a grand field
council and a board of directors serv-
ing under the laws of the United States
as an incorporated society and legally
registered as such in the State of New
York. We bear in remembrance the
words of Abraham Lincoln (and what
can be stronger), The rule Of the mi
nority, as a permanent arrangement, is
wholly misunderstanding the ma
in some form is all that is left
"Second-The old movement is gov
erned supremely by a foreign power,
and during our experience when in
command we gradually became con-
vinced that the system of governing
the work in this country from for
eign center by laws made by those
unaware of the needs and conditions of
the country, was neither wise nor prac-
tical; whereas, in the Volunteers the
chief office or national center is located
in New York City, and the rules and
regulations governing the movement are
not made in England, but are framed
by a council composed of all the officers
of the highest rank and intelligence as
sembled in the empire city of the coun-
try.
"Third-In the old organization the
question of citizenship was not pressed
as an essential of officership; whereas,
in the Volunteers no person can be-
come a commissioned officer unless he
is a citizen, either by birth or naturali-
Zation of the United States. We can
not but feel that people who scrupu-
lously avoid becoming citizens are out
of sympathy with American principles,
and have little appreciation Of what the
Government has cost.
"Fourth-In the old movement, the
sacraments of the Lords Supper and
baptism are never administered; where
as. in the Volunteers the following ar
ticle appears in the constitution: The
sacrament of the Lords Supper (un-
fermented wine being used) shall be
administered by it's ordained officers at
intervals stated in the bylaws of the
society The sacrament of baptism
shall also be observed by any members
who desire the same
"Fifth-The old organization, in some
of the Northwestern States, despite our
repeated protestations previous to our
separation, is governed from Toronto,
Canada We had endeavored to pre-
serve the Union of the States one and
fnseparable' At this time the Saliva
ton Army work in Dakota, North Mon
tana and North Washington is govern
ed from Toronto, and we have been told
that the officers hardly dare to let the
citizens of these cities know that their
money goes to the Canadian headquar-
ters; whereas, article 3 of the constitu-
ton of the Volunteers reads: 1t IS, and
must ever be, an American institution
recognizing the spirit and justice of the
United States. and it is not, and never
shall be. controlled or governed by any
foreign power whatsoever
"Sixth-Whilst the old organization
has visited the Christian churches and
wisely so for the purpose of financial
support. yet the Volunteers are rapidly
becoming recognized as the most effect
i've auxiliary to the evangelical
churches in this country In evidence
of this, article 10 of the constitution
provides. that any member or soldier
of the Volunteers may retain his or her
membership in the respective church to
which he or she belongs: whereas, in
the old movement. church membership
is not permitted among its members.
..Seventh-In the old organization the
uniform is patterned after foreign mill
tary costumes. and especially is the red
tunic guernsey and band so essentially
English that we strongly advocated its
abolition; whereas. in the Volunteers
the uniform is patterned after the
United States regulars and militia.
though not 50 as to conflict with either
of those military bodies