The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-11-26
DEPEW BLUSHED.
Became Embarrassed While Presiding
Over the Ordination Exercises
of Mrs Balm gton Booth.

New York, Nov. 26.-Three thousand
voices uniting in the majestic meas
/ ures of My Country, It's of Thee"
| 500 faces beaming with joy and pride
from the terraced rostrum into 5000
| other faces which smiled back appre-
citation, sympathy. encouragement
from the stalls and boxes and galleries
of Carnegie hall,a dozen waving stands
of coIors-that was the opening of the
grand rally which celebrated the sec
Ond birthday of the American NOlun
teers and preceded the solemn ordina-
ton of Mrs. BalhngtOn Booth aas a
minister of the gospel.
Volunteers had come from Boston.
Newark and Philadelphia. and some
even from Chicago and San Francisco.
DR.. Chauncey NJ. Depew presided
over the meeting, occupying chair in
the center of the platform. To his right
sat Commander BallingtOn Booth in
full uniform to his left, Mrs. .Balling-
ton BOOth-a pretty, dainty figure in
her neat simple uniform of cadet blue.
In a. semi-circle behind them sat the
field officers of the Volunteers on the
| left, and eight ministers of various
New York and New Jersey churches on
the right.
After a service of song. Colonel De
Barritt of the Massachusetts regi-
ment, Volunteers of America, offered
prayer, and Commander BalnngtOn
Booth made a report of progress, out
lining the marvellous growth of the
Volunteer organization during the past
two years. Applause greeted the
statement that the Volunteers, a mere
handful of earnest workers at first,
now muster $50 officers and 5000 sol
diers.
At the conclusion of his report, Com
mander Booth introduced Dr. Depew,
who made a happy anecdOtal address,
in the course of which he repeated the
remark that he made at she time of
the origination of the Volunteer move
ment.
I said" said he, that we Ameri-
cans wanted all the world to go to
heaven in its own way, but we prefer
erd to go by the way Of America So
I gave my Endorsement and support to
this movement. which is a patriotic as
well as a religious one"
Half an hour later BallngtOn Booth,
in making an earnest plea for funds to
wipe out the Indebtedness hangingOver
the organization, said:
we must have $1,000 out of this
meeting. So get out your pOcketbOOks!
one lady has promised US $780, There's
another for $50! Here's another sub
scription for SIS. That's $175, DR.. De-
pew isn't it?'
Fifty more" said DR.. Depew, in a
stage whisper, leaning toward the tall
commandment
Don't you mean fifty hundred, doc
tor?" inquired the commander aloud.
No peach ever bIushed so rosy a red
as did the doctor then. But as a ripple
of laughter went around, Gen. Booth
stopped it by saying:
DR.. Depew says to ask for $50 more,
who will give ft2''
Somebody handed up an envelope.
and DR.. Depew gained cOmRosure,
which he lost again a few minutes Ia
ter.
There is one Individual in this hall
who could give US $4,000 tonight and
never miss it.. said Gen. Booth, and
as 5000 eyes fastened themselves ex-
pectantly upon him, DR.. Depew blush
ed and looked embarrassed again.
Mrs Booth made an effective address
in behalf of the right of discharged
cOnvicts to reinstatement in full social
rights, and told of her work in the
prisons.
Senator Foster Voorhees, also made
a brief address.
The ceremony of Mrs Booths Ordi-
nation to the ministry was a solemn
one. The pOstulant knelt upon prize !
dieu draped in the cOlOrs of the nation |
and Of the Volunteers. Her sunny head
was barred. Her gentle and impressive
face wore the look of one inspired. Five /
ministers of the gospel gathered about |
her and with hands resting upon her |
head conseCrated her to the solemn du- |
ties she had undertaken. The Rev. DR..
Josiah Strong of the Evangelical Ali |
ance offered the prayer OF cOnSecra- /
ton The other clergymen who took |
part in the ceremony were Rev. DR.. r. |
=. Macarthur, Baptist: DR.. H T Nc |
Even of the Fourth Street Pres byter- |
ian church; DR.. AmOry Bradford of the |
IlBIolUoPV 10 QoInqo 4sUPuouBSeISuoO |
\. J.. and Chaplain Barnes of the Pen |
itentfary at Sing Sing. Commander |
Booth, Brigadier General Fielding. Col /
rill OF the Volunteers, assisted.