Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-01


another opportunity occurred by which Mr..
and Mrs. Booth might have stepped into a
position of aff1uence thereby freeing them
selves from every temporal anxiety and ac-
quirfng at the same time the power to con-
tribute handsomely to the army funds. But
Trey again refused to avail themselves Of
the advantage for personal purposes, as
signing to the army at one stroke what
they might lawfully have kept for them
selves. Some of their oldest friends. who
had consistently manifested keen interest
in their welfare, urged them to follow an
opposite course. But, they declared they
desired not riches, and resciutely pushed
away from their own and their children
grasp the prize that might justly have been
theirs
Eager to preserve the movement from the
deadly evil Of nercenary motives, they re-
allied the inestimable privilege of them
selves setting an example OF self-abnega-
ton. Renouncing their own share in the
profits, they could call upon each officer
battles interests as actively end enthus.-
astically for the sake Of the cause az though
they were personally benefiting by the
transaction.
Movement in America.
The birth of the Salvation Army in Amer
lea took place in 1880 in on abandoned
chair factory in Philadelph.a. The work
spread RAPIDLY, and a year later Command
er Ballington Booth and his wife came over
to engage in it.
The close of the year 1882 was signalized
by a great demonotration at Exeter Hall.
Lordon, at which no less than one hundred
and one officers were set apart for service
at home and abroad. Detachments were
specially commissioned for service in In
dia. America. New zealand, Sweden and
the Cape of Good Hope.
The work In Canada was also commenced
that year by party of officers sent from
New York. The movement spread with
sary to separate the dominion from the
states. forming 1t into another commission
ership.
The phenomenal success of the Salvation
Army gave rise to the establishment about
this time of numerous imitation armies.
The names themselves were SO similar as
to be ordinarily COMPOUNDED with that of
the Salvation Army, There were Chris
tian, Army, Gospel armies. Hallelujah
armies, Holiness armies, Blue Ribbon
armies and others. All these. almost with
out exception speedily came to naught.
By 1885 the foreign corps of the Saliva
ton Army had increased from 273 to $40.
Those in Great Britain had risen from G37
to 500. There had been proportionate pro-
time. 1885. thare were no less than 3,O7G,
being an increase Of close upon 1000 for
the year.
The respective figures for 1888 and 1887
showed no decline in the rate Of progress.
At the end of the latter year the corps had
increased from 1,7S6 to 1892, and the Off
GERS from 4.192 to 1854, while in the United
Kingdom alone no less than 14S,9O5 per-
sons had professed conversion in the year.
Among other things, tie training opera
llons had been so much extended that S4S =
cadets had been sent into the field that
year, while as many as 2,7T6 of the rank
officers. HoN' VI
The rescue work had been greatly ex-
tended, both at home and abroad. Through
the twelve British homes $50 girls had
passed during the year.
In 1886 the general visited tho JTp;tad
states and Canada, travelling $4,000 miles
and holding 230 meetings during the three
months ne was absent from England The
tbet nor ne met with everywhere proved
cots deeply into the foreign soff
An International Council
In the fall Of 1886 was heh~the, first
great International council, when repre-
sentatives from all parts Of the world
were summoned to take part il week of
united demonstrations. Some 1000 British
officers were also gathered to meet the
foreign contingents.
The highest expectations cherished with
regard to these meetings were more than
reaized. NO less than LOO homes were
gratuitously offered by London friends for
the incoming officers. Sixteen nationaIities
were represented. including America, Can
ada, Sweden Norway, France, Swftzer-
iahd ana India Never was the cosmopoli-
tan character of the movement more
clearly demonstrated. National differences
were forgotten, while officers and soldiers
met each other under the one uniyersa |
nag and renewed their vows to do their
utmost for the salvation of their country
men Thirty public meetings were held,
with total audiences of 10000 people.
II was suggested by some Of the pro-
vlnclal friends who had come to London
for the occasion that simlaf meetings
thar No
eral was pleased with the idea, and ar
ranged Immediately for a tour, In company
with fifty of the foreigners. Not only were
the expenses OF this party entirely covered
profits were realized for the prosecution
or the ar1ny's missionary work.
1t was during this tour that the idea
occurred to the general of sending out
in place of the few workers who had
hitherto been dispatched. The plan was
therefore put in operation, and before the
new year had commenced 1856 officers were
on tnelr way to foreign lands-probably the
greatest effort any single missionary body
has ever made in SO brief space of time
The largest of the detachments numbered
forty, and was sent to reinforce the work
In India and Ceylon. In the following year
an unexpected donation Of $4,000 from a
warm friend of the army in China enabled
the general to dispatch to India another
party of fifty officers
Mrs. Booths Death
Probably the worst blow that has yet
fallen upon the Salvation Army was the
death. October 4. 1890, of Mrs Booth, wife
OF the general. She had SO much to do
with the work Of the army that she had
come to be regarded as mother by its
members. Upon the general the calamity
fell with almost overwhelming force Writ
ing to the War Cry Immediately afterward
he referred to it in touching terms, a part
OF which was as follows:
L need not say that in this visitation
the army suffers loss. 1t is quite true that
she was the army mother The coming
generations will regard her as the pioneer
mother. The army will mourn her DEATH
and has reason for doing so; but she will
live on and on and on In the hearts and
lives OF thousands of her daughters. Never
before perhaps. save in the case of one
and that one the most blessed among wo-
men, the mother of our Lesd, has there
lived saint who has had thet privilege
during her lifetime of seeing so many Of
her own sex encouraged ana elnboldened
by her example working ont her princi-
pies and walking in her stepA''
Condition Of Army Work.
The present condition of the work of the
Salvation Army in this country is espe-
cially fiattering. There are. at this time
1877 corps, with 2,437 officers. who devote