The Saint Paul globe., 1902-11-25
BOOTH TALKS TO GREAT THRONG
Church

eff I was not born in the Salvation
Army, at least, it may be said that
the Salvation was born insme.
With loud hosannas, ringing hallelu-
jahs, the blare of brass and the mar
tial roll Of drums, st. Paul welcomed
Gen. William Booth, who last night at
the Central Presbyterian church utter
ed the words quoted above.
He is very feeble-it is doubtful if
ever again he will cross the Atlantic
to his beloved America, his right-hand
child. Already his hair is white as
snow, the rugged, erect form is bent
with the weight of years and RESPONSE
bflity, and the flowing beard is white.
About his feet are gathered the grim
shadows of "the angel of the darker
drink" like the ghosts upon the hills
of Morven.
1t is certain that the Central Pres
byterian church never before saw such
a gathering as that which turned out
to do honor to Gen. Booth. Hundreds
were turned away, and policemen
were required to keep order at the
doors.
The earlier part of his address was
devoted to telling Of the first days of
the army" at that time a very inSig-
nificant body of few but determined
workers.
William Booth was born seventy
three years ago in the city of Noting
ham, England, and at an early age
entered the Methodist ministry. He
labored long and earnestly in that
work; but the day came when he be-
came dissatisfied with not only the re-
suits, but the means of obtaining them.
He believed that more strenuous eff
forts should be nade-that the work.
ers should get out among the very
haunts of the ones it was desired to
reach; and one day he walked home
and told his wife that he had resolved
to place everything upon one throw,
that he would henceforth dedicate his
life to the service of God in the field.
1t was shortly after this that he
founded the Salvation Army in the
East end of London-eXactly twenty
seven years ago.
To quote Gen. Booth:
Makes Wonderful Strides.
"What wonderful strides has the
army made in those years-years that
are comparatively few! How many
souls have we saved in that short time
and in how many lands!
"The Salvation Army was founded
upon these words: IF any man have
not the spirit of Christ, he is none of
mine
'I was moved to sorrow deep and
sincere that day, So long ago and yet
so near, when 1 looked over struggling,
starved and striving Europe, and said
to myself: I will lay myself upon the
altar of human sacrifice, all impure as
I am. For had found the people with
whom I was to spend my life-for
whom I was to give up all, wife, home,
bodily comfort. And who were those
people? Why, they were those whom
Christ commanded us to Iove-the poor
of the world!
"Yes, we had found them And,
finding them, we did not hesitate one
instant we did not falter, but waded
boldly in. We burned the bridges be-
hind us-we sunk our all in it-there
was no srecrossing the Rubicon.
Tt is hard task to put men on the
right track, we found it so; but once
you get them on the way it is easy to
retain them as workers, the love of
God has entered their hearts and they
are too full toebe content idle.
Deep, very deep, we planted the
roots of our tendril, in good soil we
imbedded it, and high have the regal
branches of it's splendor risen. But it
was hard fight; for almost twelve
years we hardly knew whether we were
doing anything or not. Then all at once
under what influence 1 know not, I'M
less it was that of the Almighty Father
who had been trying US.
Now where are We? Let US rather
ask-for it is an easier question
where are we not?
Spreads Over Globe.
= "Our first inroads naturally were in
Scotland; then Ireland saw and well
coined us. Then we invaded Belgium,