The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-13
GEN. BOOTH IN BUFFALO.
The Rugged and Aged Salvationist
Talks of His Work.


Talks of His Work
Buffalo, N. Y, Nov. 13.-Lilxe the cen
trail figure in some powerful drama,
shaking his shaggy head of long white
hair, his sharp profile projecting from
his flowing beard. his hands now
twitching nervously behind him, now
gestfculating above his head, Gen Will
lam Booth, standing on the stage before
5000 people in the Lyceum Theater ex-
tolled the mission of the Salvation
Army. He pictured the Salvation Army
as still an infant, yet which already had
invaded the remote parts of the world
with such rapidity that he said he be-
heved it was destined to reach the
North Pole before any of the explorers
got there.
For an hour and half this old man,
IN his I'D year, held spelIbound an audi
ence damned to the theaters doors, now
moving it with his wit, now silencing it
with the story which he had gathered
through 81 years of experience in the
Sums 1t was one of three meetings
held during the day. In the morning
Gen. Booth spoke to a large audience
from tie same platform and in the.
evening he addressed an assembly even
greater in numbers than that of the at
terncon. It was estimated that during
the day he spoke to over 0.000 people
1t was, perhaps. one of the most re-
nal kable addresses of rs kind ever
heard in Buffalo. and the most remark
dDle 'dFl OIL 1t was the NlSOr OF the
speakers voice. Gruff, gentle, deep, re-
sonant, it seemed the voice OF some ac-
tor, yet there was nothing o. the osten-
tatious or pompOus about it.
Here are some of the epigrams picked
from his address:
We pay our preachers to preach.
But why shouldn't we all preach? Why
shouldn't we all Dreach?"
If a mans got the spirit of cow
ard. he'll be a coward even though he
be as big as Goliah. If mans got the
spirit of hero, he'll be a hero even if
he be as small as Tom Thumb"
What is the Salvation Army? I an
swer ii is not an ism. it is not split
it is not breaking away from something
else. The division of the church TODAY
is appalling. I have heard of a mans
being asked what denomination he be-
longed to and he answered that he be-
longed to the snlit-and-split splits
What does the Salvation army do2 It
brings religion where it was never
known before; not a new religion, but
the same old fashioned religion of sal
vation.'
"A dandy once. approached one Of our
girls who was preaching IN the street.
The dandy reproached the girl for being
ignorant He condemned General Booth
for sending out people who didn't know
the origin of the Bible. What right
have you to preach the gospel when YOU
don't know where it came FROM You
don't know how to read it in any other
language but your own said the dandy
What can you do that I can't asked
the girl Why, / can say the Lords
prayer in Latin Re answered. That's
nothing replied the girl, i can say my
soul is sav we'd in English. .
Standing room only prevailed when
General Booth was introduced to speak
at the meeting. BY his side sat Briga-
der ". a. Mcintyre and the officers OF
the local organization. General Booth
announced his subject as 1.-THE Past
Present and Future of the Salvation
Army"
Seven years ago all the captains
brigadiers and bandsmen and plans of
the Salvation army We're under one hat
and I wore that hat" said General
Booth. Now look at it, But it is only
an infant yet. 1t is only beginning to
walk, and if it makes d few stumbles
and falls down once in awhile, you must
excuse it. I remember when my first
born was jug beginning to walk, at the
age of - months. I thought 1 was the
most wonderful father in the world foI
having a baby that could walk. Well.
when that baby fell down. its mother
didn't whip it, No, she lifted it up and
kissed it on the bruised place and put q
piece of sticking plaster there. Now
if the Salvation army falls down once
in awhile, don't punish it. but stuck d
50 bill on the bruised place.
To give some idea of what the Salva
ton Army had accomplished, General
Booth said that its flag flew in ~ DIFF
ferent countries There are 7.405 seDa-
900 bandsmen. The army published
81 different periodicals and 81 different
War Cries in % different languages. and
tire whole of them have a circulation o.
over one million. I'VE print love stories
in these periOdicals-love stories Of the
salvation of men," declared General
Booth land we have Advertisements
we advertise the work of saving souls.
And then we have SIS institutions where
the poor are fed and housed. We feed
over 1900 people under our roofs. We
have ia rescue houses, where last year
we tool. care of $4,000 women. and we
have 16 homes for ew-criminals, where
during the last eight years we took care
of ID. 600 ex-criminals.
Some of the dirtiest people in the