The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
Pen Picture of Salvation Arnv's
 Famous Chief EARNEST AND CONVINCING
Simple in Manner and Almost Awk- ward at Times the Famous Old Man is Dramatic WithaI.
 His Life Work.

Gen. William Booth, the famous founder of the Salvation Army, addressed three large audiences at the Bijou theatre yes- terday-morning. afternoon and night. It is estimated that fully 5000 people ls- tened to him.
 The published pictures of General Booth give one the impression that he Is large man of leonine appearance, who speaks in a sonorous voice; one whose stature and manner command instant attention and suggest the born leader of an Gggres- sive organization.
 Instead of this strong, shaggy figure a man rather small, decidedly slender and stoop-shouldered comes on the stage and joins in the applause which his appear ance creates with gestures that suggest at once his many years. He rises to speak and his voice, while penetrating is hoarse and small. He Is at this time a disap- pointment The faces of the audience show surprise and an evident effort to reconcile the real man with tAe one im- agined.
 Takes Form and Color.
 After an evidently stereotyped opening his speech begins to take form and color. to show the character of the man mak- ing it. Earnestness, absolute and telling, is the dominant note. The man evidently believes in himself and his work, and this work of his, according to all intel ligent observers, is something out of the ordinary and worth hearing about when ho u,bo hou All fa ct of his achievements.
 And now the audience stills itself and remains rapt. The silence is unbroken save by the voice with the earnest ring in 1t that gathers strength with each moment until 1t is distinctly heard in every part of the house.
 singularly Simple.
 Under the focus of thousands of eyes the general goes on with his speech. He has none of the arts of the orator. He is singularly simple, almost awkwardly convincing, yet dramatic withaL He sways constantly on his feet without a gesture of any sort for many minutes un- til he pictures the marching hosts whom the Salvation Army has saved; then he tramps back and forth before his au- dtors, stopping only to make sweeping gestures with both hands. All this his hearers note until the man is almost for gotten In the story he Is relating.
 It is so plain and straight forward that no one can fail to understand, and it's theme so vast that it's greatness alone commands attention and holds the inter est of all present. Even the interest in creases as the picture grows under the sound of that queer voice with the in- sistent earnestness. The army-of one man--is barely to be seen in the slough of London's slums. But it grows in num- bers and influence; it's flags fly in every breeze, its songs resound in every coun- try. It's few saved sinners become thous- ands and tens of thousands, its good works brighten the life of all humanity; it deserves help everywhere, and most of all in Birmingham.
 The audience draws long breath and reaches out hands filled with silver to the baskets that are passing. It keeps it's eyes on the figure on the stage for a strange thing has happened-an old man. worn by long service, has developed be- fore its eyes into a giant, the fit leader of an militant organization. It seems wonderful, almost incredible, yet all this is true. Each person in the vast audience has witnessed the transformation and feels that the speaker is a wonderful man.
 That General Booths hearers have lis- tened for more than an hour without sound or movement save at long in tervals astonishes them until they have time to think more quietly of what the man has said: then wonder ceases.