Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-19

church He was one of the strongest
evangelistic forces that the church has
known. At an early period in his ca
reer he was seized, as even few min
listers are seized, with passion for the
reformation of the individual and as a
consequence his evangelistic work was
successful in the very highest degree.
His first discourse as a Salvationist
was delivered on Mile End road, Eass
London. where his tabernacle was
rough, old tent in a disused burial
ground and his audience a crowd of
poor Whitechapelers. Many in that
memorable crowd were merely curioSi-
ty seekers, but before leaving several
had professed religion and were an
nounced converted For II years the
organization which sprang from this
outdoor sermon was known as the
Christian Mission, and its work was
confined largely to London's famous
East End.
Out of that modest but whOle-souled
beginning there has sprung into being
an organization which now, in 53 coun-
tries and colonies, has over $4,000 COM
missioned officers, who command over
1000 corps of Salvation soldiery. Where
the Wigwam of the Indian neStleS
amongst the pines of the forest, and
the round hut of the Zulu dots the I'M
dulating welt, where HindOo temples
rise in the shadow of stately palms,
and where the Australian digger sluices
the mud for the yellow gold. there are
to be found the representatives Of the
inimitable William Booth. The work
now extends into all parts of England,
into Australia, Russia, Canada, Japan,
India, Sweden, France, Switzerland,
Germany, Africa, Tasmania, New Yea
land, China, Korea, and the United
States.
Since the Salvation Army first in
vaded the far east there seems to have
been n wave of revivalism on that an.
cient continent. The old religion of
Buddhism, the equally ancient cult of
Shintoism, have been brought face to
face with the religion of the west, and
Christianity has been enabled to work
out its foothold in the orient from a
much more powerful standpoint than
the philosophic. the historical or the
theological.
The charitable institutions of the
army include prison gate and rescue
work, inebriates' homes. boys and girls
homes, farm colonies, emigration, nava
and military homes, maternity homes
nursing work, Samaritan brigades, hos
pital and benevolent visitation, police
court. Indian day schools, and other
great social enterprises
In England and the United States il
has printing and photographic works
employing men and women at trades
union prices. This department begar
with the necessity for printing song
books, and now it not only does that
but floods the world with literature o.
| its own making.
| As n Traveller.
General Booth is unquestionably. tn.
greatest traveller living In his cor
| slant journeys through Great Britair
and Ireland during the past 80 years
and his frequent tours in every cline
he has covered many thousands O.
| miles yearly. His visit at this tim,
to the United States is his second
long journey within a short time. {
twas only recently that he returna,
from a remarkable campaign through
Japan, where he was received witt
great acclaim by the mikado and hi
Subjects
| So far back as 1856 the Army
leader had visited the United State
and Canada, but his first great worlG
tour took place in 1891, when he vi
tied South Africa. Australia and India
Since then. in all, he has visited tn
United States, Canada Australia, New
Zealand and India, four times, Sout
Africa twice, and Japan and the Hol
Land each once.
In his widespread travels he ha
proclaimed the Divine Elixir to almos
levery nationality of man. Whit,
brown, yellow, black, have listened {
the great traveller and preacher und
their own skies, and wherever he ha
journeyed the flag of The Salvatio
Army has been planted there to r,
main.
A notable fact is that in all of thes
journeyings by land and sea Gener.
Booth has been marvelously preserve
from accidents and serious Hines
These Journeys, too, are the more r
markable when it is remembered tn;
they have never afforded the tireles
worker any degree of rest from h
arduous labors. The responsibility
the worldwide operations of the o
Sanization has always rested on n
head, whether he has been at home {
abroad.
Indeed, even in his jouTneyings h
is an interchangeable worker On shi
board he has a special chair in viii
he continues to work all day lon!
whatever the weather may be like
He has been honored by president
kings. emperors, governors, senator
\ mobiles, and public men of all creed
/ and opinions. Perhaps the most r
\ markable of these many reception