The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-11-09
GEN. BOOTH BIDS
FAREWELL TO
AMERICA
Aged Salvation Army Founder
Sails For Europe.
GIVES PROMISE TO RETURN.
Great Crowds at the New York City
Hall Cheer Exponent of Militant
Christianity.

NEW YORK, Nov. 9.-At monster
open air demonstration, in which
stereOpticon reproductions of various
scenes connected with his life and
work formed novel feature, General
Booth, the founder Of the Salvation
Army, who sailed this morning for
Europe after what, In the course Of
nature, probably was his last Ameri-
can Campaign" last night babe his
soldiers in this country and the Amer.
lean people generally an affectionata
adieu.
The choice of an open air rather than
an indoor meeting for conclusion of
his final visit to America was made by
General Booth because of his belief
that no place is better fitted to contain
the pulpit of his unique organization
than the temple of the great out OF
doors. where many of his army's nota-
BILE trophies have been won.
Standing on the steps of the city
hall. surrounded by hundreds of uni
formed followers, the glare Of dozens
of red beaming torches showed forth
the tall figure Of the venerable eN-
ponent of militant Christianity, erect
in spite of his having reached the four.
score years mark.
General Booth addressed the great
assembage, three megaphonsts stand
ing before him repeating his words in
unison. He said:
my Beloved Comrades and Friends.
Il leave you now with confidence in
your loyalty and perseverance in the
war. Be true to your principles. BE
true to your Master. Stand by his
cross as he stood by you. Be true to
your commander She is worthy of it.
She has the love of my soul. Be true
to your general. Prepare to fight to
the death for God, for salvation, for
the true welfare of the nation; TO get
people to be good. to get men and wo-
men into heaven. to be sayiors of your
fellow men. Salvation for the presl-
dent! Salvation for the government!
Salvation for the people. Salvation
for the police. Salvation for the Unit
ed States. Salvation for poor old Eng
land, Salvation for the world, Win
the world for Jesus. Fight the whole
Of your lives. Meet me in heaven.
Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, good will to men"
Friends of everybody, enemies of
none! Goodby! I'll come to see you
again if / live, and If die I'll be car
risd over here, If they let it be so. God
bless you, your wives and your chill
.dren! Halleluiah. Ten thousand hal
leluiahs! All live for the salvation of
the world. Fire volley." [Chorus
of "Amenw1
Here Commander Miss Booth inter-
posed: Careful. father. You're kill.
ing yourself" whereupon the general
concluded his epigrammatic address
with the words, God be with you
till we meet again"
After the meeting General Booth die.
tated the following farewell words to
the people of America:
Farewell America. You have Civ.
en- me right generous welcome. On
this visit have seemed to come near.
.er to the heart of the nation than on
any other occasion. Fain would |
have stayed longer with you. Indeed,
I would have wished that some meth.
cd might have been invented by which
I could have been constituted one of
your own sons and so taken practical
step toward the realization of that fa.
therhood of the people which must of
necessity be the first step to that
brotherhood of nations on which so
many hearts are set. But under.
stand this to be impossible without
sacrificing my fatherland.
Nothing can prevent, however, my
living in the spirit of that relationship.
and in that spirit l shall think Of you
and pray for you as / go forward on
the path to which the reckoning fin.
ger of duty invites me- My visit has
been busy and / hope useful one.
1t has served, among other things, to
reveal to me the fact Of the improved
understanding as to the object and
methods of the army, together with
the existence Of higher appreciation
of its value and influence. Many OF
your leaders in thought, commerce.
politics and religion have said so in
most emphatic manner at the great
gatherings which have been privileg'
ed to hold. -