Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1909-04-10
9OTH BIRTHDAY
Founder and Head of the Salvation
Army Honored Throughout the
Wide World Today.
(Herald Specially

(Herald Special
London, April 10.-General William
Booth, the founder and head of the
Salvation Army, was eighty years old
today, and all over the world Saliva
tionists of every degree and almost
every color are celebrating the ami
very. The celebration in London is
to consist of series of monster meet
ings, beginning today and continuing
through several days of next week.
The aged general, who has just re-
turned from visit to Russia, where
he went to intercede with the car in
an effort to secure the establishment
of the Salvation Army in Russia, has
promised to address several of the
meetings. The celebration is an inter
national one in every sense of the
word, for from all parts of Europe
leading members of the organization
have come to London to attend the
meetings.
A steady stream of congratulatory
messages from all parts of the world
poured in upon General Booth today
at his headquarters in this city. The
senders included not only the officers
and members of the Salvation Army,
but many persons prominent in public
life, philanthropists, educators social
reformers and noted divines took oc-
casion to felicitate the aged general
and congratulate him upon the sue
cess of his life work A number of
the London newspapers today con-
tanned eulogistic references to Cen
eral Booth and the great organization
of which he is the handspring.
In many respects this birthday of
General Booth is a momentous occa-
sion. It not only represents the fact
that the general has exceeded by de-
cade the biblical three score years
and ten" but promises to be almost
to a turning point in the fate of the
vast organization over which at pres
ent he exercises autocratic control.
In the thousands of army outposts
and barracks in various countries.
speculation is rife as to General
Booths possible successor, for one
thing is fairly certain-the time is
rapidly approaching when that will
have to be announced. Most people
imagine that no one else but Bran
we'll Booth, the generals eldest son
and present chief of staff of the army,
can succeed to the head of the organi-
cation when the great moving spirit
has departed. But, on the other hand,
there are weighty opinions to the eff
feet that Bramwell has not the domi-
mating individuality for the position
and that when the general passes
from the theatre of activity the army
will fall to pieces-or, if not, will be
kept going without a general"
AS If to combat the suggestion that
General Booths death win wind up
the army, concerted efforts are being
made throughout the world to demon
strate that the Organization over
which he presides is a permanent
one, quite capable of sustaining itself
in full efficiency even after the gen
eral has passed away. This feeling of
uncertainty has brought out the emo
tional side of the birthday festivities,
and they promise to be an event
unique in the history of the Salvation
Army
1t is now thirty years since the Sal
walton Army began work under its
present name. For about twelve
years prior to 1878, Rev. William
Booth had conducted a small organf-
cation in the East End of London I'M
der the name of "The Christian Mis-
sion" At that time Booth and his
followers were the objects of much
Tidicule. The street meetings and the
methods of the organization in gen
eral were looked upon as sensational
and often the forces were hard press
ed by persecution or prejudice. But