The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1909-04-15
y UNION: THURSDAY, APRIL 15, sos

that his health would not stand the
strain and that if he did not desist
his life would pay the penalty. but he
hesitated not at all. Even when
comrade fell at his side Booth vert
on. He received a private education
from Methodist tutor and was or
dained to the ministry in the New
Connection church at the age Of TWEEN
ty-three. Three years later he was
married to Catherine Mumford, the
remarkable woman who was after
ward to win the worlds love as the
mother of the army" AS long as
Booth could act as a travelling evangel-
list he was content to remain in the
regular ministry, but when the con-
ference required him to settle down to
the ordinary circuit work he resigned.
with that resignation is yet recalled
In the gallery at the conference sat a
girlish figure, and when the decision
was reached that Mr.. Booth was to
give up his evangelical work the as
sembled ministers were not a little
startled to hear clear voice ring from
above, "Neverw It meant the cutting
of of a scant livelihood and facing
the world without a dollar, not an
easy thing for a woman to do, espe-
cially since there were already little
mouths to feed, but the noblest causes
in this world have been built on the
heroism Of women.
Life Often Endangered.
Out of the ministry and also out of
livelihood, Booth began preaching in
an old tent in Quaker burying
ground. The tent, which was donated
was ripped to pieces in a storm, after
which meetings were held in cheap
halls, in parks or in byways and alley
ways. The work was in the worst sec
ton Of London, Whitechapel, and the
young preachers life was often endan-
gered by the hostile mob. The cause
throve on persecution, however, and
in 1865 in a literally God forsaken part
Of the great city called Mile End
Waste the Salvation Army was start
ed. It was not at first called by that
name, but was known as the Christian
mission. Booth had a happy faculty
of coming phrases and in 1877 penned
the line, 'The Christian mission is a
volunteer army" Then he erased the
word "volunteer" and in place thereof
wrote salvation" The name stuck
and was the real inception of the
army as it exists today. There was no
preconcerted plan of adopting it, but
rather a spontaneous growth. In Il
short time the leaders were called
"captain," Booth himself became the
general" a uniform was adopted,
drums, bugles and marching columns
were brought into requisition, and
new era was started in religious prop
uganda among the poor.
In 1879 The War Cry was started,
which now, with kindred publications
of the army, is printed in twenty-one
languages and circulates over million
copies a week. In 1880 the cause took
on international scope by invading
America. The next year it was carried
into France. In 1885 the purity cru
SADIE was started for the protection of
young girls. In 1886 General Booth
made his first trip to the United States
and Canada, holding 200 meetings in
three months. In 1890 appeared his
most famous book, '1n Darkest Eng
land and the Way Out" During the
same year was founded the celebrated
Hadleigh Farm colony, system which
the army has extended over the earth
Then India was invaded. and the In
dian banking system was inaugurated
to protect the poor from extortionate
rates Of interest. There followed the
establishment Of homes and employ
ment for Armenian refugees, the naval
and military league to work among
soldiers and sailors throughout the
world, homes for fallen women, shell
tiers for waits and strays, prison gate
homes for eX-cOnvicts, servants homes,
hospitals, factories and workshops,
bureaus for temporary and permanent
employment, poor mems lawyer de-
partment, bureaus for tracing lost and
missing friends, food depots and shell
tiers for the destitute, free beds and
finally the anti-suicide department.
A Universal Traveller.
Whatever may be thought of the re-
ligious methods of the Salvation Army,
its social work merits and receives uni
versal praise. Behind all these benef-
icent activities stands the prophet
like figure Of William Booth. Auto
crat he may be, but if so he is an au-
tocrat for good and one who has done
more to spread self reliance and self
respect among those who most needed
both these qualities than any other
one man of his time.
Not only his institution, but the man
himself, is known in we'll nigh every
land beneath the sun. In the prosecu-
ton Of his work he has been a univer,
sal traveller, having traversed Amer
lea and Europe many times and hav-
ing visited Africa, Australasia, India
and even Japan. The dream of his
life was to stand in the Holy Land,
which he did some years ago, and his