The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-04
10 Honor General Booth
In His Eightieth Year

be 20 typical OF the man and his ca
rser. -
Most Of US have a vague general no.
tion that the Salvation Army IL great
and widespread Institution, but few of
us have any just conception Of the
true size and Importance. Who, for
instance. outside Of the Army, knows
that there are In the world $3.50 Sal
walton Army posts, 1870 Salvation
Army officers. and zo.sos musicians in
it's bands? Who knows that the Army
occupies and steadily advances In ev-
cry European country. except Russia !;
and that 1t II perfectly organised and
very busy throughout the East; that
in Egypt, India, Burma, Ceylon, Java.
Sumatra, Austrilia, New ealand. Poly
nesia, China. Japan and 20 back to US
again. the Salvation drum 10 heard, the
Salvation nag fiies and the Salvation
cohorts. perfectly drilled and splendid
ly led. charge fncessantly upon the
strong-holds Of evil7
Yet these are facts. And at the head
OF all this vast and formidable organ
ization with q complexity Of depart
ments ana divisions and phases Of eff
fort the ordinary mind can hardly
grasp. IL william Booth. with all per-
created all, and now in his eightieth
year still commands and inspires all
This great. world wide enterprise
now eniisting the efforts OF 30 many
millions he has seen grow from one old
tent pitched In an abandoned grave
yard, In the forlonest region on earth
one old tent. with . box for pulpit
and penniless man. unsupported and
uncountenanced, standing there alone
preaching to handful Of the worlds
oztcasts. Forty-four years ago: that
Nraz the origin of this mighty move
sssent that now encircles the globe. He
has seen and known and watched over
r. MI. for he was the solitary preach
err; ~ that old tent he laid the foun-
datiors; he was both architect and
builder.
It w q very strange life. For sixty
Ave years the man has had no purpose
except TO achieve what he calls the
saving Of souls. That though has held
and dominated every waking moment
With the utmost sincerity he has be-
iieved that he. like John Wesley. was
| sent. upon earth to rescue his fellows
To that end he began to work when he
was fifteen years old, and INCREASINGLY
ami with q devotion. even to us OF the
world, very moving. he has toiled In
the one cause ever since.
| The Salvation Army he has regarded
| as only means to that end: a means
particularly adpted to do work thai
| otherwise would remain undone.
General Booth was born in Noting.
ham His parents were Episcopalians
His mother was of q sanity piety and
unusually powerful mind; his father q
good man and honest merchant Al
fifteen he was converted at Metho.
Dist prayer meeting and Joined ths
Methodist Church. The idea of saliva.
ton and OF the eternal doom that HI
had escaped made a tremendous i'm.
preston upon his mind. Impression Il
not the word to use. but there IL nont
| other. 1t was much more than an i'm
preston. The idea soaked into ever,
fibre OF his brain and body and utterly
possessed him. He has been rescued
from eternal punishment. Now there
was laid upon him an Imperative dut,
that he should rescue other men.
He began at once. a mere boy, bu
having extraordinary gifts Of clio.
quence, and supported by q faith al
boundless as that OF Paul. He went In
TO the siums OF Nottingham ant
preached in the streets. He was jeer
ed. derided and stoned, but he kept on
ami night after night he led his hear.
ers to the chapel. He went into tn.
country and preached. He rested no
but toiled assiduousiy at his chosen