The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-04-15
GEN. BOOTH IS 80
BIRTHDAY or SALVATION ARMY
cHIEF 10 CELEBRATED BY
HIS AiDEs.
LAUNCH NEW REFORM PLAN
In America Day 10 "Msrked by start.
Ing Of Move TO Found University Of
HumsnIty-Posts All Over the
World Attend Gatherings.

Chicago, Apr. 10.-Gen. William
Booth, the founder and commanderin-
chief Of the Salvation Army, is 80
years old to-day and the anniversary
Of bis birth is being celebrated in
every place on earth where there is
even a single member of the army.
In all the larger cities there are great
public gatherings attended by men
and women in all walks Of life, for not
only In the Salvation Army paying
this tribute to its general, but the
people generally are doing honor to a
truly great man who already is ac-
knowledged 10 be one OF the worlds
great philanthropists.
Salvationists from all over Europe
have flocked to London, where sew
eral monster mass meetings were
planned. Over some OF these meet.
ings Gen. Booth promised to preside,
despite his advanced age and the fact
that not long ago he was operated on
for cataract.
New Reform Scheme.
In America the day was marked
especially by the launching Of another
OF Gen. Booths original schemes for
social reform In the United States.
At every post Of the army was an
nounced the beginning Of work to
found a University Of humanity, a
great institution for the training OF
workers in social service. The uni
versity will be divided between New
York and Chicago, and II is expected
to begin with fund Of 81, 600, 900. The
gathering OF this fund is the work
that the army now enters upon in
commemoration Of its famous leaders
completion of his eightieth year.
AS a muoh-needed stone In the great
organizational structure that William
Booth has been building during the
past ~ years, this idea OF a school
for the systematic training of his
workers has been in his mind for sew
eral years. On his last visit to the
United States the general made his
fret tentative announcement OF the
plan. Since then he has worked out
many Of the details and he has Just
consented to the beginning Of pre-
liminary work In this country where
the need for trained workers has been
especially great.
Need Of the "unlversity."
The scheme of University OF HUI
manity grew naturally out OF the de-
vslopment OF the 20 other depart.
ments. With a field az wide as the
world itself the work OF the Salvation
Army is only limited by the number
of workers that can be secured and
Its effectiveness by the understanding
and earnestness OF these workers. As
uplift work has grown from local ef-
forts to help a few into a great in
elusive movement which must miss
mono, the problems OF organization
have grown greater. Charity has be-
come a science and its application an
art requiring the highest development
OF personal qualities OF insight and
altruism. There is thus pressing need
for workers Of quite exceptional quail
ification. These qualifications must
first OF all be inherent and must then
be developed by experience and spe-
oial training.
This is the new work planned by
Gen. Booth. These women, for in
stance, who are to go among the
slums Of the big cities must not only
have the desire TO help but must know
how real helpfulness can best be Sc.
cured. They must understand by a
study OF practical sociology some
thing OF the social forces that create
this poverty and crime and wretched-
ness. They must understand the dan
ger Of the unwise charity that merely
Increases dependence and understand
the value of better living conditions
In raising the moral courage of those
to whom fate has been unl1ind. They
must be able not only to correct home
conditions themselves but to impart
their knowledge and to inspire with
a desire for betterment.
Still Vigorous at Eighty. ~
At 80 years of age the head of the
Salvation Army, after more than half
a century of almost unceasing activity
is as vigorous and untiring as at any
time in his career. The inexhaustible
vitality and intellectual and physical
activity of this social reformer, philan-
thropist, preacher author and traveller
are marvellous. At fourscore he is
travelling many thousands Of miles
over the world every year, controlling
the destinies Of his more than 1000
corps OF Salvation soldiery with their
$4,000 commissioned officers, distribu-
ted among every civilized country.
preaching constantly to vast audiences
and doing an amount OF literary work
that would be a facer to many a pro
fessional author with no other ooou.
patton.
William Booth was born ON April
10, 1929, in Nottingham, England, and
was trained for the Methodist minis,
try which he entered and became one
OF the strongest eyangelistic forces in
that church. He grew dissatisfied
however, OF reaching only those with
some religious training and conyic
ttOu IJa foIk that &Aau.