The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-08-23
GENERAL BOOTH
CALLED BY DEATH
Founder of the Salvation Army
Answers Dread Summons.
REMARKABLE CAREER ENDED
Aged Leader Of Militant Millions I'm
conscious for Two Days Before
Dcath-Favorite Son Bran.
we'll to Succeed Him.
REMARKABLE CAREER ENDED

London, Arg. 21.-Gcreral William
Booth. commarder-in-chef of the Sal.
walton Army, died Tuesday night. HI
had been failing since last May, when
an operation for cataract was perform.
ed on his left eye
General Booth died ut 1890 p. m.
He was unconscious for forty.eisht
hours.
1t has been known for years that
General Booth named his successor in
accordance with the laws of the army,
framed by himself. which prescribed
that each general should nominate his
successor. This has not been fulfilled
literally. for the name has not yet
been diyulgeI. The opinion in the
army is that his successor will be his
son Bramwell Booth, who has long
been his fathers right hand man.
Booths start In Life.
William Booth was born in Noting
ham. England, April 10. 1929. His
father was carpenter, who had little
but consuming religious zeal to sup
port him in the world BY dint OF
much economy the carpenter man
aged to give his son half education
and to send him to private theologi
cal tutor for preparation for the
Methodist ministry. At twenty.three
the young man took his first church.
a-small chapel in Nottingham.
IL Is said that Booth was not a
magnetic speaker, nor one especially
qualified for evangelical work, but
into that work he plunged with ire
mendous zeal shortly after his admis.
sion to the ministry OF the church.
During his travels over England on
preaching tours he met Catherine
Mumford and after long engage
ment they were married in 1856.
Plan Was Radical.
For five years after their marriage
Booth and his wife lived the precari.
Gus existence OF Tevivalists. lie laid
plan OF campaign before the confer.
ence OF the Methodist New Connec.
ton church. II was radical; they
would. have none OF It.
Then It was that the zealot cut
loose from the rtbodoxy as II was con
strued by his superiors and went down
to. preach to the people of the mean
streets in his own way. The flock
he chose to lead was not only of the
very poor. hut the very criminal, the
lowest dregs OF a great city.
- Charities and Reforms.
Before the Salvation Army was fonr
years old General Booth and his wife
began the long series OF social re-
forms and sterling charities which
stand as monuments to their great
ness as enduring az the army itself
Recognition OF General Booths
work came in startling manner and
Just at the time that the storm of
persecution, was at its height. This
was the message he received from
the queen one day in 1884 down AZ
his tabernacle tent in Whitechapel.
Break with His Son.
With the growth OF the Salvation
Army CAME the development of it's
generals" insistence upon a despot,
ism more military than any other at
tribute Of the army. Through that
very insistence rose the breach be-
tween himself ard his son Ballington
which resulted In the establishment
Of the independent body known as the
Volunteers OF America"
Probably this break was the great
est grief that was ever visited upon
the veteran evangelist
General Booths best known publica-
ton was that of 1890. Darkest Eng
land and the Way Out" His last
years were clouded by the failure OF
his eye.sight and weakened health.