The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-21
teran Ev an G ellis
Passes Away at Home
Near London.
HIS SON PROBABLY
WILL SUCCEED HIM
Successor Nominated SeveraN
Years Ago by Commander-in-
Chief, but Identity Is Kept
Secret-Interment in West
minister Abbey Not Re
garded as Probable.

London. August 2o-rhe Rev. VIII
liam Booth general and commanders,
in-chief of the Salvation Amy, passed.
away at 1913 o'clock tonight lie,
was born in Nottingham in 1929
| The veteran Salvation Army leader
was unconscious for forty-eght hours
previous to his death The medical
! bulletins had not revealed the serous-
ness of the generals condition. when
( tor week past, it is now admitted.
was hopeless.
Twelve weeks ago General Booth UNI
derwcnt an operation for the removal
| OF cataract in his left eye. For two
| days after the operation Indications
justified the hope OF the generals re-
! covery Then. however. septic poison
ing set IN. ana from that time. with
| the exception OF occasional rallies. tho
patients health steadily declined. Tho
general recognized that the end was
near and often spoke OF his work as
I being finished
/ Throughout the commander in chiefs
| illness his son, Bramwell Booth, chier
OF staff OF the army. and Mrs Bran-
well Booth gave their unremitting at
! tention to him. both day and night.
Inc aSed evangelist died a mis- res
idence. the Rookstone. Iadleywood.
! some eight miles from London where
| he had been confined to his bed ever
since the operation.
I Question OF Successor.
/ Public interest now centres in the
/ question or successor to the late corn
manaer. Under the constitution of the
I salvation Army the general dominates
| MS successor. That General Booth did
several years ago, placing the name in
sealed envelope. which was deposit
ted With the salvation Army's lawyers.
with instructions that 1t should not 10
I nobody knows what name the envelope
/ lncloses tho general belief among the
J salvation Army is that IT Will provo
to be that of Bramwell Booth. mo for
/ t"lIiy years has been its chief OF staff
/ Where General Booth Will be buried
/ has not Yet been decided While every
English member OF the salvation Army
Is CONVINCED that no man was mora
worthy OF nterment In Westminster
Abbey II is not expected this honor
/ VIII be awarded to General Booth BY
I the abbey authorities 1t is the Seneral
belief that the commander enters
last resting place will be alongsids
that OF his wife. whn twcnty-one years
ago was buried in -Abney Park. Stoke
Newington.
Almost the last words of General
Booth were uttered just before he lost
consciousness lie was referring to
Gods promises and. speaking with
great difficulty. said; They are sure
they are sure-if YOU Will only be-
lieve."
It is Irobablc the obsequies will ~
clude the lying in state for several
days al Congress Hall Clapton follow
cd by big memorial service. ana a
procession from London to Abney
Park
Messages OF sympathy.
We have received messages OF
sympathy from all over the world.
CIR inc ~.
wards General Booth said Bramwell
| Booth this evening
Bramwell Booth specially mentioned
John Wanamaker's message. which
read:
Farewell to thee who never thought
OF myself but only OF others"
/ Colonel <itchng said that I'm tn
$ turday General Booth showed solicit
! tudo for the work OF the army He
I inquired about the progress being
made In America ANA India, and spe-
| GLAZE about the welfare OF the officer
! sent to China to report on the posi-
biiity OF commencing work there
| we had not expected the end quite
so soon' Colonel Kitching continued.
/ The general died very peacefully and
| quietly without the slightest strug-
gle | think the operation may have
accelerated death. but / do not be-
lieve was the cause OF his demise
think perhaps the disappointment
following the nonreturn OF the gem
erals sight was greater strain upon
him than the operation Itself tie was
very buoyant until three weeks ago,
when change for the worse occurred.
After that time he gradually sank
Starting his career alone as q soap
noN preacher in the slums OF Noting
ham. England at the age of nfteen
years. William Booth ended it At eighty
four as head of an aub. ( .allions
of salvationists scattert through
hfty-four countries.
lie fought many real battles in the
slums Of London and often was in peril
OF LOSING his lilo In the cause but
with those who rallied 70 his support
he formed the nucleus OF his great
movement which was FIRST given the
name OF the Christian Mission"
The present Salvation Army waa
never foreseen nor was the name oeilb-
cratoly chosen by any one MIR Booth
vas debating To a stenographcr when :
he used the words THE Christian MIS-
sion rs volunteer army" When he
looked over the PAPER later he substi
tuted salvation Tor "voluntcer," az
the stronger word, and the phrase
struck ire among his mission workers
who seized the militant spirit from ia.
50 great was General Booths faculty
for handling and inspiring mon thar