The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-08-28
SALVATION ARMY
LOSES COMMANDER
General William Booth Passes Away
at the Age of Eighty Three. Bran.
wei! Booth to Succeed Him.

WeIf BOOM TO succeed Him.
London, Aug. 20.-The Rev William
Booth, general and commander in-chiet
of the Salvation Army, died at 1913
O'Clock tonight. He was born at Not
tingham in 1929. The veteran Saliva
tion Army leader was unconscious for
As hours previous to his death. The
medical bulletins had not revealed tho
seriousness of the generals condition
which for week past, it is now amt
ed WAS hopeless
Twelve weeks ago Gen. Booth un-
derwent 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 blood poisoning set in
and from that time, with the exception
of occasional rallies the patients
'Calth gradually dec .incd The gen
eral recognized that the end was near
an1 often spoke of his work as being
finished.
Throughout the commander-in-
chiefs illness his son, Bramwell
Booth, chief of staff of the army. and
Mrs. Bramwell oI3oth gave their un-
remitting attentions to him both night
and day
The aged evangelist died at his res
idence, the Bookstore. Hadle Wood.
some eight miles from London, where
he had been confined to his bed ever
since the operation. Present at the
bedside when the end came were Mr..
and Mrs. Bramwel oBoth and their
daughters and son. Adjutant Catherine
Booth and Sergt Bernard Booth; the
generals youngest daughter, Com
mander Mrs. Booth -Helberd. and Com
DR.. Wardlaw Milne.
Public interest now centres in the
question Of successor to the late
commander. Under the constitution
of the Salvation Army, the general
nominates his successor. That Gen.
Booth did several years ago, placing
the name in a sealed envelope which
was deposited with the Salvation
Army's lawyers with instructions that
it should not be opened until after his
death
While nobody knows what name
the envelope incloses, the general be-
lief in the Salvation Army is that 1t
Will prove to be that of Bramwell
Booth. who for 80 years has been its
chief of staff
| Where Gen. Booth will be buried
has not yet been decided. While every
| English member of the Salvation
Army is convinced that no man was
more worthy of interment in West
minister Abbey, it is not expected this
| honor will be awarded to Gen. Booth
by the abbey authorities. 1t is the
general belief that the commander-in-
chiefs last resting place will be be-
side that of his wife, who 81 years ago
was buried in Abney Park, Stoke
Newington.
Etarting his career alone "a soap
box preacher in the sums Of No, ting
ham, Eng, at the age Of 10 years
William Booth ended it at "a as head
of an army Of millions OF Salvationists
scattered through "a countries.
He fought many real battles in the
slums Of London, and often was in
peril Of losing his life in the cause
but with those who rallied to his
support he formed the nucleus of his
great movement which was first given
the name of the Christian Mission
The present Salvation Army was
never foreseen nor was the name ever
| deliberately chosen by any one. Mr.
Booth was debating TO a stenograph-
er when he used the words: "The
Christian mission is a volunteer
army" When he looked over the pa
per later he substituted Salvation
! for volunteer" as the stronger word
and the phrase struck fire among his
mission workers. who seized the mil
! liant spirit from it,
So great was Gen Booths faculty
of handling and inspiring men that
Marshall Wolsey once declared that
the British army had taken lessons in
methods of organization. distribution
and control from the Salvationists.
-------
CHCORA MEETING TONIGHT.
Committee VIII Go From Here to Rep.