The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-21
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

Eve. Eva, Evelina. No. none of these fit the person or character of Miss Booth; i; but starting over. Eve, Eva Evangeline- the latter suits her looks and her life.
 
 Etymologically speaking. 1t may not be ccrrect to figure 1t out as follows, but somehow I got pleasure out of saying over to myself, Eve, Eva, Evangeline. evangelist
 And it's not so far astray if you take the significance of the name Evangeiine into consideration, for it comes from the Greek and means the bringer of good tidings. and I am sure that the keynoSs or the life of the commander has been to publish the gospel. which is but good news.
 If Eve, the mother of the race, accord ing to the creation story in Genesis, brought sin into the world through dis obedience and was driven from the Gae- 6en of Eden, one of her twentieth cen tury daughters named Evangeline has done much to relieve the story of the fall by lifting up fallen men and women and planting their feet on the rock Of ages.
 Monday night I went down to the Jeff fer son, and going behind the curtain, saw Miss Booth in the stars dressing room, and immediately nay mind began to think of the many distinguished actresses who had occupied it during the past quarter of a century. for some of the worlds greatest celebrities had made up in 1t to play their parts on the stage.
 It was my first glimpse of the worthy daughter of the beloved general, css late William Booth The door was ajar, there was no maid to slip dainty feminine garments over her trim figure, there was a total absence of cosmetics and the paraphernalia of commedienne or trage- dieEne; for she sat erect and soldierly in the uniform of her rank as commander of the American division of the Salva- ton Army.
 have always been fond of the drama and the acting, and the lives of the great actresses have made powerful appeal to me from my boyhood years to this good hour There is something fascinating about the ability to assume a character and make it live before the public. The dream of every girl who starts out in a theatrical career is to be able one day tc enter the theatre and go straight to the stars dressing room.
 Even the great Napoleon spoke of his star of destiny" but Evangeline Booth won the right to occupy the stars dressing room not by long apprentice ship on the road or in a stock company or a school of acting, but because for years she had followed the star of Beth lekem, and by experience learned that the world, for He not only saved her but through her hundreds of others.
 I came down on Tuesday morning with friend who had heard Miss Booth the right before in her rapturous address, and he said: What an actress she could have made.' He was of the opinion that she must have studied elocution and learned the art of dramatic expression, but without being able to prove 1t, some how I think that she became the mis- tress of assemblies not in any acting school but in the school of life itself
 I am not underwriting the actors pro- fession when I say that there is all the and in living it. Some great actresses whose lives have not been in line with the character they portrayed have given to the public wonderfully beautiful por- trayals of womanhood. The big thing about Evangeline Booth comes from the fact that she has gloriied her sex by her womanliness.
 
 I hope the stage will continue to pro- dGce actresses who can assume great roles, and play them with success, for the drama is a part of our modern life, and the higher and purer its tone the better it will serve civilization. As much as enjoy fine acting.s there is no actress who could play the part of a Salvation Army woman and affect me as did Nffss Booth in her wonderful story as she tcld it on Monday night to an audience which hung on her every word. started to say it was like tale out of the Arabian Nights to follow the story of Evangeiine Booth, who, beginning as a match girl in London, became the head of the Salvation Army in America; but it is better stated by saying that it is a chapter out of twentieth century Book of Acts, for in all history there is hardly another like unto it. And the best of it all, although the worlds leaders have been glad to do her honor. she is still at heart just a pure-bred English girl
 
 The stage cries for it's Rachels, it's El- len Terrys, it's Mary Andersons. and yet ours is an age which needs Deborahs and Huldahs. and their modern prototype, Evangeline Booth. It has been noted how the Song of Songs tells how a simple Hebrew girl, tempted by the glory of the world. but strong in her passion of holy love. merited the wonderful ascription. "Tair as the moon. clear as the sun. terrible as an army with banners" Is 1t too much to say that in giving this title to Evangeline Booth I am not guilty ot overpraise. but am merely giv- ing her her just due, for into whose