The Washington herald., 1921-04-11
Audience Hears Evangeline Booth
Trace Eloquent Outline of Salvation
Army's Growth From Obscure Start

watching the humble origin of the
salvation Army, one or two fear
less souls gathered in the garisn
light of a gutter lamp. Then they
followed her compelling words and
gestures and visualized Gen.
William Booth, her father, then but
a youth, looking up and away and
beyond the street lamp. gazing fix
edly at a light whose rays reached
the furthermost confines of the
earth.
The Message Bearers.
Still attentive, they gIimpsed the
early struggles Of the organiza-
ton, the ridicule, the prosecutions.
the contumely visited upon it. They
saw 1t across the seas, carrying
it's message of salvation and mercy.
not in the hands of frocked clergy,
but in the heart and tongue of un-
schoolcd laborer and artisan IL
was a bricklayer who carried the
message to Australia; a little mill
girl from the north OF England who
carried it to the United states.
And continuing under the spell
of this commanding woman. who al
one moment reminded them or
Sarah Bernhard, and the next Of
Margaret Anglin, they saw the little
band of hundreds grow to thou
sands and to hundreds OF thou
sands. They saw the army's pub
lications grow from one tiny leanet
to a hundred publications printed ip
forty-two languages, with a cir
culation of 1900, 900 copies weekly.
From Zone to Zone.
They saw the Esquimsux porting
over the Salvation Army war Cry
in the pickering radiance of the
aurora boreaIis: they saw the face
OF the pallid leper devouring It's
message of hope in islands Tapped
by summer seas
They witnessed the establishment
Of homes and hotels and schools and
dispensaries and rescue missions IN
every country of the earth, all to
serve humanity.
The Salvation Army is the poor
mans university" Miss Booth told
them. at Is the home OF the nome
less. the friend of the friendless'
the church OF the unchurched. L.
reaches down into the gutter ana
the mire, and it raises to the heaF-
enly heights Of self-respect ana love
Of God"
Pershing Present.
Reside Miss Booth on the pat
form was the recent commander Oh
anotber army, Gen. John J. Per-
shing, who in his speech OF presen-
ration paid high tribute to the Work
of the Salvation Army during the
war, throughout the course Of Miss
Booths address there was a pleas
ant interchange of badinage be-
tween the Commander ana tue ior-
mer -in-chief.
In the crowded boxes sat a score
Of wounded veterans in olive-drab.
who listened intently TO the voice
of the woman whose army. mad sent
them crisp doughnuts and steaming
coffee during that now dream-iike
period when they were waginS war
in a far country.
On the platform behind Miss
Booth was the National Stan Band
of the Salvation Army, which now
and then played an anthem SOFTLY
to afford background and atmos-
phere to some Of the speakers dra-
matte passages.
On the platform, too. were mem
bers of the clergy and other promf-
nept citizens.
And at the very end, all listened
to the preaching Of a doctrine of q
literal heaven and literal hell
the same doctrine that has brought
many to the Salvation Army drum
head in penitence.
Love Must Endure.
But" reminded Miss Booth.
though the mountains crumble to
dust. though the seas dry in their
very beds, though the heavens roll
away as a scroll. though this
planet. itself, burst into consuming
flame. the eternal truth of Divine
and all-embracing love must en-
dure throughout eternity"
The meeting closed with a bene-
dicfion by the Rev. Wallace Rad.
cliffe, pastor Of New York. Avenue
Church.
Commander Booth spoke again in
the evening IN the New York Ave-
nue. Church. This meeting marked
the close OF the Social, Congress.
viii leave WASHINGTON