The New York herald., 1922-06-11

Il
a uniform he commands the
public curiosity; but because
Of that curiosity the public, perhaps.
misses his considerable abilities and
his singular attraction. His worst
enemy is his frogged coat. Attention
is diverted from his head TO his
epaulettes. He deserves, i am con-
WINGED, a more intelligent inquisitive-
ness.
To begin with. he is 10 be regarded
as the original founder of that re-
markable and truly catholic body of
Christians known as the Salvation
Army His picturesque father and his
wonderful mother were the humanity
of that movement. but their son was
it's first impulse Of spiritual fanaticism
The father was TIE dramatic show
man" of this movement. the son it's
fire. The mother endowed it with the
energy Of a deep and tender emotion,
the son provided it with machinery.
Influenced His Father.
1t was Mr.. BramweII Booth. with
his young friend. Mr.. Railton, abet-
ting him, who, discontented with the
dullness and conservatism of the
Christian Mission, drove the Rev. Will
lam Booth. an Methodist minister
preaching repentance in the slums, 10
fling restraint of every kind to the
winds and to go in for religion as if
it were indeed the only thing in the
world that counted. William Booth at
that time was 40 years of age
Again, it was Mr.. Bramwell Booth,
working behind the scenes and pulling
all the strings, who edged hrs father
away from concluding an alliance with
the Church of England in the early
eighties. Archbishop Benson vas anx-
ious to conclude that alliance. on
terms. The terms did not seem al
together onerous to the old General
who was rather fond of meeting digni-
taries. But Mr.. Bramwell Booth would
hear of no concession which weakened
the Armys authority in the slums
and which would also eventually
weaker its authority in the world. He
refused to acknowledge any service or
rite of the church as essential to TIE
per were essential the Army would
have it; but the Army had proved that
no other power was necessary to the
working of miracles in the souls of
men beyond the direct mercy of God
acting on the center Of true penitence.
He was the uncompromising protago-
mist of conversion, and his father came
to agree with him.
Elders Were Too Human.
Neither the old General nor his in
spired wife, admirable as revivalists,
had the true fire of fanaticism in their
blood. They were too warm hearted.
That strange unearthly fire burns only
to it's whitest heat, perhaps, in veins
which are cold and minds which are
hard. 1t does not easily make it's
home m benevolent and philanthropic
natures, certainly never in purely SEN
timental natures. l think it's opening
is made not by love but by hatred.
A man may love God with all his
heart, all his mind and all his soul
without feeling the spur of fanaticism
in his blood But let him hate sin
with only a part of his heart, mind
and soul and he becomes 4 fanatic
His hatred will grow till it consumes
his whole being.
One need not be long in the com
pany of General Bramwell Booth to
discover that he has two distinct and
separate manners. and that neither ex-
presses the whole truth of his rational
life. At one moment he is full of cheer
full good sense, the very incarnation OF
iocular heartiness, bluff, laughing
rallying, chatting and tolerant good fell
low. overfowing with the milk or hu-
man kindness, oozing with the honey
of social sweetness. At the next mo-
ment. however. the voice sinks SUD
denly to the key of what Father Knox
I am afraid. would call unctimonious-
ness; the eyelids flutter like the wings
of a butterfly, the whole plump pen
dulous face appears to vibrate Win
emotion. the body becomes stiif with
feeling. the lips depressed with trag-
edy and the dark eyes shine with the