The sun. [volume], April 28, 1912, FOURTH SECTION MAGAZINE, Page 10, Image 50

About The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916

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THE SUN, SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 1912.
GENERAL BOOTH BLIND BUT TRUE TO HIS MOTTO,
10
1
"Fight to the Finish,
Army Head and
Plans New
y-ENERAli WILLIAM BOOTH,
f whoso life story lr. one of tho most
T extraordinary human documents
of modern times, linn just
passed hit eighty-third birthday. Ecsa
than thirty years ago lio and his wife
worn 8toii(l in the streets. Two decodes
'.Iter ho was received by kings mid em
perors and honored hy rJmlnrs mid
philanthropists.
Throo venrs ncn. when ho reached
hi eightieth hirtlidav. the event was
observed with n cole'mitten that reached
around the world. Tin- ;J ilvntion Army
in moro than llfty coir' tries niado the
day ono of specl.il iv loioing. mid thou
sands of other men mid women In every
rank of life inundated the London head
quarters with congratulations and Rood
wishes. This year the day wan observed
In i.viti- Salvation Artnv tiost with n
special knee drill - which means prayer- I
and many loving reft retires.
William Itooth was horn April tn, ISM,
In Nottingham, Inland. His father,
who had been a merchant, died when the.
son ivui a young lad, and as the widow
was left in straitened circumstances, the
boy hid to bo put to work. 'Hie mother
and tho wife of Wlliiam llooth were women
of unusual character and ability and both
exerted a deep.lntlucnce on his life.
His mother was n devout Episcopalian
and her son naturally belonged to that
church. Hut one evening, when ho was
about 15 years old, ho happened to pass
a Methodist chapel and out of curiosity
went In. He was s.i impressed by tho
earnestness and simple sincerity of the
service that ho returned the next night ,
with tho result that in the language of j
his new friends he was converted then i
and there. With hi mother's free con- ,
sent ho joined the Methodist Church ,
and immediately, young as nc was, uo-,
came an nctl-e worker.
From tho very first he was what Is j
known us n primitive Chri-tlan. He took
the Bible literally. He believed and Mill
believes In eternal punishment for sin.
With that as his conviction he threw
himself body and soul Into the work of
rescuing men and women from this pun
ishment. Every night, when h's day's
labor was over, he preached on the btreet
comers in tho slums of Nottingham.
He was hooted, Jeered at and pelted with
missiles of peculiar unpleasantness.
Hut he stuck to his soapbox or chair
or whatever homely pedestal ho had
mounted and went serenely on pleading
and exhorting. On Sundays he walked
out Into the country and preached in the
open air or in the little chapels. And,
ho always had a crowd of listeners.
Mrs. Booth a True Helpmeet.
When h was 20 he went up to "Ijondon
tnd continued in th same way. working
for his living in tho daytime and carrying
the Gospel to tho I'AKt Fnd slum- a' niclit
Sometimes he preached in Methodist
chapels, and it was on one of the.-' occa
sions that a young woman In the audience,
Catherine M'imford by name, listeninl
to his sermon and thought it the greate,
she had over heard. Like" his moth'
sho was a woman of deep religious feollr
strong, wise and gentle.. She and t
young preacher were married two yea;
later and to the day of her death she was
one of his ablest helpers.
lie was ordained a minister whn h
was 20, but he kent on withtheevangeli-tlc
work in which his whole heart was cen
tred. From the very beginning his one
overwhelming conrern had been to gt
hold of the people who had sunk out of
reach of ordinary help. If others were
won too, so much the better. Itut the
poor, the degraded, the outcast have al
ways been first with William llooth.
That was why a great crisis came In
his life in tv.i when the Methodist con
ference wanted to change his work and
make him a regular pastor over u regular
church. The conference that year was a
Liverpool and William llooth was there
an a member young, fiery. true soldier
of the Lord. His wife was present also,
sitting in the gnllorv.
Accounts of the Incident do not say
whether tho young couple knew In ad
vance of the attempt that was to be made
(prompted, it l hinted by en'y of his
siiccessl to reduce him to the routine of
ordinary pastor.il work. At any rate,
when tho quehtion came up the young
preacher protested in an impassioned
speech.
I am called of God to do this work I "
ho declared. "Shall I refuo to obev tho
callV
Leaning over the railing of the gallery
his wife cried "Never!" and he, smiling
back at her, echofd the word.
He felt that his consclencii was n true
guide, and following lis promptings
he left the conference Ills wife joined
him and they went out .nrm in arm to
fight the battle for souls In their own
wav.
Four years I iter, vithout money,
help or prospects and with no support
except the unfaltering loyalty and on-cotiragei-ent
of his wife, ho began his
real campaign. In July of that year he
secured an old tent, and pitching it in an
ahandor.ed cemetery in Whitechnpel
ho began to hold meetings there. His
euocefs was immediate. He got at the
very peo he wanted to reach and he
not only gripped them but held them
loiter he moved tho tent to an even more
dismal spot called tho MIIh End Wastn
and Ft HI his followers grow. Tho
tCtlt.
was old and rotten and ono night a,an,m' ,v, wnen uen. unci .Mrs.
storm tore It to pieces. I Mth led a procession of their followers
That did not discou.u:;e the Indomitable ' l""ouBh the streets of .Shoffleld thero was a
spirit of William booth. With his urnnge Kom,ino ot,
roncregation trailing ofter him ho found I Rules for Long Life.
otner even less likely places for his preach- j. Attacked by a mob which threw stones
Inn a dancing wiloon, an old warehouse, I ftn,j i,rjPB ftnd assailed thorn with sticks
ar.d finally brought up tnnro or less tri-1 and fists tho Salvationists marched stoad-
umphantly in n dlsreputalilo theatre
whleh he hired. Here he gathered uround
him on tho fetago tho motley array of
men and women whom ho had pulled up
out of tho mire of crime and low living.
And the pi oplo of Mile End road, wonder
ing and startled, camo to gae and to
listen, Erora that time tho work spread
like wildQrfa.
Named Sakatlon Army.
Having got a habitation, it took on also
a name, tho Christian Mission. Hy 1877
vlinam t'ooin was really at ttio Head nr a
nnw -..1!,.;..,,- E,.t II.. I. ,,l !....
new religious sect Ho had created an
organization, choosing his helpers chiefly
rom laboring men because they knew
thn field and were themselves known
there, but no ono, not even booth him
self, realized what was coming, Thn
Said Salvation
at 83 He
Campaign
Salvation Army ns Mich was mado by an
I unpremeditated scratch of the pen,
Tho thing happened in 1878 when an
appeal was being drawn up for aid In
carrying on the work of tho Christian
Mission, In the circular it was described
as a volunteer army, but when tho copy
was handed to Mr. llooth for his approval
ho looked it over, then suddenly drawing
his pen through the word "volunteer,"
wrote instead "wilvn'lon " Although no
one realized It then, the Salvation Army
was created by that change of a word.
'I he phrase immediately became pop
ular. Mr. Itooth. who had been known
as the general superintendent, was soon
called "tho Cicncral." His usuistuhte,
' who were not ordained ministers and
therefore had no title, were referred to
ns "cnplalns." And of course tho rest
1 soon became "soldiers."
Gradually the military form of the
1 nrgaiuz.aiioii grew mini ii nerame voui
pleto. (ieu. booth w.is iiulek to seo its
advantages and unhesitatingly made the
most of them. Church people called tho
, services a parody of religion. Scientific
men sneered. Spurgeon declared that
1 'ooth was bringing contempt on religion.
. . i . . . i .it i i
U'lxlev calle 1 tlM
bnntic Chri-tianitv "
Itut the (leneral knew whit ho was
about He siw the follv of trying to
mako people who wero used to excite
inent, to primitive, crude appeals to their
senses, )o satisfied with repression and
monotony Color and excitement they
must havo So h set himself deliber
ately to give it to them an'd tn ma te it
light for Christianity, not against it.
Tho uniforms helped. So did tho tam
bourines and drums, the (lags and genera
jovousiiess. He set hvmus to popular
tunes and his congregations wero singing
tho worJs almost before they were
aware.
His preaching was along the same
Hues, Ho made them think of fiod as a
reality, a boing they could understand.
Ho threatened them with hell; ahelltliey
could understand. Once he slid down
the bannister rail of a pulpit to illustrate
the ease and celerity with which sinners
were coasting dt,wn to hell. The incident
i- told with Spurgeon in the leading roje,
but it was really (in. booth that did it.
lie once said '
"I would stand on my he id on tho domo
of St. Pauls if I believed it would bring
' people to (lod "
All this time he was condemned as a
mountebank by conservative eoplo and
I abused by others in tho very ranks hu was
1 trying to reach, but gradually he was
spreading tho work all through England, t
Tho iioi-t savngo opposlt ion camo from
i tho middlocluss.es, although street ruffians
naturally revelled in the chanco which
" uiiiiifiH ituuiu'ti iui JIUUII-
nr..... ni ,tA...i, i.t ..ii .n ..v.l..., C. 1 II
, ily forward, making absolutely no reslst-
anco and attempting no reprisals. One
member of tho procession. Lieut. David
son, a big man who had been a champion
wrestler, was beaten severely and filially
taken to tho hospital with a fractured
skull. Fortunately flen, und Mrs. llooth
wero not hurt. The first act of tho Sal
vationists on reaching tho hall to which
thoy wero going was to kneel and pray
for their assailants, a course which Oen,
Uooth required of his followers through
years of mrsecutlon and ono which In
' tho end disarmed their b tterest opponent
.. , ... . .
and won profound symputhy and ud
miration
Although tho head of an organization
which has received und spent vast sums
of money (Jen. llooth has never taken
a penny from It for his personal use out
MtsM mm .MPH -; k sX.:s rmlpal30
MmLwt ra3w if.
WW 'W
side the actual work of the army, ne
has not oven received a salary. Years
ago a friend left him 5,n)i),t the same
timo taking the precaution to tie it up
so that he "could not build a hall with It."
The interest is about 2J) a year and on
that sum he lives, although naturally
his travelling expenses, when ho goes
on official journeys, aro paid by tho or
gani.'.ation. Ho resides in a little ho se at Dudley
Wood, about fifteen miles from London.
Since his wifo's death hu refuses to cull
it a home.. He says it is merely "a place
where 1 keep some furniture." Not much
furniture either, according to peoplo
who have seen It the neces-ary chairs
and tallies, a big bed anil that is all.
He says ho allows hlme!f only two lux
uries tea And n feather bed! Tho first
thing he does in tho morning is to pray;
the second is to make, himself a cup of
strong black tea.
He is an early riser, up at fl A. M ; a
vegetarian, a teetotaller und not n Finoker.
After his first cup of tea at 0 o'clock lu
works until breakfast, which is rarely
more than an egg nnd the inovitnblo tea.
Ho bus dinner In thn middle of the d.iy,
if one would cull baked apples or perhaps
browned potatoes or mashed turnips a
"dinner.
A little nap follows. Then comes work
until a very light supper. Perhaps the
indulgence in strong tea may have some
thing to do with tho fact that insomnia
Is his enemy and ho often "sees the night
through without Meop, A year or two
ago ho gavo in responso to a request'
soven rules for a long life. They are:
i:.it little.
Drink water.
'lake exeriise.
Have a system.
Take pleasures wisely,
Avoid excess of all kinds.
Aim high,
If ho is an example of tho efficacy of
these rules would-bo centenarians should
tako them as their own. At M ho works
as hard as most men do at half that ago,
HU spirit is ns dauntless as evor. Not
long ago a Methodist minister in England
was talking with flen. llooth and spoko
of his own intention of retiring from tho
ministry. The prompt nnswor of Jho
General was;
"Fight to the Finish:'
Take the motto from me; 'Fight to the
finish!"
Ily way of impressing this advioe he
gavo the minister his photograph and
wrote across it with a firm hand:
Eight to the finish!"
Certainly ho is living up to his own Ad
vice. He has just returned to England
from a trip to Sweden, where he addressed
the North European Congress of the BaU
vationists. Ho always takes a stenog
rapher with him when he travels, and
his days, whether on steamers or on ruil
way trains, aro spent in dictating corre
spondence, articles and books.
Ho has written about twenty-five vol
umes, tin, most widely known being
"Darkest England nnd the Way Out,"
which was published in 1890 and created a
tremendous sensation in Great Dritain.
Tho schemo as developed from tho ideas
expressed in tho book was carried out
along three main lines a city colony,
land colonies' and colonies over soa. Ily
that timo England's attitude toward the
Salvation Army had so changed that in
stead of stoning its leader Englishmen
subscribed tho foOO.ono he asked for to put
his theories into practico,
Since that time ho has raised many more
hundreds of thousands of dollars for the
A WELL, COOKED MEXICAN DINNER
Those who live in colder climates and
sit down to enjoy chili con came and other
Mexican dishes now listed on the menus
of city restaurants can have no idea
of the gastronomic joy suoh delloaoies
give when cooked in Mexican style, in
Mexican utensils, and eaten in an atmos
phere pervaded with the aroma of semi
tropical fruits and flowers.
The hacienda. of the wealthy Mexican
planter Is tho ideal place in which to en
joy real, nifty Mexican cookery. One
who gets the privilege of dining with the
administrator, his family and bis staff
of twenty or thirty foremen will never
forget the experience. First, the bouse,
usually a great stone building completely
surrounding a roughly paved court, Is
cool and inviting. Up a flight of stairs
and looking out on a wide veranda is ths
dining room.
Already the odor of oooktng bas per
meated the vlolnlty of the crude kitchen.
work of the organisation. Rome of the
ramifications of its activity uro farm
colonies, prison gato and resouo work,
inebriates' homes, boys' and girls' homes,
naval and military homes, emigration,
hospital and benevolent visitation, mater-
nitv homes, nursing, Samaritan brigades,
police court work, Indian schools and so
on. When Gen. booth was so years old
ho formulated and put into effect plans
for a University of social service, for
training young men nnd women how to
deal with social conditions which need
altoring.
Ho is in constant touch with the inter
national work of tho organization und
his decision on any mutter is final. Some
idea of tho imnicnso range of tills work
can bo gained from u few figures.
Tho army now has posts in lifty-nlno
countries und colonies, and its services
And such a meal as those odors forecasts!
For excellence of service a dinner tho
writer ate in one of those dining rooms
last winter could not have been surpassed
an'ywhero, Thero were some twelve
courses, one thing served at a time and
all well cooked.
Tortillas, hot and appetizing, came as
a distinct surprise to one who has eaten
some sort of ooncoction in tho States
which is supposed to bear resemblance to
the famed Moxioan product. After them
came frijoles, or red beans, stewed und
topped off with chill that was a revelation.
Then came fried bananas the liko of whioh
never tempted the patron of a Broadway
establishment no matter how groat the
purse nor how skilled tho chef.
The dutce which followed needs a para
graph all to Itself. That day it was
shredded coooanut cooked with sugar
and slightly browned. Delicious Is not
the word. A honeyed delicacy fit for the
Birthday Message a Hope to Accomplish
a Great Work n China What
He Has Done
are conducted In thirty-rour languages.
The War Cry, tho official paper, is printed
In more than twenty languages and lias
a circulation of moro than 1 ,000,000 weekly.
About 20,000 officers and employees work
wholly for the army and there oro nearly
0,000 corps, circles and socletlos. Thoy
support 050 institutions arid 500 day
schools. In addition to tho War Cry
thoy publish 80 periodicals. Last year
they provided 11,000,000 froo or very
cheap meals and 6,000,000 cheap lodgings
to the homeless.
Tho urmy bus enormous properties.
In most of the countries where- it works
It trains Its own urchltecta and builders
utid does its own building. It composes
and publishes its own music for Its own
musicians, and there aro actually 2,000
of tho latter In its various bands. Tho
head of this department is said to bo a
convertod Infidel.
It manufactures Its own musical In
struments, also Its own clothing. It has
an insurance society with 2,000 agents.
It has printing and lithographing works
and publishes all Its own books and period
icals in this country and In England. In
the latter country it carries on its own
banking.
Ono of tho most plcturosquo of Its minor
activities aro tho antl-suioldo bureaus,
which have been formed in various coun
tries. Their slogan, to uso tho modern
term, Is:
"Don't commit suicide- until you have
been our officer."
It bounds startling and some persons
may doubt whether it would do muoh
good. But tho army peoplo say that
hundreds of men and women havo been
saved from self-destruction by tho work
of these, bureaus.
Honors to General Booth.
The contrast between the abuse and
persecution directed against Gen. llooth
when ho began his work- and tho honors
that havo been heaped on him in moro re
cent years is ono of tho most dramatic
changes of fortune to bo found In any
man's lire. King Edward and Queen
Alexundra personally assured him of the
vahin tliey put on his work. The King of
Sweden received him at tho palace und
later attended a public lecture by him.
Tho King of Norway received him nnd
thanked him for tho work dono by the
army in that country. Tho King of Den
mark showed him signal honor.
In ll07 tho degree of doctor of olvil
law was conferred on him at Oxford. In
Washington ho was invited to open tho
united mates henato with prayer, an
almost unexampled mark of respect. Tho
City of London presented him with Its
freedom, un honor usually reserved for
royalty or High Government officials:
gods would give a certain idea of its
edibility. It was 6orved from a largi
platter kept hot and replenished much the
sarui as homo made wheat cakes are
hurried from griddlo to plate.
A few more delighting little accessories
and then camo a cup of after dinner coffee
which would mfte certain Greek pur
veyors of rare blends in Madison street
euvious. Tho wonder was that suoh a
meal could be prepared on a brasoro,
and the kitchen was visited with eager
curiosity,
Thore was the brosero, a stove made
of brick and extending around two sides
of the room. No steam. No smoke.
Very little heat seemed to radlato from the
coals. How gently the Jarros were boll
lug, and oh, tho patience of the cook
moving from ono earthenware dish to
another! Now and then sho fanned the
coals to enliven them. There was not a
single Iron kettle or skillet.
But perhaps tho most surprising thing
was tho welcome ho received In .liipan
when he went thero after the close of war
with Itussla. The Emperor received him
in person and hfs welcome everywhere
was perhaps tho most novel experience In
his Ufa.
When h went to Japan ho was almost
80 years old. Ho had bareiy returned to
England front that long voyago when K
came to tho United States for another
hard Journey, crowded with meetings.
He was here for the month of October, and
during that time travelled about 3,0un
miles, attended to a vast amount of impor
tant business and addressed tens of thou
sands of people. No wonder Field Mar
shal Viscount Wolselcy called him thi
greatest organizer in the world."
In England he has covered tho country
repeatedly even in these very reoent
years, sometimes making a whirlwind
canvass in a motor car and delivering five
or six addresses a day. His present
blindness is a result of one of these motor
campaigns. One eye was injured by
dust so that it had to bo operated upon.
The operation was not successful, the t
sight of the eye was lost and the other eye,
through sympathy, developed cataract,
with the result that Gen. Booth is now to
tally blind.
But with characteristic courage he Is
planning to undergo an operation next
month which may poesibly restore his
sight. And with an energy which alio Is
characteristic he is planning to make
yet another visit to America later in the
year.
Uis message given out on his birthday
speaks of his hope that the army shall
bo a bio to do a great work in China. As
a matter of fact China and Russia are the
only two great nations where the Sal
vationists aro not organized and fighting
their great battle.
In Russia they are trying to get the
chance to fight, b'ut so far have been
unsuccessful. Tho Greek Church there
controls the Government in the matter
and permission has not yet been granted
the army to work. A Salvation offlwr
is in the country, however, holding parlor
meetings In the homes of influential
fiersons, even of members of tho nobility,
describing the organization, its iiimi
and methods, and the leaders bono to
overcome the present Government op-
j position.
In China the work lias not been pushed
becauso there wasn't money to carry on
tho necessary mission work. Which
recalls u story told about Gen. Booth
apropos of tho fact that with tho imineavi
work, constantly Iieing carried on l!irs
was naturally a percnninl need of fundj
Somebody said to him ono day:
"How can you accept gold from 'Ulnto.1
sources'?"
"I'd tako Mr. Rockefeller's If 1 could
get itl was tho quid: reply. "I would
wash it clean with the tears of tho father-
I less and lay ft on tno altar of humanity.
Remarkable Booth family.
In appearance Gen. Booth is like a
splendid old prophet. Ho is tall and
spare of form, has a somowhat disordered
mass of white hair and a fairly Monlo
beard. His eye is koen yet kindly and
Ills noso is that of tho man of powor,
strong and aquiline.
He is a man of paradoxical temperament,
genial and humorous nnd tender to his ;
associates, yet demanding of them that
they measure up to a standard of energy
and ability and d-jvotion far beyond
ordinary ideals; a general who leads his
army and expecta them to support him
to tho doath.
A remarkable family of sons and daugh
ters is not the least of the many wonder
ful factors in Gen. Booth's lifework.
He him had eight children, all of whom
are living to-day, with the exception
of Emma, Booth-Tucker, who was killed
in a railroad accident in this country
about ten years ago. Every one of these
children has taken an active part and abls
in the work of religious salvation.
The oldest son, W. Bramwell Booth,
is chief of staff, second in command
of tho army throughout the world. The
oldest daughter, Mrs. Catherine Booth
Clibborn, worked as an officer of the
association until her family cares made
too great demands on her.
The next daughter, Miss Mary Booth,
lives with the General. Next comes Bal
lington Booth, who, with his wife, organ
ized the Volunteers of America and sepa
rated from the army. Herbert Booth
is one of the leaders in the present Men
and Religion Forward movement. Mia
Evangeline Rooth is commander in this
country and has just gone over to Eng- i
land, partly on business of the Army,
partly to be with tho General when the
operation is performed on his eyes, Th
youngest daughter, Mrs. Lucy Booth
Hellberg, is in charge of the work in Den
mark. When Gen. Booth made his latest viit
to this country one of his own officers said
in an outburst of admiration:
"Tliis sight of an old man verging
upon fourscoro years careering through
the world with the apparent vigor and
relentless enthusiasm of youth, address
ing meetings, receiving deputations nnd
honors and bearing in addition the care
and responsibility of his great charge,
is a spectacle for men and angels. He has
a rough nnd ready speech combined with
thn highest miirhiial instincts, broad
tolerance with narrow principles, the
masterfulness of nn autocrat with the
simplicity of, a child."
A Massachusetts Game Farm,
From the Springfield Republican.
A game farm of between M0n
8,000 ucres In Carver and Plymouth !ih
teen acquired by the American trim
Protective and J'ropagatlon Asoc!atlon
on a ten years lease, with option or pur
chase, and elaborate experiments ura
proponed for conserving the wild life of
the New England forests and waters. ,
It Is stipulated that after the expiration
of the lease the farm shall continue tor
twenty years to be a sanctuary for jtame,
whether or not the tract is bought, rnei
do theae things rather better tn the eld
country, and It Is proposed to Import 4
Scotch gamekeeper to start a line or
expert natives in ths ci.1lnK.
Thrashes' Nests on Car Traebs,
From Ins H'efmlnfer Gazette.
An Interesting dlicovery has been ma
on a aiding of the CJreat Weitern Ballrnad
at Maidenhead station. A. train of torn
seventy coal trucks has. during the strll:'.
stood tn the siding, and this moriibu. In
the wheels of nve succtaslve true:.,
shielded by a bank, eleven thrushes' iieftj
were discovered. In one the hen eira
Is sitting on four eggs. The net jrj
tn successive wheels, and all face tn
south.