V
GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH
GEN. BOOTH ON EIGHTIETH
BIRTHDAY STARTS NEW PLAN
Veteran Founder of Salvation Army Launches
Scheme for "University of Humanity" in the
United States All the World Celebrates
Anniversary of His Birth.
New York. Gen. William Booth,
rounder and commander-in-chief of the
Salvation Army, celebrated his eight
ieth birthday on Saturday. April 10,
and the event was made tho occasion
of rejoicing all over tho civilized
world. Tho Army itself held big meet
ings in every city and town where it
fa established, and these wcro partici
pated in by hundreds of thousands of
other citizens who wero glad to do
honor to tho distinguished philan
thropist. Gon. Booth himself presided over
sovoral monster mass meetings in
London. His ndvanced ago and tho
fact that ho was operated on recently
for cataract did not deter him from
taking part in tho celebrations held by
his devoted soldiers.
University of Humanity Launched.
In America the day was marked
especially by tho launching of another
of Gen. Booth's original schemes for
social reform In tho United States.
At every post of- tho army wa3 an
nounced tho beginning of work to
found a University of Humanity, a
great Institution for tho training of
workers in social Bervico. Tho uni
versity will be divided between Now
York and Chicago, and It Is expected
to begin with a fund of $1,000,000. Tho
gathering of this fund is tho work
that tho nrmy now enters upon In
commemoration of its famous leader's
completion of his eightioth year.
As n much-needed stone in tho great
organizational structure that William
Booth has bcon building during tho
past -17 years, this Idea of a school
for tho systematic training of his
workers has been in his mind for sev
eral yeaiB. On his last visit to 1he
United States tho general mado his
first tontativo announcement of tho
plan. Since then ho has worked out
many of tho details and ho has just
consented to tho beginning of pre
liminary work In this country whoro
tho need for trained workers has been
especially great.
Growth of Great System.
It Is perhaps not generally realized
that the whole intricate modern ma
chinery of civilization for tho uplift
ing of tho submergod tenth, tho vast
system of charities now so essential
n part of modern life, is to a very
largo extont an outgrowth of tho
Booth Idea. Ho was tho first to see
that tho unfortunato could best bo
reached by thoso who had suffered as
they had, and that they must bo
reached by practical worldly help be
fore they could bo prepared to begin
tho cleaner life. It waH tho Salvation
Army which first mado a practical
working success of this now familiar
principle of Bocalled "mlsslwMry
work."
This whole plan of campaign for
raising tho fallen began on a very
simple scnlo In tho poverty-stricken
nnd crlmo-lnfested East end of Lon
don and under tho impetus of William
Booth's singular forco of mind nnd
personality and tho momentum that It
has gathered with almost miraculous
rapidity It has developed into a trul
ustonlshlng organization.
Some of the dopnrtmeuts of Its
work are: Prlson-gato and Itcacuo,
Inebriates' homes, Boys' and dlrls'
liomes, Farm colonies, Emigration,
Naval and Militury homes, Mntcrnlty
homes, nursing, Snmaritan brigades,
hospital and benuvolent visitation, po
lice court work and Indian school
training.
No other religious organization in
the world's history has branched out
Into so many dopartmentB of philan
thropic effort and absorbed them as
part of Its religious duties.
Need of Trained Workers.
Tho scheme for a University of Hu
manity grow naturally out of the de
velopment of tho 20 other depart
ments. With a fjold as wide as tho
world Itself tho work or tho Salvation
Army Is only limited by tho number
of workers that can bo secured and
Its effectiveness by tho understanding
and earnestness of these workers. Ab
uplift work has grown from local ef
forts to help a few Into a great In
clusive movement which must mlB
none, tho problems of organization
hnvc grown greater. Charity has bo
como a science and Its application an
art requiring the highest dovclopmout
of personal qualities of insight and
altruism. There Is thus pressing need
for workers of quite exceptional qual
ification. These quallllcatlons must
first of all be Inherent nnd must then
bo developed by experience and spe
cial training.
This Is the new work planned by
Gen. Boolh. Thobo women, for In
stance, who are to go among tho
slums of tho big cities must not only
have the desire to help but must know
bow real helpfulness can best bo se
cured. They must understand by a
study of prnctlcal sociology some
thing of the social forces that create
tins poverty ami crime una wretched
ness. They must understand tho dan
ger of tho unwise chnrlty that merely
Increases dependence nnd understand
the value of bettor living conditions
in raising the moral courage of thoRO
to whom fate has been unkind. Thoy
must bo ablo not only to correct home
conditions tbomsolvos but to Impart
their knowledge and to Inspire with
a desire for betterment.
Value of the Organization.
This will bo but a small part of the
university's training in social sorvlco
ns planned by tho patriarchal evangel
ist, but It serves to show of what
value such an organization will be.
Of the general's plan for tho uni
versity lie hluiBoif said recently: "i
want to train men and women to deal
with misfortune. I want thorn in
Htructod to combat with tho weak
nesses und sins or tho drunkard, tho
criminal, tho pauper and tho would-be
suicide,"
At SO years of no tho head of tho
Salvation Army, after moro than half a
century of almost unceasing activity,
Is as vigorous and untiring as at any
time In his enreou. Tho inexhaustible
vitality and Intolloctunl nnd physical
activity of this social reforemr, philan
thropist, preacher, author and traveler
are muivolous. At fourscore h Is
traveling many thousands ut miles
over tho world every year, controlling
tho destinies of his more than 7,000
corps of Salvation soldiery with tholr
18,000 commissioned ofneora, distribu
ted among every civilized country,
preaching constantly to vaBt audloncos
nnd doing an amount of literary work
that would bo a facer to many a
professional author with no other oc
cupation. William Booth was born on April
10, 1829, In Nottingham, England, and
was trained for tho Methodist minis
try which ho entered nnd beenmo ono
of tho strongest ovnngollstlc forceB In
that church, lio grow dissatisfied,
however, at reaching only thoso with
sotno religious training and convic
tion. Ho felt that thero wero thous
ands whoso need wub fnr greater and
ho gravitated to tho Hast end of Lon
don where wretchedness of all kinds
was tho rule.
In a disused burial ground on Mlto
End road ho pitched an old tent and
tho first Salvationist meeting was
held In thnt tent In 1SC1. Tho flury
eloquence of tho earnest young
prencher caught the attention of n
crowd of poor WhltcchapclerB and be
fore that first mooting was over ho
had made several cohvoralotis, a per
formance that ho 1ms bcon repeating
throughout tho world for 4? years.
How He Started the Army.
This first mooting resulted In tho
formntlon of tho Christian mission,
from which it won tho ovangellst's
custom to sond his convcrtB to tho ex
isting churches of tho locality, but
finding that they wero not welcomed
nnd wore in danger of slipping bnclt
rrom Hhecr wnnt of comradeship and
oversight, ho set about forming so
cieties of tho converted, 'l'heso ho
found to bo a potent ngoncy for bring
ing in more, as tho heedless EnBt
etidcr could bo Impressed by tho
words of a former "pal" when ho
would not llntou to a minister. 9o
wns created tho ccntrnl idea of tho
Salvation Army.
Tho need ot organization becomes
apparent, but several mothods wero
tried with little success before Gen
Booth hit Upon tho military Idea nnd
named htn organisation tho Salvation
Army. From that tlmo on tho move
mont grow amazingly and It Iuib con
tinned to grow without censing lo
this day.
Spread Over the World.
Tho movement began spreading to
other countries of tho world In 1881
when it first reached tho United
States through tho liillucnco ot n silk
weaver who hud emigrated rrom Cov
entry, England, bringing with him tho
Salvation Army Idea nnd u strong do
stro to contlnuo In tho work. It
tenched Australia In tho samo year
through a milk dealer from Stopnoy,
und soon ntterwnrds tho first Canadian
corps wns organized In a -similar
fashion.
Five years later, In 1880, tho gen
eral made tho first of many visits to
the. American branches of the army
and ho Iuib seen them grow from a
few small corps Into a veritable army
of tremendous Influence ami unmir
passed cfllclency. ills first great
world-tour was mado in 1891, whon ho
visited South Afrlcn, Australia and
Indin. SInco then ho has visited tho
United StnteB, Canada, Australia, Now
Zenland and ludln four times., South
ATrlca twice and Japan nnd tho Holy
Land each onco,
During all these travels the actual
executive responsibility for tho gov
ernment of tho nrmy has never been
lifted from his shouldorB. Even on
shipboard ho Is an llulefntlgablo work
er, planning and writing through tho
days.
Gen. Booth Honored.
One of tho most remarkable of tho
many tributes paid to tho general by
tho great of tho world was that of tho
mikado of Japan during tho visit to
thnt country. The mikado perBonnlly
received the general with great
warmth and ho was necorded remark
able ovutlons In Yokohama. Tokyo.
Sendnl and Kyoto, a circumstance of
ftrange Import when It la renllzed
that Japnn l not a Christian country.
Another Interesting distinction given
Gen. Booth was tho conferring on him
of the degree of doctor of civil law by
Oxford university. Tho significance
of this honor will be better under
stood when It is stated those who re
ceived university honors with hlin at
tho time wore Prince Arthur of Con
naught, tho prltno minister of Eng
land, tho lord chancellor, tho sneaker,
Sir E. Grey, the archbishop of
Armagh. Sir Evelyn Wood, tho Ameri
can ambassndor, Mark Twain nnd
Hudyurd Kipling.
An a writer Gen. Booth 1b remark
able, both as a BtyllBt, aa a thinker
nnd as a producer. He has written In
all 21 volumes, besides Innumerable
articles for tho army publications.
m iH-st known book Is "In Darkost
England and the Wny Out," in which
he outlined his scheme for social re
fnrm liv means of colonization 'The
Ti-iilniiie of Chlldron." "Love. Mar
rlage and tho Home," and his book
on reform are among the others of
tho general s best known llternry pro
ductlons.
Writes of His Creed
Of hla creed tho general has written
um-v beautifully. Ho says:
"Tho simplicity of our creed hns
been, as 1 bellovo it will romaln, ono
ot tlio principal helps to our unity.
We stand for the old truths. Tho
fnlth which can bo interpreted in
terms of duty, of unselfishness, or
purity, or love to God and man, is tho
nniv faith wo really caro about. What
ever may bo tho caso with tho select
minority, tho consciousness or sin,
thn force or evil hublt and tho con-
uniniiHncss or sin nnd tho Influence of
passion, aro all vivid realities with
tho great masses or tho population.
To thom wo iiring mo promiEo ot uo
llverance by Jesus Christ, "
SALVATION ARMY'S WORK IN
THE UPLIFTING OF HUMANITY
How the Wonderful Organization Brings About
the Moral and Physical Regeneration of
Thousands of Men and Women De
graded by Crime and Misfortune.
Chicago. "Tho World for Christ,"
tho wnr cry ot the Salvation Army Is
uttered to-day by more men and wom
en tjmn over before slnco thnt -wonderful
organization wns formed by
Gen. William Booth in the slums of
London. In tho United StnteB alono
there nro nearly 000 corps and out
posts whoro the "soldlera" aro doing
untiringly the two-fold work of tho
nrmy spiritual and social. Every
day in the week, every hour In tho
day, they labor earnestly among tho
fallen, tho degraded nnd tho unfor
tunato. Not so mnny years ago those
soldiers met with nbuso and violence,
or nt tho best with ridicule nnd con
tempt. Now they nro everywhere ac
corded respect and assistance. Their
methods hnvo not changed, but the
CHRISTMAS DINNER FOR THE POOR.
world Iuib gradually como to know
something of tho great work they ure
doing.
Varied Social Work.
While all Salvation Army operations
have an tho ultimate goal tho saving
of tho whole man, body and soul. It Is
thu social and ludustrlnl pnrt of tho
woilt that attracts tho most attention
and awakens tho broadest sympathy.
The extent, of this work Is compre
hended by few who see tho sober-clad
soldiers on their dally and nightly
rounds. It comprises many mid varied
branches, such as worklngmen'B ho
tels, Industrial homca, rescue homes,
children's homes, tunternity hospitals,
work In prisons n&d slums, farm col
onies, summer outings and Christmas
dinners. Some of its charities are
moro than self-supporting, but every
cent that is mado by them Is used In
other branches of tho work, and for
tho rest tho nrmy depends on tho con
tributions of philanthropic persona
who believe that no other agency Is
so potent In renchlng and elevating
tho "submerged tonth." Tho public is
reached not only through personal so
licitation, but by means of periodicals,
or which tho Army publishes (ill, with
n total ot more than 1,013,000 copies
lHBiied. It operates In 54 countries
nnd colonies and preaches tho gospel
In 2S languages.
The Army In Chicago.
Chicago Is' tho hoadquarlers for the
western territory ot tho Army in tho
United States, with Commissioner
Thomas Estill In command, and tho
oneratlons of tho army hero aro a
flno examplo of Its work throughout
FIRST AID TO
the world. During tho cold winter
months tho Boldlers nro especially
busy, for In nddltlon to providing shel
ter ard food for countless destitute
men nud women In purtnuneut and
temporary lodging housus, they search
unceasingly for casos of suffering
whcic tlio victims ure too proud or too
ignornnt to apply for relief, To such
people, In rickety tenements nnd It.
hovels up dark and lllthy alleys, tho
cheerful Salvation lassies carry food
and con! and medicines; and, better
yet, bring to tho wrotchod nnd down
cast the hope of better things nnd en
couragement to struggle onward and
upward. Thero nro no hnrsh reproaches
for past shortcomings, uo threats, but
goutlo admonition, kindly ndvlco nnd
material assistance at tho time whon
It Is most needed. -
Slum Angels to the Rescue,
In addition In tho 21 stations In
Chicago from which tho willing work
ers help the poor, n sort of Hying
squndron of "slum angels" Is nt tho
beck and call of the commnndlng of
ficer to enrry swift relief to oxtromo
cases In any part of tho city. During
tho whiter these slum sisters visited
and assisted In various ways 1,710
fumilles, at a cost In cash, clothing,
coal and medicines ot $2,012.3(5.
Clothing for tho poor 1b collected all
over the city by tho artny'H wagonB
and Is repaired and distributed from
its ludustrlnl home. At this Institu
tion temporary employment Is given
to many men who, having hold re
sponsible positions, hnvo fallon low
thioiigh drink or other causes, Scores
of those men nro reclaimed and later
placed In good posltloiiK, and on leav
lug the homo thoy nro given money
which they earned by their work
there, Many a self-supporting worn
an, broken down by sickness, hns been
relieved by tho nrmy, nursed back to
health and restored to her place
among tlio wage oarnerB.
Christmas Dinners for Thousands.
The spectacular side or the Salva
tlon Army's work roaches Its climax
at Christmas tlmo. For mnny dnyB
before tho festival there may bo scon
on every prominent corner In the
business district a Salvation lass,
who, despite snow, wind, sleet and
cold cheerfully stands with tam
bourine In hand, appealing to tho passer-by
for tho wherewithal to provide
n happy Christmas for more than 12,
000 of Chlcngo's poor. Thoso people
hnvo no ono to plan pleasant Christ
mas surprises for them, and the
knowledge that tho Salvation Army
has not forgotten thorn on tho day of
universal rejoicing Is ono of the
brightest spotH In their dreary lives.
Tho thousands of ChrlstmuH dinners
aro purchased, packed In baskets and
taken to the 21 distributing points,
THE INJURED.
where they aro gl'eu out to tho poor.
Many of the basket., destined for fam
ilies In which fhoro nro little children,
contain also a fow toys and Ramos.
In summer tlmo tho Army does a
flno work In taking mothers and chll
dron for outings In the country. It
owns a big house sind mini in one of
the city's piottlast suburbs and theio
tho tired women and puny chlldron
from tho slums nro restored to health
and vigor.
Children's Industrial Farm.
In California, 26 miles from Santa
Hosa, Is ono of the Army's grcntcst In
stitutions tho Lylton Springs Chil
dren's Industrial farm of 630 ncres.
Onco it was n sanitarium and summor
retreat. 1'ooplo went thero to got tho
benefits of the mineral waters, tho
balmly air, tho glorloua vistas below
and fern-enrpcted canyons behind. On
It thoro wns n big hotel nnd ton cot
tages, nnd these erstwhllo abodes ot
tho sick and weary aro now tho haunts
and homes of hnppy children.
About flvo years ago tho Salvation
Army, working on thp principle thnt
the country Is the rlglit plnco to bring
up children, founded tho home. It
wna tho outgrowth of n small homo
maintained by tho order In Snn Fran
cisco. MnJ. C. W. Bournn nnd his wlfo
were Installed nn superintendents, nnd
tho useful enreor of n mnrvclously use
ful institution wns begun. It Is now
the home of about 200 happy, healthy
and most useful children. Tho boys
nro learning to bo skillful farmers nnd
dairymen and tho girls to bo model
housokeopors nnd all of them to bo
good citizens, Much of tho produco
of tho farm is sold In Snn Frnnclsco.
Rescue and Maternity Home.
Of nil Its Institutions, tho Salvation
Army In Chicago Is perhaps proudest
of tho Hoscuo and Mntoruity Homo.
Or this tho present matron, Mrs. En
sign Smith, writes:
"dur social operations nnd coloni
zation schemes met tho hearty ap
proval or tho socialistic minded. Our
children's homes and even slum posts
excited tho admiration of philan
thropists, tut Just doplct a poor girl
strayed from tho path ot vlrtuo nnd
rectitude, or ono steeped In vIIoiiobs,
and tho majority of your listeners
would clthor ridicule or turn tholr of
fended moral nostrils nway In disgust.
Whence ahnll tho poor, fallon girl turn
when tho wholo world Is ngnlust her?
It was tho pructlcal answer to this
momentous question from tho myriads
of submergod daughters thnt oponcd
tho rescue homo, nnd tho western
metropolis wns not ono whit behind
her sister cities, for In 1895 our Insti
tution wns formally opened."
Flvo tllnes the homo was moved to
moro commodious quarters, nnd Its
work hns increased steadily. Last
year C3 children wero born thoro. Tho
total number or glrhi received during
tho year was 13f. About GO ot tho
glrs who hnvo boon In tho homo re
turn regularly ror tho monthly meet
ings. Scores or them nro now happily
married and settled down In good
honles nnd with lovln? husbands.
What sociologists rind to pralso moat
tn tho Salvntlon Army's matornlty
homoB la tho fact that ovory offort Is
made to Induce tho unfortunato young
mothers to keop tholr children. This
Is admittedly tho most potent ractor
In tholr morn! regeneration.
"Surely," oaya Matron Smith, "God
nlono can comprehentl tho lncstlmabto
Coal for Slum Dwellers.
value of hiicIi an institution, whoro
thousands of poor, outcast girls, swift
ly drirtlug on tho dark current to per
dition, aro rescued and find n peaceful
haven,"
Vast Business System,
Tho executive work of tho army
that falls upon tho shoulders of Its
octogenarian leader is onormoua. Bo
sides Its multitudinous charltabln In
stitutions, for all of which tho most
elllclent business mauagent la re
quired, thero are dozens of other de
partments of lta work that aro almost
unknown to tho general public. For
Instnnco, thoro la tho manngomont of
the great properties of tho army and
Its building operations, it does all Its
own planning nnd building, oven train
ing Kb own architects, hulldora and
workmen. Then It has largo printing
and engraving plnnts and the manage
ment of Its publications Is In Itself a
rent business.
The army's profits from Its ex
tensive trading operations aro dovntod
entirely lo the furtherance of Us re
form propaganda, tho extonslou and
development of its mission field. A
cpeelal point Is rightly mado of tho
fuel that no ofllccr profltB to the ex
lent of a single rent from tho financial
succchs of Its business enterprises,
i The funds of the army nro admlnls
1 torrd by a central board In London
1 and every account Is subjected to
ilgid Inspection. A regular audit of
i the books Is also made by accotp t
j ants of standing engaged from outsldo
, tho army roll. A board also consults
with tho general on cacii uetnu ot
army policy nB It arises, Day and
night ceaselessly for tho strain to
novor off this contrnl commtttoo,
koonly alert, wntchos ovory devol p
mont ' affecting tho good or men the
world over. Every section or tj-d
army Ik linked with this central co a
mitteo by tho cable.
