GENERAL BOOTH'S COLONIAL TOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 55, 7 March 1899, Page 3

GENERAL BOOTH'S COLONIAL TOUR.

FAREWELL MANIFESTO.

THANKSGIVING PLAN FOR 1900.

(By Our London Correspondent.)

LONDON, January 27.

General Booth left London on Tuesday to join the North German liner at Naples, and will be with you as soon as this letter His farewell manifesto introduces the Army's colossal 'Thanksgiving Plan for 1900. Mr Booth writes:•Before this reaches my readers I shall be well on my way to Australasia. Going and returning, I shall have to spend something like twelve weeks on the sea. I reckon on conducting an eleven weeks' campaign in Australia and New Zealand, and expect to be back in England by the 7th of June. I am quite sure the blessing and prayers of all my dear people, and of thousands outside our borders, will accompany me on my journeyings; and I have the confident expectation of being allowed to see the "Arm of the Lord made bare" in the salvation of the people, and of being able to encourage my dear officers and soldiers on the other side of the globe.' Tour work is cut out for you. In the .General's twentieth century proposals, described on the opposite page of this 'Cry,' you will find a target mighty enough, I should think, to satisfy the biggest ambition possible to the Salvation forces of the entire world. That target has to be hit, and hit in the very centre. It can and shall be done; but it wil require a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull all together. •I ask for the scheme your earnest prayers Let us draw down the fire of the Divine blessing upon it at the very commencement. 'I ask for the scheme your affectionate co-operation. Every man must do his share, and that share must be measured by each man's ability. 'I ask for the scheme a welcome that at the outset will say, "It shall be done." 'I ask that the scheme may be received and worked out. in that spirit of humble dependence on God in which it has been conceived and with which it is sent forth. There must be no vain boasting. Let us do all with the full purpose of honouring God and blessing the world, resolved to lay all the glory of what is done at His feet. OUR THANKSGIVING PLAN. 'Wherever the Army flag waves throughout the world there will be a great and united effort in order to celebrate the goodness of God in the closing century, and to mark our undying gratitude to Him for the seventy years of blessing and victory which He has vouchsafed to our beloved General to make the following advances before the 31st December, 1300:— I 70,000 new .soldiers and recruits to be added to the Salvation Army rolls throughout the world, or one thousuuid for each year of the General's life. 11. 70,000 new junior and Band of Love members to be added to our junior forces. Itl. 70,000 increase in the Weekly circulation of our papers and magazines throughout the Army. IV. 70,000 of an Increase in the sitting accommodation provided in our citadels and halls throughout the world.

V. 70,000 -weekly increase in the permanent acornmodation of our social institutions, including our shelters,rescue homes, ex-criminal brigades, children's home 3, inetropoles, land and city industries, slum posts, and other departments of our social work.

VT. 70,000 new officers, spiritual and social, staff and field, local and young people's legion, junior and corps cadets. VII. £70,000 to be raised by voluntary effort and to be placed, God willing1, in the General's hands in the opening days of 1901, to be used in such work and fashlon as he may in his wisdom think desirable in the promotion of the aims and interests of the Kingdom of God and of tho Salvation Army.

OUTLINE OF THE GENERAL'S TOUR.

The outline of the General's tour is at present arranged as follows:— February 22 to March 5: West Australia.

March 7 to 12: South Australia (Adelaide). March 15, IG, and 17: Tasmania. March 20 to April 2: New Zealand. April 7 to 12: New South Wales (Sydney). April 15, IC, and 17: Queensland (Brisbane). April 22 to May 3: Victoria (Melbourne April 21 to May 3).