SALVATION ARMY AND KING EDWARD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 162, 11 July 1910, Page 5

SALVATION ARMY AND KING EDWARD.

•BR___W_2_D BOOTH'S INGRATITUDE. ... 'From Our "Special Correspondent) LONDON,' June 3. • Mr. "Bramwell Booth, of the Salvation . Army, has managed to put up the backs •of a good many supporters of that-great organisation by ..making in. the ''War Cry*'J a string of wholly unnecessary, . offensive arid ungrateful references to the 1 late King Edward. ', " •- [■■'/ Here-are some choice extracts front Mr..Booth's obituary notice in the ofh- , cial organ of General Booth, who is in- ■ debted to King Edward," perhaps, more * than to ; any-other man for the prestige ' he enjoys to-day- among those most able to-give the. Army effective, assistance:— ' King Edward "was not a great ruler." King Edward, "was not, a profpund '. thinker." .. _ .._ . „. _ ~ . King : Edward, ."was not a great . scholar." , , , King Edward "did not win his laurels | on the field of battle:*'. .'King Edward "wa"-: not a moralist-or . , a-philosopher.*'^-. '"■".%.. - .... • King Edward ."kindled no great religious: enthusiasm.'*.;. ■■'.'.'' , - King; Edward "inspired no. great soci.il ; movement." ■ . . "John Bull, (.calls. Mr. - Bramwell ' Booth's . outpourings"negative -piffle," but seeing bow.'successfully., his father exploited the patronage,of King Edward * and what the Army owes; to the fact that His Majesty'gave public :eviderice of'his interest iip and "appreciation of .its work, most people will consider them ' positively indecent. ■Mr. Booth may be right in his first three propositions, though the voice of [ the world is against bis first. Indubitably he is right. in his fourth, possibly" [in his fifth and sixth also. But when hesays King Edward "inspired no great - ' social movement" he speaks that which . is riot true. :■ — It was the "King's deep interest in. pur hospitals that gave life to a great constructive scheme which has materially improved their finances, and has enabled themtp continue their good work without State aid. It was. the King's ' live interest.in his people's welfare that gave:, life to the scheme propounded for the amelioration of his consumptive and cancer-stricken, eubjects, and his- deep personal interest, in the great bousing question undoubtedly: greatly assisted those who were 'struggling to secure;.r_forms which. would improve, the conditions under which the masses lived.. Mr. BramweU Booth has not done tha ■■" Army any good by his negative' attack on our dead King,'and just at present the Army is badly in need of "a- friend at Court." It is. being vigorously assailed from, more than one quarter, and ; particularly by Mr. Horatio Bottomley, who is publishing in "John Buli" a series of-articles entitled "The Break-up. of the.. Salvation Army/ .." The evidence Mr. Bottomley has thus far supplied in support of his headline is. certainly ' disturbing to the friends of the Army, suggesting, as it does,'that the organisation has not only ceased to, niake headway, but is rapidly losing ground in almost every part Of the United Kingdom.