GENERAL BOOTH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 514, 22 May 1909, Page 9

GENERAL BOOTH.

RECEIVED BY THE QUEEN. General Booth was received, by Queen Alexandra at Buckingham ■ l'aiaco recently, as was brioiiy recordod in our cablo nows at the 'time. ; Special interest attached to tho interview, bocauso it was shared by tlio Dowager-Empress of Russia, the only conntry into which tlio Army has not yot penetrated. -The'audience lasted about an houi and was, says tlio General, full of interest. Tho Dowager-Empross was very anxious to know whether the General's rccent visit to Russia was likely to. result in." tlio' introduction of the Army' into-that country, and tho General informed her- that work would be oonunoncod thoro shortly, "unless, rome insuperable difficulty greaentod iteolf." Their >

Majesties, who know something of the" Army's work in Denmark, \ listened attentively, to .an account of eomc of ita reccnt , successes, and. expressed . their warmest wishes for its continued prosperity. Both Queen and. Empress scoured the Genoral'a . autograph for-thefr birthday books. On leaving tho Palace tho General was besieged by intcrviewera. Asked to say, bow tho Aimy's progress struck him as ho looked • ■ ■. back over eighty years, "I see," said'tha veteran, "what an uninterrupted struggle. it has been. .People seem to think that the Salvation Army lins been mado to a'plan, whereas it has grown from day to'day, as circumstances dictated. To bo;, quite frank, our progress in some countries has not ■ equalled our expectations, but even thoro • wo know not what a day'may bring forth., Taken as _a wholo, tho Army, has surpassed, 1 by a million times" any expectations I ever • ; ' entertainod ■ regarding it.?' To another interviewer, tho Goneral told. bow-he .decided, in the earliest, days-of -'"the; ~ Army, to give, up oommittoes and rule by military methods."We found* that tho! least energetic and devoted constituted the 1 , majority, s6 wo decided to have government by' minority. ; But tho government of tho .-• Army ;is : misunderstood; "Perhaps in no or-. ; ganisation has thoro over been-so much of conference", with, tbo people' engaged in different departments. IThero is a council of high officers aud each department has a council controlling its finances."' Tho Ge« oral laid stress on the great'care now being taken in tho training of officers, with' a view to consolidating The sniall paj . of the officers was mentioned.- Tho iGenoral admitted that in somo caso3 ,'thiß made ii>, - hard to keep.efficient members/of ■ the staffs. Churches and social organisations offered great attractions in order\to secure, Salva-' tion Army officers. The. General'aSded thai) •ho was anxious .to secure a ,^eneraMmprovo« aent' of officers and a more careful in< spection of. the work,, t&'insist on orders .' being oboyed; and to,; stir up the inferior ' and indolent who often spoil the work-of tlie more energetic.'aid ■ devout. .