GENERAL BOOTH'S LOVE STORY

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 996, 10 December 1910, Page 11

GENERAL BOOTH'S LOVE STORY

General Booth has given the world a peep into his personal history—full of touching incident—on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the death of his wife, which took place on October -t, 18!)0. Iu an interview General Booth says:—' .'•■-.

"In tender icmembranco I recall to mind the.day—April 10, 1852—when I met my beloved wife, and commenced a relationship which ,has lasted from that day to this, and'which I am reckoning will continue to the closing hours of my earthly history, and be renewed at the gates of the Gekstial City. We met that evening at a sort of public festival of some Methodist people, -with whom we were-both associated. . Between the tea !. drinking, and the speaking Catherine Mumford was introduced to me by a mutual friend, who spoke of her in terms pl' (< tho strongest admiration." _ "No doubt," proceeded the General, "I involuntarily threw my heart's door wide open, not knowing, perhaps, what I was doing, and she, not .unwillingly, equally unconscious of what she was doing, walked in and took the first place there." There were difficulties in the way of an engagement. He felt that his position was not equal to the responsibility of keeping a wile' and home in comfort. "Theso views led me to look upon the unexpected situation in which I found myself as a real calamity, and I fought with all my might against the strange feelings . that had taken . possession of my breast. What could I do with a wife? In tho first place I .was without any settled income, and had no immediate prospect of finding one, having just separated myself not only from business, but from tlie people in whose ministry I had tho prospect of α-call.-. ; . However, we looked carefully at each other and at our circumstances, and found that.we were both quite prepared (o wait any number of years that might be necessary before marriage; and with this understanding we entered into aii engagement." Three years, a?:a matter of.fact, elapsed before tho marriage was celebrated. ■Jfrs. Booth diet uot speak at any of'her husband's meetings uhnl some years after her' marriage/ alwriys giving .as her reason her convijstioh-'that'she was not called to the duty. "We had had a number of testimonies," said tho' General,- referring to a ineeting-at' Gateshea'd, "and I was on the point of . closing. ■ the. meeting, when I.saw my'.wife, rise from her seat, and, trembling with , emotion,' walk . up the-aisle, asking-for, permission as she did so to .deliver "a .message ■which was on her heart." V thought something had happened to her.'and so did the people. Stepping down from, tho pulpit, ,I. asked, 'What is the'matter, my dear?' She replied, "I want to say a word.' I was so taken by surprise- that I. could only Kiy. ,'JIy _dear wife wishes to speak:' . ■■ "The influence .which rested on the congregation convinced every thoughtful person. present that this was the beginiiinu of a: marvellous career.

"I shall never 'forget,'" said the General, in ; conclusion: "the: day that my darling ■wife crossed .the room in which we-were sitting, and, putting her arms round me, told me how , she had received the sentence of death in herself. She. had been to consult some eminent surgeon, and they had.each informed her that she was smitten, with the terrible disease of cancer, which in a couple of years'' time, unless some ■ miracle . were performed, would certainly .carry her away. "The agony I suffered : through ■ the thirty-two long months- which intervened between: the .announcement of her Fad fate and.,its realisation, I could not describe. All that, time T.eeemed to seo death drawing nearer and nearer, until at length, with hej hand , pointing to the _texty 'My .grace. : is--sufficient'for thee,'' which was hanging before her, she passed away . into the presence. of the Lord."