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REFUSAL TO RETIRE

GENERAL BOOTH’S REPLY TO HIGH COUNCIL

DRAMATIC LAST-MINUTE CHANGE

FINAL SETTLEMENT IN COURTS PROBABLE General Booth, in his reply to the Hirh Council’s request for his rc 8 rinent from the leadership of (he Salvation Army, refuses to retire, and the final settlement of the controversy is likely to be a matter for the Courts. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Service.) London, January 15. A dramatic last-minute change in General Booth’s reply to .the High Council is likely to bring a final settlement of the Salvation Army controversy in the Courts. The General’s refusal to retire, according to the “Daily Mail,” was strengthened as the result of a telephonic communication between the sick room and London. Owing to a delay, Mrs. Booth will not leave Southwold with the General’s letter for the council until the morning. In the meantime, there has been a further clash between General Booth’s supporters and the council. Adjutant Herbert Bubbers, of Kingston, addressed a letter to 1100 field officers, appealing to them to pledge support for General Booth’s proposal to establish a new council during his illness. Directly the council heard of this, they dispatched telegrams costing £lOO, condemning the letter as being unauthorised, and saying that those replying to it would do so at their own risk. The council summoned Adjutant Bubbers to Sunbury and gave him an opportunity of apologising, otherwise he would be transferred. Adjutant Bubbers says that he is acting in accordance with his conscience and with the support of his brother officers. MRS. BOOTH’S DASH TO SUNBURY

(Australian Press Association.)

London, January 15. There are all the elements of;' a drama in Mrs. Booth’s dash by motor from Southwold to Sunbury this morning. She started at daybreak in a blinding snowstorm to cover 126 miles in three and a half hours. The General only added his signature fit midnight to the reply to the council’s ultimatum. The car arrived at 11.30 o’clock at Sunbury Court and an elderly woman stepped out with a large envelope in her hand. The authorities at Sunbury are receiving hundreds of telegrams from all parts of the world protesting at the attempt to remove General Booth. These have not been placed before the High Council. There is much conjecture as to whether Mrs. Booth will be allowed to appeal to the council with her eloquence, which has won over a thousand, in the hope of saving her husbfad. The High Council resumes at 3 o’clock to consider General Booth’s letter, upon which an.‘announcement is expected at 5 ' (Rec. January z ifi, 5.5 p.m.) London, January 15. Mrs. Booth read to the High Council the General’s letter, in which in emphatic language he refused to relinquish the command. STATEMENT BY‘THE GENERAL CHANGES IN CONSTITUTION NOT WITHIN POWERS OF COUNCIL (Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) London, January 15.

The High Council of the Salvation Army adjourned without coming to a decision after a discussion lasting all day. General Booth, in-a statement to the Press, says:— “I have carefully and prayerfully considered the entire question. Much as in some respects I should welcome a comiflete rest and relief of responsibility, I feel that I should be less than a man, let alone a leader of a great religious organisation, if I agreed to retire when there is an agitation to change the foundation on which it rests. Therefore I am compelled to. refuse to do so.” Then General Booth sets forth his position in a personal statement, in which he cites his incessant toil in the Army's interests for fifty-four years. He declares that he has yet to hear where Commissioner Higgins, who has had full powers to act for him during his absence, has failed. “Legally, the High Council has absolutely no power even to propose, let alone make any changes in the constitution,” he states, “but I wrote the Council suggesting the appointing of a special commission to consider what changes are desirable. I am informed that my letter was scarcely considered. I was asked to retire from office under what amounts to a threat of expulsion. The only ground for this request is that I am ill. There is not even the excuse that I am a burden on the Army’s funds, as my personal needs are provided from a trust fund supplied by a personal friend. Why should I retire? My leadership at the moment may not be ’what it was, but what guarantee have I that I should be replaced by one who would seek first and foremost to maintain the principles of the Salvation Army? I ~m responsible before God for the well-being of this great organisation, to which I have devoted my life.” DEPUTATION’S REPORT THE GENERAL’S FRAILTY (Australian Press Assn.—linked Service.) (Rec. January 16, 8.30 p.m.) London, January 15. The deputation to General Booth reported to the council: “The General looked frail and extremely weak. His eyes had little animation and his hands were feeble. It is evident that he has not much ability to turn and move in

bed. His speech is with difficulty, but coherent. His previously thought-out remarks could without confusion have been expressed in fifteen minutes, but his power to do this is gone. He probably will not recover until he has had a little rest. Indeed he took nourishment twice while we were in the room. Th .■ General seemed to remember us all. He spoke tenderly to each and said he realised what we wene asking. “He added: ‘But I must have light to see what I must do and how I must do it.’ The General fingered the document, revealing his feeble-nerved t distressed hand. He added, ‘I must have a day or two to think.’ The General spoke of having read the documents. He said he had had a great trust passed to him from the founder. Then turning to Commissioner Hay he said: ‘The old General had a great fight for oneman control.’

“The General then wandered from the subject and spoke of other questions, for example the new building at Denmark Hill, London, asking if we had been there. We intimated that we bad not. He made some almost jocular remarks that Commissioner Breugle, of the United States, would perhaps say It was top ecclesiastical, and, ‘Hay, what more is there to say? I gojt the idea in Melbourne,’ but this was said very slowly. The General was still fingering the documents. “After a few further .•emarks it was apparent he had said as much as he was able. His prayer was slow and made with effort. Commissioner Hay also prayed. We kissed the General’s hand and blessed him. We begged him for his own sake to retire. We told Catherine Booth the council would reach an adjudication vote by Monday, and begged her to get the General’s signed answer by Monday morning, as she could not and must not expect the council to wait.”

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19290117.2.62

Bibliographic details

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 96, 17 January 1929, Page 9

Word Count
1,157

REFUSAL TO RETIRE Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 96, 17 January 1929, Page 9

REFUSAL TO RETIRE Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 96, 17 January 1929, Page 9

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