BRAMWELL BOOTH

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 58, 12 March 1929, Page 19

BRAMWELL BOOTH

VISIT IBY

the official Account

(From "The Post's" Representative.) ..-'. ." ;. LQiNDON; 18th January. An official account of the visit of a deputation; from the High Council of the Salvation Army to General Booth at Southwold has been given : to the Press. In this it is stated:—-

'„ "Mrs. Booth .and Commissioner Catherine Booth were present in 'the bedroom all the time. The General seemed to remember us all, and spoke a word to each, quite tenderly asking about wives and casually referring to. our work. The documents referred to were lying on 1 the bed before him. He spoke of having read them. He said he had a great trust passed to him by the founder, and that the proposal we Had made required timer-'I must have' a little time.' .' ' :

'' Turning to the president, ■ he said: 'The old General had a great fight for one-man control. You believed in that.'

"A« it was evident the General could only keep his thought connected by our not interrupting him, we withheld any remarks at this point. He referred to his health and again to having received his trust from the founder and from God. Ho said he realised what wo were asking, and added: 'But I must have light to see what I must do and how I must do it. I have had some trouble in lny soul. God lias given me very, gracious feelings in the years .gone" by. Perhaps he wants mo to do without them now.' , , MUST HAVE TIME TO THINK. "We endeavoured to speak to him through , his acousticon. Ho did not seem to catch our expressions, and Commissioner Catherine suggested that she should repeat'our words. "She did so, but- .we were thinking the deputation was impressed that he was not quite following or was not quite able to follow our statement that the council felt tenderly towards him and that they wished him to consider the document before him and after taking a little time for consideration give us his answer. "Tho General wont away from the subject, one would say as if ho had certain intentions in his mind to speak on other questions, and he followed, so it appeared, tho preparation of his mind. . . . "The General still fingered the document, revealing his feeble, nerve-dis-tressed hand, and added: 'I must have a day or two to think.' PRAYER AN EFFORT. "After making a further remark or two to the members of tho deputation, it was apparent he had said as much as ho was able to Say. "Mrs. Booth suggested to tho General that ho should pray with us just as we were about to suggest the same. This seemed to give him a little refreshing of thought, and grip of hig memory, and he prayed slowly but tenderly, for 'These men and their families. . ' '■ ' ■ ■ ' '/ ''■ ■ ■ "The.prayer—as were his other words —was slow, and one would say an effort. The president started to pray for the. General, and possibly not.hearing, he started off again in prayer. Then he stopped, . and the president completed the prayer, after which the seven of us shook hands gently with him, kissing his hand.and wishing him all blessing. • ««lt was quite evident the deputation could not wisely stay, longer, and any personal pressure that he might go through the document and give us an indication that ho accepted our representation was quite beyond him at that moment. - As Mrs. Booth and Brigadier Smith, together with Commissioner Catherine, felt this was just about as much as the General could then stand, we left quietly—indeed, we rather felt he was not noticing we were leaving. FRAIL AND WEAK. "We think the deputation would agree that the General looked frail and extremely weak, pale, and declined in general condition. His eyes have little animation, his hands are feeble, and it is qiiito evident he has not much ability to turn or niovo iv his bed. "His speech is with difficulty, but it is coherent, and remarks previously thought out can be given expression to without confusion, though it is quite clear that in fifteen minutes his power ..to do this has gone, and probably he does not recover until he had had a little rest; indeed he took nourishment twice while we were In the- room.' "He said nothing, nor did we in any way act in a manner that-would cause agitation or give pain or perplexity to either the Genera) or any member of his family." ' ; The statement is signed by the seven members of the deputation.