HERBERT BOOTH

Evening Star, Issue 17328, 16 April 1920, Page 5

HERBERT BOOTH

AN'INTERVIEW. Mr Herbert Booth, who is known as "Ambassador," to distinguish him from his two brothers, both of whom are " Generals,*' is meeting with much success in his return visit to this City, gave the 'Evening Star' the following information concerning the unusual method he is adopting for his Dunedin campaign. "Yes," said Mr Booth, "this is a ncw kind of evangelistic mission. We are. during these meetings, raising a standard in the shape of a ' Covenant,' which will clearly set forth what we mean by 'being a Christian.' There is \sadly too much uncertainty on this matter. Church membership in many cases is such a 'mixed' affair that the non-Christian man of the street and the business world, where two and two always make four, cannot for the life of him tell the difference between an out-and-out worlding and a psalm-singing, sentimental. go-as-yoii-like, do-as-you-please, theatre-going, card-playing, dancing, money-grabbing, place-hunting, bar-gain-driving, self-seeking, Bible-doubting lot of people who have managed somehow to get into the churches, and sometimes into the puipit itself. Its,a mightv puzzling proposition to tell 'which is which," and for the on-looking world to find out what is meant by 'giving one's heart to Christ* and 'being a Christian' in the face of. such glaring inconsistencies. "The 'Covenant' for these meetings is our standard, which will once more make this plain. The 12 clauses, with each of which wo are dealing carefully in our addresses, cover all the vital truths, and advocate the practices which the early Christians and all the churches have preached and practised in their victorious days. Briefly stated, the Covenant declares for: No unbelief in God as Creator : no uncertainty about the deity of Christ; no salvation but bv the Blood of the Cross ; no disloyalty' to the Holv Spirit; no disbelief about the Devii and his doings ; no doubts about the inspiration of the _ Bible; no uncleanness of body or habits: no dirty pictures; no theatregoing; no gambling card-playing: rto tobacco smoking, chewing, or "snuffing ; no intoxicating drinks: no dancing, fooling, or flirting. By our standard all these things are cut out; something abundantly better than them all is substituted. " This mission is primarily an appeal to professing Christians to rally to the ■standard set up bv Christ and 'the New Testament. But it will be just as interesting and applicable to the unconverted'. "'there will bo some red hot shells, highly explosive in character, during all the coming services. But there will be unanswerable reasons for all this. We are appealing to the intellect as well as to the heart. The book of Gods world as well as^ the'.-book of Hi* Word is back of us.'' "V^ sr " ' lavc -" ou been since you left here?"' "I have just concluded one of the most glorious scries of meetings ever held in Christchurch. A huge tent with another that had to he added, could not hold the crowd, and 220 converts came publicly forward the last Sunday alone." '•The 'Covenant' will be displayed, expounded, and defended each evening nest week, and on Sunday afternoon and evening. Those in this Citv who are loyal to real Christianity or.who want to be, are invited, regardless of their creed or church connections, to Tallv to the causa of Christ."