SALVATION ARMY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 10788, 8 January 1929, Page 5

SALVATION ARMY

POWERS OF HIGH COUNCIL

AUTOMATICALLY DISSOLVED IF GENERAL’S SUCCESSOR V ELECTED.

United' Press Assn, by El. Tel. Copyright . ; (Australian Press Association.) y . LONDON", Jan. 6. ■' A high official of the Salvation Army, explaining the procedure than would have to be followed by tho High Council on January 8, says:— “The. High Council can only bo summoned if the-General resigns or dies without nominating a successor, but the council is at- pfesent summoned by the. requisition deed constituting the council in 1904, which provides that if a- three-fourths majority'' for ' removing the General #s not obtained the council automatically dissolves forthwith. If the requisite 1 majority is secured tho council proceeds to elect a successor. J in* mediately this is done the council is automatically dissolved. Ity Is not empowered legally to deal with constitutional questions, but l can agree to make certain recommendations to tho General. A further deed, like The deed of" 1904, might enable changes to bo brought into effect, but strong legal opinion exists that any changes affecting the Arnly’s_ foundation deed of 1878 would require to bo sanctioned by Act of Parliament.”

GENERAL BOOTH’S /WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN. WILL NOT RESIGN BEFORE MEETING OF HIGH COUNCIL. UNFITNESS TO CARRY ON DUTIES DENIED. POSSIBLE SUCCESSORS. United Press Assn, by El. Tel. Copyright (Australian Press Association ) (Received Jan. 7, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 7. Mystery continues to surround the whereabouts ot‘ General Booth, though it appears that he lei t his home for Southwold, the headquarter 5 of the Army. it is officially announced that there is no likelihood that General Booth will resign before the meeting of the High Council. He does not admit the charges that he is not tit to carry on the duties of head of the Army. It is not probable that the General' will attend the Council but he is a man of iron will, and it is just possible that lie will make an effort.

Well informed circles are of opinion that if the- Council decides that the General is unfit .his most likely successor is Commissioner Higgins or Commissioner David Lamb, Director of Migration. A prominent official said a week ago that he thought that Commissioner Eva Booth would sweep the board. Since then opinion has changed, and there has been a hardening of feeling i.ll favor of the British candidate.

BANNER OF THE BOOTHS

SALVATION ARMY’S NEW PROBLEM.

QUESTION OF LEADERSHIP.

In the year 1860 an evangelist named William Booth, aged 36, began to hold religious meetings in tlio streets and various .small balls in London. ■ Baptised an Anglican, bo had worked in Wesleyan, Congregational and Methodist circles, but liad been rejected. So he p.tched a tent on a deserted burial ground at Milo End Waste and started “on his own.”

From this-humble beginning sprang the Salvation Army which, at the end of 1925, had its ranks about 2-2,360 officers and cadets. When General Booth died in 1912 his Army was operating in 5:9 countries. Three years ago its Hag waved in 81 countries and colonies.. To-day the huge organisation is facing, a crisis, unprecedented in its history, states the Auckland Bun. In a short Fine there will meet in London the High Council of the Army, consisting of 64 commissioners. It will be their duty to decide whether or not the control of the Army shall remain in the hands of a member of tbe Booth family', and. continue _to "preserve"at least' ElioTsonibianco of absolutism. -■*••'

OLD DEED-POLL.

■On tlio death of the- founder his supreme position was taken over by General Bramwell Booth, who was appointed under a deed-poll, dated 1868, wlxicli that the general should appoint his successor. In 1904 a supplementary deed-poll was adapted giving the council power to remove a general, if foux-fiftlis of its members decided that lie was unworthy or unable to continue in office.

The problem now facing the council arises from tlio fact that General Bramwell Booth lies seriously ill in London. For some time his life was despaired of, hut lie l'ecovered sufficiently to be told on Thursday lust the High Council was being convenedl to consider tho problem of liis office and successor. If ho has availed himself df the power conferred upon him by the old deed and followed tho precedent established by his father, the General will have placed under seal the name of his daughter, Commissioner Catherine Booth, or hig sister, Evangeline Booth, leader of the Salvationists in the United States, both of whom are now in London. ~

The High Council will, in effect, discuss the, advisability of allowing the Ai*my, its vast finances, and valuable holdings in every land, to remain under the control of one person. There is a strong feeling that something in the nature of a hoard of control operating in the manner of a company directorate should be set up to replace' the present patriarchal leadership.^ To understand' fully the situation which prompts this desire for reorganisation of Salvation Army leadership-, it'is necessary to examine in brief the records of the organisation during the 64 years of its existence. “The Christian Mission” in which William Booth was assisted by his gifted wife, Catherine, extended with amazing rapidity, and in 1874 the 'title “Salvation Army” was”"adopted. At that time there were _ 75 corps and 120 officers in the United Kingdom apd! the revenue for the year was £1,925 Tlxue, when General William Booth arranged the conditions of -succession to his absolute leadership, he did l so in circumstances that were compai-ative-ly modest and entirely satisfactory to everyone concerned.

Little did the founder know that the S'alvation Army was to spread to every corner of the world, claim thousand upon thousand of adherents, and 1 control huge sums of money. At the present time more than 14,000 corps are in existence, together with 1400 social institutions. In the British Isles the centres number 1500 and a similar figure has been reached in the United States. In Canada there are between 600 and 700 andi in Australia and New Zealand about 1900. India has 500 centres. and the Far East about 450. Greatly increased sums of money have',Been raised as 'the movement progressed. The financial' system is divided into two parts, one concerned with lo dal corps financing themselves by their own efforts, and‘the other for property, ■ missionary, and social funds. In the year ending September 1925, the total income . received at international headquarters

for properties, missionary and social worlv was £670,942. So it may bo seen that whatever virtues may be possessed by tlio present form of control, it is but the survival of a system put Into operation when the circumstances of the Army warranted nothing more complicated. Whether or not the council may see fit to make a change, time alone can tell.

ARMY'S LEADERS

SMALL SALARIES PAID TO MEMBERS OF BOOTH FAMILY

It ist now known that Commander Er a Booth was one of the most prominent of tlio army leaders who insisted upon the convening of ' the council (says an English journal). General Braanwell Booth, who, it is believed, has nominated liis successor in a secret document, has not attended at the headquarters of thearmy for many months, owing to illness. For weeks he has been unable to consult with his chief officers. “We have not sought controversy” \said a London commissioner. “If the general had taken advice when it was tendered to him many months ago the present situation would hava. been avoided.

“We liopo that it will amend the constitution so that the appointment of future generals shall be 011 right lines and there shall be a proper stipend for our highest official.

“It is not right that the head of such an organisation should have to accept donations from sympathisers. I believe that General Branlwelt Booth lias placed funds with _ the Charity Commissioners to provide a stipend! for future generals, but the thing should he done properly and with tho full knowledge of the whole army.” It was stated that there is a feeling in tho army that the fact of bearing the name Booth should not necessarily entitle anybody to high office 1 ,

The general of the Salvation Army does not receive pay ag such. He, is. however; allowed all his expenses. He is even credited with a guinea every time he signs a document, hut it was 'pointed out recently that these guineas are not personal _ perquisites, but go to a fund administered by the army’s financial officers for army purposes in the ordinary ways 1 All other officers are paid and receive out-of-pocket expenses. The members of General Booth’s family who are officers are—

Mrs Bramwell Booth, commissioner. does not' accept pav. Miss Catherine Booth, daughter, commissioner, pay about £4OO a year. • . Mary Booth, daughter, colonel, about, £275. Bernard Booth, son, lieut. Colonel, about £265.'' • Olivo Booth, daughter, major, about £240. 1 'Dora Booth, daughter, staff captain. about £2OO. Wycliff Booth, staff captain, about £2OO. / ’ ' ' '