THE SALTATION ARMY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 866, 5 October 1888, Page 1

THE SALTATION ARMY.

S 3 VISIT OF “COMMANDANT H. H. BOOTH. For some time past there has been a flutter of excitement amongst the members of the Salvation] Army over the prejected visit for the first time in the history of the movement of one of the Booth family, the orignators of the Army. It was expected that the official head of the Army, “ General Booth,” would have visited New Zealand this year, but the serious illness of his wife has deferred his visit for some months to come. One of his sons, Herbert H. Booth, who is connected with the Army Training Home in London, - has seriously overtaxed his strength in his work to such an extent that a prolonged rest and change of scene was necessary. Thereupon the “ General ” advised him to take a round trip to New Zealand, returning Home via San Francisco. Commandant Booth therefore comes on no official visit to the . Army in this Colony, but simply as a trip to recruit his health. He arrived in Auckland last Monday by the s.s. Doric, accompanied by Staff-Captain Allen as private secretary. Upon their arrival in Auckland they were taken to the residence of the veteran apostle of temperance Sir William Fox, whose guests they were during their stay. Although Mr Booth comes for a rest, the nature of his calling and the demands made upon him during his stay in the Colony excludes all notion of rest from his programme, for he had addressed 17 meetings up to Monday week. He arrived in this city on Sunday by the s.s. Te Anau, and joined the usual morning march of the Army to the Barracks, where a monster welcome was accorded him. Commandant Herbert H. Booth, the third son of General Booth, is a young man of about 26 years of age and about SftlOin in height. In features he much resembles his father, having the same high, wide, and expansive forehead. His eyes and hair are dark, and a Bmall moustache and promising full dark beard adorns his face. His features are well formed. His mouth is mobile, and his whole appearance denotes an intenseness, a restless activity. He is thin and wan, his sunken eyes denoting loss of vigour. He has a slight stoop in his shoulders, but otherwise walks with a soldierly gait. On Sunday he was dressed in a dark frock coat and trousers with broad braided seams ; on the collar of his coat he wears the Salvation officers’ official badge and the letter S. A couple of rows of narrow silver braid are around the cuff of each sleeve, and he has shoulder-straps also edged with silver. Underneath his coat he wears the usual red guernsey. His cap is the usual headdress worn by the officers. I-n his speech he betrays a close imitation of his father, the General. There are the same gesticulations of the hands, the identical movements of the head, and the same effective play with the handkerchief. But his voice has not, perhaps through illness, the same sonorous ring as the founder of the movement has. Herbert’s voice is thin, reedy, and slightly, husky, and requires great action to reach a large crowd. He wears while reading .folding spectacles. _ There was a crowded attendance in the Barracks at the three services on Sunday. In the morning “ Colonel” J. P. Taylor, “ Major ” Lovelock and officers from other parts took part in the services. In the afternoon there was scarcely standing room. Commandant Booth sang a solo “ The power of Jesus’ blood,” accompanying himself on a concertina. He gave a brief sketch of the rise and progress of the Army, stating that 23 years ago his father, a popular minister of the Methodist New Connection Church, left his charge and went to London. He was surprised at the great spiritual destitution of the mass of the people. Out of a population of nearly 5,000,000 it was estimated that fully 90 per cent, never entered a place of worship. He at that time had a wife and four, children, the eldest not more than 4 years of age. . ..He determined to make an effort to reach this non-church-going population, and started his work in the Mile End waste. At first he met with great opposition. The speaker could just remember the time when, between 5 and 6 years of age, he walked with his father in their marches, and was saluted with showers of mud, rotten eggs, and other objectionable missiles. But in spite of all opposition the movement grew, until in 1873 they had. 71 “circuits” in London, and 12 evanf eliats at work, From that date until

1883 the work had progressed until they had 442 “circuits,” with 1067 paid officers. But from 1883 to 1886 their advancement had been rapid and astonishing. At the present time in Great Britain alone they had 2413 “ circuits ’ or stations, with 548 outposts, and 6402 paid officers at work. Their operations extended in 22 different nations and colonies, and amongst 33 languages. Taking ■ the . whole of the. world, .the Army held 41,000 meetings weekly. Their literature, too, had advanced beyond their expectations. In 1879 they first published their London War Cry, a halfpenny paper, with a circulation of 1700 per week. To-day that paper was sold at a penny, and their circulation in England alone was 280,000 weekly. They now published 23 separate War Cries in 17 languages with a total circulation of 600,000 per week. Their - children’s! paper, the Little Soldier, was started 12' months' ago With a circulation of 30,000 ; now they sold 120,000 per week. Speaking of the internal work of the Army, he said they had men of all grades of society all,trades and professions. Some short time ago a wellknown detective .of Scotland Yard, London, visited General Booth, and said he had been converted at one of the Army meetings. He wished to throw up his employment, and devote the rest of his days to Army work. He had special talents as a clever detective, and would like to place his services at the General’s disposal. Mr Booth at first threw cold water on his offer, but the man persisted, stating that, although he could earn L2OOO a year in his line, yet he was willing to throw it all up and work for just a bare living for himself, his wife, and his four children. After some deGeneral Booth accepted his services, and at once instituted a new service in the Army, “a, private investigation department,” with the ex-detective at the head at a salary of L2OO per annum. The General has for years past had applications from all parts of the world for information respecting missing sons or daughters, who, being drawn into the great vortex of London life, have been lost to their sorrowing parents. Then, again, they have seven rescue houses, 'which are always . filled with the waifs and strays of society. Today the ex-detective is doing a grand work in searching for and recovering many a son and daughter, who otherwise would have descendeaintothelowest depth of sin and crime. v . Commandant Booth also referred to the celebrated Armstrong case of the Pall Mall exposure fame, and of the part his brother “ Bramwell Booth ” took in it, saying that the fearless exposure by the Pall Mall Gazette of one of the most hideous crimes of modern days had resulted in most happy effects. Although critics had said that the Salvation Army was to die for the part'it. took in assisting dreadful exposures, the critics werefar out. of their reckoning, for the Army, far from being dead, was to-day more alive than fever. Mr Booth said that on his return to England he should strongly advise his father to pay these colonies a visit, and he had no doubt a few months hence would see him in Wellington.' A sister (Miss Booth), with a party of 50 officers, male and female, were just about landing in Bombay to fight the Army’s fight in India.

During the afternoon services, Te Rangi, the Maori convert, sang a Maori hymn, accompanying himself on a harp. Staff-Captain. Allen, the private secretary' of Commandant Booth, is a spritely-lobking young fellow, of about 23 years of age, with a ruddy, English complexion, light hair and eyes, and a fair moustache. He is dressed in dark shirt, jacket and trousers, without ornament, save the badge on the collar and narrow silver braid on his cuffs. In the evening the Barracks was crowded in every part, and large numbers were refused admission. Both visitors left for Christchurch on Monday, but expect to visit Wellington again before their final departure.