SALVATION ARMY

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11068, 15 February 1929, Page 5

SALVATION ARMY

THE NEW GENERAL COAIAIISSIONER HIGGINS ELECTED. United Press Assn —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, February 13. Before the Grand Council of the Salvation Army. Air Jewitt, K.C., made a two-hours speech, combining legal argument with impassioned pleading. Ho read a letter from the General offering a fresh' compromise, allowing the council to choose his successor if he retained, command in a slightly modified form. All- Jewitt urged the council not to dismiss a man who had been ill nigh, to death. Many listeners were moved to tears. General Booth’s doctor, two eminent physicians and also twe friends, including All- Pollard, an oxArmy Chancellor, gave evidence that General Booth should be, physically fit to resume duty in a month or two. A,vote resulted in five for General Booth and 52 against. Four abstained from voting. The High Council then elected Commissioner Higgins by the necessary two-third® majority. The voting was: For Commissioner Higgins 43 For Commander Eva Booth 17 BOOTH STILL DEFIANT. LONDON, February 13. The Daily Express understands that Brainwell Booth will defy the decision. Outgoing finances are still under his personal control and he feels it his duty to retain command. Immediate application to the Courts is being considered by the Booths’ lawyers. The letter read by Air Jowitt, counsel for the General stated : “The Army is facing a period fraught with the gravest dangers. You and I must work for the Army’s sake, forgetting if need be. individual hopes and aims. Couldn’t v.e find a way? I’ve tried to meet you with previous proposals ; 1 am ready to consider any from the Council. Surely after a lifetime’s work for the same ends, we ought to be able to find a better way than separation. “Newly raised doubt® as to the validity of the supplementary Deed fill m© with anxiety. With God’s restoring of my health, I feci strongly I ought, not to be denied the opportunity of restoring the deed. I have more right than any of you, by experience and knowledge, to act in the matter. If we work together, all may yet be well but if f am deprived of my place as leader, the position is so complicated that loss and confusion must follow. “If my hoped-for improvement in health does not justify expectations, I shall, of course, retire but, I should have time for the recovery which is co u fidently expected. ” A POPULAR DECISION. LONDON, February 13. The Army Council cheered wildly after Commander Higgins’ election. On being interviewed, lie said he was elected without conditions ,except those imposed in the foundation deed of 1878 and the supplementary deed poll of 1904. If the latter’® validity were attacked, it must be defended. He did not know if General Booth would accept the Council’s decision hut- he did not anticipate any legal move. General Booth would retain his title, but “retired” would he written after his name. “AVe do, not want to- take away any of the honours belonging to him,” he said. NEW ZEALANDERS PLEASED AYITH CHOICE. WELL!NGTON, Last Night. “The Salvation Army in New Zealand is very pleased with Commander Higgins’ appointment to the supreme command. We have every confidence in th e decision the High Council has come to,” said Colonel D. A. Gunn, officer temporarily in charge of the Salvation forces in the Dominion tonight. “Commissioner Higgins is the right man for the position,” Colonel Gunn added. “In regard to the deposed leader. I can say that General Bramwell Booth lia® the undying a.f-fect-ion and esteem of the whole Army here. W e know lie has not been responsible for the fight t.ha t has been going on. All the opposition to bis retirement lias come from the family We have had inside knowledge that for a long time General Booth has been totally unfit to- carry on and that lie was totally unequal to the task of signing documents. We know that he was badly advised ; he ought to have retired. AA'e have not been antagonistic to the, old General and he will always have cur confidence and affection. There will he a great tribute paid to him, although his retirement was resisted by the family.” THE NEW CHIEF. A STRIKING PERSONALITY.

Commissioner Edward John Higgins, C.8.E.. chief of staff o$ the Salvation Army, has filled many appointments, includiiifi- divisional work in Great Britain, second in command of the International Training Garrison. London, the chief secretaryship of the U.S.A., the assistant foreign secretaryship at international hcad-

ouarters, and command of the United Kingdom. He was appointed Chief of Staff in 1919. He is a forceful tjrnl convincing si>eaker and levels in a salvation fight ; his public work being invariably rendered notable in the large number c-; persons seeking salvation and holiness. He wars responsible to the General for the varied works carried through by the Salvation Army for the welfare of tlie troops during the Great- AVar, and for his splendid labours during those eventful years received tlie C.B.E. He is widely travelled, and has intimate knowledge of the- Salvation Army’s operation in many lands. In 1907 he accompanied the founder on his campaigns in Canada and Japan. Two- years later, a® special representative of international headquarters, ho visited the Far East. In ISS7 he married Captain Price. Four of their family are officers in the Salvation Army.,