[Illustration: William Booth
Born April 10th. 1829. Died August 20th, 1912.]
The Authoritative Life Of General William Booth
Founder of The Salvation Army
By
G. S. Railton
First Commissioner to General Booth
With a Preface by
General Bramwell Booth
Copyright, 1912,
By George H. Doran Company
Preface
I have no hesitation in commending this small volume as containing so
far as its space permits, a good picture of my beloved Father and a
record of much that made his life of interest and importance to the
world.
It does not, of course, profess to cover anything like the whole story
of his many years of world-wide service. It could not do so. For any
such complete history we must wait for that later production which may,
I hope, be possible before very long when there has been time to go
fully through the masses of diaries, letters and other papers he has
left behind him.
It must not be supposed that I can make myself responsible for every
phrase Commissioner Railton has used. I know, however, that perhaps no
one except myself had anything like his opportunities, during the last
forty years, of knowing and studying my Father's life, both in public
and private, and of understanding his thoughts and purposes.
_Now we wish this book to accomplish something._ We cannot think it
possible for anyone, especially a Salvationist, to read it without being
compelled ever and anon to ask himself such questions as these:--
"Am I living a life that is at all like this life? Am I, at any rate,
willing by God's grace to do anything I can in the same direction, in
order that God may be more loved and glorified, and that my fellow men
may be raised to a more God-like and happy service? After all, is there
not something better for me than money-making, or the search after human
applause, or indeed the pursuit of earthly good of any kind?
"If, instead of aiming at that which will all fade away, I turn my
attention to making the best of my life for God and for others, may I
not also accomplish something that will afford me satisfaction at last
and bear reflection in the world to come?"
I hope also that to some, at least, the great message of this life will
stand revealed in these pages. I believe it to be that, while God can do
little or nothing by us until we are completely submitted and given up
to Him, He can work wonders of infinite moment to the world when we are.
Asked, a few months before his death, if he would put into a sentence
the secret as he saw it, of all the blessings which had attended him
during his seventy years of service, The General replied: "Well, if I am
to put it into one sentence, I would say that I made up my mind that God
Almighty should have all there was of William Booth." It was, in the
beginning, that entire devotion to God and its continued maintenance
which could, alone, account for the story told in these brief records.
The book is, of course, written in the main from the Salvationist point
of view; much of it, indeed, is simply a reproduction of my father's own
sayings and writings to his own people. This, to all thoughtful readers,
must be our defence against any appearance of self-glorification, or any
omission to refer to the work in the world that others are doing for
Christ. No attempt has been made to tell the story of The General's
"life and times," but simply to note some of the things he said and did
himself. And I trust the record may be found useful by all the many
servants of God who do not think exactly as he thought, but who yet
rejoiced in the triumphs of the Cross through his labours.
To continue and to amplify the results of his work must needs be my
continual aim. I am full of hope that this book may bring me some help,
not only towards his Memorial Scheme, which contemplates the erection
and equipment in London and other Capitals of enlarged premises for the
Training of Officers in every branch of the work, or where they already
have such buildings, the erection of new Headquarters or Halls; but
towards the maintenance and extension in every land of the work he
began.
It cannot but be a special gratification to me to know that this book
will be received with eager affection in almost every part of the
world. How could it ever cease to be my greatest joy to strive more and
more after my Father's ideal of linking together men and women of every
land and race in one grand competition for the extinction of selfishness
by the enlistment of all sorts and conditions of men in one Great Holy
War for God and for all that is good?
Whether those into whose hands this volume falls, agree or not with the
teachings of The Salvation Army, may God grant them Grace to join
heartily at least in this, my Father's great purpose, and so help me to
attain the victory for which he lived and died.
W. Bramwell Booth.
London International Headquarters
of The Salvation Army.
November, 1912.
Contents
Chapter I Childhood and Poverty