Booth, Catherine Mumford, 1829-1890; Salvation Army -- Great Britain -- Biography
'My dearest,' writes Mrs. Booth to her mother, 'is starting for London.
Pray for him. He is much harassed. But I have promised to keep a brave
heart. At times it appears to me that God may have something very
glorious in store for us, and when He has tried us He will bring us forth
as gold. It will not be the first time I have taken a leap in the dark,
humanly speaking, for conscience' sake.'
It was, indeed, a 'leap in the dark': to break up their little home in
the North, and, travelling by boat, to save expense, to bring their four
children to Mrs. Mumford's house in London. There they separated: the
father and mother went to Cornwall, to hold a Salvation campaign in a
little chapel that had been lent to them, and the children remained
behind.
Of the marvellous way in which God blessed the Cornish work, I cannot
stop to tell you. Mrs. Booth's name as a preacher was by this time
becoming as widely known as that of her husband; and they went from one
place to another, at first together, and then, afterwards, separately, so
as to be able to do more good, for four long years.
Whenever possible, our Army Mother took her children with her: she never
left them to others when she could help it, and later on I shall tell you
what a devoted and tender mother she was; but the strain of those four
long years no one will ever know. I want you to see the dark as well as
the bright side of her wonderful life; and here is part of a letter to
her mother, written at that time:--
'I feel dreadfully unsettled at present. I don't like this mode of living
at all. William has now been away from home, except on Friday and
Saturday, for twelve weeks. I long to get fixed together again once more.
The going backwards and forwards and being in other people's houses does
not suit William. Nor do I like leaving home for the Sabbaths. I am much
tempted to look gloomily towards the future. But "my heart is fixed." "I
will trust, and not be afraid."'
Then again, a little later on:--
'Pray for me. I sometimes feel as though I had taken a path which is too
hard for me, and duties too heavy for me to perform; but it is my
privilege to say, and to feel, "I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me."'
Once again she says:--
'Well, the Lord help us to be faithful to our convictions, even in the
dark and cloudy day! I have felt it hard work to do so lately. Many a
time have I longed to be where the weary are at rest.
'Well, we must labour and wait a little longer; it may be that the clouds
will break, and surround us with sunshine. Anyway, God lives above the
clouds, and He will direct our path.'
The General and Mrs. Booth were holding Salvation services in London when
our Army Mother was called to make a fresh sacrifice, never dreaming of
the wonderful results that would spring from it. You shall read about it
in her own words, spoken many years afterwards:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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