Booth, Catherine Mumford, 1829-1890; Salvation Army -- Great Britain -- Biography
More than one poor girl went direct from the Congress Hall to the Rescue
Homes, to begin to live 'as she would have wished'; and the Cadets on
guard were all the time dealing with drunkards and helping those who
desired to begin from thenceforth to live a new and different life.
Even to-day, twenty-four years later, we often meet those who date their
conversion, or their first step in the Narrow Way, from their look at
that face lying in its simple coffin.
One of Mrs. Booth's own grandchildren, Mary, the present General's second
daughter, looks back to that scene as the time when God in an
unmistakable manner sealed her as His. She was only five years old as she
knelt by the coffin, but nevertheless she decided there, in her childish
consecration, like Ruth of old, that 'Thy people shall be my people, and
thy God my God'; and in the spirit of this consecration she lives to-day.
* * * * *
In order that some of the crowds who wished to share in the funeral
service might be present, the largest hall in London, the Olympia, was
taken. Twenty-six thousand people filled it; and though it was, of
course, impossible for them all to hear, they followed the service given
on printed papers with reverent sympathy.
The coffin was carried down the immense hall by Officers; The General and
his family followed.
Those who arranged for this last mighty gathering remembered that Mrs.
Booth, when with us, was never happy to leave a Meeting unless it had
been brought to a point, and something definite had been done; and
therefore, when the songs and prayers and readings were over, the huge
crowd was asked to kneel and make a solemn covenant with God.
It was a beautiful covenant, and ended with these words:--
'And now, in this solemn hour, and in the presence of death, I come again
to Thy footstool, and make this covenant with Thee.'
Then all who had made the covenant from their hearts rose and sang
together:--
Just as I am Thou dost receive,
Dost welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come!
It was just such an ending to the wonderful service as our Army Mother
would have chosen had she been still on earth with us.
* * * * *
The next morning was dry and bright. 'I shall ask God to give you a fine
day for my funeral, Emma, so that you mayn't take cold,' our Army Mother
had said, for she was ever thoughtful for others; and her prayer was
answered, for though the white mist crept up from the river to the
Embankment, where the procession was forming up, there was no rain nor
wind.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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