The Authoritative Life of General William Booth, Founder of the Salvation ArmyRailton, George S. (George Scott)
History
The Authoritative Life of General William Booth, Founder of the Salvation Army
Railton, George S. (George Scott)
Booth, William, 1829-1912; Salvation Army
"7.30 p.m., Soldiers' Meeting. We have always been crowded out
before, so this time the Palace Theatre was taken, as an
experiment, and it justified my reckonings for several years gone
by, namely, that we could fill any reasonable place on Saturday
night here, and yet keep the Meeting select; that is, confine it to
Soldiers and ex-Soldiers, adherents, and those concerned about
religion. We were more than full, and the place holds 1,500. I had
much liberty in speaking, the After Meeting went with a swing
seldom known on the Continent or elsewhere, and we had eighty-four
at the Penitent-Form, some of them remarkable cases."
No wonder this octogenarian Leader finds his young Dutchmen wanting in
enterprise!
"Sunday.--The theatre again in the morning at ten. An excellent
plan. Oh, that it could be adopted the world over! The senseless
system of beginning at eleven makes you feel it is time to close
almost before you have had time to get well started. We were
crowded, large numbers outside clamouring for admission, so much so
that the police called out their reserves, and fifty men guarded
the entrance. We had an excellent service inside, and forty at the
Mercy-Seat. It was a beautiful Meeting, and made a mark for ever on
my heart, and on the hearts of many more.
"Afternoon. The large Hall of the People's Palace had been arranged
for this as well as the Night Meeting. We were full, and many were
turned away. I lectured on 'The Duty of the Community.' Great
satisfaction among my own people, and a good impression made upon
the minds of a good many of the leading people of the city.
"Night, 7.30. Again full. It is a building erected for an
Exhibition, and made suitable for a Meeting only by putting up a
great screen across the centre. I suppose we could have filled the
entire space; but whether my interpreter could then have been
heard, I am not sure. I preached with point and power--more
breathless attention I never had in my life. I reckoned on an easy
conquest, but we had one of the hardest fights I ever remember
before we got a soul out. I left at 10.30, completely played out. A
wall of policemen on either side kept the people back while I got
into the carriage, the crowd having waited a long time to catch a
glimpse of me. Had long, restless, and sleepless spells during the
night; but still I have not done amiss on the whole. I must now
prepare myself for the coming Berlin Staff Congress."
So much for the general effect upon a largely unbelieving people of
simple, childlike faith!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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