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
"Tuesday.--Morning, addressed Officers and Cadets. One o'clock,
Meeting of Clergy and Evangelistic workers, at which 300 were
present. Spoke an hour, and answered questions for an hour. Was
enabled, I think, to answer all objections, putting every one to
silence.
"Dined with Lieutenant Lagercrantz of the King's army. He is a dear
fellow, and he has a dear wife. They are in deep sympathy with us.
She put on a bonnet and riband that night.
"I was determined to have a free Meeting for the poorest, a charge
for admission having been made for all the Meetings yet held in
Stockholm. So called one at 6 p.m. in our own Hall in the south of
the city. At six we were quite full. I spoke an hour or more, and
some twenty or more came out for a clean heart. Closed at 8.15 p.m.
"At 8.30 p.m. Soldiers' Meeting. Some 500 were present. Spoke for
nearly two hours. At the close cleared the front as a Mercy Seat,
and nearly all in the place--Officers, Cadets, and Soldiers--went
down in company after company. The wonderful Meeting closed about
midnight.
"Wednesday.--Rose at 6 a.m., not having had much sleep. Away in
Norrköping at 7.30 a.m. Arrived at 2.30 p.m. Meeting at 3.30 p.m.
in a great church, where 800 were present. Good time. Very tired.
"Night. I,500 present. Talked two hours. Afterwards, at 10.30 p.m.,
had a Meeting for Soldiers. Got home about 11.45 p.m.
"Thursday.--Meeting at 10 a.m. to say 'Farewell.' Spoke about an
hour, and left at one o'clock for Lynköping, arriving at 2.30 p.m.
Meeting in our beautiful Theatre at 2.30 p.m. Fine audience."
Mere lack of space forbids further quotation. But surely enough has
been said to show with what marvellous exertion The General managed in
one brief journey to do so much for all classes, and so much not merely
in the way of Meetings but of organisation and administration in every
way.
And the diary tells us nothing of his talks with Officers between
Meetings, which have formed so important a part of all his travels. By
means of such conversations, especially in the case of Officers who are
not English, The General has gained a close knowledge of them and their
difficulties as they have of his thoughts and wishes.
Between his arrival at Gothenburg and his Sundsvall Meetings came a
rough journey to Norway, where we had as yet no Officers, yet where,
nevertheless, a great Meeting had been arranged for by friends, who
later helped in the establishment of our work in their country! The
General passed on to Denmark, where our work was in its first year.
On the afternoon of his arrival he tells us he rested, wrote up
correspondence and journal, and had some little thought about the coming
Meetings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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