General William Booth
On April 9,1865, Lee met Grant in the parlor of a private
home at Appomattox Court House. He surrendered his army and
brought an end to four long years of death and devastation
called the Civil War. In the same year a 36 year old
Englishman by the name of William Booth declared war on the
powers of darkness by founding the Salvation Army.
One of the most effective weapons in General Booth's arsenal
was fervent prayer. It was not unusual for Booth to hold "an
all night of prayer" when he came to preach the Word of God.
People would flood the altars every where he went. "The
power of God was wonderfully manifest in the meetings . . .
people were frequently, struck down, overwhelmed with a
sense of the presence and power of God."
The Salvation Army's success at freeing the captives was
uncanny, especially when one considers those who it strived
to reach. General Booth's battle cry was "Go for souls and
go for the worst." The worst of sinners were saved, saloons
were closed and entire cities were shaken.
Booth's success attracted not only supporters but also
enemies. Those who served in the Army were pelted with hot
coals, sprayed with tar and burning sulphur, beat, stoned
and even kicked to death in the streets. The Salvation Army
resisted their enemies with a cheerful "God bless you", and
a prayer. General Booth, himself was often in the thick of
it. When spit on during the Midlands tour, Booth encouraged
his fellow soldiers, "Don't rub it off - it's a medal!"
Night after night Booth would come home bleeding and bruised
after being attacked for preaching in the slums of England.
After such nights of testing he would take his wife's hand
and say, "Kate, let me pray with you." After praying with
Catherine he would rise from his knees armed with fresh
courage and hope. Booth needed all the valor his wife
Catherine could inspire in him. She encouraged him, "if we
get tired we had better go and be done with, anything is
better than a dead church." Despite the grinding pressures
of the ministry the Booths had a happily united family. The
General had nine children and loved to play and romp with
them, especially in their favorite game of "Fox and Geese."
Once while traveling, General Booth's car was detained. He
took advantage of the opportunity and exhorted some idle
factory workers. He said, "some of you men never pray, you
gave up praying long ago. But I'm going to say to you, won't
you pray for your children that they may be different?"
Within minutes 700 men knelt in silent prayer.
At another time, two Salvation Army officers set out to
found a new work, only to meet with failure and opposition.
Frustrated and tired they appealed to the General to close
the rescue mission. General Booth sent back a telegram with
two words on it, "TRY TEARS." They followed his advice and
they witnessed a mighty revival.
During the course of William Booths ministry he traveled
5,000,000 miles and preached 60,000 sermons. God help us in
this desperate and distracted day in which we live to heed
the General's advice. "Work as if everything depended upon
your work, and pray as if everything depended upon your
prayer."
With permission from Job Anbalagan gloryofhiscross@yahoo.co.in