William Booth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Booth
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| 1st General of The Salvation Army | |
| In office 2 July 1865 – 20 August 1912 |
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| Chief | Bramwell Booth |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Bramwell Booth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 April 1829 Sneinton, Nottingham, England |
| Died | 20 August 1912 (aged 83) Hadley Wood, London, England |
| Spouse | Catherine Mumford |
| Children |
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| Signature |  |
William Booth (born April 10, 1829 – died August 20, 1912) was an English Christian leader. He was a Methodist preacher who, with his wife Catherine, started The Salvation Army. He became its first leader, called the General, from 1878 to 1912. This Christian group began in London in 1865. It has a special military-like structure. Today, The Salvation Army helps people all over the world. It is known for giving a lot of aid to those in need.
Contents
Early Life and Calling
William Booth was born in Sneinton, Nottingham, England. He was the second of five children. His father, Samuel Booth, was once quite rich. But during William's childhood, his family became very poor. In 1842, when William was 13, his father could no longer pay for his school. So, William became an apprentice to a pawnbroker. A pawnbroker lends money using valuable items as security. William's father died later that year.
Two years into his apprenticeship, William had a strong religious experience. He then read many books and taught himself to write and speak well. He became a local preacher for the Methodist church. His best friend, Will Sansom, encouraged him to become an evangelist. An evangelist is someone who tries to spread the Christian message. In the 1840s, Booth and Sansom preached to poor people and those who had made bad choices in Nottingham. William might have stayed Sansom's partner, but Sansom died in 1849.
In 1848, William's apprenticeship ended. He was unemployed and looked for work for a year without success. In 1849, he moved to London and found work with a pawnbroker. He tried to continue preaching there. But he did not get many chances to preach. This made him frustrated. So, he left his role as a lay preacher. Instead, he started preaching outdoors in the streets.
Becoming a Preacher
In 1851, Booth joined the Methodist Reform Church. This church was formed by a group that left the main Methodist church. On his 23rd birthday, April 10, 1852, he stopped being a pawnbroker. He became a full-time preacher for the church in Clapham. William preached in a style similar to James Caughey. Caughey was an American preacher who often visited England.
Just over a month after becoming a full-time preacher, William Booth got engaged. He proposed to Catherine Mumford on May 15, 1852. He was interested in the Congregationalist way of organizing churches. He sought advice from different ministers. He married Catherine Mumford on June 17, 1855, in London.
In 1857, the Booth family moved to Brighouse in Yorkshire. William was appointed preacher at the Bethel Chapel. He and Catherine spoke out against young girls working in a local mill. By 1859, they had moved to Gateshead.
William Booth was a well-known Methodist evangelist. But he was not happy because the church kept assigning him to a specific church. He wanted to travel and preach to many people. At a meeting in Liverpool in 1861, his request to be a full-time evangelist was denied again. So, Booth left the Methodist church.
He then became an independent evangelist. This meant he preached on his own. He taught that people needed to turn away from their bad choices. He also taught that believing in Jesus Christ would lead to a life of love for God and others. Booth also showed his caring side in his business ideas. For example, he made Salvation Army matches. These matches had the slogan "Lights in darkest England, Security from fire, Fair wages for fair work." His match factory paid workers more than other companies.
The Christian Mission Begins
In 1865, William and Catherine Booth started 'The Christian Revival Society'. It was in the East End of London, a very poor area. They held evening meetings to share their Christian message. They believed this message could help poor and struggling people. The Christian Revival Society was later renamed The Christian Mission. It then became the East London Christian Mission.
Growing The Christian Mission was hard work for Booth. His wife wrote that he would come home tired every night. His clothes were often torn, and he sometimes had bandages on his head from stones thrown at him.
Meetings were held in an old warehouse. Children would throw stones and fireworks through the windows. The Mission opened other places around the city. Many people joined. But The Christian Mission was just one of hundreds of groups trying to help in London's East End.
Booth also did other good deeds. He opened "Food for the Million" places, which were like soup kitchens. They provided food for hungry people.
The Salvation Army is Born
The group started as the East London Christian Mission in 1865. The name The Salvation Army came about in May 1878. William Booth was telling his secretary, George Scott Railton, what to write. Booth said, "We are a volunteer army." His son, Bramwell Booth, heard him. Bramwell said, "Volunteer, I'm no volunteer, I'm a regular!" So, Booth told his secretary to change "volunteer" to "salvation." The printer's proof for their report first said "The Christian Mission Is A Volunteer Army." But the corrected version said "The Christian Mission Is ... A Salvation Army."
The Salvation Army was set up like a military army. It had its own flag and music. The music often used Christian words set to popular tunes. Booth and the other members, called "soldiers," wore a special uniform. They called it "putting on the armour." William Booth became the "General." His other leaders were called "officers." Other members were called "soldiers."
The early years were tough, and money was always needed to help people. But Booth and The Salvation Army kept going. In the early 1880s, their work spread to other countries. These included the United States, France, Switzerland, Sweden, and many parts of the British Empire.
Often, the work in other countries started when people who had moved there began "salvationist" activities. If they had some success, they would ask London to "send officers."
In other cases, like in Argentina, someone told Booth that many British people there needed help. The four officers sent in 1890 found that these British people were spread out. But the missionaries started working in Spanish. The work then grew across the country.
During his life, William Booth started Army work in 58 countries. He traveled a lot and held "salvation meetings."
Booth regularly published a magazine. He also wrote several books and songs. His book In Darkest England and the Way Out became very popular in 1890. It also became the basis for how The Salvation Army helps people today. The book compared "civilised" England to "Darkest Africa." Africa was seen as poor and undeveloped at the time. Booth suggested that many parts of London and England were not much better off after the Industrial Revolution. He proposed a plan to use Christian teachings to solve these problems.
The book talks about ending bad habits and poverty. It suggested creating homes for people without homes. It also suggested farm communities like Hadleigh Farm. Here, poor city people could learn farming skills. There would also be training centers for people who wanted to move to other countries. Homes for women who had faced difficulties and for people released from prison were also planned. The book also suggested help for people struggling with alcohol. He also had ideas for lawyers for the poor, banks, clinics, and schools.
Challenges and Criticism
In its early years, The Salvation Army faced many challenges. Some people, especially those who sold alcohol, were against them. They worried that Booth's work would make poor people stop drinking. One group that fought against The Salvation Army was called the Skeleton Army. This group tried to stop The Salvation Army's marches against alcohol. This happened from the early 1880s until about 1892. Fights between the two groups led to the deaths of several Salvation Army members. Many others were hurt. In 1882 alone, 662 Salvation Army soldiers were attacked. 251 of them were women, and 23 were under 15 years old.
Other people criticized Booth for appointing his own children to important jobs. They said others might be more qualified. This led to claims that The Salvation Army was a Booth family business. For example, he made his daughter Emma Booth the head of the Officers' Training Home. This was the Army's first training school for women. She was only 19. William Booth once told his children that "The Salvation Army does not belong to you, or to me, it belongs to the world." He was careful about the Army becoming a family business. But others thought he was creating a family rule. This was also suggested because he wanted his sons-in-law to add 'Booth' to their names. This idea was further supported when Booth named his son, Bramwell Booth, as his successor in his will.
The newspapers were often unfriendly to Booth and The Salvation Army. Their methods and message were often misunderstood. The Army's motto "Blood & Fire" had a deep religious meaning. It meant the saving "blood of Jesus" and the purifying "fire of the Holy Spirit." But some wrongly thought it meant the blood of bad people and the fire of hell. People also suspected the Army's true reasons. Booth was often shown as someone just trying to make money.
The Church of England was at first against Booth's activities. A famous helper of the poor, Lord Shaftesbury, even called Booth the "Anti-Christ." One main complaint against Booth was that he gave women important roles. Many found him bossy and hard to work with. Some of his own children left him as their leader. They turned away from The Salvation Army. These included his daughter Kate Booth and his sons Herbert and Ballington Booth. Ballington even started his own group, the Volunteers of America. Other religious leaders also did not support him.
Later Years and Legacy
Over time, people's opinions of The Salvation Army and William Booth changed. In his later years, kings, emperors, and presidents met with him. The news media began to use his title of 'General' with respect.
In 1899, Booth had problems with his eyesight. He became blind in both eyes. But after a short rest, he could see again. In 1904, he went on a motor tour. He was driven around Great Britain, stopping in cities and towns to preach from his open-top car. In 1906, Booth was given the Freedom of the City of London. He also received an honorary degree from the University of Oxford. In 1902, he was invited to the coronation of Edward VII and Alexandra.
He made his last visit to North America in 1907. In 1909, he started a six-month motor tour of the United Kingdom. During this tour, he found he was blind in his right eye. His left eye was also dimmed by cataracts. The rest of the tour had to be canceled. In August 1909, a surgeon removed his right eye. Even with this problem, Booth traveled in 1910. He campaigned in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. When he returned to England, he started his seventh and last motor tour.
William Booth died at age 83 on August 20, 1912. This happened at his home in Hadley Wood, London. In The Salvation Army, they say he was "Promoted to Glory." His body was displayed for three days at Clapton Congress Hall. 150,000 people came to see his casket. On August 27, 1912, Booth's funeral was held at Olympia London. 40,000 people attended. This included Queen Mary, who sat quietly in the back. King George V wrote a letter saying, "The nation has lost a great organizer and the poor a whole-hearted and sincere friend." United States President William Taft wrote that Booth's "long life and great talents were dedicated to the noble work of helping the poor and weak." News agencies worldwide reported on Booth's death.
Booth's funeral procession started at The Salvation Army's main office. 10,000 uniformed Salvationists marched behind. Forty Salvation Army brass bands played music. He was buried with his wife Catherine (who died in 1890) in Abney Park Cemetery. This was a main burial place for non-conformist Protestants in the 1800s.
After Booth's death, his son, Bramwell Booth, became the second General of The Salvation Army. William Booth wanted each general to choose their successor. However, today, Generals of The Salvation Army are chosen by the High Council of The Salvation Army.
William Booth's Impact
Many things honor William Booth. The poet Vachel Lindsay wrote a poem called "General William Booth Enters into Heaven." Charles Ives set this poem to music. In 1990, a train in the British Rail fleet was named 'The William Booth'.
A type of rose, the William Booth rose, was named after him. The William Booth Memorial Training College in London is named after him. This is where Salvation Army officers train in the United Kingdom. The William Booth Primary School in Nottingham and William Booth Lane in Birmingham also bear his name. Many Salvation Army colleges, schools, and hospitals around the world are named after him.
Statues of William and Catherine Booth were put up in London in 1929. Copies of these statues are also in Mile End Road. This is near where the first Salvation Army meeting took place. William's statue was put up in 1979, and Catherine's in 2015.
Mount William Booth in Alberta, Canada was named after Booth.
The Church of England remembers William Booth (with Catherine) on August 20.
In 2002, Booth was named among the 100 Greatest Britons in a BBC poll.
William and Catherine Booth's Children
William Booth and Catherine Mumford married on June 17, 1855. They had eight children:
- Bramwell Booth (March 8, 1856 – June 16, 1929)
- Ballington Booth (July 28, 1857 – October 5, 1940)
- Kate Booth (September 18, 1858 – May 9, 1955)
- Emma Booth (January 8, 1860 – October 28, 1903)
- Herbert Booth (August 26, 1862 – September 25, 1926)
- Marie Booth (May 4, 1864 – January 5, 1937)
- Evangeline Booth (December 25, 1865 – July 17, 1950)
- Lucy Booth (April 28, 1868 – July 18, 1953)
Images for kids
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Photograph of Booth, around 1870
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Plaque on the house in Sneinton where Booth was born
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Booth in his old age
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William Booth visiting Japan in 1907
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Memorial to William and Catherine Booth in Abney Park Cemetery
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Booth memorial in Battery Park, New York City
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Works by William Booth
Books
- In Darkest England and the Way Out
- Purity of Heart
- Boundless Salvation: The Shorter Writings of William Booth
- Sergeant-Major Do-Your-Best of Darkington No. I: Sketches of the Inner Life of a Salvation Army Corps (1906)
- "Founder Speaks Again" (1960)
Songs
- O Boundless Salvation (1893)
- Send the Fire (1894)
- Bless His Name He Sets Me Free (set to the tune of a popular song)
See also
In Spanish: William Booth para niños
