Reprinted from The Warriors’ Library
by
With a Preface by
General Bramwell Booth
Colonel Duff has, at my request, written the followingvery interestingand touching account of my dear Mother; and she hasdone so in the hopethat those who read it will be helped to follow inthe footsteps of thatwonderful servant of God.
But how can they do so? Was not Mrs. Booth, you ask,an exceptionalwoman? Had she not great gifts and very remarkablepowers, and was shenot trained in a very special way to do the work towhich God called her?How, then, can ordinary people follow in her steps?Let me tell you.
Mrs. Booth walked with God. When she was only a timidgirl, helping hermother in the household, she continually sought afterHim; and when, inlater years, she became known by multitudes, and waswritten of in thenewspapers, and greatly beloved by the good in manylands, there was nodifference in her life in that matter. She was notcontent with beingMrs. General Booth of The Salvation Army, and withbeing looked upon as agreat and good woman, giving her life to bless others.No! she listeneddaily for God’s voice in her own heart, soughtafter His will, and leanedcontinually for strength and grace upon her Saviour. You can be like herin that.
Mrs. Booth was a soul-winner. A little while beforeher spirit passedinto the presence of God, and when she knew that deathwas quite near toher, she said: ’Tell the Soldiers that the greatconsolation for aSalvationist on his dying bed is to feel that he hasbeen a soul-winner.’
Wherever she went–in the houses of strangers as wellas of friends, inthe Meetings, great and small, when she was welcomedand when she wasnot, whether alone or with others–she laboured tolead souls to Christ.I have known her at one time spend as much troubleto win one as atanother time to win fifty. You can follow her examplein that.
Mrs. Booth always declared herself and took sideswith right. Whateverwas happening around her, people always knew whichside she was on. Shespoke out for the right, the good, and the true, evenwhen doing soinvolved very disagreeable experiences and the bearingof muchunkindness. She hated the spirit which can look onat what is wicked andfalse or cruel, and say, ‘Oh, that is not myaffair!’ You can follow her
example in this also.
Mrs. Booth laboured all her life to improve her gifts.She thought; sheprayed; she worked; she read–above all, she readher Bible. It was hercompanion as a child, as a young follower of Christ,and then as a Leaderin The Army. Those miserable words which some of ushear so often aboutsome bad or unfinished work–’Oh, that willdo’–were seldom heard fromher lips. She was always striving, striving, strivingto do better, andyet better, and again better still. All this alsoyou can do.
Mrs. Booth was full of sympathy. No one who was inneed or in sorrow, orwho was suffering, could meet her without findingout that, she was insympathy with them. Her heart was tender with thelove of Christ, and soshe was deeply touched by the sin and sorrow aroundher just as He was.Even the miseries of the dumb animals moved her toefforts on theirbehalf. This sympathy made Mrs. Booth quick to seeand appreciate thetoil and self-denial of others, and ever gratefulfor any kindness shownto her or to The Army or to those in need of any kind.The very humblestand youngest of those who read this little book canbe like her in all this.
Mrs. Booth endured to the end. She never turned back.She was faithful.Her lif