More rear-mirror views

MORE REAR-MIRROR

BOOTH THE PROPHET General John Larsson (Retired) shares fascinating glimpses of the early Army – 1890-1912

FROM his middle years onwards, William Booth ‘looked like a prophet, roared like a lion [and] acted like a General’, wrote Bernard Watson in Soldier Saint. Historian St John Ervine filled out the picture: ‘Booth, as he aged, became beautiful. The word is deliberately used. When he came on to a platform, his tall figure, surmounted by a magnificent head in which deep eyes brooded like an eagle’s instantly commanded the attention of his audience.’

In meetings where no formal introductions were required, William Booth would go straight to the reading desk to establish contact with the audience, often with bantering words. ‘Everybody that is glad to see the General, say amen!’ he jested when visiting a location in the USA. ‘Everybody bound to get a blessing, General or no General, say amen!’ And he then warmed up the audience with words of greeting, encouragement and challenge before calling for the first song to be sung.

‘His voice is against him, he has the Nottingham sing-song, but this has no effect on the burden of his tale,’ recorded his future biographer Harold Begbie when accompanying him on a tour. ‘There is a nobleness of diction in his oratory. It is all simple and rugged and real.’

‘Until the time came when he was to preach, he would crouch in his chair,’ described St John Ervine, ‘one hand thrust through the opening of his long frogged coat, as if he were trying to warm it on his red jersey… But his air of remoteness, as his officers knew, was extraordinarily deceptive, and he would suddenly show that his mind was absorbed in the meeting. Once, when

Commissioner Howard said, “Shall we sing hymn number…?” Booth banged his fist on the table and said, “No, Howard, we will sing hymn…!”’ Here was the General taking command, and the audience loved it.

When the prophet rose to preach, ‘his opening was customarily quiet, almost lamb-like’, remembered Bramwell Booth. ‘It was an astonishing contrast – his striking and aggressive appearance, and the gentleness with which he began to talk.’

But the lamb-like opening was deceptive. ‘The passion in him soon became apparent,’ continued St John Ervine, ‘and he would begin to gesticulate, not with his hands, but with his whole body. He would point with himself rather than with his hands, and as the long frame swayed forward – not from side to side, but to and fro – his tongue gathered strength and the words hurled themselves from his lips like thunderbolts from Heaven. And those who had come to listen to him for fun, or because they were curious about this odd preacher, either straightened themselves in their seats and sat bolt upright, as if they were under some compulsion, or cowered from him, afraid lest he should haul them to the penitent form and make a show of them before their respectable friends.’

When a lion roars at you, you pay attention.

The effect of William Booth’s preaching over a lifetime remains incalculable. But here are some pointers. Bramwell Booth reckoned that in his father’s 60 years of evangelistic campaigning, he preached between 50,000 and 60,000 sermons. And historian RG Moyles estimated that William Booth in his lifetime preached to 15 million people.

Nowadays radio, TV, film and the internet can multiply a speaker’s reach a millionfold. But in William Booth’s era, a preacher could only reach those who heard him live, person to person. And among them William Booth stood supreme. William T Stead wrote in 1912 that General Booth was the one man of his day ‘who has been seen by the greatest number of human eyes, whose voice has been heard by the greatest number of human ears, and who has appealed to a greater number of human hearts than any man who has ever lived upon this planet’.

And every one of those 15 million who heard William Booth in his prophetic role heard the roar of a lion.

A transformed life

Major Pat Brown reminds us to show our true Christian colours through testimony and hospitality

STUDY PASSAGE: ACTS 16:11–15

LET me ask you a question: Are you a green or a red kind of person? Perhaps you’re more yellow or grey? Or maybe you veer towards pink or cream? As we leave behind what has been called the ‘bluest’ month of the year, we could be forgiven for seeking some colour in our lives. So, what’s your colour of choice?

Our study passage this week centres on Lydia, a woman described as a ‘dealer in purple cloth’. Perhaps in our world of bright, multicoloured textiles we can’t grasp the significance of this but, in New Testament times, purple cloth was hugely expensive and desirable. Purple dye came from the juice of tiny sea snails – and thousands of snails were needed to produce only a small amount of dye. If you could afford to wear purple, you were wealthy indeed.

Luke, the writer of Acts, tells us that Lydia sold purple cloth. Her business took her hundreds of miles from her home in Thyatira to trade in the city of Philippi. There is no mention of a husband, but we can assume Lydia was a wealthy, successful businesswoman in her own right – otherwise, she could not afford to trade in such luxurious cloth. She had her own home in Philippi, perhaps used as a second home for her household when they travelled there.

Despite the demands of her business, we read that Lydia was also a faithful ‘worshipper of God’ (v14). She took time to go to the place of prayer on the Sabbath.

There was no synagogue in Philippi. It seems Lydia and the other Godfearing women there followed tradition and established a place of prayer at the side of the river just outside the city. While she was there she met the apostle Paul and her life was transformed. QUESTIONS O Do we always take time to go to those places where we can expect to encounter God? O How easy is it to make time in our busy lives for him?

Paul had already completed one successful campaign across Asia, but he and his travelling companion Barnabas had a disagreement and the two men parted company (see Acts 15:39). Paul set out again, this time with Silas, to continue to preach the good news.

In our last study passage, we read how Paul wanted to go back to Asia to continue his ministry, but was called in a dream to Macedonia and therefore headed for Philippi, the leading city of that district. The Spirit of God said no to Paul’s own plans, but that same Spirit went ahead of Paul to prepare the heart of someone else: Lydia.

Through the week with Salvationist – a devotional thought for each day by Major Howard Webber SUNDAY One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. (Acts 16:14)

MONDAY Come in, my Lord, come in/ And make my heart thy home;/ Come in and cleanse my soul from sin/ And dwell with me alone./ Thyself to me be given,/ In fullness of thy love;/ Thyself alone wilt make my Heaven/ Though all thy gifts remove. (SASB 411)

TUESDAY I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

(Ephesians 1:18 and 19)

‘The Lord opened her heart’ (v14), writes Luke. The door to Asia might have temporarily closed, but the gateway to Europe was beginning to open.

QUESTION O It is said that when one door shuts, another door opens. Have you found this to be true in your life of faith?

Lydia was a worshipper of God who had come to meet with the other women gathered to pray and worship together. Commendable though it is to go to a place of worship, attending worship alone is not enough to save us. As Paul joined the women by the river that day, Luke tells us that Lydia actively listened to the message he preached. So it was that the Spirit of God opened her heart to receive that message. She heard. She received. She believed. And life was never going to be the same for her ever again.

QUESTIONS O In the last worship service you attended, how actively did you listen to God? O Did you anticipate God speaking directly to you? O How did you prepare to receive a message from him?

It’s interesting to see how quickly Lydia demonstrated her transformed life in two particular ways – testimony and hospitality. Lydia accepted the gospel message and shared it with the members of her household. They were also baptised into faith. Lydia then invited Paul and his travelling companions to stay at her home. She had to persuade them, but it seems they did for a time.

Testimony and hospitality are two practical expressions of a transformed life. In the years to come, Philippi was to be home to one of the strongest churches of the Christian faith. A church prepared to support Paul as he journeyed across the Roman Empire. A fellowship of believers that Paul could write to with affection, warmth and gratitude because they had learnt to be generous, hospitable and faithful.

The beginnings of this new church all started with the conversion of Lydia, the dealer in purple cloth – the first documented convert to Christianity in Europe.

QUESTIONS O Who was the first person you testified to after your conversion? O How quick were you to share the message you’d accepted for yourself?

MAJOR BROWN IS DIVISIONAL LEADER FOR LEADER DEVELOPMENT, CENTRAL SOUTH

WEDNESDAY Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus,/ To reach out and touch him and say that we love him./ Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen./ Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus. (SASB 386)

THURSDAY For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

(2 Corinthians 4:6)

FRIDAY Silently now I wait for thee,/ Ready, my God, thy will to see,/ Open mine eyes, illumine me,/ Spirit divine. (SASB 786) SATURDAY The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. (Psalm 119:130)

Prayer Father God, open my heart as you did Lydia’s, so that on hearing your voice or reading your word, your light may illuminate my whole being with a deeper understanding and a fuller knowledge of God’s glory displayed in Jesus.

SALISBURY: As part of the 141st corps anniversary celebrations Julie Telford, Helen Blake and Alison Blake were welcomed as adherent members by divisional leaders Majors Gregory and Priya Morgan (not pictured). Also pictured are corps officers Lieutenants Martin and Vicky Crawford and Recruiting Sergeant Major Christine Parkin. – V. C.

ARMÁDA SPÁSY DOVER: Nikola Horvathova, Daniel Portelik, Erik Turtak, Maria Turtakova, Richard Gabor, Natasa Horvathova (Misa), Natasa Horvathova, Peter Horvath, Zdena Horvathova, Irena Horvathova, Barbora Hankova, Tibor Horvath, Michaela Lakatosova, Bronislava Turtakova and Maria Portelekova were welcomed as the first adherent members of the fresh expression, which opened its doors a year ago. They are pictured with Fresh Expression Pioneer Leader David Frater (Armáda Spásy Gravesend). – K. B.

PAISLEY: An invitation to attend band practice led Audrey McCrone to work with the learners band. A regular attendee at worship, Audrey felt the time had come to take a step of faith and became an adherent member. She is pictured with corps officer Major Alex McNee. – A. M.

18 Salvationist 1 February 2020 ARMÁDA SPÁSY CHATHAM: Gabriela Balogova and Patrik Horvat were welcomed as adherent members by Major David Blowers (Armáda Spásy Margate). They testified to God leading their lives as they made the corps their spiritual home. They are pictured with Major Kathryn Blowers.

ARMÁDA SPÁSY CHATHAM: Denisa Balog and Alex Horvath were welcomed as adherent members by Major David Blowers (Armáda Spásy Margate) and Fresh Expression Pioneer Leader Roman Mukula.

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ARMÁDA SPÁSY CHATHAM: When Margita Balogova travelled to the UK from a small village in Slovakia, she left behind her parents and 19 siblings to live with her aunt and uncle in Chatham. She did not know that this would be the beginning of renewing her relationship with God and finding a spiritual home in The Salvation Army. Having met her husband at the corps, Margita has now taken the next step and been welcomed as an adherent member. – K. B.

KILMARNOCK: Corps officers Captains Emma and Les Heal enrolled Margaret Evans as a soldier and welcomed Irene Gee as an adherent member, inviting them to cut the 137th corps anniversary cake. Margaret linked up with the corps through a member who volunteered at the charity shop. On attending a meeting she was struck by the warmth of the corps family and felt she had found her new spiritual home. She has become involved in many corps activities. Irene was dedicated to God in the Army as a baby. Throughout her life she has attended other Christian churches. On hearing about the corps Knit and Natter fellowship, she decided to attend a Sunday meeting as well. She immediately felt at home and believes that God directed her back to the Army. Irene is a regular worshipper and a keen Knit and Natter participant. – E. F.

CWMBRAN: Amelia was enrolled as a junior soldier by corps officer Major Stuart Ashman during the YP carol service. She is pictured with her grandmother, HLS Jean Gillett, who stepped down from playing piano for the singing company after 35 years. – S. A.

LUTON: Robin Dzikiti, who was welcomed as an adherent member in 2018, decided that the only way for him to follow God was to become a soldier. Flanked by his wife, Leah, Robin was enrolled by corps officer Major Ralph Walker. Robin has been a tower of strength and an amazing witness to his faith, and the corps is blessed to have him and Leah as part of the church family. – R. W.

SUTTON-IN-ASHFIELD: Elaine Rowley, a volunteer in the charity shop, was welcomed as an adherent member by corps officer Captain Deborah Oughton. They are pictured with Elaine’s aunt, Cynthia Densham, who encouraged Elaine on her journey. – D. O.