Catherine Booth

Sp

and up and say, "You might have warned me more faithfully, spoken more plainl

eighteen, as many a Corps Cadet has since done, by just taking a class or Company on Sundays, never dreaming of doing mor

r her Company, and in trying to make each lesson e

ven the key of the room and would remain behind, holding a little Prayer Meeting with her girls.

te lost her voice before the end of the Meeting; but

s' Meeting, and then–for you see our Army Mother was led on, just as you or I may be, step by step–she gave

to her father, 'that I had

much surprised to hear their minister's wife pray aloud when her husband had done speaki

d talk to us on our special Prayer-Meeting night?' s

he wrote. 'I don't know wha

in her book, 'Practical Religion'–and she showed from God's Word, that women have the same right to help to get people saved that the men have. The little pamphlet was already printed and being

u knowest, the most timid and bashful discip

age of fifteen. He showed her that all the way along this one thing had hindered

back to me as in the old days, I wil

o answer her cry, and when she was

morning in chapel with her eldest boy, when a very wonderfu

rit come upon me. It seemed as if a voice said to me: "Now, if you were to go and testify, you know I would bless it to your own soul as we

t jumped up and said, "No, Lord, it is the old thing over again. But I cannot do it!" I felt as though I would sooner die than speak. And then the Devil said, "Besides, you are not prepared. You will look like a fool, and w

w my timid, bashful nature. He stepped down, and asked me, "What is the matter, my dear?" I replied, "I want to say a word!" He was so taken by surprise that he could only say, "My dear wife wishes to s

ong and has misrepresented the religion of Jesus Christ. I said, "I dare say many of you have been looking upon me as a very devoted woman, and one who has been living faithfully to God. But I have come to realize

ny previous occasion. Many dated a renewal in righteousness from tha

now. That honest confession did what twenty y

once more, with even greater power than in the morning, and before long invitations came

preach like this. She writes o

felt all day about it. I could neither eat nor sleep. I never was in such a stat

eachers of the day, she never spoke without feeling deeply the responsibility and import

s old, to get enough time and quiet. We should have said it was impossible, for she was not well off

ext Sunday, and between times I noted down with a pencil the thoughts as they struck me. Then I would appear with an outline scratched in pencil, trusting in the Lo

n getting ready for her Meeting

prepare for their Meetings, and some of the ad

t one of your little Meetings. And you could find some texts to show how David wept, and Daniel, and Jer

it was just as necessary to prepare, yet to speak from notes was often not h

u don't, they are no good. At first, if your memory won't serve you, just jot on a small bit

wrath

od's

ust w

termos

ernal

simple and natural as when by her own fires

n spoken by sincere and real people, I should say stiffness. Simplicity is indispensable to success, naturalness in putting the truth. I

her Meetings by thought and study, bu

re of the spirit of prayer into those

to the spirit of intercession I have had beforeh

God for hours, in tears and agony, and then would fa

almost overwhelmed me. With its two galleries, its dome-like roof and vast proportions, when crammed with people, the building presents a most imposing appearance. The top gallery is ten or twelve seats deep in front

and women getting con

bringing down." Well, the Lord can do it. They tell me, too, that I am immense

o the hearts of her listeners, and t

; and He has given you also the power to do it; and if you do not do it, blood will be on your skirts. Oh, this genteel way of putting the truth! How God hates it! "If you please, dear frien

themselves felt; the largest buildings were crowded with all classes of society, and glorious cases of conversion and sanct

inquiring faces, took their seats and listened to the gracious words which fell from the lips of dear Mrs. Booth. And when the invitation was given, what a scene ensued! It baffles all description. Crowding, weeping,

ing its work, and our Army Mother took Meetings in different churches and chapels up

ar Mrs. Booth on purpose to ridicule the services. But she was seized with such an agonizing realization of her sins that she came down from the top of the gallery to the p

nd some years afterwards, when I looked at the register of our chapel, I found

spel for all alike. She says, 'By God's help I will not regard the person of man, but will plainly and fearlessly declare the truth, come what may.' God honou

me for Salvation and some for purity. Several were most blessed cases of full surrender. We did not get away till nearly six, and we began at three. Everybody is amazed at this for the West-End! The audience is

. But several of her addresses were taken down in shorthand at the time, and are reprinted in her books,