William Booth and the Salvation Army

1309 Words3 Pages

The Salvation Army is well known around the world as a charity to help people living in poverty. Less known about The Salvation Army is that its original purpose was to become a form of religion. William Booth, the founder of The Salvation Army did not want the purpose of The Salvation Army to stray too far from the idea that all people are free to worship Christ. It was because Booth believed that the most efficient way to reach people living in poverty was to offer them food, clothing, and shelter while preaching to them. Booth was a very religious person from a very young age, more so after his family had lost their money and William had to work to get money for his family. Booth's understanding of life in poverty and his love for God would reflect in his life after he became a preacher. Soon after Booth had gotten his first full time preaching job, he met the love of his life and his partner in creating a faith, Catherine Mumford, who was also a very religious individual. He would also meet George S. Railton, who believed that God was more important than any worldly possessions. Railton would later become Booth's first lieutenant and a huge factor in the way the Salvation Army was run during the first years. --- William Booth believed that every person deserved to know Jesus regardless of their social class and that he should save everyone from Atheism.
William Booth had always been a religious person, he started questioning religion at a young age. During his early youth he attended St Stephan’s Anglican Church, however in 1840 his teacher brought him to the Methodist church Broad Street Chapel. Booth instantly fell in love with the different form of worship, he loved that members of the congregation yelled throughout the ...

... middle of paper ...

...g.
Booth, Bramwell. 1925. Orders and regulations for officers of the Salvation Army. London: International Headquarters.
Collier, Richard. 1965. The General Next to God: The Story of William Booth and the Salvation Army. London: Collins Clear-Type Press.
n.d. "History." Salvation Army International. Accessed December 18, 2013. http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/history.
Railton, George S. 1913. General Booth. London: Hodder and Stoughton.
Railton, George S., and John D. Waldron.G.S.R. 1981. selections from published and unpublished writings of George Scott Railton. Oakville, Canada: The Salvation Army.
Waldron, John D. 1990. Seven dark rivers and the Salvation Army: an anthology of Salvationist writings. New York, N.Y.: Salvation Army Literary Dept.
Watson, Bernard. 1970. Soldier Saint: George Scott Railton William Booth’s First Leutenant. London: Hoddor and Stoughton.

Open Document