William Booth and His Army

<p>William Booth was so successful as a Methodist evangelist that other ministers were embarrassed. In 1857 these ministers voted overwhelmingly to remove him from general evangelism. They moved to make him pastor of a small district.</p><p>William’s passion was to preach to the urban poor but he accepted his new assignment and prayed for patience while he worked as a pastor. Finally in 1860 his patience wore thin. Once more he asked for full-time evangelistic work and again was refused. This time inspired by his wife Catherine he left the Methodist Church.</p><p>The future looked bleak for William Catherine and their four small children. Prayerfully Catherine told him “The Lord will be with us. You have a message for the masses and you must reach them.”</p><p>Together with a growing number of followers he and Catherine brought hope to the world’s poorest areas. With soul-stirring evangelistic meetings and steaming bowls of soup for anyone who hungered the Salvation Army was born.</p>