v "DARKEST ENGLAND" SCHEME. 257 



Told in simple, direct language such as John 

 Bunyan might have used, it permits no doubt 

 of the single-minded sincerity of the man, who 

 gave up everything to become an officer of the 

 Salvation Army, but, exhibiting a sad want of 

 that capacity for unhesitating and blind obedience 

 on which Mr. Booth lays so much stress, was 

 thrown aside, penniless no, I am wrong, with 

 2s. 4d. for his last week's salary to shift, with 

 his equally devoted wife, as he best might. I 

 wish I could induce intending contributors to Mr. 

 Booth's army chest to read Mr. Bedstone's story. 

 I would particularly ask them to contrast the 

 pure simplicity of his plain tale with the artificial 

 pietism and slobbering unction of the letters which 

 Mr. Ballington Booth addresses to his " dear boy " 

 (a married man apparently older than himself), 

 so long as the said " dear boy " is facing brickbats^ 

 and starvation, as per order. 



I confess that my opinion of the chiefs of the 

 Salvation Army has been so distinctly modified 

 by the perusal of this pamphlet that I am glad 

 to be relieved from the necessity of expressing 

 it. It will be much better that I should cite a 

 few sentences from the preface written by Dr. 

 Cunningham Geikie, who expresses warm admira- 

 tion for the early and uncorrupted work of the 

 Salvation Army, and cannot possibly be accused 

 of prejudice against it on religious grounds: 



(1) " The Salvation Army ' is emphatically a 

 229 



