189a THE SALVATION ARMY 177 



England " and other authorities on the subject, con- 

 vinced him that it was most unwise to create an organ- 

 isation whose absolute obedience to an irresponsible 

 leader might some day become a serious danger to the 

 State ; that the reforms proposed were already being 

 undertaken by other bodies, which would be crippled 

 if this scheme were floated ; and that the financial 

 arrangements of the Army were not such as provide 

 guarantees for the proper administration of the funds 

 subscribed : — ■ 



And if the thing goes on much longer, if Booth 

 establishes his Bank, you will have a crash some of these 

 fine days, comparable only to Law's Mississippi business, 

 but unfortunately ruining only the poor. 



On the same day he writes to his eldest son : — 



HODESLEA, EaSTBOUENE, 



Bee. 8, 1890. 



Attacking the Salvation Army may look like the 

 advance of a forlorn hope, but this old dog has never yet 

 let go after fixing his teeth into anything or anybody, 

 and he is not going to begin now. And it is only a 

 question of holding on. Look at Plumptre's letter ex- 

 posing the Bank swindle. 



The Times, too, is behaving like a brick. This world 

 is not a very lovely place, but down at the bottom, as 

 old Carlyle preached, veracity does really lie, and will 

 show itself if people won't be impatient. 



No sooner had he begun to express these opinions 

 in the columns of the Times than additional informa- 

 tion of all kinds poured in upon him, especially from 



VOL. Ill N 



