240 LETTERS TO THE '* TIMES." v 



This proposition seems to me to be indisputa- 

 ble. History confirms it. Francis of Assisi and 

 Ignatius Loyola made their great experiments on 

 the same principle. Nothing is more certain 

 than that a body of religious enthusiasts (perhaps 

 we may even say fanatics) pledged to blind obe- 

 dience to their chief, is one of the most efficient 

 instruments for effecting any purpose that the 

 wit of man has yet succeeded in devising. And 

 I can but admire the insight into human nature 

 which has led Mr. Booth to leave his unques- 

 tioning and unhesitating instruments unbound by 

 vows. A volunteer slave is worth ten sworn 

 bondsmen. 



(3) That the success of the Salvation Army, 

 with its present force of 9416 officers " wholly 

 engaged in the work/' its capital of three quarters 

 of a million, its income of the same amount, its 

 1375 corps at home, and 1499 in the colonies and 

 foreign countries (Appendix, pp. 3 and 4), is a 

 proof that Divine assistance has been vouchsafed 

 to its efforts. 



Here I am not able to agree with the sanguine 

 Commander-in-chief of the new model, whose la- 

 bours in creating it have probably interfered with 

 his acquisition of information respecting the fate 

 of previous enterprises of like kind. 



It does not appear to me that his success is in 

 any degree more remarkable than that of Francis 

 of Assisi or that of Ignatius Loyola, than that 



