evolution and ethics and other essays-第31章

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Plumptre's　clear　exposition　of　the　principles　of　this　financial
operation　can　have　little　doubt　that；　whether　they　are；　or　are　not；
adequate　to　the　attainment　of　the　first　and　second　of　Mr。　Booth's
ostensible　objects；　they　may　be　trusted　to　effect　a　wide　extension　of
any　kingdom　in　which　worldly　possessions　are　of　no　value。　We　are；　in
fact；　in　sight　of　a　financial　catastrophe　like　that　of　Law　a　century
ago。　Only　it　is　the　poor　who　will　suffer。

I　have　already　occupied　too　much　of　your　space；　and　yet　I　have　drawn
upon　only　one　of　the　sources　of　information　about　the　inner　working　of
the　Salvation　Army　at　my　disposition。　Far　graver　charges　than　any　here
dealt　with　are　publicly　brought　in　the　others。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I　am；　Sir；　your　obedient　servant；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　T。　H。　Huxley。


＇261＇　P。S。　I　have　just　read　Mr。　Buchanan's　letter　in　the　Times　of
to…day。　　Mr。　Buchanan　is；　I　believe；　an　imaginative　writer。　I　am　not
acquainted　with　his　works；　but　nothing　in　the　way　of　fiction　he　has
yet　achieved　can　well　surpass　his　account　of　my　opinions　and　of　the
purport　of　my　writings。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IV

The　〃Times〃　December　20th；　1890

Sir；In　discussing　Mr。　Booth's　projects　I　have　hitherto　left　in　the
background　a　distinction　which　must　be　kept　well　in　sight　by　those　who
wish　to　form　a　fair　judgment　of　the　influence；　for　good　or　evil；　of
the　Salvation　Army。　Salvationism；　the　work　of　〃saving　souls〃　by
revivalist　methods；　is　one　thing；　Boothism；　the　utilization　of　the
workers　for　the　furtherance　of　Mr。　　Booth's　peculiar　projects；　is
another。　Mr。　Booth　has　captured；　and　harnessed　with　sharp　bits　and
effectual　blinkers；　a　multitude　of　ultra…Evangelical　missionaries　of
the　revivalist　school　who　were　wandering　at　large。　It　is　this
skilfully；　if　somewhat　mercilessly；　driven　team　which　has　dragged　the
〃General's〃　coach…load　of　projects　into　their　present　position。

＇262＇　Looking；　then；　at　the　host　of　Salvationists　proper；　from　the
〃captains〃　downwards　（to　whom；　in　my　judgment；　the　family　hierarchy
stands　in　the　relation　of　the　Old　Man　of　the　Sea　to　Sinbad）；　as　an
independent　entity；　I　desire　to　say　that　the　evidence　before　me；
whether　hostile　or　friendly　to　the　General　and　his　schemes；　is
distinctly　favourable　to　them。　　It　exhibits　them　as；　in　the　main；
poor；　uninstructed；　not　unfrequently　fanatical；　enthusiasts；　the
purity　of　whose　lives；　the　sincerity　of　whose　belief；　and　the
cheerfulness　of　whose　endurance　of　privation　and　rough　usage；　in　what
they　consider　a　just　cause；　command　sincere　respect。　For　my　part；
though　I　conceive　the　corybantic　method　of　soul…saving　to　be　full　of
dangers；　and　though　the　theological　speculations　of　these　good　people
are　to　me　wholly　unacceptable；　yet　I　believe　that　the　evils　which　must
follow　in　the　track　of　such　errors；　as　of　all　other　errors；　will　be
largely　outweighed　by　the　moral　and　social　improvement　of　the　people
whom　they　convert。　I　would　no　more　raise　my　voice　against　them　（so
long　as　they　abstain　from　annoying　their　neighbours）　than　I　would
quarrel　with　a　man；　vigorously　sweeping　out　a　stye；　on　account　of　the
shape　of　his　broom；　or　because　he　made　a　great　noise　over　his　work。　I
have　always　had　a　strong　faith　in　the　principle　of　the　injunction；
〃Thou　shalt　not　muzzle　the　ox　that　treadeth　out　the　corn。〃　If　a
kingdom　is　worth　a　Mass；　as　a　great　＇263＇　ruler　said；　surely　the　reign
of　clean　living；　industry；　and　thrift　is　worth　any　quantity　of
tambourines　and　eccentric　doctrinal　hypotheses。　All　that　I　have
hitherto　said；　and　propose　further　to　say；　is　directed　against　Mr。
Booth's　extremely　clever；　audacious；　and　hitherto　successful　attempt
to　utilize　the　credit　won　by　all　this　honest　devotion　and
self…sacrifice　for　the　purposes　of　his　socialistic　autocracy。

I　now　propose　to　bring　forward　a　little　more　evidence　as　to　how　things
really　stand　where　Mr。　Booth's　system　has　had　a　fair　trial。　I　obtain
it；　mainly；　from　a　curious　pamphlet；　the　title　of　which　runs：　〃The　New
Papacy。　　Behind　the　Scenes　in　the　Salvation　Army；〃　by　an　ex…Staff
Officer。　〃Make　not　my　Father's　house　a　house　of　merchandise〃　（John　ii。
16）。　1889。　Published　at　Toronto；　by　A。　Britnell。　On　the　cover　it　is
stated　that　〃This　is　the　book　which　was　burned　by　the　authorities　of
the　Salvation　Army。〃　I　remind　the　reader；　once　more；　that　the
statements　which　I　shall　cite　must　be　regarded　as　ex　parte；　all　I　can
vouch　for　is　that；　on　grounds　of　internal　evidence　and　from　other
concurrent　testimony　respecting　the　ways　of　the　Booth　hierarchy；　I
feel　justified　in　using　them。

This　is　the　picture　the　writer　draws　of　the　army　in　the　early　days　of
its　invasion　of　the　Dominion　of　Canada：

＇264＇　〃Then；　it　will　be　remembered；　it　professed　to　be　the　humble
handmaid　of　the　existing　churches；　its　professed　object　was　the
evangelization　of　the　masses。　It　repudiated　the　idea　of　building　up　a
separate　religious　body；　and　it　denounced　the　practice　of　gathering
together　wealth　and　the　accumulation　of　property。　Men　and　women　other
than　its　own　converts　gathered　around　it　and　threw　themselves　heart
and　soul　into　the　work；　for　the　simple　reason　that　it　offered；　as　they
supposed；　a　more　extended　and　widely　open　field　for　evangelical
effort。　Ministers　everywhere　were　invited　and　welcomed　to　its
platforms；　majors　and　colonels　were　few　and　far　between；　and　the
supremacy　and　power　of　the　General　were　things　unknown　。　。　。　　Care　was
taken　to　avoid　anything　like　proselytism；　its　converts　were　never
coerced　into　joining　its　ranks。。。　　In　a　word；　the　organization
occupied　the　position　of　an　auxiliary　mission　and　recruiting　agency
for　the　various　religious　bodies。。。。　The　meetings　were　crowded；　people
professed　conversion　by　the　score；　the　public　liberally　supplied　the
means　to　carry　on　the　work　in　their　respective　communities；　therefore
every　corps　was　wholly　self…supporting；　its　officers　were　properly；　if
not　luxuriously；　cared　for；　the　local　expenditure　was　amply　provided；
and；　under　the　supervision　of　the　secretary；　a　local　member；　and　the
officer　in　charge；　the　funds　were　disbursed　in　the　towns　where　they
were　collected；　and　the　＇265＇　spirit　of　satisfaction　and　confidence
was　mutual　all　around〃　（pp。　4；　5）。

Such　was　the　army　as　the　green　tree。　Now　for　the　dry：

〃Those　who　have　been　daily　conversant　with　the　army's　machinery　are
well　aware　how　entirely　and　radically　the　whole　system　has　changed；
and　how；　from　a　band　of　devoted　and　disinterested　workers；　united　in
the　bonds　of　zeal　and　charity　for　the　good　of　their　fellows；　it　has
developed　into　a　colossal　and　aggressive　agency　for　the　building　up　of
a　system　and　a　sect；　bound　by　rules　and　regulations　altogether
subversive　of　religious　liberty　and　antagonistic　to　every　（other？）
branch　of　Christian　endeavour；　and　bound　hand　and　foot　to　the　will　of
one　supreme　head　and　ruler。。。。　As　the　work　has　spread　through　the
country；　and　as　the　area　of　its　endeavours　has　enlarged；　each　leading
position　has　been　filled；　one　after　the　other；　by　individuals　strangers
to　the　country；　totally　ignorant　of　the　sentiments　and　idiosyncrasies
of　the　Canadian　people；　trained　in　one　school　under　the　teachings　and
dominance　of　a　member　of　the　Booth　family；　and　out　of　whom　every　idea
has　been　crushed；　except　that　of　unquestioning　obedience　to　the
General；　and　the　absolute　necessity　of　going　forward　to　his　bidding
without　hesitation　or　question〃　（p。　6）。

＇266＇　〃What　is　the　result　of　all　this？　In　the　first　place；　whilst
material　prosperity　has　undoubtedly　been　attained；　spirituality　has
been　quenched；　and；　as　an　evangelical　agency；　the　army　has　become
almost　a　dead　letter。。。　　In　seventy…five　per　cent　of　its　stations　its
officers　suffer　need　and　privation；　chiefly　on　account　of　the　heavy
taxation　that　is　placed　upon　them　to　maintain　an　imposing　headquarters
and　a　large　ornamental　staff。　The　whole　financial　arrangements　are
carried　on　by　a　system　of　inflation　and　a　hand…to…mouth　extravagance
and　blindness　as　to　future　contingencies。　Nearly　all　of　its　original
workers　and　members　have　disappeared〃　（p。　7）。　〃In　reference　to　the
religious　bodies　at　large　the　army　has　become　entirely　antagonistic。
Soldiers　are　forbidden　by　its　rules　to　attend　other　places　of　worship
without　the　permission　of　their　officers。。。　　Officers　or　soldiers　who
may　conscientiously　leave　the　service　or　the　ranks　are　looked　upon　and
often　denounced　publicly　as　backsliders。。。　　Means　of　the　most
despicable　description　have　been　resorted　to　in　order　to　starve　them
back　to　the　service〃　（p。　8）。　〃In　its　inner　workings　the　army　system　is
identical　with　Jesuitism。。。　　That　'the　end　justifies　the　means；'　if
not　openly　taught；　is　as　tacitly　agreed　as　in　that　celebrated　order〃
（p。　9）。

Surely　a　bitter；　overcharged；　anonymous　libel；　is　the　reflection　which
will　occur　to　many　who　read　＇267＇　these　passages；　especially　the　last。
Well；　I　turn　to　other　evidence　which；　at　any　rate；　is　not　anonymous。
It　is　contained　in　a　pamphlet　entitled　〃General　Booth；　the　Family；　and
the　Salvation　Army；　showing　its　Rise；　Progress；　and　Moral　and
Spiritual　Decline；〃　by　S。　H。　　Hodges；　LL。B。；　late　Major　in　the　Army；
and　formerly　private　secretary　to　General　Booth　（Manchester；　1890）。　I
recommend　potential　contributors　to　Mr。　　Booth's　wealth　to　study　this
little　work　also。　I　have　learned　a　great　deal　from　it。　Among　other
interesting　novelties；　it　tells　me　that　Mr。　Booth　has　discovered　〃the
necessity　of　a　third　step　or　blessing；　in　the　work　of　Salvation。　He
said　to　me　one　day；　'Hodges；　you　have　only　two　barrels　to　your　gun；　I
have　three'〃　（p。　31）。　And　if　Mr。　Hodges's　description　of　this　third
barrel　is　correct〃giving　up　your　conscience〃　and；　〃for　God　and　the
army；　stooping　to　do　things　which　even　honourable　worldly　men　would
not　consent　to　do〃　（p。　32）it　is　surely　calculated　to　bring　down　a
good　many　things；　the　first　principles　of　morality　among　them。

Mr。　Hodges　gives　some　remarkable　examples　of　the　army　practice　with
the　〃General's〃　new　rifle。　But　I　must　refer　the　curious　to　his
instructive　pamphlet。　The　position　I　am　about　to　take　up　is　a　serious
one；　and　I　prefer　to　fortify　it　by　the　help　of　evidence　which；　though
some　of　it　may　be　anonymous；　cannot　be　sneered　away。　And　I　shall　＇268＇
be　believed；　when　I　say　that　nothing　but　a　sense　of　the　great　social
danger　of　the　spread　of　Boothism　could　induce　me　to　revive　a　scandal；
even　though　it　is　barely　entitled　to　the　benefit　of　the　Statute　of
Limitations。

On　the　7th　of　July；　1883；　you；　Sir；　did　the　public　a　great　service　by
writing　a　leading　article　on　the　notorious　〃Eagle〃　case；　from　which　I
take　the　following　extract：

〃Mr。　Justice　Kay　refused　the　application；　but　he　was　induced　to　refuse
it　by　means　which；　as　Mr。　Justice　Stephen　justly　remarked；　were　highly
discreditable　to　Mr。　Booth。　Mr。　Booth　filed　an　affidavit　which　appears
totally　to　have　misled　Mr。　Justice　Kay；　as　it　would　have　misled　any　one
who　regarded　it　as　a　frank　and　honest　statement　by　a　professed　teacher
of　religion。〃

When　I　addressed　my　first　letter　to　you　I　had　never　so　much　as　heard　of
the　〃Eagle〃　scandal。　But　I　am　thankful　that　my　perception　of　the
inevitable　tendency　of　all　religious　autocracies　towards　evil　was
clear　enough