evolution and ethics and other essays-第32章

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inevitable　tendency　of　all　religious　autocracies　towards　evil　was
clear　enough　to　bring　about　a　provisional　condemnation　of　Mr。　Booth's
schemes　in　my　mind。　　Supposing　that　I　had　decided　the　other　way；　with
what　sort　of　feeling　should　I　have　faced　my　friend；　when　I　had　to
confess　that　the　money　had　passed　into　the　absolute　control　of　a
person　about　the　character　of　whose　administration　this　＇269＇
concurrence　of　damnatory　evidence　was　already　extant？

I　have　nothing　to　say　about　Mr。　Booth　personally；　for　I　know　nothing。
On　that　subject；　as　on　several　others；　I　profess　myself　an　agnostic。
But；　if　he　is；　as　he　may　be；　a　saint　actuated　by　the　purest　of
motives；　he　is　not　the　first　saint　who；　as　you　have　said；　has　shown
himself　〃in　the　ardour　of　prosecuting　a　well…meant　object〃　to　be
capable　of　overlooking　〃the　plain　maxims　of　every…day　morality。〃　If　I
were　a　Salvationist　soldier；　I　should　cry　with　Othello；　〃Cassio；　I
love　thee；　but　never　more　be　officer　of　mine。〃

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



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　V

The　〃Times；〃　December　24th；　1890

Sir；If　I　have　any　strong　points；　finance　is　certainly　not　one　of
them。　But　the　financial；　or　rather　fiscal；　operations　of　the　General
of　the　Salvation　Army；　as　they　are　set　forth　and　exemplified　in　〃The
New　Papacy；〃　possess　that　grand　simplicity　which　is　the　mark　of
genius；　＇270＇　and　even　I　can　comprehend　themor；　to　be　more　modest；　I
can　portray　them　in　such　a　manner　that　every　lineament；　however　harsh；
and　every　shade；　however　dark；　can　be　verified　by　published　evidence。

Suppose　there　is　a　thriving；　expanding　colonial　town；　and　that；
scattered　among　its　artisans　and　labourers；　there　is　a　sprinkling　of
Methodists；　or　other　such　ultra…evangelical　good　people；　doing　their
best；　in　a　quiet　way；　to　〃save　souls。〃　Clearly；　this　is　an　outpost
which　it　is　desirable　to　capture。　〃We；〃　therefore；　take　measures　to
get　up　a　Salvation　〃boom〃　of　the　ordinary　pattern。　Enthusiasm　is
roused。　A　score　or　two　of　soldiers　are　enlisted　into　the　ranks　of　the
Salvation　Army。　〃We〃　select　the　man　who　promises　to　serve　our　purposes
best；　make　a　〃captain〃　of　him；　and　put　him　in　command　of　the　〃corps。〃
He　is　very　pleased　and　grateful；　and　indeed　he　ought　to　be。　All　he　has
done　is　that　he　has　given　up　his　trade；　that　he　has　promised　to　work
at　least　nine　hours　a　day　in　our　service　（none　of　your　eight…hour
nonsense　for　us）　as　collector；　bookseller；　general　agent；　and　anything
else　we　may　order　him　to　be。　〃We；〃　on　the　other　hand；　guarantee　him
nothing　whatever；　to　do　so　might　weaken　his　faith　and　substitute
worldly　for　spiritual　ties　between　us。　Knowing　that；　if　he　exerts
himself　in　a　right　spirit；　his　labours　will　surely　be　blessed；　we
content　ourselves　with　telling　him　that　if；　after　all　＇271＇　expenses
are　paid　and　our　demands　are　satisfied　each　week；　25s。　remains；　he　may
take　it。　And；　if　nothing　remains；　he　may　take　that；　and　stay　his
stomach　with　what　the　faithful　may　give　him。　　With　a　certain　grim
playfulness；　we　add　that　the　value　of　these　contributions　will　be
reckoned　as　so　much　salary。　So　long　as　our　〃captain〃　is　successful；
therefore；　a　beneficent　spring　of　cash　trickles　unseen　into　our
treasury；　when　it　begins　to　dry　up　we　say；　〃God　bless　you；　dear　boy；〃
turn　him　adrift　（with　or　without　2s。　4d。　in　his　pocket）；　and　put　some
other　willing　horse　in　the　shafts。

The　〃General；〃　I　believe；　proposes；　among　other　things；　to　do　away
with　〃sweating。〃　May　he　not　as　well　set　a　good　example　by　beginning　at
home？　My　little　sketch；　however；　looks　so　like　a　monstrous　caricature
that；　after　all；　I　must　produce　the　original　from　the　pages　of　my
Canadian　authority。　He　says　that　a　〃captain〃　〃has　to　pay　10　per　cent。
of　all　collections　and　donations　to　the　divisional　fund　for　the
support　of　his　divisional　officer；　who　has　also　the　privilege　of
arranging　for　such　special　meetings　as　he　shall　think　fit；　the
proceeds　of　which　he　takes　away　for　the　general　needs　of　the　division。
Headquarters；　too；　has　the　right　to　hold　such　special　meetings　at　the
corps　and　send　around　such　special　attractions　as　its　wisdom　sees　fit；
and　to　take　away　the　proceeds　for　the　purposes　it　decides　upon。

＇272＇　He　has　to　pay　the　rent　of　his　building；　either　to　headquarters　or
a　private　individual；　he　has　to　send　the　whole　collection　of　the
afternoon　meeting　of　the　first　Sunday　in　the　month　to　the　'Extension
Fund'　at　headquarters；　he　has　to　pay　for　the　heating；　lighting；　and
cleaning　of　his　hall；　together　with　such　necessary　repairs　as　may　be
needed；　he　has　to　provide　the　food；　lodging；　and　clothing　of　his
cadet；　if　he　has　one；　headquarters　taxes　him　with　so　many　copies　of
the　army　papers　each　week；　for　which　he　has　to　pay；　sold　or　unsold；
and　when　he　has　done　this；　he　may　take　6　（or　5；　being　a　woman）；　or
such　proportion　of　it　as　may　be　left；　with　which　to　clothe　and　feed
himself　and　to　pay　the　rent　and　provide　for　the　heating　and　lighting
of　his　quarters。　If　he　has　a　lieutenant　he　has　to　pay　him　6　per　week；
or　such　proportion　of　it　as　he　himself　gets；　and　share　the　house
expenses　with　him。　Now；　it　will　be　easily　understood　that　at　least　60
per　cent。　of　the　stations　in　Canada　the　officer　gets　no　money　at　all；
and　he　has　to　beg　specially　amongst　his　people　for　his　house…rent　and
food。　There　are　few　places　in　the　Dominion　in　which　the　soldiers　do
not　find　their　officers　in　all　the　food　they　need；　but　it　must　be
remembered　that　the　value　of　the　food　so　received　has　to　be　accounted
for　at　headquarters　and　entered　upon　the　books　of　the　corps　as　cash
received；　the　amount　being　deducted　from　any　moneys　that　the　officer
is　able　to　take　from　the　＇273＇　week's　collections。　So　that；　no　matter
how　much　may　be　specially　given；　the　officer　cannot　receive　more　than
the　value　of　6　per　week。　The　officer　cannot　collect　any　arrears　of
salary；　as　each　week　has　to　pay　its　own　expenses；　and　if　there　is　any
surplus　cash　after　all　demands　are　met　it　must　be　sent　to　the　'war
chest'　at　headquarters。〃〃The　New　Papacy〃　（pp。　35；　36）。

Evidently；　Sir；　〃headquarters〃　has　taken　to　heart　the　injunction　about
casting　your　bread　upon　the　waters。　It　casts　the　crumb　of　a　day　or
two's　work　of　an　emissary；　and　gets　back　any　quantity　of　loaves　of
cash；　so　long　as　〃captains〃　present　themselves　to　be　used　up　and
replaced　by　new　victims。　　What　can　be　said　of　these　devoted　poor
fellows　except；　O　sancta　simplicitas！

But　it　would　be　a　great　mistake　to　suppose　that　the　money…gathering
efficacy　of　Mr。　Booth's　fiscal　agencies　is　exhausted　by　the　foregoing
enumeration　of　their　regular　operations。　Consider　the　following
edifying　history　of　the　〃Rescue　Home〃　in　Toronto：

〃It　is　a　fine　building　in　the　heart　of　the　city；　the　lot　cost　7；000；
and　a　building　was　put　up　at　a　cost　of　7；000　more；　and　there　is　a
mortgage　on　it　amounting　to　half　the　cost　of　the　whole。　The　land
to…day　would　probably　fetch　double　its　original　price；　and　every　year
enhances　its　value。。。。In　the　first　five　months　of　its　＇274＇　existence
this　institution　received　from　the　public　an　income　of　1；812　70c。；
out　of　this　600　was　paid　to　headquarters　for　rent；　590　52c。　was
spent　upon　the　building　in　various　ways；　and　the　balance　of　622　18c。
paid　the　salaries　of　the　staff　and　supported　the　inmates〃　（pp。　24；
25）。

Said　I　not　truly　that　Mr。　Booth's　fisc　bears　the　stamp　of　genius？　Who
else　could　have　got　the　public　to　buy　him　a　〃corner　lot；〃　put　a
building　upon　it；　pay　all　its　working　expenses：　and　then；　not　content
with　paying　him　a　heavy　rent　for　the　use　of　the　handsome　present　they
had　made　him；　they　say　not　a　word　against　his　mortgaging　it　to　half
its　value？　And；　so　far　as　any　one　knows；　there　is　nothing　to　stop
headquarters　from　selling　the　whole　estate　tomorrow；　and　using　the
money　as　the　〃General〃　may　direct。

Once　more　listen　to　the　author　of　〃The　New　Papacy；〃　who　affirms　that
〃out　of　the　funds　given　by　the　Dominion　for　the　evangelization　of　the
people　by　means　of　the　Salvation　Army；　one　sixth　had　been　spent　in　the
extension　of　the　Kingdom　of　God；　and　the　other　five　sixths　had　been
invested　in　valuable　property；　all　handed　over　to　Mr。　Booth　and　his
heirs　and　assigns；　as　we　have　already　stated〃　（p。　26）。

And　this　brings　me　to　the　last　point　upon　which　I　wish　to　touch。　The
answer　to　all　inquiries　as　to　what　has　become　of　the　enormous　＇275＇
personal　and　real　estate　which　has　been　given　over　to　Mr。　Booth　is
that　it　is　held　〃in　trust。〃　The　supporters　of　Mr。　Booth　may　feel
justified　in　taking　that　statement　〃on　trust。〃　I　do　not。　Anyhow；　the
more　completely　satisfactory　this　〃trust〃　is；　the　less　can　any　man　who
asks　the　public　to　put　blind　faith　in　his　integrity　and　his　wisdom
object　to　acquaint　them　exactly　with　its　provisions。　Is　the　trust
drawn　up　in　favour　of　the　Salvation　Army？　But　what　is　the　legal　status
of　the　Salvation　Army？　Have　the　soldiers　any　claim？　　Certainly　not。
Have　the　officers　any　legal　interest　in　the　〃trust〃？　Surely　not。　The
〃General〃　has　taken　good　care　to　insist　on　their　renouncing　all　claims
as　a　condition　of　their　appointment。　Thus；　to　all　appearance；　the
army；　as　a　legal　person；　is　identical　with　Mr。　Booth。　And；　in　that
case；　any　〃trust〃　ostensibly　for　the　benefit　of　the　army　iswhat
shall　we　say　that　is　at　once　accurate　and　polite？

I　conclude　with　these　plain　questionsWill　Mr。　Booth　take　counsel's
opinion　as　to　whether　there　is　anything　in　such　legal　arrangements　as
he　has　at　present　made　which　prevents　him　from　disposing　of　the　wealth
he　has　accumulated　at　his　own　will　and　pleasure？　Will　anybody　be　in　a
position　to　set　either　the　civil　or　the　criminal　law　in　motion　against
him　or　his　successors　if　he　or　they　choose　to　spend　every　farthing　in
ways　very　different　from　those　contemplated　by　the　donors？

＇276＇　I　may　add　that　a　careful　study　of　the　terms　of　a　〃Declaration　of
Trust　by　William　Booth　in　favour　of　the　Christian　Mission；〃　made　in
1878；　has　not　enabled　persons　of　much　greater　competence　than　myself
to　answer　these　questions　satisfactorily。*

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

　　　　*　See　Preface　to　this　volume；　pp。　ix…xiii。

On　December　24th　a　letter　appeared　in　the　〃Times〃　signed　〃J。　S。
Trotter；〃　in　which　the　following　passages　appear：

〃It　seems　a　pity　to　put　a　damper　on　the　spirits　of　those　who　agree
with　Professor　Huxley　in　his　denunciation　of　General　Booth　and　all　his
works。　May　I　give　a　few　particulars　as　to　the　'book'　which　was
published　in　Canada？　I　had　the　pleasure　of　an　interview　with　the
author　of　a　book　written　in　Canada。　The　book　was　printed　at　Toronto；
and　two　copies　only　struck　off　by　the　printers；　one　of　these　copies
was　stolen　from　the　printer；　and　the　quotation　sent　to　you　by
Professor　Huxley　was　inserted　in　the　book；　and　is　consequently　a
forgery。　The　book　was　published　without　the　consent　and　against　the
will　of　the　author。

＇277＇　〃So　the　quotation　is　not　only　'a　bitter；　overcharged　anonymous
libel；'　as　Professor　Huxley　intimates；　but　a　forgery　as　well。　As　to
Mr。　Hodges；　it　seems　to　me　to　be　simply　trifling　with　your　readers　to
bring　him　in　as　an　authority。　He　was　turned　out　of　the