He lost his song...

Booth's last words to Albert Orsborn (from his autobio -- context - nearly blind, just having preached to a great crowd, which Orsborn obediently and accurately described as mostly church people):

"His hands tightened upon my shoulders, I could feel the force and fire of this old man coursing through me. His voice wavered and almost broke. There was no harshness, no impatience, only a tone of infinite sorrow and yearning. "I know, Orsborn, I know. But listen to me. If you can devise a patent for keeping religious people out of my meetings, and filling them up with the worst of sinners, I'll reward you!"

It was said of (Booth), "he hungered for hell." He left the church because he had a call to the churchless. He did not want a respectable, settled congregation. "Go for souls, and go for the worst!" he told his people. This is not to denigrate the churches; far from it. Although most of the churches were at first critical of this Army, the stormiest wind that ever blew through the halls of orthodoxy, they ultimately came to respect the Movement. Nevertheless, God did not want another church when He created The Salvation Army amid the soot and slime of London's East End. The sky-line was already crowded with steeples when God raise this people, to be a mobile fighting, marching, singing, shouting, praying host, operating with new soul-winning methods outside the church's orbit. Our Founder, therefore, kept alive within his own bosom this authentic purposes and passion. He was apt to snarl and certainly was not at his best, if the thought he was on show as a popular preacher and there were too many of the folk he called 'sermon-tasters' in his meetings!

Quitting

Salvos are the most covenanted people I know. Soldiers and officers make ridiculous promises to God. And the enemy uses them regularly for temptations to sin and disqualify ourselves from the fight. Here is a great testimony:

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"The greatest service he rendered me, at a crisis in my life, in my tenth year as an officer. I did not actually resign, but I was tempted to do so. All my people were in Canada; my circumstances as an officer were clouded with misunderstanding. There fares of my family to Canada would be paid, and there was a church appointment waiting for me, where I would be near my parents and brothers. I could make out a convincing case for resigning. Twelve good men and true would undoubtedly have given me the same verdict. I was mentally tortured and spiritually confused. I quoted against myself those songs of faith, love, courage, obedience, which I had written for others. All in vain. It seemed I had lost sight of the ideals which were usually my inspiration. But while I was still undecided, I visited my friend, Dalziel. He did me the great service of listening. Then he said, "I can't answer your arguments; but I know you have changed! You do not talk like the man I have known. You seem to have got harder, more critical." How right he was! "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." God used him. I rediscovered my real incentives. I saw again my lost horizon. And then the song returned to my heart. I think most of our officers have this struggle, at least once."

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You guessed it - Orsborn, again (p137). He lost his song, similarly to Herbert Booth when he resigned. Anyway, feel free to substitute 'soldier' for 'officer'. And notice how the decision was hard. For those who leave soldiership and officership the decision should be hard. God help you if it isn't. And, may God bless you in your crises with a faithful Dalziel.

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Major Stephen Court
ARMYBARMY BLOG