- Home
- Speakers
- William Booth
- Automobile Evangelism
Automobile Evangelism
William Booth
William Booth (1829–1912). Born on April 10, 1829, in Sneinton, Nottingham, England, to Samuel and Mary Booth, William Booth was a British Methodist preacher and founder of The Salvation Army. Raised in poverty after his father’s bankruptcy, he apprenticed as a pawnbroker at 13 and converted to Methodism at 15, preaching to Nottingham’s poor by 17. In 1849, he moved to London, working as a pawnbroker and joining the Methodist New Connexion, ordained in 1858. Marrying Catherine Mumford in 1855, they had eight children, all active in ministry. Frustrated by church constraints, Booth left in 1861 to evangelize independently, founding The Christian Mission in London’s East End in 1865, renamed The Salvation Army in 1878. His fiery street preaching, military-style organization, and social reforms—like shelters and job programs—reached the destitute, growing the Army to 80 countries by his death. Booth authored In Darkest England and the Way Out (1890), advocating systemic aid for the poor, and published The War Cry newspaper. Knighted in 1907, he died on August 20, 1912, in London, saying, “While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight.”
Download
Topic
Sermon Summary
This sermon reflects on the inspiring courage and determination of William Booth, a 75-year-old man who embraced innovative methods like using a motor car for campaigning in 1904, covering 1250 miles despite the challenges of primitive cars. Despite some disapproval, Booth's adoption of modern technology at an advanced age garnered worldwide sympathy and approval, drawing large crowds to hear his message of love and humanity. His work, marked by genuine inspiration, led to widespread recognition and established motor car campaigning as one of his successful methods despite occasional mishaps.
Sermon Transcription
William Booth, an old man in his 75th year, yet had the courage and determination to inaugurate an entirely new method of campaigning. In the autumn of 1904, he used a motor car to tour from one end of the kingdom to the other. During this first motor campaign, a distance of 1250 miles was covered. Imagine what this meant in these primitive cars for a man in his 70s. There were some people who disapproved of these methods, but on the whole, the imagination of the world was struck with sympathy and approval that this very old man should adopt the latest invention of science at the end of his life's work. Large numbers gathered to listen to him, for by now, William Booth, who had faced great opposition for so long, had in his old age achieved worldwide popularity. His work was recognised as the work of one honestly inspired by love of humanity. Campaigning by motor car soon became one of the general's established methods. In vehicles like these, he journeyed throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The going was not always without mishaps. A puncture in those days was apparently not very easy to deal with.
Automobile Evangelism
- Bio
- Summary
- Transcript
- Download
William Booth (1829–1912). Born on April 10, 1829, in Sneinton, Nottingham, England, to Samuel and Mary Booth, William Booth was a British Methodist preacher and founder of The Salvation Army. Raised in poverty after his father’s bankruptcy, he apprenticed as a pawnbroker at 13 and converted to Methodism at 15, preaching to Nottingham’s poor by 17. In 1849, he moved to London, working as a pawnbroker and joining the Methodist New Connexion, ordained in 1858. Marrying Catherine Mumford in 1855, they had eight children, all active in ministry. Frustrated by church constraints, Booth left in 1861 to evangelize independently, founding The Christian Mission in London’s East End in 1865, renamed The Salvation Army in 1878. His fiery street preaching, military-style organization, and social reforms—like shelters and job programs—reached the destitute, growing the Army to 80 countries by his death. Booth authored In Darkest England and the Way Out (1890), advocating systemic aid for the poor, and published The War Cry newspaper. Knighted in 1907, he died on August 20, 1912, in London, saying, “While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight.”