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Please Sir Save Me!
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.”
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In this sermon, the preacher tells a story about a gold miner on a ship that gets caught in a storm and starts sinking. A little girl asks the miner if he can swim, and he realizes he cannot save both her and his gold. He chooses to save the girl and throws his gold overboard. He jumps into the water and swims until he reaches safety. The preacher uses this story to encourage the listeners to put their trust in God and help those in need, even if it means sacrificing their own comfort or possessions.
Sermon Transcription
Some time ago, a steamer with a number of gold miners on board was seen approaching San Francisco. The voyage had been delightful, and all were in high glee at the near prospect of home. Suddenly, a fierce wave drove the vessel onto a rock, and the captain announced that the ship was sinking while he spoke. On the deck, a sunburnt miner was buckling round his waist with gold and savings, when a little lassie of seven summers came along, and looking up into his face, asked the question, Please, sir, can you swim? Yes, said the miner, I reckon so. Then please, sir, ask the child with fearful eyes, will you save me? Quick as thought, the miner saw that he could not save the child and his money as well, but he soon decided, and overboard went the gold. Creep up, my darling, put your arms round me next, tighten the next moment. He was strapping the little lassie where a few seconds before he had been fastening the gold. Then plunging into the billow, he swam and swam until a brief wave landed him on the shore. They bore him to a cottage, and opening his eyes, he asked, Where am I? When the same little form creeping up his bosom, kicked him on both feet and said, Please, sir, I'm so glad you've saved me. All around you on the waste waters of life, in their poverty, miseries and sins, the people are seeking you, will you help them? Keep neither money, pride or self far the way, overboard with it. Put your trust in God, throw your arms round the perishing, and swim and swim until by and by, when the kindly hand of death lands you on the golden shore, the spirit whom you have saved shall bear you away on their snowy wings to the feet of your Lord, and say, This is the man, this is the woman who saved me.
Please Sir Save Me!
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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.”