- Home
- Speakers
- William Booth
- Rope Wanted
Rope Wanted
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
In this sermon, the preacher tells the story of Mary, a young woman who bravely risked her life to save others during a devastating tidal wave. Despite the warnings of her comrades, Mary was determined to rescue the children who were perishing. She went out into the storm with a coil of rope, but tragically, she did not return. The preacher uses this story to emphasize the importance of selfless sacrifice and the need for more resources to help those in need.
Sermon Transcription
On the shores of the Mexican Gulf, a large city had been built, dangerously near Highwater Mar. One day, a magic tidal wave rolled over it, drowning 10,000 people at a stroke. A community of devoted young women, living on the outskirts of the city, heard the shrieks of the drowning people and rushed to the rescue, saving many of the unfortunate creatures from their doom. But when the lowering clouds, the growling thunders, and the moaning seas threatened another storm, they fled, agreeing that their work for the day was done. But one girl, specially concerned for the children, said, I'm going to have another turn. No, Mary, her comrades replied, if you go again, you'll come back no more. But, said Mary, the little ones are perishing, and if I refuse to save them, their wailing will haunt my dying pillow. So with a coil of rope around her arm, Mary went out again into the storm, but she came back no more. And when they searched for the dead among the wreckage, they found Mary with an infant in each arm, and seven little children tied together with the rope, one end of which was fastened around her waist. Can't you see, Mary, dragging her little procession along? When a sudden gust of wind blows her over, and the waters drown her where she falls, I shall meet Mary and her little flock in heaven. The Salvation Army is out on the wild, waste waters of the world. Her arms are full of children, and thousands of helpless creatures are being torn along by her instinctive honor to earth and blessedness in heaven. Still she wants to do far more, but she's short of rope, and knowing that there must be a good deal of that material unused in these parts, may I ask my friends to send a little along, and thereby earn the blessing of God, the thanks of those ready to perish, and the gratitude of the general.
Rope Wanted
- 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.”