Sunday, July 20, 2008

Alcoholism & Other Ills

From Lady Victorian Historian


The Salvation Army's founder William Booth (1829-1912) wrote a book about the immorality of the Victorian Era entitled "In Darkest England and the Way Out". It became a best seller after its 1890 release and set the foundation for how the Army could combat these issues. Basically, Booth said that the so-called Christian developed countries were no better off than those citizens of underdeveloped countries.

Booth did not live in a mansion or have servants. He and his wife and children worked hard to DO something and took a pro-active stance.

In his book he wrote ...

I have no intention to depart in the smallest degree from the main principles on which I have acted in the past. My only hope for the permanent deliverance of mankind from misery, either in this world or the next, is the regeneration or remaking of the individual by the power of the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ. But in providing for the relief of temporal misery I reckon that I am only making it easy where it is now difficult, and possible where it is now all but impossible, for men and women to find their way to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Note: Salvation Army founded in 1865

One of its stated objectives ...

The advancement of the Christian religion as promulgated in the religious doctrines... which are professed, believed and taught by the Army and, pursuant thereto, the advancement of education, the relief of poverty, and other charitable objects beneficial to society or the community of mankind as a whole.

~ from the notes of Lady Victorian Historian