In Christian history there are many historical people and I have chosen to focus on William Booth, who is the founder of the Salvation Army. I chose him because I have always wanted to know more about the history of the Salvation Army, considering I attend one.
William Booth was born on April 10th, 1829. His parents were Samuel and Mary Booth . He attended school until the age of 13. On September 23rd, 1843, William's father died. His death made William seriously think about God and he joined the local Wesleyan Church. Open air preaching became the main part of his life. .
His apprenticeship ended in 1848 and he became unemployed for a year and then headed over to London to look for work. He got a job as a pawnbroker and joined the Walworth Methodist Chapel . In 1851, William met a man by the name of Edward Rabbits. On William's 23rd birthday he met Catherine Mumford. They became engaged May that year. They were married 3 years later. Once he was ordained, William began service in a group of churches known as a circuit in the one area. In 1861, they held a conference of the Methodist New Connexion and Booth's future was on the agenda. In the end they made a compromise that Booth would still minister in churches but he would have a little time on the side to evangelise. He wasn't persuaded though . He resigned from the Methodist church. He became an independent, itinerant evangelist. .
In 1865, he was walking down London's Mile end Road. Around him were children dirty and uncared for . He walked on, saddened by the minute, by the sights that met his eyes. He heard a voice in his head say, "Where can you find such heathen as these, and where is there so great a need for labours." (Bennett:1986, 13) He arrived home that night to his wife Catherine and he described what he had felt and saw. He said, "I felt as though I ought at all costs to stop and preach to those East End multitudes." (1986:13) This was a big decision to make because if they threw everything in to help the poor, they would lose all their income.
