Miriam Booth, Part 2

Salvation Army Crest (Wikipedia)

Education
As we have already discussed, Miriam's mother was active in her children's life.  In fact, Florence Booth home schooled her children before anyone even had a name for it.  Miriam was a very good student, she discovered.  The problem with Miriam was not in getting her to study, but in convincing her to stop.  Early on it became apparent that anything Miriam put her mind to, she would master.

Early Salvation Army Work
From the time she was a teenager, Miriam spoke and prayed publicly in the Salvation Army meetings.  She was such an anointed speaker that she was speaking to crowds of over 1,500 before she was even 16 years old.  She was also gifted at leading prayer meetings, and seemed to thrive in a crowd.

Officer Training
If you think that she was given such opportunities because of who she was, I am pleased to say that you are mistaken.  The Booth family were held to the same rules and requirements as any other Salvation Army personnel, including officer training.

While in officer training, she won the respect and love of her peers.  Keep in mind that many of the young people entering officer training had only received minimal education.  Knowing this, Miriam was on the lookout for young ladies that she suspected did not know how to study.  She would invite them to join her study groups, and would offer some help with their classes.  When she made the highest score in her graduating class, her peers carried her through the halls on their shoulders. 

Another part of officer training involved going into local bars and pubs to sell copies of the Salvation Army's main publication, the War Cry.  This was especially hard for Miriam because her father and grandfather were both being slandered in the press at that time.  That meant that even the mention of the Salvation Army could bring a volley of insults and lies against two people she loved very much.

But, never expecting special treatment because of who she was, Miriam pressed forward.  She would take the insults without revealing who she was, but when she would leave she could be seen wiping tears from her eyes.

Cover of the War Cry, memorializing the loss of Salvation Army officers aboard the Titanic.

Photo of a uniformed Salvation Army officer carrying copies of the War Cry.

If you are wondering why Salvation Army officers were (1) going into pubs and (2) selling their paper or money, let me try to explain.  The War Cry was more than just a newsletter:  it was an outreach tool.  And, people were more likely to read something they paid for.  The pubs and bars of London at that time were where they were likely to find people who needed the Gospel.

The officers never went in alone, and never did any work for the Salvation Army without wearing their uniforms.  These uniforms were instantly recognizable, and sometimes not in a good way.  The officers had also signed a pledge that they would not drink. 

Basically, going into the pubs and bars served two purposes:  it was an evangelistic outreach to some of the people who needed the most help, and was a means of weeding out officer who couldn't handle the hostility and opposition they were bound to face.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Sources:
​Miriam Booth: a sketch by Minnie Lindsay Rowell Carpenter
​William and Catherine by Trevor Yaxley