the days of my life

第81部分 (第6/7頁)

　be　of　the　ultra…“sensational”　order；　which　mine　was　not。

I　saw　much　of　human　misery　in　the　course　of　that　business；　in　which　I　was　assisted　by　my　friend；　Mr。　D。　R。　Daniel；　one　of　the　secretaries　of　the　Royal　mission。　But　all　of　this　is　recorded　in　the　pages　of　the　book；　so　I　need　not　dwell　upon　it　here。　I　emerged　from　this　work　with　a　most　whole…hearted　admiration　for　the　Salvation　Army　and　its　splendid；　self…sacrificing　labours　among　the　lowest　of　the　low。　Its　success　with　these；　where　so　many　have　failed；　remains　something　of　a　mystery　to　my　mind；　which　I　can　only　explain　by　a　belief　that　it　is　aided　through　the　agency　of　the　Power　above　us。　Nothing　else　will　account　for　the　transformations　it　effects　in　the　natures　of　utterly　degraded　men　and　women。　Long　may　it　endure　and　prosper！

I　have　known　General　Booth　for　many　years；　my　first　interview　with　him；　one　of　great　interest；　is　printed　verbatim　in　“Rural　England。”　We　were　always　the　best　of　friends；　perhaps　because　I　was　never　afraid　of　him；　as　seemed　to　be　the　case　with　so　many　of　those　by　whom　he　was　surrounded；　and　was　always　ready　to　give　him　a　Roland　for　his　Oliver　in　the　way　of　what　is　known　as　chaff。　I　have　seen　him　under　sundry　conditions；　of　which；　perhaps；　the　funniest　was　the　following。　One　day；　after　he　had　been　holding　a　great　meeting　for　City　men　in　London；　at　which　I　was　present；　I　took　a　gentleman　to　visit　him　who　I　thought　might　be　able　to　help　his　cause。　We　found　him　at　his　office　in　Queen　Victoria　Street；　stripped　to　his　red　Salvation　jersey；　streaming　with　perspiration；　and　very　cross　because　his　tea；　or　whatever　the　meal　was　called；　was　not　ready。　He　was　calling　out；　officers　were　flying　here　and　there；　some　one　was　trying　to　soothe　him；　and　so　on。　At　length　the　meal　arrived；　consis