“The popular side,” I answered.
“Is that for, or against them?”
“For them, decidedly. Sankey’s voice draws the crowd, and then they listen to Moody’s speaking, and so the singing may lead to prayer.”
“You think it will be a success?”
“It is a success,” I answered, “and is going to a very great one.”
Then Dr. Talmage turning to Mr. B—— the active editor said, “The Christian At Work, will stand with Moody and Sankey, Mr. B——. It is the proper thing to do, I suppose?”
“Yes,” I answered, and he then asked if I had “seen anything of General Booth.”
“I have seen him several times,” I replied.
“What kind of a man is Booth?” Dr. Talmage asked.
“A big man, every way. He is the Cromwell of Dissent.” I heard that he was a passionate little Chartist when he was thirteen years old. I will tell you something, a good name is a good fortune, and the name of the Salvation Army was a kind of inspiration. One day a secretary drawing up a paper wrote, “We are a Volunteer Army,” and Mr. Booth took the pen from his hand, crossed out the word “Volunteer” and wrote in its place “Salvation.” He saw in a moment the splendid capabilities of the word, it fitted itself to the work, as promptly 373 as the stuttering out of the word “tee-to-tal” inaugurated the grand successes of the temperance cause.