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The Warrior
’Fighting is hard work, whatever sort of fighting it is. You cannot fight without wounds of body, heart, or soul.’—Mrs. Booth.
‘Lastly,’ said The General in that same beautiful tribute to our Army Mother that I have already quoted from,’ she was a warrior. She liked the fight. She was not one who said to others, “Go,” but “Here, let me go”; and when there was the necessity she said, “I will go!” I never knew her flinch until her poor body compelled her to lie on one side.’
Our Army Mother was, indeed, before all things a warrior; she fought bravely and unceasingly her whole life through.
In thought and purpose she was independent, and dared to stand out for what she felt right. Cowardice, in her opinion, was one of the commonest and most subtle sins of the day, and she had no patience with those who dared not say ‘No,’ and feared to stand alone.
She thought for herself, and though always eager to hear and learn as much as possible from others, yet she was not carried away by their opinions, but carefully weighed and considered their arguments, and then formed her own judgments.
Mrs. Booth strove earnestly for doctrine.
‘Let us take care,’ she said, in The Army’s early days, ’what Gospel we preach. Let us mind our doctrine.’
And again:–