Do many people go to see it? you wonder.
Oh, yes. All round it a path is worn in the grass, made by the tread of many feet; for mothers bring their boys and girls to see it, and tell them what a mother she was, and men and women of all creeds and races pause beside it, and remember.
Many Officers, too–from distant lands, and speaking strange tongues you could not understand–come to The Army Mother’s grave when they visit our shores. For she was their Mother as well as ours, they say.
They kneel beside the stone, and spell out the name, and then they consecrate themselves afresh to God and the needs of the heathen lands, and they claim His grace to follow in her steps.
For our Army Mother is not dead. True, her body lies in the quiet grave at Abney Park, and her spirit is in Heaven; but her life and influence still live among us, her words are treasured, and our greatest prayer and desire for the girls and wives and mothers in our ranks is that they may live to be worthy daughters of Catherine Booth.
Dates in Mrs. Booth’s Life
1829. January 17th. Catherine Mumford born at Ashbourne, Derby.
1829. April 10th. William Booth born at Nottingham.
1843. Catherine has to leave school owing to severe illness. 1844. Refuses to be engaged to her cousin.
1845. Is converted. 1846. Seems likely to go into consumption.
1850. Takes Sunday class of elder girls.
1851. June. Miss Mumford hears Mr. Booth preach; later meets him at a friend’s house.
1852. May 15th. They are engaged to be married.
1855. June 16th. The wedding.
1857. Mrs. Booth speaks to a children’s meeting on Temperance.
1859. She starts work among drunkards. She writes her first pamphlet on woman’s right to preach.
1860. Mrs. Booth speaks for the first time in public.
1861. Mr. and Mrs. Booth break up their home in the north, and come to London, choosing an evangelistic life.
1864. Mrs. Booth begins to hold Evangelistic campaigns apart from her husband.
1864. July. East End Mission begun.
1868. First Headquarters established.
1869. Mrs. Booth’s wonderful Brighton campaign.
1870. East London Mission becomes the ‘Christian Mission.’
1871. Mrs. Booth publishes her first book.
1877. Christian Mission becomes ‘The Salvation Army.’
1878. The uniform is chosen.
1886. First Self-Denial Week.
1888. February. Mrs. Booth learns that she is suffering from cancer.
1888. June 21st. Mrs. Booth speaks in public for the last time (at the City Temple).
1889. August. She goes to Clacton-on-Sea.
1890. October 4th. Mrs. Booth is promoted to Glory.
1890. October 6th. Her body brought to Congress Hall, Clapton.
1890. October 11th. Funeral at Abney Park.