Catherine Booth
Catherine Booth (January 17, 1829 – October 4, 1890) was the wife of William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, and was considered the "Mother" of the organization. As a lay preacher in her own right, she helped to pioneer the role of leadership positions for women in the church. In Victorian England, appalled by the masses of poor: prostitutes, alcoholics and homeless, she sought to bring Christianity to the people. She was not only a strong supporter of her husband's mission to begin the Salvation Army, but many times she was at the helm, preaching, organizing, and making decisions that would help build the Christian social group into a worldwide movement.
Early Life
She was born Catherine Mumford in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England, the daughter of John Mumford and Sarah Milward. Her father was a coach builder. Her family later moved to Boston, Lincolnshire, and later lived in Brixton, London.
Her mother, pious and strict in her beliefs, did not allow her daughter to 'play with other children, read fiction or learn French'. (bio ref.) Her severe upbringing prepared Catherine, nonetheless, for the life of faith that was to come. Catherine was a serious and sensitive girl and displayed strong moral convictions at a tender age. She read her Bible through eight times before the age of 12, and even went so far as to give up eating sugar because of its link to African slavery.
At age 14, she was ill with an undiagnosed malady, and spent a great deal of time in bed. During her enforced confinement she read theology beginning with The Pilgrim's Progress. She began to develop a view - which would later correspond with her husband's - that rejected the Calvinistic teaching of the doctrine of the elect, which states that only certain people are predestined to be saved. This was to be an important point of departure from traditional theological arguments of the time, as the Booths sought ultimately to bring salvation to the poor and downtrodden and - in theory at least - to every last man, woman and child. D- unconditional election link should work? -E
Catherine also became a strong advocate of the Temperance Movement which saw alcohol as the root of evil. Later, the Salvation Army would go so far as to discontinue the Holy Sacrament of Communion due to its necessity of dispensing wine. Catherine was a member of the local Band of Hope - band music was to be another Hallmark of Salvation Army "camp-style" open air meetings.
Marriage and Ministry
She met William Booth, a Methodist minister, when he came to preach at her church in 1852. They soon became engaged, and during their three year engagement, they were often separated due to William's itinerant preaching. Catherine lent support and strength to her future husband through letters she wrote to him, often on a daily basis.
They were married June 16, 1855 at Stockwell Green Congregational Church in London. Their wedding was very simple, as they wanted to use their time and money for his ministry. Even on their honeymoon, William was asked to speak at meetings. Together they accepted this challenge of living a public life on the front line of Christian ministry.
Catherine began to be more active in the work of the church at Brighouse. There, while her husband traveled as a circuit preacher she learned about the lives of the Northern poor. She was horrified by the lives of "mill girls"; those who began work at age seven or eight years of age to help support a family often headed by an alcoholic father. The effects of the Industrial Revolution were being felt by a formerly agrarian society, and although many people had jobs more often than not they were the working poor, often without benefit of medical care or education. Catherine would begin a lifelong campaign against the affects of alcohol consumption.
Although, timid by nature, when the opportunity presented itself to give a testimony at Gateshead, Catherine boldy came forth. From that day forward, Catherine became a speaker and a preacher in her own right. It was to be the beginning of a tremendous ministry, as people were drawn to her preaching, at least partly intrigued by a female preacher. At that time, it was nearly unheard of for women to speak openly in a public setting.
Catherine, supported her views on the role of women in the church with Biblical quotes from St. Paul. From his Letter to the Galtians: 'There is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus' is a refrain she used often, not only to convince her husband of the need for equality for women in the church, but as an argument with other male leaders of the church, as well, in order to support her position.
Salvation Army and overseas work
The Booths had eight children: Bramwell Booth, Ballington Booth, Kate Booth, Emma Booth, Herbert Booth, Marie Booth, Evangeline Booth and Lucy Booth, Two of their offspring, Bramwell and Evangeline, later became Generals of The Salvation Army. Kate Booth was the first missionary to France and Herbert to Australia
After separating from the hey began the work of The Christian Mission in 1865. William preached to the poor and ragged and Catherine spoke to the wealthy, gaining support for their financially demanding ministry. She eventually began to hold her own campaigns.
When the name was changed in 1878 to The Salvation Army and William Booth became known as the General, Catherine became known as the Mother of the Army. She was behind many of the changes in the new organisation, designing the flag and bonnets for the ladies, and contributed to the Army's ideas on many important issues and matters of belief.
End of life
Catherine Booth died at age 61 in Clacton-on-Sea. The Booths had rented a small villa in sight of the sea that she loved, and on 4 October 1890 she passed away in William's arms with her family around her. She is interred with her husband in Abney Park Cemetery, London.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Booth, Catherine, Aggressive Christianity, Diggory Press (2005) ISBN 1905363117
- Booth-Tucker, Frederick St. George de Lautour, The Short Life of Catherine Booth, the Mother of the Salvation Army, Adamant Media Corporation (2000) ISBN 1421266652
- Booth, Catherine, Godliness, Kessinger Publishing (2004) ISBN 1419122029
- Hattersley, Roy, Blood and Fire: William and Catherine Booth and the Salvation Army Little Brown (1999) ISBN 0316851612
External links
- Works at The Victorian Women Writers Project
- Works by Catherine Mumford Booth. Project Gutenberg
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