“GO FOR SOULS, and go for the worst!”

William Booth was the founder of the Salvation Army. For short bio:

Founder of the Salvation Army. William Booth was born in Nottingham, England. He was converted to Christ through the efforts of a Methodist minister, and soon became interested in working with the outcasts and the poor people of Nottingham. He preached on the streets and made hundreds of hospital calls before he was 20 years of age. From 1850 to 1861 he served as a pastor in the Methodist Church, after which time he and his wife left the church and stepped out by faith in evangelistic work in East London.

It was there that he organized the East London Christian Revival Society. Out of this beginning came the Salvation Army, with its uniforms, organization, and discipline. By 1930 there were branches in 55 countries. Its main emphasis under General Booth was street preaching, personal evangelism, and practical philanthropy. More than 2,000,000 derelicts have professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ through the work of the Salvation Army since its founding by the general.

The multitudes in London’s slums convinced him he had discovered his life’s work and no one ever took the Gospel to the “down and outer” like he did. In 1865, Booth started with only his wife at his side… unappreciated by the established churches of his day, ridiculed and jeered by most everyone. His death 47 years later sharply contrasted as 40,000 attended his funeral service, including Queen Mary of England. His “Army” including 21,203 officers and 8,972 societies were working in 58 countries preaching the Gospel in 34 languages!

For a more extensive bio, Click here!

(Thanks to www.gospeltruth.net)