as ever. While I was at work, another
time, drunk, I lost one of my eyes by an accident; but even that
did not make me a sober man, nor make me leave off swearing and
cursing. I was generally drunk two or three times on Sundays. The
Sunday that I was convinced I was a sinner I had been drunk twice.

"I did not think there was so much happiness for me; but I do thank
God for what He has done for me. He has changed my heart, He has
filled me full of the love of Christ; and my greatest desire is to
tell sinners what a dear Saviour I have found."

Best of all was the demonstration that, out of such material, God was
able and ready to raise up a fighting force.

One great difficulty of those days was the obtaining of suitable
buildings. For a time a theatre was hired for Sunday Meetings (the law
in England then not allowing theatres to give performances on Sundays).

The great buildings to which the people have been accustomed to go for
amusement have always proved admirably suited for the gathering of
congregations of that sort. A gentleman who had had long experience in
mission work thus describes what he saw when he went to spend a "Sunday
afternoon with William Booth":--

"On the afternoon of Sunday, January 31st, I was able to see some
of the results of William Booth's work in the East of London, by
attending his Experience Meeting, held in the East London Theatre.
About 2 o'clock some of his helpers and Converts went out from the
Mission Hall, where they had been praying together, and held an
Open-Air Meeting in front of a large brewery opposite the Hall. The
ground was damp and the wind high, but they secured an audience,
and then sang hymns along the road, till they came to the theatre,
taking in any who chose to follow them. Probably about five hundred
were present, though many came in late.

"The Meeting commenced at three, and lasted one hour and a half.
During this period fifty-three persons gave their experience, parts
of eight hymns were sung, and prayer was offered by four persons.
After singing Philip Philips' beautiful hymn, 'I will sing for
Jesus,' prayer was offered up by Mr. Booth and two others.

"A young man rose and told of his conversion a year ago, thanking
God that he had been kept through the year.

"A negro, of the name of Burton, interested the Meeting much by