e of the most
famous names in England. But I am not sure that any of them ever evoked
the same storms of enthusiasm, the same instant and direct response that
John Crondall earned by his simple speeches. Heart and soul, John
Crondall was absorbed in the perfection and furtherance of the
organization he had founded, and when he sought public support he was
irresistible.

In those first days of the campaign there were times when John Crondall
was so furiously occupied, that his bed hardly knew the touch of him,
and I could not exchange a word with him outside the immediate work of
our hands. This was doubtless one reason why I took a certain idea of
mine to Constance Grey, instead of to my chief. Together, she and I
interviewed Brigadier-General Hapgood, of the Salvation Army, and, on
the next day, the venerable chief of that remarkable organization,
General Booth. The proposition we put before General Booth was that he
should join hands with us in dealing with that section of our would-be
members who described themselves as unemployed and without resources.

For five minutes the old General stroked his beard, and offered
occasional ejaculatory interrogations. I pointed out that the converts
of the Canadian preachers (for whom the General expressed unbounded
admiration and respect) flocked to our standard, full of genuine
eagerness to carry out the gospel of duty and simple living. Suddenly,
in the middle of one of my sentences, this commander-in-chief of an army
larger than that of any monarch in Christendom made up his mind, and
stopped me with a gesture.

"We will do it," he said. "Yes, yes, I see what you would say. Yes, yes,
to be sure, to be sure; that is quite so. We will do it. Come and see me
again, and I will put a working plan before you. Good day--God bless
you!"

And we were being shown out. It was all over in a few minutes; but that
was the beginning of the connection between the Salvation Army and that
section of _The Citizens_ whose members lacked both means and
employment. According to a safe and conservative estimate, we are told
that the total number of sworn _Citizens_ subsequently handled by the
Salvation Army was six hundred and seventy-five thousand. We supplied
the instructors, officers, and all equipment; the Salvation Army carried
out all the other work of control, organization, and maintenance, and
made their great farm camps so nearly self-supporting as to be
practically no burden upon _Th