Catherine Booth
...A BAD EXAMPLE FOR CHRISTIAN WOMEN TODAY!
"But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." -1st Timothy 2:12
Catherine Booth was NO HERO, and certainly not a woman of God. She was the wife of General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, still in operation around the world today. Catherine Booth is recognized today by many as a woman of God, but how can Catherine Booth be a woman of God, when she has no regard for the Word of God.
According to her
biography,
Catherine Booth was an avowed feminist. The Bible says, "For
rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft..." (1st Samuel 15:23). Feminism is a horrible sin! Catherine Booth objected to the idea that
women are the "weaker sex," which according to the Holy Bible they are (1st
Peter 3:7).
It was in 1860 that Catherine first started to preach, clearly forbidden in
the Holy Bible. "But
I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to
be in silence" (1st Timothy 2:12).
In the Greek, the word “silence” in 1st Timothy 2:12 means “to shut up!” Any woman who
says that God has called her
to preach is a blaspheming liar. "Therefore as the fire devoureth
the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as
rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast
away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of
Israel." (Isaiah 5:24).
According to Catherine Booth's
biography,
Catherine once preached a sermon so impressive that William Booth changed
his mind about women preachers. Any man who rejects the Word of God,
does so because he is not walking with God. As with many soft-kneed
ministers today, William Booth gave into the pressures of feminism. Instead of standing firm, and proclaiming the truth of God's Word, William
Booth compromised his beliefs to appease the wickedness of his wife.
Although General William Booth did much good in his earthly life, he should
not be recognized as a great man of God for comprising his beliefs.
Furthermore, Booth believed that a believer was required to "persevere" to the end to be saved, a damnable heresy rooted in self-righteousness. The Salvation Army still upholds this damnable heresy today, which clearly shows the evils of following men instead of the Word of God. The Salvation Army has joined the apostate Ecumenical Movement.
Today, just as then, the Salvation Army is more army than salvation. Catherine Booth was NO hero to Christianity. She tarnished her husband's reputation, inspired a generation of rebellious feminists, and drew her husband away from the Word of God, just as Eve did Adam.
By David J. Stewart
END
Biography of Catherine Booth
Comments by David J. Stewart: I've commented the following biography in bold green type
Catherine Booth (1829-1890), the daughter of a coachbuilder, was born in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, in 1829. When she was a child the family moved to Boston, Lincolnshire and later they lived in Brixton, London.
Catherine was a devout Christian and by the age of twelve she had read the Bible eight times. She had a social conscience from an early age. On one occasion she protested to the local policeman that he had been too rough on a drunken man he had arrested and frog-marched to the local lock-up.
Catherine did not enjoy good health. At the age of fourteen she developed spinal curvature and four years later, incipient tuberculosis. It was while she was ill in bed that she began writing articles for magazines warning of the dangers of drinking alcohol. Catherine was a member of the local Band of Hope and a supporter of the national Temperance Society.
In 1852 Catherine met William Booth, a Methodist minister. William had strong views on the role of church ministers believing they should be "loosing the chains of injustice, freeing the captive and oppressed, sharing food and home, clothing the naked, and carrying out family responsibilities."
Catherine shared William's commitment to social reform but disagreed with his views on women.
NOTE: William Booth has no business marrying a woman who didn't believe in wifely Biblical submission.
Catherine was an avowed feminist.
NOTE: This is a shame. For any professed Christian wife to publickly voice her disagreement with her husband is sinful. Feminism is a rotten evil in any society, church, or home. Shame on Catherine Booth!
On one occasion she objected to William describing women as the "weaker sex."
NOTE: Catherine Booth rejected the plain Scriptural teaching that women are the weaker sex. 1st peter 3:7... "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." Catherine Booth disobeyed God, by rebelling against her husband and the Bible. Catherine Booth is a disgrace to womanhood.
William was also opposed to the idea of women preachers. When Catherine argued with William about this he added that although he would not stop Catherine from preaching he would "not like it." Despite their disagreements about the role of women in the church, the couple married on 16th June 1855, at Stockwell New Chapel.
NOTE: William Booth sinned, by unequally yoking together in marriage with a woman who didn't wholly believe the Bible (2nd Corinthians 6:14-17). The Bible instructs us to SEPARATE from those who walk worldly... "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat" (1st Corinthians 5:11). This would definitely forbid marrying a feminist!!!
It was not until 1860 that Catherine first started to preach. One day in Gateshead Bethseda Chapel, a strange compulsion seized her and she felt she must rise and speak. Later she recalled how an inner voice taunted her: "You will look like a fool and have nothing to say". Catherine decided that this was the Devil's voice: "That's just the point," she retorted, "I have never yet been willing to be a fool for Christ. Now I will be one."
NOTE: It was the Devil's voice alright, that seized her and compelled her to rise and speak, because the Bible states... "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence" (1st Timothy 2:12). Catherine Booth, as many rebellious woman today like Melissa Scott, have twisted the Scriptures in an attempt to justify their rebellion. God calls men to preach, NOT women.
Catherine's sermon was so impressive that William changed his mind about women's preachers.
NOTE: This is a bad reflection on William Booth. He compromised his beliefs to appease the wicked.
Catherine soon developed a reputation as an outstanding speaker but many Christians were outraged by the idea.
NOTE: Christians should be outraged by women preachers, because they are ALL false prophets!
As Catherine pointed out at that time it was believed that a woman's place was in the home and "any respectable woman who raised her voice in public risked grave censure."
NOTE: Would to God that this were America today. America's feminism is responsible for massive pornography, child abuse, a skyrocketing divorce rate, 48000000 abortions, legalized prostitution, etc. Feminism is of the Devil.
In 1864 the couple began in London's East End the Christian Mission which later developed into the Salvation Army. Catherine Booth took a leading role in these revival services and could often be seen preaching in the dockland parishes of Rotherhithe and Bermondsey. Though often imprisoned for preaching in the open air, members of the Salvation Army fought on, waging war on poverty and injustice.
The Church of England were at first extremely hostile to the Salvation Army. Lord Shaftesbury, a leading politician and evangelist, described William Booth as the "antichrist". One of the main complaints against William Booth was his "elevation of women to man's status."
NOTE: When God's people commit sin, it gives the sinful world ammunition to legitimately attack us. I receive hundreds of e-mails from people, who point out the hypocrisies of professed Christians today, such as praising George W. Bush as a man of God, when in reality he is a follower of Satan. Catherine Booth was a rebel. Feminism is not about women's rights; but rather, about women rebelling against an authoritative husband, pastor, or God. Feminists resent masculine authority.
In the Salvation Army a woman officer enjoyed equal rights with a man. Although William Booth had initially rejected the idea of women preachers, he had now completely changed his mind and wrote that "the best men in my Army are the women."
NOTE: Women have equal human rights, are of equal worth, and are not inferior to men in any way; BUT, woman do not have a right to usurp authority over men. Feminism DEMANDS equality in the area of authority, and cries "inequality" if they don't get it. This is what Lucifer said in Isaiah 14:14... "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." Lucifer just wanted EQUALITY, wanting to be "like" the most high. Feminists claim they are simply asking for equality, to be "like" men in authority. Today, America is infested with women in authoritative power positions, and America is going to Hell because of it. Homosexuality is commonplace, abortion has become completely shameless, pornography is considered normal, divorce is highly encouraged nowadays, etc. Sin! Sin! Sin! Feminism is a Trojan Horse sin, that brings with it a slew of godlessness and woeful evils. Feminism and the Word of God are DIAMETRICALLY opposed to each other!
Catherine began to organize what became known as Food-for-the-Million Shops where the poor could buy hot soup and a three-course dinner for sixpence. On special occasions such as Christmas Day, Catherine Booth would cook over 300 dinners to be distributed to the poor of London.
NOTE: Oprah Winfrey has donated millions to the poor, but is also the biggest propagator of New Age damnable heresy in the world today. Millions of people are going to burn in the fires of Hell one day because of Oprah Winfrey. Oprah has openly denied Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Oprah will be cast into the lake of Fire. Likewise, the Salvation Army does much good today, as far as helping the needy, but what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world, but lose his own soul? What good is it to help the needy, if they are going to burn in Hell when they die because we fail to preach the Gospel to them? The Salvation Army is more army than salvation.
By 1882 a survey of London discovered that on one weeknight, there were almost 17,000 worshipping with the Salvation Army, compared to 11,000 in ordinary churches. Even, Dr. William Thornton, the Archbishop of York, had to accept that the Salvation Army was reaching people that the Church of England had failed to have any impact on.
It was while working with the poor in London that
Catherine found out about what was known as "sweated labour". That is, women
and children working long hours for low wages in very poor conditions. In the
tenements of London, Catherine discovered red-eyed women hemming and stitching
for eleven hours a day. These women were only paid 9d. a day, whereas men
doing the same work in a factory were receiving over 3s. 6d. Catherine and
fellow members of the Salvation Army attempted to shame employers into paying
better wages. They also attempted to improve the working conditions of these
women.
NOTE: Some of societies biggest phonies, Modernists, and Christ-rejecters are also the biggest social reformers. One such imposter was Martin Luther King Jr.,--a Christ-rejecting, Communist, womanizing, who denied the Virgin Birth and the Deity of Jesus. Catherine Booth was another social reformer, an avowed feminist, and a false prophet (which all women preachers are).
Catherine Booth was particularly concerned about women making matches. Not only were these women only earning 1s. 4d. for a sixteen hour day, they were also risking their health when they dipped their match-heads in the yellow phosphorus supplied by manufacturers such as Bryant & May. A large number of these women suffered from 'Phossy Jaw' (necrosis of the bone) caused by the toxic fumes of the yellow phosphorus. The whole side of the face turned green and then black, discharging foul-smelling pus and finally death.
Women like Catherine Booth and Annie Beasant led a campaign against the use of yellow phosphorus. They pointed out that most other European countries produced matches tipped with harmless red phosphorus. Bryant & May responded that these matches were more expensive and that people would be unwilling to pay these higher prices.
Catherine died of cancer in October 1890. The campaigns that were started by Catherine were not abandoned. William Booth decided he would force companies to abandon the use of yellow phosphorus. In 1891 the Salvation Army opened its own match-factory in Old Ford, East London. Only using harmless red phosphorus, the workers were soon producing six million boxes a year. Whereas Bryant & May paid their workers just over twopence a gross, the Salvation Army paid their employees twice this amount.
William Booth organized conducted tours of MPs and journalists round this 'model' factory. He also took them to the homes of those "sweated workers" who were working eleven and twelve hours a day producing matches for companies like Bryant & May. The bad publicity that Bryant & May received forced the company to reconsider its actions. In 1901, Gilbert Bartholomew, managing director of Bryant & May, announced it had stopped used yellow phosphorus.
Catherine Booth had eight children, all of whom were active in the Salvation Army. William Bramwell Booth (1856-1929) was chief of staff from 1880 and succeeded his father as general in 1912. Catherine's second son, Ballington Booth (1857-1940), was commander of the army in Australia (1883-1885) and the USA (1887-1896). One of her daughters, Evangeline Cora Booth (1865-1950) was elected General of the USA in 1934.
Further Reading
William Stead, Catherine Booth and the Salvation
Army, James Nisbet (1909)
Richard Collier, The General Next to God, Collins (1965)
Robert Sandall, History of the Salvation Army, Nelson (1947)
END
Traveling Evangelist
William
married Catherine (pictured right) in 1855, three years after their first
meeting. The couple had no settled home for he became the New Connexion's
traveling evangelist. Steaming up and down the country by train, they lived
precariously on £2 a week, rearing a young not altogether healthy family of
children that eventually totaled eight. Though an invalid herself, Catherine
found time to look after them, bake the bread, and help at meetings. Without
her, William later admitted, he could never have fulfilled his life's work.
At his whirlwind revival meetings, William was averaging over twenty converts a day. In 1857 the Connexion cut short Booth's travels and put him in charge of their Brighouse circuit in Yorkshire where the Booths battled to improve the lot of seven-year-old mill girls working a fourteen-hour day.
Two years later the Booths were moved to Gateshead. To Catherine Booth, the Devil was a personal opponent and at the Bethseda's Chapel, she herself began to preach. Many leading Methodists shook their heads at this revolutionary step and wanted to curb these independent Booths. With his wife's support, William soon broke with Methodist New Connexion.
At thirty-two years of age with a
wife and four children to support, William Booth had hopeless prospects. 'All
Britain is now open to you,' a fellow evangelist told him but soon the chapels
of the New Connexion barred their doors to him. Undaunted, he hired secular
buildings, even a circus tent, to which the lost and degraded could come. The
Booths carried no dogma. All they wanted to do was to stand up in the market
place and sound off the glory of the Lord. Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist or
Mohammedan, it didn't matter - these were lost creatures who were in need of
comfort and hope.
The greatest preacher since Wesley, Booth was a little flamboyant, a little melodramatic, but he roused thousands to repentance and hope. 'Religion,' he said, 'means loving God with all your heart and your neighbour as yourself.'
Catherine was also much in demand as a preacher and in March 1865 she led revival services in the smoky dockland parishes of East London. It was then that William began preaching at the Mile End Waste where every fifth shop was a gin-shop. With a Bible under his arm, he exhorted those outside the taverns to convert and it was here that his destiny was made plain to him - saving those souls the churches didn't want to know.
In this same year, the hymn 'Onward Christian Soldiers' was written.
"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law." -1st Corinthians 14:34
