author
George S. (George Scott) Railton
1849–1913
A fiery early leader of the Salvation Army, he helped turn William Booth’s Christian Mission into a worldwide movement. His writing and relentless travel carried that mission far beyond Britain.
1 Audiobook
The Authoritative Life of General William Booth, Founder of the Salvation Army
by George S. (George Scott) Railton
About the author
Born in Arbroath, Scotland, on July 6, 1849, George Scott Railton was the son of Methodist missionaries. After reading William Booth’s appeal about reaching the masses, he joined the Christian Mission in the early 1870s and quickly became one of Booth’s closest coworkers.
Railton played a major part in the movement’s early shape and spirit. He is widely remembered as the first Commissioner of The Salvation Army and as one of the people most responsible for its bold, practical style of evangelism. He also helped carry the work abroad, including the Army’s early expansion to the United States and other countries.
Alongside his preaching and organizing, Railton wrote about the movement he helped build, including Twenty-one Years' Salvation Army and a life of William Booth. He died in Cologne, Germany, on July 19, 1913, but remained an important figure in Salvation Army history because of his energy, conviction, and worldwide vision.