author
William Booth
1829–1912
A fiery preacher and tireless reformer, he helped build the Salvation Army into a worldwide movement known for evangelism and practical care for people in need. His life joined urgent faith with a deep concern for poverty, addiction, and life on society’s margins.
1 Audiobook
In Darkest England, and the Way Out
by William Booth
About the author
Born in Nottingham, England, on April 10, 1829, William Booth began working young and experienced a religious conversion as a teenager. He became a Methodist lay preacher, moved into full-time evangelistic work, and in 1855 married Catherine Mumford, who became his closest partner in ministry.
In 1865, William and Catherine Booth began the East London mission that developed into the Salvation Army. Booth became its first General, shaping its distinctive military-style structure and its commitment to reach people often ignored by respectable society. Under his leadership, the movement spread far beyond London and combined preaching with hands-on social work.
Booth also wrote and spoke forcefully about poverty and reform, most famously in In Darkest England and the Way Out (1890). He died on August 20, 1912, but the movement he founded continued to grow around the world, leaving him remembered as both an evangelist and a social reformer.