MAUD BALLINGTON BOOTH - MANUSCRIPT LETTER SIGNED 11/24/1894 - HFSID 112210

MAUD BALLINGTON BOOTH. Manuscript LS: "Maud B. Booth", 1¼p, 4½x7. New York, New York, 1894 November 24. On letterhead of The Salvation Army to Mr. Allen. In full: "It is now some years since our Slum work was first organized in this City, and so busy have we been with the hand to hand struggle that continually faces us in this most important work that it has been almost impossible for us to stop and gather our forces and call our friends together for our Anniversary. The work which first began with two devoted women now numbers many workers, and has spread to other cities; and it has occurred to me that we ought now to have a public celebration in connection with this work, and let our friends know something of what has been accomplished in our City slums. I am planning a meeting for this purpose to take place on December 3rd at the Y.M.C.A. Hall, 23rd Street. I shall be assisted by Major Brown, who has charge of this work, and by all the Slum workers of New York and Brooklyn. I am sure this meeting will be of great interest, especially to those who want to know what is being done for the so called 'hopeless classes', and I extend to you a cordial invitation to be present. If you would like to bring a few friends with you I shall be glad to send you more tickets. Yours very truly in the Holy War ". Written just two years before the Ballington Booths had a disagreement with Salvation Army founder, William Booth, and resigned. Maud Charlesworth (1865-1948), who joined the Salvation Army in 1882, married Ballington Booth, the son of the organization's founder, in 1886. To honor him, she added her husband's first name to hers. The British couple took command of the Salvation Army branch in the U.S. in 1887. After a disagreement with William Booth in 1896, they resigned from the Salvation Army and established the Volunteers of America, a rival but similar organization devoted to religious and charitable causes. Mrs. Booth later became absorbed with prison reform. Creased with folds, horizontal fold underlines signature. Stained and shaded, shaded at signature (completely legible). Torn at upper, left and blank edges, 2 words affected at right edge. 1-inch tear at upper blank margin of integral leaf, ½x½- and ½x1-inch tears at upper blank margin of first page, ½-inch tears at horizontal folds. ½-inch diameter hole at upper right blank corner. Overall, fragile condition.