“Abbeystead Hall.

“I am grieved to hear the sad news of the death of your Father.  The nation has lost a great organiser, and the poor a whole-hearted and sincere friend, who devoted his life to helping them in a practical way.

     “Only in the future shall we realise the good wrought by him for
     his fellow-creatures.

     “To-day there is universal mourning for him.  I join in it, and
     assure you and your family of my true sympathy in the heavy loss
     which has befallen you.

     “George R. I.”

Queen Alexandra telegraphed:—­

“I beg you and your family to accept my deepest and most heartfelt sympathy in the irreparable loss you and the nation have sustained in the death of your great, good, and never-to-be-forgotten Father, a loss which will be felt throughout the whole civilised world.  But, thank God, his work will live for ever.

     “Alexandra.”

President Taft wired:—­

     “Washington.

     “To General Bramwell Booth: 

“In the death of your good Father the world loses one of the most effective practical philanthropists.  His long life and great talents were dedicated to the noble work of helping the poor and weak, and to giving them another chance to attain success and happiness.

     “Accept my deep sympathy.

     “Wm. H. Taft.”

The King of Denmark wired:—­

     “Express my sincere sympathy.

     “Christian R.”

The Lord Mayor of London, Sir Thomas B. Crosby, wired:—­

     “The City of London sincerely mourns the passing away of its
     distinguished citizen, General Booth, whose grand and good work
     entitles him to imperishable gratitude.”

Whilst the Governors and Premiers of most of the Colonies where the Army is at work cabled in similar terms.  The Emperor of Germany, as well as the King and Queen, and Queen Alexandra, sent wreaths to be placed on The General’s coffin, and the tributes of the press all over the world will be found in the following chapter.

More than 65,000 persons came to Clapton Congress Hall to look upon his face as he lay in his coffin, and more than 35,000 gathered for the great Memorial Service in the Olympia, the largest obtainable building in London, on the evening before the funeral.  All the press commented upon the remarkable joyfulness of our funeral services, and the funeral itself the next day was admitted to have been the most impressive sight the great city has seen in modern times.

In addition to officers, many bands from all parts of the country came to join in it.

The coffin had been brought in the night to Headquarters in Queen Victoria Street.  The funeral procession was formed on the Embankment, and whilst it marched through the city all traffic was suspended from 11 till 1 o’clock.  The millions who witnessed its passage along the five-mile march to Abney Park Cemetery seemed as generally impressed and sympathetic as the multitude gathered there.  It was indeed touching to see not only policemen and ambulance workers; but publicans and numbers of the people offering glasses of water to the sisters who had been on their feet for six or seven hours before the service was ended.