When The General decided upon issuing a weekly paper called The War Cry, it was to be as nearly as possible The Salvation Army in print, and Mr. Booth-Tucker, then an Indian official, at once got the idea, from the copy he read, that such a force as it described was exactly what was wanted in that country—­a set of Christians determined to fight for the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom by every method love could devise; but loving especially the poorest and weakest, and proving their love by working continually amongst them.  After visiting England, to see The Army and its leaders for himself, he had no hesitation in abandoning his Government appointment, and giving himself up for life to this War.

Such was the devotion of our Officers, and especially of the first Indians they won, that The General, far from having to urge them forward, had rather to check the tendency needlessly to sacrifice health and life.  He gladly gave, at later dates, two of his own daughters to the Work; and, perfectly informed by his own repeated visits to the country, and by what he learnt from the actualities of the War, he was the better able to correct mistakes, and so to utilise to the uttermost the forces that were raised in various parts of the vast peninsula.  Nobody would hesitate to acknowledge how much his counsels helped to prevent an excessive zeal from sacrificing precious lives.

He divided the country into six Territories, each under a separate Commander, realising that India could not be treated as one country, but that its diverse people must be dealt with according to their several needs, and that unless those using different languages were trained to act independently enough of each other they could never form strong enough forces to cope with the vast enterprises required.  But the following account, written to his children, of his first visit to the country gives a photographic view, both of his own activities and successes, and of the attitude of the high and mighty generally towards him at that remote date.  He writes from Benares, January 13, 1892, just ten years after our beginning in India:—­

     “Benares, January 13, 1892.

     “My Dear Children,—­

“Wednesday and Thursday, 6th and 7th, were consumed in travelling to Calcutta, and, all things considered, I got through the journey very well.  Nevertheless, I was exceedingly weary on being roused at five o’clock to prepare for the arrival.

     “It was early, 5.35 a.m., and Colonel Ajeet Singh did not expect
     any reception beyond that of our own Officers.

“To our surprise, however, we found the platform crowded with our own enthusiastic little party (who raised some music from a scratch Band), some native Christians, and a very large number of Hindu gentlemen.

     “I was taken by surprise, and, unaware of the extent of the
     demonstration, allowed them to leave by only shaking hands.