| William Booth Visits The Holy Land back to 'William Booth'
In the spring of 1905, en route to Australia and New Zealand, General William Booth visited the Holy Land. It was one of the desires of his life to see Jerusalem and the most dramatic incident of his first day (09 March), occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane where he threw himself on his knees beneath the shade of an olive tree and called fervently on God to bless the world.
The Tree of Agony - Garden of Gethsemane
Below are some of the sites that he visited:
The site of Solomon's temple.
The ruins of Martha and Mary's house at Bethany
The tomb of Lazarus at Bethany
The climax of the visit was on Mt. Calvary where the General signed a moral encyclical addressed to "All who name the name of Christ throughout the world" which he had just finished writing that day. This was later published on a full page in The War Cry.
The colours of the Army, unfurled in the Holy Land for the first time, were waved over the General's party as they recited the last verse of the hymn "When I survey the wondrous Cross". The General's visit to Jerusalem produced a small but potentially important revival of religion among both Jew and Gentile. Forty converts knelt at the penitent form in Jaffa and more than one hundred professed conversion in his meetings.
On his return from his tour he was honoured by being given the Freedom of the city of London in a special ceremony.
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