Women of Valor: Catherine Booth
Before Her Calling
Born in Derbyshire, England, to Sarah and John Mumford, Catherine came into this world on January 17th, 1829, into a faithful family associated with Wesleyan Methodism. Her mother, Sarah, discipled her early on and equipped Catherine with a solid religious and moral conviction focusing on selflessness and the willingness to obey God's plan, even if it doesn't make sense.
Her Competence
She was a bookworm, and by age twelve, she had read through the Bible eight times.[1] She was precocious at a young age, even giving a policeman a hard time for being too rough on a drunken man that he had arrested. If not for her father's alcoholism (and her own illnesses), she may never have felt led to help others in their brokenness and suffering.
At 14, she attended Bible classes but also developed a curvature of her spine and later tuberculosis. But through this time, she began writing for magazines about the danger of alcoholism and began supporting the Temperance Society. Catherine especially loved the works of John Wesley and the American revivalist Charles Finney. They gave her the ideas of the holiness theology, the value of female ministry, and the need to present the Gospel in new ways.[2]
She met William Booth in 1852, who was a Methodist minister. In William's words, they both agreed that the ministry's role in the community should be to "loosen the chains of injustice, free the captive and oppressed, share food and home, clothe the naked, and carry out family responsibilities."[3] They disagreed, however, on women preaching. Throughout her life, Catherine declared she was a feminist (equal rights, equal pay) and pushed for the need for women's ministry. Although she and William argued over the role of women within the church, they married on June 16th, 1855. She continued to push the need for women preaching, as she wrote in her pamphlet Female Ministry or "Women's Right to Preach the Gospel" in 1859 to defend another woman preacher, Phoebe Palmer, another American revivalist.
Together, they saw a need to fight for the end of sex trafficking and teen prostitution in England, and they did not run from it. She states, "I felt as though I must go and walk the streets and besiege the dens where these hellish iniquities are going on. To keep quiet seemed like being a traitor to humanity."[4] The Booths helped expose a child prostitution ring that took advantage of low-income families, and later, the Salvation Army established safe houses for those rescued.
Her Calling
In 1860, as she sat listening to her husband preach in Gateshead Bethesda Chapel, she felt the Holy Spirit weigh heavily upon her, almost a "strange compulsion." She realized that she needed to preach God's Word to be obedient to her God. She heard an inner voice taunt her as she rose, saying, "You will look like a fool and have nothing to say." She decided it was the enemy's voice and responded, "That's just the point; I have never yet been willing to be a fool for Christ. Now, I will be one."
Her sermon was so impressive that William changed his mind about women preachers. She became known as a fantastic preacher, but many believers were fuming at the idea. By 1864, the couple had started London's East End Christian Mission, which was the beginning of the Salvation Army. Catherine took one of the leading roles during these revival services and other open-air parishes. She stated, "A false interpretation of Paul's comment about women keeping silent in church has resulted in enormous loss to the church, evil to the world, and dishonor to God."
Her Courage
Catherine preached God's Word amidst her shyness, illness, and significant opposition to the Salvation Army. Her husband received heavy hatred due to his promotion of women to "man's status." He was called the "anti-christ" by Lord Shaftesbury, a leading politician and evangelist then. The Salvation Army gained the media's attention, and soon, journalists were sitting among the congregations. One wrote,
"Her preaching was quiet yet riveting. Her delivery was earnest, affectionate, calm, and clear. She would draw tears from those present to keep people's attention. She also identified herself as a fellow sinner- no better than them. She had no ordinary mind, and she had incredible powers of argument, yet was sympathetic at the same time."
Her Character
Catherine's character is modeled after Christ's life, as she fervently loved on and fought for the "least of these…" She discovered the inequality of women's and children's pay compared to men's. She threw light on the employers attempting to improve the working conditions. She also uncovered atrocities in the matchstick factories. Women were risking their health with the use of yellow phosphorus, which emitted toxic fumes, causing 'Phossy Jaw," which led to abscesses in their jaws and mouths, leading to disfigurement, brain damage, and later death. She and Annie Beasant began a campaign to outlaw yellow phosphorus and petition for the use of red phosphorus, a harmless alternative.
Her Legacy
Catherine was an overcomer. This woman stood face to face with a debilitating spinal injury and still had the strength to face the shame, judgment, and oppression of her time and still OBEYED what God had asked her to do. She paved the way for many women to join alongside their brothers in Christ in ministry, sharing the Gospel and helping the poor. Catherine wanted people to know Jesus and reformation in the U.K. regarding alcohol and women's rights. She organized food for people experiencing poverty and rolled up her own sleeves to help cook over 300 dinners on Christmas to be given to those without food on the streets of London. Before her passing, a survey found that over 17,000 worshipped with the Salvation Army, compared to 11,000 in established churches. Her preaching encouraged other women who were gifted like her to preach without fear and trepidation. She has inspired many other unlikely women (like 18-year-old Rose Clapham and Jenny Smith) to become evangelists, sharing the Gospel with anyone who will listen. She preached at one time,
"Will you be encouraged, my sister? Never mind trembling. I trembled. Never mind your heart beating. Mine nearly beat through. Never mind how weak you are. I have gone many a time from the bed to the pulpit, and back from the pulpit to the bed. It is not by human power, wisdom, might or strength; it is by my Spirit, says the Lord. He loves to use the weak things, that the excellency of God may be seen. Will you not rise up?"
In October 1890, Catherine died from cancer. 50,000 people attended her funeral! After her death, William was spurred on to try and force matchstick companies to cease using yellow phosphorus. By 1891, only a year after her death, the Salvation Army opened their own matchstick factory, using red phosphorus and paying their employees double, producing 6 million boxes yearly.
Her Impact on Me
When I first heard of the Salvation Army and its ministries, I had primarily heard criticism. So, I was astonished when I learned more about what they believe and their dedication to the call of God upon their lives. When I listened to another fellow seminarian speak about Catherine Booth, I felt like I had a soul sister in her.
I heard God speak to me when I was only eight years old to preach. I honestly discounted what I heard, and at that moment, I asked my five-year-old brother to "share the Word" while I sang the special music. Looking back, I realize that my disobedience sent me into worship ministry for the next 30 years. But I had never seen a woman preach, let alone teach in a mixed group of adults. I didn't think it was possible. I know what Catherine meant when she said she felt a "strange compulsion" to preach the Word of God. I have felt it, too, and thankfully, I've listened and obeyed since I was eight. Her bravery astounds me because, in this day and age, it's still hard for a woman to rise and preach or teach, let alone back in the 1800s! I cannot imagine the persecution she received.
I also understand the pain she endured due to her illnesses. I have been fighting an autoimmune disease for the past decade or so. Some days, my entire body shuts down with exhaustion, hurts, or feels on fire. I look at our messy home, full of life due to our family of six, and am filled with shame that I cannot keep up. And yet, in those moments, I rely upon the strength of Jesus to get me through my weakness. And He comes through- every time.
Catherine was a woman who continued to love and care for her family and still be obedient to what God asked of her. She is an inspiration and a true ezer kenegdo (delivering ally or helper in Genesis 2). John Read writes, “Thousands believed the greatest sin committed by William and Catherine was allowing her to preach. To English society, Catherine standing in a pulpit addressing men was an abomination. After all, she was just a woman."
Just a woman… of valor.
[1] John Simkin, “Catherine Booth,” Spartacus Educational, Sept. 1997; updated Oct. 2022. Online. Accessed April 15, 2024. https://spartacus-educational.com/Wbooth.htm
[2] Unknown. “Catherine Booth,” The Salvation Army. London, 2024. Online. Accessed April 15, 2024. https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/about-us/international-heritage-centre/virtual-heritage-centre/people/catherine-booth
[3] Simkin, Ibid.
[4] William J. Federer, American Minute: Notable Events of American Significance Remembered on the Date They Occurred, Online. Accessed April 15, 2024. https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Salvation-Army-founders-fought-sex-trafficking--cared-for-the-poor--started-a-global-organization--met-with-the-King-of-England-.html?soid=1108762609255&aid=qMM99DgeXXw
