Free Methodist Church, Rotherhithe - Catherine Booth (1865)



'A friend of mine gave me a handbill on which the words were printed, “come and hear a woman preach!“ I accepted the invitation. Mrs Booth took for her text, “now advise and see what answer I shall return to Him that sent me“. She asked if there were any present who had promised on his bed of sickness to give their hearts to God and whose promise had remained hitherto unfulfilled. I realised that her words applied to myself and I resolved to redeem my vows that very night.

There were many remarkable cases of conversion at these meetings. Amongst others there were the two daughters of the publican who kept the “Europa“. When one sister was saved the other went to the chapel on purpose to ridicule the services. But she was seized with such an agonising realisation of her sins, that she came down from the top of the gallery to the communion rail, crying out loud, “I must come! I must come!“ Soon afterwards the father gave up the public house and they afterwards became members of Mr Spurgeon's tabernacle.

I have seen as many as 30 persons seeking salvation in a single meeting and some years afterwards, when I looked at the register of our chapel, I found about 100 names of those who had professed to be converted at this time.'

From, 'Catherine Booth, mother of the Salvation Army, Volume I, by Booth-Tucker, pages 278-9.

Additional Information

The church no longer exists.


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