with estates scattered over the country； and with settlements in the
colonieswill exercise his enormous powers； not merely honestly； but
wisely？ What shadow of security is there that the person who wields
this uncontrolled authority over many thousands of men shall use it
solely for those philanthropic and religious objects which； I do not
doubt； are alone in the mind of Mr。 Booth？ Who is to say that the
Salvation Army； in the year ＇243＇ 1920； shall not be a replica of what
the Franciscan order had become in the year 1260？
The personal character and the intentions of the founders of such
organizations as we are considering count for very little in the
formation of a forecast of their future； and if they did； it is no
disrespect to Mr。 Booth to say that he is not the peer of Francis of
Assisi。 But if Francis's judgment of men was so imperfect as to permit
him to appoint an ambitious intriguer of the stamp of Brother Elias
his deputy； we have no right to be sanguine about the perspicacity of
Mr。 Booth in a like matter。
Adding to all these considerations the fact that Mr。 Llewelyn Davies；
the warmth of whose philanthropy is beyond question； and in whose
competency and fairness I； for one； place implicit reliance； flatly
denies the boasted success of the Salvation Army in its professed
mission； I have arrived at the conclusion that； as at present advised；
I cannot be the instrument of carrying out my friend's proposal。
Mr。 Booth has pithily characterized certain benevolent schemes as
doing sixpennyworth of good and a shilling's worth of harm。 I grieve
to say that； in my opinion； the definition exactly fits his own
project。 Few social evils are of greater magnitude than uninstructed
and unchastened religious fanaticism； no personal habit more surely
degrades the conscience and the intellect than ＇244＇ blind and
unhesitating obedience to unlimited authority。 Undoubtedly； harlotry
and intemperance are sore evils； and starvation is hard to bear； or
even to know of； but the prostitution of the mind； the soddening of
the conscience； the dwarfing of manhood are worse calamities。 It is a
greater evil to have the intellect of a nation put down by organized
fanaticism； to see its political and industrial affairs at the mercy
of a despot whose chief thought is to make that fanaticism prevail； to
watch the degradation of men； who should feel themselves individually
responsible for their own and their country's fates； to mere brute
instruments； ready to the hand of a master for any use to which he may
put them。
But that is the end to which； in my opinion； all such organizations as
that to which kindly people； who do not look to the consequences of
their acts； are now giving their thousands； inevitably tend。 Unless
clear proof that I am wrong is furnished； another thousand shall not
be added by my instrumentality。
I am； Sir； your obedient servant；
T。 H。 Huxley。
＇245＇
NOTE。
An authoritative contemporary historian； Matthew Paris； writes thus of
the Minorite； or Franciscan； Friars in England in 1235； just nine
years after the death of Francis of Assisi：
〃At this time some of the Minorite brethren； as well as some of the
Order of Preachers； unmindful of their profession and the restrictions
of their order； impudently entered the territories of some noble
monasteries； under pretense of fulfilling their duties of preaching；
as if intending to depart after preaching the next day。 Under pretence
of sickness； or on some other pretext； however； they remained； and；
constructing an altar of wood； they placed on it a consecrated stone
altar； which they had brought with them； and clandestinely and in a
low voice performed mass； and even received the confessions of many of
the parishioners； to the prejudice of the priests。 And if by chance
they were not satisfied with this； they broke forth in insults and
threats； reviling every other order except their own； and asserting
that all the rest were doomed to damnation； and that they would not
spare the soles of their feet till they had exhausted the wealth of
their opposers； however great it might be。 The religious men；
therefore； gave way to them in many points； yielding to avoid scandal；
and offending those in power。 For they were the councillors and
messengers of the nobles； and even secretaries of the Pope； and
therefore obtained much ＇246＇ secular favour。 Some； however； finding
themselves opposed by the Court of Rome； were restrained by obvious
reasons； and went away in confusion； for the Supreme Pontiff； with a
scowling look； said to them； 'What means this； my brethren？ To what
lengths are you going？ Have you not professed voluntary poverty； and
that you would traverse towns and castles and distant places； as the
case required； barefooted and unostentatiously； in order to preach the
word of God in all humility？ And do you now presume to usurp these
estates to yourselves against the will of the lords of these fees？
Your religion appears to be in a great measure dying away； and your
doctrines to be confuted。〃
Under date of 1243； Matthew writes：
〃For three or four hundred years or more the monastic order did not
hasten to destruction so quickly as their order ＇Minorites and
Preachers＇ of whom now the brothers； twenty…four years having scarcely
elapsed； had first built in England dwellings which rivalled regal
palaces in height。 These are they who daily expose to view their
inestimable treasures； in enlarging their sumptuous edifices； and
erecting lofty walls； thereby impudently transgressing the limits of
their original poverty and violating the basis of their religion；
according to the prophecy of German Hildegarde。 When noblemen and rich
men are at the point of death； whom they know to be possessed of great
riches； they； in their love of gain； diligently urge them； to the
injury and loss of the ordinary pastors； and extort confessions and
hidden wills； lauding themselves and their own order only； ＇247＇ and
placing themselves before all others。 So no faithful man now believes
he can be saved； except he is directed by the counsels of the
Preachers and Minorites。〃Matthew Paris's English History。 Translated
by the Rev。 J。 A。 Giles； 1889； Vol。 I。
II
The 〃Times；〃 December 9th； 1890
Sir；The purpose of my previous letter about Mr。 Booth's scheme was
to arouse the contributors to the military chest of the Salvation Army
to a clear sense of what they are doing。 I thought it desirable that
they should be distinctly aware that they are setting up and endowing
a sect； in many ways analogous to the 〃Ranters〃 and 〃Revivalists〃 of
undesirable notoriety in former times； but with this immensely
important difference； that it possesses a strong； far…reaching；
centralized organization； the disposal of the physical； moral； and
financial strength of which rests with an irresponsible chief； who；
according to his own account； is assured of the blind obedience of
nearly 10；000 subordinates。 I wish them to ask themselves； Ought
prudent men and good citizens to aid in the establishment of an
organization which； under sundry； by no means improbable；
contingencies； may easily become a worse and more ＇248＇ dangerous
nuisance than the mendicant friars of the middle ages？ If this is an
academic question； I really do not know what questions deserve to be
called practical。 As you divined； I purposely omitted any
consideration of the details of the Salvationist scheme； and of the
principles which animate those who work it； because I desired that the
public appreciation of the evils； necessarily inherent in all such
plans of despotic social and religious regimentation should not be
obscured by the raising of points of less comparative； however great
absolute； importance。
But it is now time to undertake a more particular criticism of
〃Darkest England。〃 At the outset of my examination of that work； I was
startled to find that Mr。 Booth had put forward his scheme with an
almost incredibly imperfect knowledge of what had been done and is
doing in the same direction。 A simple reader might well imagine that
the author of 〃Darkest England〃 posed as the Columbus； or at any rate
the Cortez； of that region。 〃Go to Mudie's；〃 he tells us； and you
will be surprised to see how few books there are upon the social
problem。 That may or may not be correct； but if Mr。 Booth had gone to
a certain reading…room not far from Mudie's； I undertake to say that
the well…informed and obliging staff of the national library in
Bloomsbury would have provided him with more books on this topic； in
almost all European languages； than he would ＇249＇ read in three
months。 Has socialism no literature？ And what is socialism but an
incarnation of the social question？ Moreover； I am persuaded that even
〃Mudie's〃 resources could have furnished Mr。 Booth with the 〃Life of
Lord Shaftesbury〃 and Carlyle's works。 Mr。 Booth seems to have
undertaken to instruct the world without having heard of 〃Past and
Present〃 or of 〃Latter…Day Pamphlets〃； though； somewhat late in the
day； a judicious friend calls his attention to them。 To those of my