ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the results of the Darkest England Scheme in terms of meeting its own goals and in its effect on the Salvation Army. It examines the impact of the increasing size of the Salvation Army on its work and ethos, and on William Booth himself. The changes in the Salvation Army can also be seen as a normal result of the growth in numbers. The Charity Organisation Society (COS) and Booth were to some extent working in parallel but there were fundamental differences in their views of poverty and charity and consequently in their methods. As the Salvation Army grew in size and gained recognition, Booth, in old age, was to share in the complacency of the time and to view the beginnings of the social work in a 'glow' that was distanced from the reality of the struggle.
