The William Booth Story

This animated feature from the YA-aimed Torchlighters series traces the origins of the Salvation Army, providing interesting background information about the organization—familiar to many through its resale stores and the ubiquitous bell-ringers and collection kettles that appear every holiday season. The story goes back to London's rough-and-tumble East End in the mid-1800s, when William Booth preached salvation and sobriety, arousing the ire of pub owners. Following parallel paths, two central figures here are disaffected Londoners—a boy who exchanges loot from his pickpocketing adventures for a glass of beer, and his doppelganger elder, a lost soul facing the gallows as a result of an empty life of sin—ultimately changed by faith in God. Although threatened with violence from those who opposed his work, Booth called his army of followers to a different sort of arms—wielding Bibles, love, forgiveness, and music—eventually creating a worldwide phenomenon that continues to this day, with the Salvation Army taking on contemporary issues such as human trafficking and slavery. DVD extras include a leader's guide with lesson plans, handouts, and discussion materials. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (C. Block)