The Salvation Army, a true Christian Charity
- Admin
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Our regular contributor Will Alkass last year wrote about Christmas in the nearby village of LUCERAM. This year his Christmas article reflects on an organisation founded in London over one hundred and fifty years ago.
If you happen to be in the UK over the festive period and have some spare time to watch television, you will not fail to notice the advertisements surrounding the Christmas celebrations: from glorious food and desserts to serve on the table, to enticing drinks to whet the palate and get you in the mood, and of course fantastic gifts ideas all wrapped up in glossy paper.
There will also be many adverts for many worthy charities like Save the Children or Help The Aged; Christmas time is after all not only a time for merriment and getting together but also for giving, receiving and donating to good causes. All these charities serve noble purposes, but many would agree that the charity that truly represents the Christmas spirit is The Salvation Army. There is no better representation of their work than this poignant passage in the bible: "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me" (Matthew 25:35).
Jesus then further explains to his baffled disciples "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).
So what does the Salvation Army do?
The Salvation Army's mission is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to experience life in its fullness. They aim to express their faith through action, by providing help without discrimination and nurturing a sense of community among those they serve. Their work is characterized by compassion, respect, and a commitment to social justice.
The Salvation Army is an international faith-based charitable organisation; its mission is based on the Bible teachings and its ministry is motivated by love of God and the needs of humanity. Across the UK and Ireland it operates through six hundred and fifty churches and community centres, focusing on practical help and support for those in need. Their work is driven by a Christian mission that emphasises action alongside faith. Some of the key areas of their charitable work include:
Homelessness support - providing shelter, food and services to assist individuals experiencing difficulties with their daily lives, helping them to rebuild their lives and find stable environment without discrimination. They do this through their 461 hostels and 20 refugee programmes.
Victim Support - including offering help and guidance to victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, aiding them reintegrating into society.
Community Programmes - running various community initiatives including food banks, nurseries and community choirs, all aimed at fostering community spirits and providing essential services to local residents.
Advocacy and Justice - ensuring that the voices of the vulnerable are heard, fighting against injustice and working towards social change.
International Developments - supporting international projects reflecting their commitment to global humanitarian efforts.
So, how did it all start?
In 1865 William Booth, a Methodist Reform Church minister, preached his first open-air sermon outside the Blind Beggar pub in London. This led to the establishment of the 'East London Christian Mission' by him and his wife Catherine which then in turn became the 'Salvation Army'. The Salvation Army's theology derives from Methodism but differs in institution and practice. For example, the Salvation Army does not observe sacraments (see my article “An insightful visit to the Museum of Methodism in London”).
William became known as "The General" and Catherine was known as the "Mother of The Salvation Army". He was motivated to convert poor Londoners such as prostitutes, gamblers, and alcoholics to Christianity, while Catherine spoke to wealthier people, gaining financial support for their work. She also acted as a religious minister which was unusual at the time. The Foundation Deed of the Christian Mission states that women had the same rights to preach as men. William Booth described the organisation's approach as the three S's : first Soup; second, Soap; and finally, Salvation. The Army has adopted a military style in its administrative matters and employment of volunteers, including the roles of Lieutenant and Major alongside that of General.
Since 1881the Salvation Army’s International Headquarters has been located at 101 Queen Victoria Street in London near Saint Paul's Cathedral. Today its headquarters is a modern building that was dedicated by Princess Anne on November 9, 2004.
The Salvation Army worldwide
The Salvation Army started work in three other countries in 1880: Ireland, the United States and India; this was followed by Australia in 1879, Japan in1895 and China in 1915. The Salvation Army's reputation in the United States increased as a result of its disaster relief efforts following the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and the San Francisco earthquake in 1906. Nowadays, it has presence in one hundred and thirty four countries worldwide.
Today in the U.S. alone over twenty five thousand volunteer bell ringers with red kettles are stationed near retail stores during the weeks preceding Christmas for fundraising. The Salvation Army was one of the original six organisations that made up the USO (United Services Organisation Inc.) along with the YMCA, YWCA, National Catholic Community Services, National Jewish Welfare Board and National Travelers Aid Association. National Salvation Army week was created by President Dwight Eisenhower on 24 November 1954, encouraging people to honour the Salvation Army for its work in the United States throughout the previous seventy-five years.
The Salvation Army plays an important role in the USA in emergency disaster services. These include mobile canteen vehicles that provide food and other welfare support. Volunteers and Officers run the canteen service and respond when emergency services have been on the scene for more than four hours or where four or more fire vehicles are responding.
The salvation Army has issued positional statements regarding issue such as LGBT, Abortion, Euthanasia and the Death Penalty and remains a highly visible and sometimes controversial presence in many parts of the world.
The Salvation Army's 'Red Kettle'!
In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was searching for a way to provide hot meals for the poor in San Francisco. McFee, who was from Scotland, recalled a charity “pot” that was often placed on the Fishermen’s Wharf to collect money for families of those men lost at sea. This inspired him to find an old iron crab pot and head to the local San Francisco wharf. After he collected enough money, he packed up his pot and used the proceeds to provide hot meals for the poor.
Doughnut Day
In 1917 during World War 1, over two hundred and fifty Salvation Army volunteers went to soldiers' camps in France to provide supplies to soldiers, including baked goods such as doughnuts; the women who served doughnuts to the troops fried them in soldiers' helmets! They were known as "Doughnut Lassies" and are credited with popularising doughnuts in the United States. National Doughnut Day is now celebrated in the United States on the first Friday of June every year, a tradition that started in Chicago in 1938 to honour those who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I.
So, you can see how after one hundred and sixty five years of dedicated charitable service, the Salvation Army still stands true to its original ideals and ethos of helping the homeless, the hungry, the thirsty, the unclothed, the sick and the imprisoned. Is there another charity that gets closer to Jesus' teaching than this one?
