Salvation Army

Salvation Army, a new religious organisation, which took its rise in England in 1865, its founder being the Rev. William Booth (q.v.). Being in some sense a rebound from the less vigorous forms of Christianity, this movement has from the first been of a very aggressive and practical character. In theory and creed, save on some minor points, the Salvationist is at one with all the orthodox churches, but in method and organisation the army differs largely from every existing denomination. The neglected spiritual condition of the lower part of the population of London first appealed to the heart of Mr Booth; and after various efforts at conciliating the sympathy of other Christians had been rejected, and tentative lines of an old-fashioned sort had been found abortive, Mr Booth determined to strike out a new method and to adopt a quasi-military organisation, of which he himself would be the general. 'Groping,' he writes, 'our way out of the conventionalism in which we had been trained, we tried committees, conferences, and all sorts of governments, showing how far we were wrong, until the military idea was revealed to us.' Mr Booth was powerfully reinforced by the co-operation of his wife, who eloquently denounced the cold Laodicæanism of the churches. At Hastings, Margate, and Brighton, and in St James's Hall in London, crowds of the upper and middle classes became her auditors and presently her ardent supporters, to help on the movement, which was called the 'Christian Mission.'

In the spring of 1878 the entire mission was re-organised on the model of a military force with the title of 'The Salvation Army,' and as its head Mr Booth was henceforth designated 'general.' The novelty of the new designation at once attracted the notice of the press, some to approve and others to oppose; but the object was gained—viz. to attract and compel public attention to the grand question of salvation. The mission at once rose from comparative obscurity to a position of strength and public support. Since that time the advance has been almost like the rise of a city in the Arabian tales. No doubt can be felt but that the army's attitude and object answered real and wide-spread needs of men's hearts. From eighty positions or 'corps' in the first year (1878), and 127 labourers or 'officers,' the organisation in 1897 numbered over 6700 corps and outposts, and above 12,000 officers. In 1891 the officers were distributed as follows:

So mightily grew this movement, spreading itself over the whole world, that at the present time it has struck its roots and become naturalised in thirty-five countries in every quarter of the globe. Indeed, it seems to be a native of no particular race or colour or climate, but to adapt itself and make itself at home almost universally. A country is geographically mapped out into 'districts' or dioceses, each under the care of an experienced officer generally called a 'major.' Every large town and even large village in that district is occupied by one or more corps commanded by a captain, assisted by one or more lieutenants, all of these being supported and entirely employed by the army, their duty being to conduct everyday services indoors and out-of-doors, to visit those enlisted, and to plan, to advertise, and push on the attention of all around the salvation of their souls. Open-air services are held daily in the streets or market-places, and processions, accompanied by banners and bands of music; multiplied indoor services keep the attention of the public and employ the zeal of all the members; these are enlivened with bright and animated choruses, short addresses, and pointed appeals. Marriage between members is solemnised 'under the Flag,' when each pledges the other to be faithful to the War, and never to hinder the spouse from fighting and even suffering for Christ's sake. The officers can marry the parties in Scotland and America, but in England the registrar must be present. Children of members are in their infancy dedicated to become future soldiers in the War for God and souls before the whole congregation. While strict acquiescence with superior orders is expected on the part of officers and soldiers alike, the greatest freedom is conceded in spiritual matters, and the Salva- tionist boasts of a freedom which is the offspring of order and method. Solidarity of principles and of government once secured, the largest variety can be fully used as to details. Thus the uniform in one land differs from that adopted in another. The blue dress and bonnet of Great Britain is replaced in India by the white sheree. The unity of the spirit is maintained by diversity of operation. Every Salvationist, man, woman, and child, is taught and expected to propagate salvation; to speak for God privately and in public, to sing, to pray, to march, whenever required; to testify and to exhibit conversion to Christ in their lives, and to bring every one around them to deliverance from sin. The officers, however, are set apart and entirely maintained so as to devote themselves wholly to the work of souls. These are drawn from all ranks, with no distinction save of spiritual qualifications; the training given them is not in secular but in spiritual knowledge—viz. in the word of God, in fervour, in devotion, and in the best ways to reach souls. They are solemnly set apart with prayer when commissioned to their first appointments.

In regard to doctrine and teaching the army is very much in agreement with the Christian churches generally; emphasising the work of Jesus Christ as the sole and sufficient atonement from sin, and the application of that atonement to the heart by faith; offering at the same time the most drastic opposition to every form of Antinomian teaching; inculcating the universal obligation of believers to receive full and entire sanctification by the Holy Ghost. They believe the Bible to be God's written word, and repudiate in the strongest manner modern theories and criticisms which diminish or degrade its divine authority. Salvation from sin is with them a solid experimental reality effectuated by God's grace in the consciousness and in the conduct. Vigorous and untiring war is proclaimed against all Satan's strongholds; denouncing unsparingly the liquor traffic (all are bound to be abstainers), racing, theatre-going, gambling, Sabbath-breaking, and the living a life of ease and pleasure. They regard it as a sacred duty binding on Christians not to eat their crust of salvation by themselves, but to force the claims of God on the attention of all, to assail, warn, and awaken to repentance the unsaved. Woman takes her rightful place, and parity of privilege, position, and dignity is firmly asserted and maintained for the weaker sex. For this service the poorest brother who can hardly read is as eligible as the cultured, and woman is as eligible as man. Indeed, it is a maxim in the army that there is no position filled by man which may not be equally filled by woman. The ability and piety of the individual will alone determine his or her position. The administration of the sacraments is not provided for officially, but the observance is left optional to the members.

All the property of the army is conveyed to, and held by the general for the time being, for the benefit of the army exclusively, he being constituted a trustee of the property, in the disposal of which, and in the appointment of his successor, he is placed under the government of a deed poll enrolled in Chancery on the 13th August 1878. The finances of the army are derived partly from the voluntary offerings in their places of worship, from gifts of friends, and from the profits of the periodicals, of which the War Cry is the best known issued by the army press. At home and abroad the army publishes and distributes, mainly by the agency of its own members, forty illustrated papers and magazines (in the several vernaculars as well as in English), and with other books, pamphlets, and song-books, the annual sales are about sixty million copies! A system of accounts of a very strict character is pursued throughout the army, and the yearly accounts are published, after being in detail examined and audited by a firm of London accountants.

The master purpose of these Christians is the converting men to God and saving them from sin. The master policy adopted by them in this cause is self-sacrifice. The adherents of the army, 'rank and file,' display hardihood and endurance, a defiance of difficulties, indifference to ease or reputation, self-abandonment and joy in tribulation. Persecuted by authorities, mobbed, bruised, imprisoned, men, and even delicate women, make light of their sufferings for Christ's sake, and if disabled their places are immediately filled by fresh volunteers. One week in every year is set apart for acts of special self-denial, when every member and friend of the Salvation Army is expected to deny himself or herself some comfort or item of unnecessary expenditure, and to give the value of the same to the funds of the army. In the year 1890 the sum so saved and contributed was £33,000, of which the members, poor as they are, gave nearly £30,000 (in 1891 £40,000).

During the year 1890 a large development took place in the benevolent and philanthropic work of the army. A scheme for uplifting the out-of-work and homeless multitudes contained in the book entitled In Darkest England and the Way Out, from the pen of General Booth, attracted wide public attention, and large sums were contributed, enabling him to put it into operation. A threefold or three-storied system of help was therein proposed for this class, whereby the outcast is first of all to be received into a city colony, found shelter and food, and offered work of some kind; if found really willing to do work and to do right he is then sent to the 'farm colony'; and, if worthy and suitable, is finally shipped to the 'colony over the seas' as an emigrant. In pursuance of this scheme, in 1896 the army had already in operation at home and abroad 27 Homes of Rest, 67 Rescue Homes (for fallen women), 87 Slum Posts, 17 Prison-gate Homes, 77 Shelters and Cheap Food Depôts for the Homeless, 30 workshops and factories, 31 labour bureaux, 7 farms (the principal at Hadleigh in Essex), besides salvage, emigration, bank, and law departments, and laundries and other women's factories. The cheap meals supplied during twelve months numbered nearly 3 million. The organisation has found a footing in many provincial towns at home, has a strong position in Scotland, and extends into 45 countries and employs 35 languages. As promotion, a step upward socially, there is added to the shelter the Poor Man's Hotel or 'Metropole,' a superior kind of accommodation for which a charge of 6d. is made. Applicants at the shelters having no money can work for their food in the adjacent workshop. For the purposes of this salvage work extensive premises known as the Bridge Wharf, Battersea, have been acquired; and there is to be a thorough and systematic collection of old clothes, rags, bones, broken meat, bottles, tins, &c., all of which it is said can be profitably utilised. Incomplete as has been this brief description of the Salvation Army and summary of its chief activities, it will contain evidence enough to satisfy any reader that it is a most remarkable religious movement.

For further information see Booth, Aggressive Christianity (1882; 5th ed. 1890), and In Darkest England and the Way Out (1890); Mrs Booth, Popular Christianity (1888); Railton, Twenty-one Years' Salvation Army, and Heathen England and the Salvation Army; Josephine E. Butler, The Salvation Army in Switzerland (1884); and numerous pamphlets published by the army. See also the article BOOTH (WILLIAM).