In 1865 one-time Methodist circuit-preacher William Booth began work as an unattached evangelist heading up 'The Christian Mission' aimed at the unprivileged classes that lived in unspeakable poverty in the East End of London.
Thirteen years later, Booth and his wife Catherine reorganized the mission, introducing the military structure which has been retained to the present day.
"The Salvation Army" name developed from an incident when William Booth was reading a printer's proof of the 1878 “Christian Mission” annual report. He noticed the statement "The Christian Mission is a volunteer army." Booth seized a pen, crossed out "volunteer" and wrote instead "salvation", thus coining the title "Salvation Army" for his movement.
William Booth became known as the General, Catherine is known as the "Mother of The Salvation Army". The other ministers were given appropriate ranks as "officers". Other members became "soldiers."
General Booth summed up the purpose of his organization in the following way: "We are a salvation people - this is our specialty - getting saved and keeping saved, and then getting somebody else saved.”
The Salvation Army adopted a uniform including bonnets, which provided protective headgear when the going got rough. The bonnet was worn for the first time on June 16, 1880 at William and Catherine Booth's silver wedding in Whitechapel.
The newly launched Salvation Army launched an offensive throughout the British Isles that converted 250,000 Christians between 1881 and 1885.
In 1880, the Salvation Army started its work in three other countries: Australia, Ireland, and the United States. The message spread rapidly, and they soon gained a foothold in Canada, France, Switzerland, India, South Africa and Germany.
The Salvation Army's main converts were at first alcoholics, morphine addicts, prostitutes and other "undesirables" unwelcome in polite Christian society. Booth decided not to celebrate Holy Communion due to the large proportion of ex-alcoholics in his congregations. He also refused to advocate baptism, believing that many Christians had come to rely on the outward signs of spiritual grace rather than on grace itself. Other beliefs were that its members should completely refrain from drinking alcohol, smoking and gambling.
There was frequent opposition to the Army’s methods and principles in its early years. The evangelical politician Lord Shaftesbury, for instance, concluded that the newly formed Salvation Army was a trick of the devil.
In 1882, 642 Salvation Army officers, including women, were assaulted and 60 of their buildings destroyed in Britain. This "Hallelujah" Band of converted criminals and ex alcoholics were meeting violent opposition. An opposing group coined the Skeleton Army was organized to break up its meetings by throwing rotten eggs, stones and rats or beating officers with sticks. This 'rabble of roughs' was supported by brewers who opposed Booth's teetotal advocating as a threat to their trade, and the brewers offered a shilling each for each Salvation Army ladies' bonnet captured by the Skeleton Army.
The picture below shows members of the Salvation Army being pursued by the Skeleton Army with its distinctive skull and crossbones banner.
In October 1890, Booth published his major social manifesto, In Darkest England and the Way Out. Booth declared, "A starving man cannot hear you preaching. Give him a bowl of soup and he will listen to every word."
In his manifesto, Booth explored various far-reaching ideas, such as providing hostels, employment centres and helping young men learn agricultural trades before emigrating. So significant and conclusive were his findings that the authorities began to accept the validity of the Salvation Army.
In 1902 King Edward VII invited General Booth to be officially present at his coronation ceremony. This marked a sea change in the public acceptance of the work the Salvation Army was doing amongst the poor and needy in Britain.
In the United States, The Salvation Army's reputation improved as a result of its disaster relief efforts following the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.
In 2004 The Salvation Army received the largest gift ever given to a charity — a donation of $1.6 billion from the estate of Joan B. Kroc, widow of the founder of McDonald’s Corp.
Today, The Salvation Army is active in virtually every corner of the world and serves in 127 countries, offering the message of God’s healing and hope to all those in need. It over 1.5 million members consisting of officers, soldiers, and adherents, who as well as meeting to worship God every Sunday, the Salvation Army also run charity shops, operate shelters for the homeless and provide disaster relief and humanitarian aid to developing countries.
Thirteen years later, Booth and his wife Catherine reorganized the mission, introducing the military structure which has been retained to the present day.
"The Salvation Army" name developed from an incident when William Booth was reading a printer's proof of the 1878 “Christian Mission” annual report. He noticed the statement "The Christian Mission is a volunteer army." Booth seized a pen, crossed out "volunteer" and wrote instead "salvation", thus coining the title "Salvation Army" for his movement.
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| The Christian Mission becomes The Salvation Army (May 1878) |
William Booth became known as the General, Catherine is known as the "Mother of The Salvation Army". The other ministers were given appropriate ranks as "officers". Other members became "soldiers."
The Salvation Army adopted a uniform including bonnets, which provided protective headgear when the going got rough. The bonnet was worn for the first time on June 16, 1880 at William and Catherine Booth's silver wedding in Whitechapel.
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| The Salvation Army founders, Catherine and William Booth |
The newly launched Salvation Army launched an offensive throughout the British Isles that converted 250,000 Christians between 1881 and 1885.
In 1880, the Salvation Army started its work in three other countries: Australia, Ireland, and the United States. The message spread rapidly, and they soon gained a foothold in Canada, France, Switzerland, India, South Africa and Germany.
 |
| The worldwide expansion of the Salvation Army. Wikipedia Commons |
The Salvation Army's main converts were at first alcoholics, morphine addicts, prostitutes and other "undesirables" unwelcome in polite Christian society. Booth decided not to celebrate Holy Communion due to the large proportion of ex-alcoholics in his congregations. He also refused to advocate baptism, believing that many Christians had come to rely on the outward signs of spiritual grace rather than on grace itself. Other beliefs were that its members should completely refrain from drinking alcohol, smoking and gambling.
There was frequent opposition to the Army’s methods and principles in its early years. The evangelical politician Lord Shaftesbury, for instance, concluded that the newly formed Salvation Army was a trick of the devil.
In 1882, 642 Salvation Army officers, including women, were assaulted and 60 of their buildings destroyed in Britain. This "Hallelujah" Band of converted criminals and ex alcoholics were meeting violent opposition. An opposing group coined the Skeleton Army was organized to break up its meetings by throwing rotten eggs, stones and rats or beating officers with sticks. This 'rabble of roughs' was supported by brewers who opposed Booth's teetotal advocating as a threat to their trade, and the brewers offered a shilling each for each Salvation Army ladies' bonnet captured by the Skeleton Army.
The picture below shows members of the Salvation Army being pursued by the Skeleton Army with its distinctive skull and crossbones banner.
In October 1890, Booth published his major social manifesto, In Darkest England and the Way Out. Booth declared, "A starving man cannot hear you preaching. Give him a bowl of soup and he will listen to every word."
In his manifesto, Booth explored various far-reaching ideas, such as providing hostels, employment centres and helping young men learn agricultural trades before emigrating. So significant and conclusive were his findings that the authorities began to accept the validity of the Salvation Army.
In 1902 King Edward VII invited General Booth to be officially present at his coronation ceremony. This marked a sea change in the public acceptance of the work the Salvation Army was doing amongst the poor and needy in Britain.
 |
| Booth in later years |
In the United States, The Salvation Army's reputation improved as a result of its disaster relief efforts following the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.
In 2004 The Salvation Army received the largest gift ever given to a charity — a donation of $1.6 billion from the estate of Joan B. Kroc, widow of the founder of McDonald’s Corp.
The current world leader of The Salvation Army is General Lyndon Buckingham. He was elected by the High Council on May 26, 2023, and took office on August 3, 2023. He is the 22nd General of The Salvation Army. Born in Dannevirke, New Zealand to Salvation Army officers, General Buckingham is the first New Zealander to hold the office.
Today, The Salvation Army is active in virtually every corner of the world and serves in 127 countries, offering the message of God’s healing and hope to all those in need. It over 1.5 million members consisting of officers, soldiers, and adherents, who as well as meeting to worship God every Sunday, the Salvation Army also run charity shops, operate shelters for the homeless and provide disaster relief and humanitarian aid to developing countries.
Source Salvationarmy.org.uk
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