History of the Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is an international organization, which began humbly in 1865 under the guidance of a radical Methodist minister named William Booth. More than 130 years later, The Salvation Army now stretches across the globe with churches and missions on every continent except Antarctica. With its international headquarters in London, England, The Salvation Army is dedicated to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and ministering whenever and wherever there is need.
The Salvation Army was founded by William Booth, an ordained Methodist minister. Aided by his wife Catherine, Booth formed an evangelical group dedicated to preaching among the “unchurched” people living in the midst of appalling poverty in London’s East End.
Booth abandoned the conventional concept of church and a pulpit, instead taking is message to the people. His fervor led to disagreement with church leaders in London, who preferred traditional methods. As a result, he withdrew from the church and traveled throughout England, conducting evangelistic meetings.
In 1865, William Booth was invited to hold a series of Evangelistic meetings in the East of London. He set up a tent in a Quaker graveyard, and his services became an instant success. This proved to be the end of his wanderings as an independent traveling evangelist. His renown as a religious leader spread throughout London, and he attracted followers who were dedicated to fighting for the souls of men and women. Thieves, prostitutes, gamblers and drunkards were among Booth’s first converts to Christianity. To congregations that were desperately poor, he preached hope and salvation. His aim was to lead people to Christ and link them with a church for further spiritual guidance.
In 1867, Booth had only 10 full-time workers, but by 1874, the number had grown to 1,000 volunteers and 42 evangelists, all serving under the name “The Christian Mission.” Booth assumed the title of general superintendent, with his followers calling him “General.” Known as the “Hallelujah Army,” the converts spread out of the East End of London into neighboring areas and then to other cities.
Booth was reading a printer’s proof of the 1878 annual report when he noticed the statement, “The Christian Mission is a volunteer army.” Crossing out the words “volunteer army,” he penned in “Salvation Army.” From those words came the basis of The Salvation Army’s foundation creed, which was adopted in August of that year.
From that point, converts became soldiers of Christ and were known then, as now, as Salvationists. They launched an offensive throughout the British Isles, against the “seven dark rivers” of evil: grinding poverty, disease, lust, crime, despair and atheism.
The Army also gained a foothold overseas. Lieutenant Eliza Shirley left England to join her parents, who had immigrated to America earlier in search of work. In 1879, she held the first meeting of The Salvation Army in America, in Philadelphia. The Salvationists were received enthusiastically. Shirley wrote to General Booth, begging for reinforcements. None were initially available. However, within a year, glowing reports about Shirley’s work in Philadelphia convinced Booth to send an official group of officers to pioneer the work in America.
On March 10,1880, Commissioner George Scott Railton and seven women officers knelt on the dockside at Battery Park in New York City to give thanks for their safe arrival. At their first official street meeting, these pioneers were met with unfriendly actions, as had happened in Great Britain. They were ridiculed, attacked and arrested.
