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About the Army
When William Booth surveyed the pitiful congregation gathered to hear him on a hot day in July 1865 in the slums of London, it is doubtful that he visualised the beginning of an army. If he did think in military terms, at best he might have thought of himself as a lone soldier battling against an almost hopelessly overwhelming enemy. His spirit, however, was as militant as that of any professional soldier. Thirteen years later, that same spirit had attracted a band of fighters that, with the stroke of a pen, became an army. Today, the Salvation Army is known the world over. Its religious and social service activities have made allies of millions of men and women in more than 96 nations.
Booth's fervour led to disagreement with the leaders of the church, who preferred traditional methods. As a result, he withdrew and, with his wife Catherine, travelled throughout England conducting revival meetings. In 1865, William Booth was invited to hold a series of evangelistic meetings in the East End of London. He began in July in a tent set up in a Quaker graveyard. The tent meetings were a great success and proved to be both a culmination and a beginning: they ended his wanderings as an itinerant evangelist, and began his career and renown as the leader of a vigorous group dedicated to fight for the souls of men and women. His first "parishioners" were desperately poor. In Booth's congregation there were thieves, prostitutes, gamblers, and drunkards. He preached hope and salvation. his aim was to lead them to Christ and to link them to a church for further spiritual help. They were converted but the churches did not want them. So Booth put them to work to save others like themselves. They preached, marched, and sang in the streets, a living testimony to the power of God. In 1867 Booth had ten full-time workers; by 1874 he had 1,000 volunteers and 42 evangelists. They served under the name "The Christian Mission." They carried its banner out of the East End of London into neighbouring areas and then to other cities. With their militant spirits, the converts had become like an army. They hailed their leader as "General," a shortening of his title of General Superintendent. They called themselves "The Hallelujah Army." In 1878 "General" Booth was reading a printer's proof of an annual report which stated, "The Christian Mission under the superintendence of the Rev. William Booth is a volunteer Army." Booth crossed out the words "volunteer Army" and penned in "Salvation Army." In August of that year the Foundation Deed of The Salvation Army was adopted. The Salvation Army Mission Statement "The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical branch of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible, its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is both spiritual and practical, encompassing the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ and alleviating human suffering and distress without discrimination." The Salvation Army's purpose The Salvation Army's purpose is to advance the cause of Jesus Christ in the world on two levels: Spiritual and Social. Salvationists share the beliefs of most mainline Christian Churches. The "corps" is the local "church" unit that embodies the total Salvationist mission of joyful worship, fellowship and community service. There are 1,350 officers and 34,000 lay people who attend 500 Corps (Church) worship meetings throughout Australia. Such meetings can be attended by anyone. It's meetings and Sunday Schools encourage people in Christian faith and its Kids Clubs, Companion Clubs (for over 50's), Youth Clubs and Women's fellowship provide fellowship with others. It seeks to advance the future of persons by building stronger character, encouraging Christian values, training in the Christian lifestyle, promoting emotional health and stimulating creative abilities. It addresses issues of public concern and seeks to awaken the social and moral conscience of the general public by taking and furthering Biblically based positions on social issues that profoundly affect the quality of human life like abortion, alcohol, gambling, pornography and euthanasia. In its Social Ministry, The Salvation Army engages in emergency assistance and rehabilitation. Emergency assistance is the ministry of helping persons who are in immediate crisis in such a way as to stabilise their lives and provide a better foundation for a hopeful future developing coping skills and strengthening economic self-sufficiency. Rehabilitation is the ministry of helping persons who have been living in ways that are destructive to themselves and others to salvage and rebuild their lives.
To support lives diminished by excessive use of alcohol and drugs. More than 270 detoxification and treatment beds and
The Salvation Army is the largest support agency in
Australia,
Such as bushfires, floods, earthquakes and cyclones. Assist in finding Missing Persons The Salvation Army operates a world wide network The Salvation Army Doctrines We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice. We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship. We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead-the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory. We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man. We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocence, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness, and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has by His suffering and death made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved. We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are necessary to salvation. We believe that we are justified by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself. We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ. We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked. Please visit the International Site of the Salvation Army for more information. Copyright © 1998-2005 Salvos.com
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The
History of the Salvation Army 
William Booth was
the Founder of The Salvation Army. He embarked upon his ministerial career in 1852 but,
from the very first, the idea of a conventional pulpit had little appeal. Booth was a
crusader who longed to win the lost multitudes to Christ. 
Support Given 
House the Homeless 
To comfort victims of accident and
disaster. 
