I still remember my soldiership Sunday as if it were a few days ago; Sunday the 29th of April 2007, new uniform from London, my first pair of black leather shoes, my only tie, in fact still my only suit. I ascended to the platform; flags draped, crowning this holy and solemn moment. I gave my testimony and then proceeded to the wooden mercy set to sign my ‘Articles of War’, as I scanned through them just to check someone hadn’t put any last minute changes in, my eyes fell upon the final promise:
I will… show the spirit of Salvationism whether in times of popularity or persecution
After the service was finished, the extra plastic chairs stacked, the partition put back in place and the tea cups washed I thought about this rather obscure and almost forgotten promise. In fact this ‘Army Spirit’ has an entire chapter dedicated to it in Chosen to be a Soldier. William Booth who originally prepared this collection of Orders and Regulations for soldiers of The Salvation Army developed this idea into seven characteristics:
A Significant Expression – the expression itself has powerful meaning as we see the work of The Salvation Army around us
Strong Faith – The Salvation Soldier shows trust, confidence, assurance in the trinity and believes strongly that sinners can be saved.
Infectious Joy – As we see God at work in our own lives and those of others, we cannot help but be happy. ‘The world has gloom and sadness of its own. The joy of the Lord is the strength of the Army spirit’ p. 88.
Burning Compassion – This drives our social relief work and concern for ‘the underdog’. ‘It belongs to the Army spirit to remember those whom others forgot’ p. 89.
Going for Souls and Going for the Worst – We should never place ourselves higher than those we serve, ‘Salvationists must not be snobs’ p.90.
The Army of the Helping Hand – This public relations phrase of the time combines actions on a grand scale (think Haiti) with those of the regular soldier (think corps van pick ups)
Soldiers Bound For Glory – Living with a kingdom perspective, when we do come to the end of our time here on earth ‘the faithful soldier does not die. He is promoted to Glory’.
This Salvation Spirit that drove our ‘founding fathers’, that compelled bonnet clad girls into the rough parts of London, that even twenty years ago forced Officers into pubs armed with War Cry’s – is dying a slow and well documented western death and I for one refuse to see it die on my watch. A spirit that is not of ourselves must possess us; the army spirit as General Booth calls it is undoubtedly an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which gives us strong faith, infectious joy and a burning compassion. It is the fuel that keeps The Salvation Army true to its mission; once it is gone we will begin to ride on fumes and then eventually cease moving forwards altogether. My prayer is that every Salvationist – soldier or not, searches their heart and pulls from the miry pit of apathy their Army spirit, that they may seek to live as boldly as the poster on the back of William Booth’s motorcar which read in clear and confident letters simply ‘GET SAVED’.
Quotations taken from Chosen to be a Soldier: Orders and Regulations for soldiers of The Salvation Army, 1999 Edition.
Youth Department