The Salvation Army, Who Gets Saved?

Established in the United Kingdom in 1865, The Salvation Army began by trying to spread the Christian doctrine to the often forgotten members of society, the poor and the homeless. It was a stark contrast to many other Christian church groups where members were expected to show up in their “Sunday best” attire.

Founders William Booth, and his wife Catherine brought aboard their son Bramwell and in 1878 developed a military style of running and organizing things. To this end William was known as “The General”. He went out and spoke to the poor, his wife went out and spoke to the wealthy.

Image via Wikipedia (the not-so-humble London Headquarters)

By offering salvation to the desperate members of society, those considered undesirable, (prostitutes, alcoholics, etc.) they soon gathered opposition. This opposition spread as they told members to refrain from alcohol, and gambling, thus hurting local businesses more so than did the other church groups who allowed these behaviors.

Their public favor was restored in the early 1900’s after several disaster relief services, most notably following the San Francisco earthquake. Today they have spread over much of the world, offering “salvation” to anyone who wants it. But what is this salvation that they offer?

I found out for myself several years ago.

My first husband had passed away. He had no insurance, nothing. The widows pension and orphan benefit I received later covered my mortgage but that was all. At least I was good with money, we had no cable, no Internet, no cell phone. I worked part time for minimum wage and managed to save money even though I was living off of less than a welfare recipient in the same situation.

Eventually I had enough money to open a small business. I received government funding for business training and was set to go. Unfortunately my business was not so quick to catch on. I was selling pet supplies, but not pets (for ethical reasons). Although my prices were lower than at the big box stores, people never made the effort to check and assumed a smaller store would have larger prices. My advertising dollars were wasted, and some days I sat for hours with only a handful of customers stopping in, if any.

In the past I have suffered from clinical depression and found it setting in again, compounded not only by the frustration of a failing business, but additionally (and even more so) by boredom. I allowed my brain to play with ideas of killing myself. Entertaining myself with various scenarios.

Image via Wikipedia (what depression feels like)

After many months I became not quite suicidal, but needed somebody to talk to. I had no family there at the time, my nearest relative was a sister who had recently married and moved away. I figured the Salvation Army would be someplace I could turn for a few positive words. I must admit I was not looking for spiritual guidance or to have my soul saved. I just wanted to hear a humans voice other than that of my six year old daughter.

So I called. The man who answered the phone listened to my entire story, of which I spoke clearly of suicidal thoughts and mental torture. To which he responded only that I should come to their church on Sunday. I continued for a moment telling him how awful my situation was, eating soup and breakfast cereal, to save money, for days, and so forth. Again “Come to our church on Sunday.”.

No kind words, no attempt by him to come to see me. Nothing other than the address for his church, which happened to be on the other side of town. It seemed like an ironic joke to me. I had no intention of going to their precious church, especially as it seemed he was more interested in recruiting me rather than anything.

I consider myself a bit of an intellectual, a thinker. As such I thought out things for myself, and didn’t feel the need to go their church. There was nothing real they could offer me, nothing that I needed, or wanted. I simply found all the answers I needed were in my own mind. I knew I could no more fall in line in their army than I could listen to a drill Sargent bark out orders in a real army.

Obviously I didn’t kill myself. I continued to live on soup and breakfast cereal. Months later a dog groomer came to work in the store and that attracted more business. I eventually sold the store and moved away to live in the country with a man I met and had married, and life did get much better.

So, did the Salvation Army “Save” me? I really don’t know. It seemed to me like they were more interested in getting another member than saving somebody. I did find the whole thing laughable and a good example of how at the root of it all some churches really don’t care about individuals as much as they would have you believe. They want members, numbers, they want to feed themselves, and if by feeding the needy they get more members, that is what they will do.