Today marks the centenary of the promotion to glory of William Booth, co-founder of The Salvation Army. This was a significant moment in the history of the movement. Could it survive the death of both of its founders? (Catherine predeceased William by a number of years).
Well, under the consolidatory leadership of Bramwell Booth, and a number of subsequent Generals including our current incumbent Linda Bond, it has not only survived, but is now larger than ever with 2 million plus members spread across 124 countries.
But what of the vision and legacy of our founders. They didn't necessarily envisage a denomination at first, in fact William was keen that the movement should cease the minute it lost its focus on saving sinners. They didn't forsee an institution at first, but understood the need to structure an organisation that would serve the needs of society.
What they did see is many people coming into relationship with Christ. They saw a holy movement of people reaching every people-group with the freedom of the gospel and a holistic salvation that considered the whole person. Is that what we see today, 147 years after The Salvation Army was founded (as The East London Christian Mission) and 100 years after William's death?
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