Regeneration: Being an Account of the Social Work of The Salvation Army in Great BritainHaggard, H. Rider (Henry Rider)
Religion
Regeneration: Being an Account of the Social Work of The Salvation Army in Great Britain
Haggard, H. Rider (Henry Rider)
Great Britain -- Social conditions; Salvation Army
I do not think that any of the Churches in any part of the world do
this now, although no doubt individuals here and there are still
bitterly hostile to us. In the United States and in many of the
British Colonies the Churches welcome our help, and generally speak
well of our work; and even many Roman Catholic leaders, as well as
authorities of the Jewish faith, may be included in this statement. On
the Continent there are signs that they are slowly turning the same
way.
Now, I confidently expect a steady extension of this feeling towards
us as the Churches come more and more to recognize that we not only do
not attack them, but that we are actually auxiliaries to their forces,
not only gaining our audiences and recruits from those who are outside
their ministrations, but even serving them by doing work for their
adherents which for a variety of reasons they find it very difficult,
if not impossible, to accomplish themselves.
At the same time it would be a mistake to think that we have any
desire to adopt any of their methods or ceremonials. We keep
everywhere to our simple and non-ecclesiastical habits, and while we
certainly have some very significant and impressive ceremonials of our
own, the way our buildings are fitted, the style of our songs and
music, and the character of our prayers and public talking are
everywhere entirely distinctive, and are nowhere in any danger of
coming into serious competition with the worship adopted by the
Churches.
Some of our leading Officers think that in one respect our relations
to the Churches, their pastors, and people are unsatisfactory. In the
United States it is customary for the clergy and leaders of every
Church to treat our leaders with the most manifest sympathy and
respect. But there is far too marked a contrast between that treatment
and that which we receive in many other countries. There are, of
course, splendid exceptions. Still few members of any Church are
willing to be seen in active association with us.
I daresay this is very largely a question of class or caste, and I am
very far from making it a matter of complaint. We would, in fact, far
rather that our people should be regarded as outcasts, than that they
should be tempted to tone down the directness of their witness, or
that they should come under the influence of those uncertainties and
misgivings to which I have already made reference. Nevertheless, it is
certainly no wish of ours that there should remain any distance
between us and any true followers of Christ by whatever name they may
be called. And so we keep firmly, even where it may seem difficult or
impolitic to do so, to our original attitude of entire friendliness
with all those who name the Name of Christ.
I give a few figures bearing upon the present extent of our
operations:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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