William and Catherine Booth and Audacious Evangelism
The Salvation Army was born in May, 1878. News of the name change fired the imagination of the East London Christian Mission workers and soon military words and phrases were popping up everywhere. The Bible was now a “sword.” Larger mission houses became “citadels” and smaller ones “forts.” Groups of workers called themselves “troops” who together made up “corps.” Everyone wanted a rank. Part-time workers over 15 years of age became soldiers and full-time workers became officers. When they preached, the captains opened with “Fire a volley” and the audience yelled back a mighty “Hallelujah.” When it was time to pray, everyone did “knee drill.” Bible reading became “taking rations.” The Christian Mission Magazine was renamed The War Cry and a second magazine was published for children called Little Soldiers.
A uniform was adopted and worn proudly. William Booth came up with a pattern for the Salvation Army flag. It had a red background for the blood of Jesus, a blue border for the holiness of God and a yellow sun for the fire of the Holy Spirit. The new mission motto, “Blood and Fire,” was emblazoned across it.
Soldiers and captains competed for the best way to draw a crowd. A converted drunk did a show that involved Houdini-like escapes to illustrate his “Trap Doors of Hell” sermon. Another soldier who had been in the Navy wore half his old uniform down one side and half his Salvation Army uniform down the other side to illustrate his old life and his new life as a soldier for Christ. William’s son, Bramwell, sometimes climbed into a coffin and was carried along the streets to St. Paul’s Cathedral by six men. Once they reached the steps, the young evangelist would jump out and begin preaching on life after death. Another man decided to lie perfectly still in the snow near a local marketplace. When a crowd gathered he would preach on how God can thaw the coldest heart.
The newspapers called this new Salvation Army and its methods “unbecoming and extreme” but the people loved it and it continued to grow. Opposition was increasing and the Salvation Army was soon to know its first martyr, but for now the Army was growing so quickly that William did not want to quench what the Holy Spirit was doing in their midst.