You'd be amazed at what you can find in the pages of Salvation Army history. Not long ago, I stumbled over the haunting words of Brigadier Bramwell Taylor. In 1926, he asked how the Army might preserve its difference from the “ministering fraternity” of his day. In plain talk, Taylor was saying, “We Salvationists are 'not as others.' We are separate from the world and distinctly separate in the realm of religion.” For Taylor, safeguarding the Army's distinctiveness from other churches was critical to our ongoing success.

All these years later, we still entertain wonder about our identity as Salvationists:
• Do we maintain our distinct image as a Salvation Army or should we become more like the church down the street?
• Are we missing something by not practising baptism or communion in our worship?
• Should we replace uniforms with less intrusive choir gowns?
• Does a military metaphor still work in a world torn apart by religious fanaticism?
• Have we reached a point where we should assimilate more fully with our own “ministering fraternity”?

In seeking to answer these questions, General Albert Orsborn offered an important perspective: “God did not want another church when he created The Salvation Army … the skyline was already crowded with steeples.” Something different was required to get the world's attention.

By God's design, he raised up The Salvation Army to become a unique and defining influence in Victorian society. Where the established church was failing to reach the heathen masses, the Booths saw a unique way to fulfil the Great Commission. Using the organizational structure of an Army, the Booths stepped into a societal gap and redefined the face of religious institutions. Too many people where sitting on the margins of society. Was it possible the impoverished and enslaved could find their way into religious community?

While our early work was never without critique and opposition, the Army's impact is evident in the pages of our history. It was acknowledged not only in the testimonies of our early converts but also by other churches: God was up to something through the Army.

In a centenary salute to the work of William Booth in 1929, the Rev. Thomas Phillips, president of the National Free Council Church, had this to say: “At a time when Christianity was thought to be essential, perhaps the greatest work was done for God outside the Church by a Christian man whom the Christian Church excommunicated. While we held to strict observances of sacraments and Sabbath … along came this man who had no use for them at all.… This man got hold of the spirit of the sacraments, and a great church was built up.”

The early Salvation Army found prominence in Victorian society because it was not stuck in “churchianity.” The mandate was Christianity—to be a living sacrament, making Christ's love visible through an aggressive Army presence.

Can the Army metaphor still work for us today? Absolutely! It is this very image that helps us to extend the unique influence that has been respectfully attributed to Salvationists through the years. It is also this metaphor that gives us a unique place within the greater context of the Christian Church.

How is this so?

Armies command attention. With so many competing influences in the world today, the Church needs every possible means it has to draw attention to Christ. The Salvation Army is unlike any other religious expression of the Christian Church. By nature of our military organization and intentional uniformity, we, like secular armies, make our presence known. We command attention.

While some might argue this approach is outdated, they cannot dismiss the collaborative power of numbers to make a statement. A military friend reminded me recently that one of the principles of war is “concentration of force to meet objectives.” William Booth recognized the influence a “concentration of force” could have on his social context. And so we sing songs such as:

Come, join our Army, to battle we go,
Jesus will help us to conquer the foe;
Fighting for right and opposing the wrong,
The Salvation Army is marching along. (SASB 681)

Have we forgotten the significance of marching in step with each other and the statement this makes to the world around us?

Armies communicate a message. Armies say, “We are serious about mission and we will not give up until the mission has been completed.” This is clearly demonstrated in wartime when military personnel, in spite of casualties, determine to “stay the course.” For Salvationists, there can be no retreating in the work God has called us to do. The Army metaphor assists us in remembering the mission that not only defines us, but also sends us forward.

Armies convey the importance of corporate and personal discipline. In this age of increased public scrutiny, we cannot underestimate the significance of governing structures that hold us accountable to our mission. These disciplines, although sometimes perceived to be restricting, can become life-giving if we keep our focus and integrity and faithfully do the will of God.

Armies are a gathered host of the courageous and determined. Without courage, armies would never survive. Of William Booth, the Rev. Thomas Phillips said, “He did not treat the devil with the same respect of the established church. We are timid … we like to keep the devil at a respectable distance … we are inclined as churches to dig ourselves into trenches. [William Booth] was 'over the top' every time.”

When called upon to scale trenches and engage the enemy, soldiers rise to the challenge. I wonder what things would look like if Salvationists were “over the top” of the trench a little more.

Brigadier Bramwell Taylor wrote, “The Church regards us as specialists in this matter of daring personal dealing.” When it comes to our social services, we see what most don't (as our Red Shield campaign slogan goes). The Salvation Army responds where many would turn away. It is this “difference” that has appealed to people all around the world. We Salvationists are “not as others.”

Maintaining our distinctiveness will safeguard our mission and strengthen us as an Army. While we will continue to partner and fellowship with other churches, we must remember what makes us unique. God's plan includes The Salvation Army. There's still room for more soldiers to scale the top of the trench.


Major Julie Slous is the corps officer at Heritage Park Temple in Winnipeg. She has a doctorate in ministry from Luther Seminary in Minneapolis, U.S.A.