It was Christmas Day 1865 when the latest addition to the Booth household made her presence known. Catherine Booth had been reading Uncle Tom's Cabin and wanted a “little Eva” in her home.

“She has been born like the Holy Evangel on Christ's birthday,” she said. “Shall we call her Evangeline”?

William agreed but for reasons unknown he registered their daughter Eveline Cory rather than Evangeline.

William placed the baby in her first cradle, a basket lined with straw, while the other children crowded around. “Here,” said the proud father, “is God's Christmas gift.”

Three years later the happy Booth family was making preparations at home on Christmas morning while William had been preaching in Whitechapel. When he came home he tried to enter into the festivities but finally gave up. Speaking to the now subdued family he said, “I'll never have a Christmas Day like this again! The poor have nothing but the public house.”

It was the last Christmas the Booths spent in family festivities. The following year they scattered among the slum dwellers to distribute 150 plum puddings, many of which had been made in their own kitchen. As soon as she was old enough, Evangeline joined in this “Christmas cheer” to the poor. Ever after it was always her plan to spend Christmas Day visiting the needy, the sick and shut-in.

In 1896, Eva was appointed as territorial commander for Canada in succession to her brother, Herbert. William knew that his fiery daughter had “adopted” three small children, two girls and a boy. He told her the demands of territorial leadership in Canada would not allow her time to care for the children and advised her to leave them in London, England. Ever the General, he commanded, “No children are to go to you.” Eva acknowledged what he said, but for the first time in her life she decided not to obey. Unknown to William, the children accompanied her to Canada.

Around the turn of the century, some of the young officers on headquarters staff in Toronto decided to do something special at Christmas for poor children who lived near the territorial headquarters in Toronto. They contacted several prominent citizens seeking money to support this venture.

One of the officers, Alex MacMillan, wrote: “Miss Eva heard about this and to our surprise and delight she became one with us in this task. One hundred children were fed and I believe this was the beginning of the winter relief and Christmas dinners, which have become a part of the Army's program.”

After 30 years continuous service as leader of The Salvation Army in the United States, Evangeline Booth was elected the first woman General of The Salvation Army and assumed office November 11, 1934, less than seven weeks before her 69th birthday. For this Christmas Day baby, the day of the Saviour's birth continued to be a time of joyful ministry.

Margaret Troutt, one of General Eva's biographers, wrote, “On her first Christmas Day as General, Evangeline took some of her staff and a dozen single bandsmen with her to visit Salvation Army social centres in London.”

The tradition is still part of the Army. This Christmas, Salvationists will spend part of this most blessed of days ministering to the poor, the needy and those who have nowhere to go at Christmas. God's Christmas gift indeed!

Photo: Evangeline Booth and Santa Claus pass out gifts to children; credit: © Corbis

Lt-Colonel Maxwell Ryan is retired in Burlington, Ont., where he serves as a part-time hospital chaplain and amateur Army historian.