Salvation Army is an international Christian religious and charitable organization. It is set up and operated on a military pattern, and its leaders have the ranks of military officers. The Salvation Army works to foster a love of God and to provide for the needy. It offers its services to people of any race, creed, sex, or age.
Services and activities.
The basic unit of the Salvation Army is the corps community center. Each center is directed by a commanding officer who administers both religious and social service activities. Each Salvation Army officer is an ordained minister. These centers conduct a varied program, providing religious services, counseling, moral education, and other social services. In addition, the Salvation Army operates a variety of institutions, including hospitals, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, camps, boys and girls clubs, senior citizen residences and clubs, and day-care centers. It also provides education programs for unwed mothers, family assistance, and aid to prisoners and their families. The Salvation Army includes many musicians who use music as a way to preach the gospel.
Much of the worldwide service of the Salvation Army is given to people in less developed countries. These services include education, basic needs, vocational instruction, and disaster relief.
History.
William Booth, a Methodist minister, founded the Salvation Army in London in 1865. That year, he began conducting meetings to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of London’s East End. His work was well received, and he organized a group known as the Christian Mission. In 1878, the group changed its name to the Salvation Army. The organization soon spread outside the United Kingdom. It was established in the United States in 1880.
Today, the Salvation Army works in over 110 countries. International headquarters are in London. United States headquarters are in Alexandria, Virginia.
