A message from the Salvation Army

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October 9, 2012

A message from the Salvation Army

Salvation Army Capt. Stan Robison CNHI The Times Enterprise Tue Oct 09, 2012, 03:05 PM EDT

Dear Thomasville Community;

I want to take just a moment to tell you some of the very rich heritage we here at The Salvation Army possess. As you may or may not know, our work began in the East End of London back in the mid 1800s.

A very young and determined man named William Booth who, by the way, decided that the Lord would have all there was of him at the very early age of 13 started our journey down this incredible path!

One night as he was passing through a tent meeting in the slums of London, he stopped to listen to the pastor speaking. He looked around at the tired and bored faces of those who were there, mostly because of poverty and nothing else to do, and he felt compassion.

As was the custom for that day and time, the chance for someone else to speak was given and so young William stepped up to the pulpit and brought fire and brimstone upon the heads of those who were bored. The altar call that night was tremendous, as many a soul was given over to the Lord! What a spark he had ignited among those who had no jobs, no food and no hope

In those days, it was not unusual to see men passed out in the gutters of the gin shops, nor for young boys neither. You see, it was the norm for the day, no work, no money but what you could scrounge and even littler hope.

It was William’s hope to bring the struggling masses, those who had no work, and where physical abuse was the norm, back into the church of the day.

In those days it was either the C of E (Church of England) or the Catholic Church. His goal was defeated by the mindlessness and arrogance of those who had much and were of no mind to share it with, “the likes of those people, the dregs of society!”

And so my friends, the Christian Mission was born! They brought with them the Hallelujah Lassies, the street meetings or “open airs” as the Army is fond of calling them. They marched from one place where they met to the place they were having their meetings through the streets, playing horns and beating the drums. Oft times in a public hall or even in the very gin shops they were trying to save the masses from. Wherever they could rent a space, they would have their Holiness Meetings.

As they walked, they were pelted with rocks, bricks, rotten fruits and vegetables, yet undaunted by the spirit of hate, on they marched! Sometimes arriving at their meeting place bruised and bloody, they held services that brought the rafters down, and the unsaved to the penitent form.

If any of you have read Brengle’s works, you know of this term and the term “mercy seat.” It was at this particular piece of Church accessory that many a soul was given over to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And why not? Our bible tells us in Philippians 2: 10,11...“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Won’t you bend that knee to see eternal life?

Just the other day I was shopping in one of our local stores and guess what I saw? Could it be? Is it really that time of year again? Christmas!!!!

I want to take a moment to ask you to once again help our Army, to bring the gift of Christmas to the saddened face of a child who knows what Christmas is, but who also knows that there will be no Christmas this year because daddy isn’t working. Because the single mother is unable to make ends meet, who can barely make her rent! Brothers and sisters, we who have much must help those who don’t. It is not the job of governments to support our vanquished and truly hurting citizens. It is the job of the Church to bring about change in a person’s life. To help those who are hurting with a “hand up and not a hand out”…but yes, there are those who use the system to get all they can! And we here at The Salvation Army are not here to judge, we are here to help, to stave off the eviction notice, keeping the heat going and the refrigerator with some food, but we judge not one of our brothers or sisters, listen to God’s word… “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7: 1,2.

Our online red kettles are ready to receive donations and you can mark them for our community only. Your money stays here in our community, we help those who need help and we love what we do! Please, put your money in the red kettles, online and at the stores this season. Help those children who don’t know what Christmas is to finally realize what God can do! God bless you abundantly.

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