To Cry or To Laugh Over Words Never Spoken

Two days ago was the anniversary of (May 9, 1912) William Booth delivering his final public address to members of The Salvation Army. His final words sought to reassure his followers that all would be well with the organization he founded after he passed away. His words were also intended to inspire his officers and soldiers to continue onward in the fight to help people in need and save souls. Hence, Royal Albert Hall was packed for the address. The press was there to capture his final words and so were the author's of the various Salvation Army publications. 

For nearly nine decades members of The Salvation Army have taken great pride in the following words that are attributed to William Booth on that occasion and held as final words.

“While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now, I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight-I’ll fight to the very end.”  

The common image is that once William concluded with these words that he then sat down as the crowd embraced his I'll fight charge.  

There is an audio clip on YouTube that some maintain is a recording of Booth. For a 1912 recording, it is not only amazingly clear for the state of the recording technology of the day, and even more remarkable that in an age where national leaders were not being recorded that someone set up what must have been a huge recording device to catch these last words. Given the state of the technology of the era, and the recording’s more recent emergence, for most listeners it is evident that the recording is a modern effort to give life to these dramatic words.

From my early teens I’ve been fascinated with history and the evolution of global/societal thought. Being raised in The Salvation Army I was naturally interested in the history of my faith community. Early I learned that due to various levels of hagiography I needed to be careful in my acceptance of what was considered to be my faith tradition’s history. One of those items that came into question during my college and post-graduate years was the attributing of the above inspiring words to William Booth.

Back in the 1980s, the issue I had was with silence of The Salvation Army’s primary historical documents from the 1910s through to World War I in noting these rousing words and when they were spoken. While William and Catherine Booth were alive, The Salvation Army’s primary publications, “The War Cry” and “All the World” took great care to accurately publish for Salvationists across the Great Britain and around the world, the major addresses of their leaders. Particularly so for Catherine, whose addresses were later gathered together and published in a serious of books.

When I read The War Crys and the All the World from mid May to August of 1912, there were a good number of references to his last address. I was disappointed that none contained these inspiring words, or even portions of them. The reports on The Salvation Army’s publications did note various other statements made by Booth, most of which were far from being inspirational, especially when compared to these immortalized words. The special edition of The War Cry covering the final address made no mention of the address. Later that year in describing his final speech All the World didn’t mention any portion of the words attributed to him. Over the months, Booth’s other well known statements from his final address, as well as lesser known and non-inspiring portions of his address were quoted repeatedly in Salvation Army publications without a mention of even a phrase from the quote in question. Subsequently, in learning that none of the news reporters who covered caught any of these words reinforced my solidifying belief that the words were not spoken by William Booth.

By 1985 I found myself with two options, a) hold that these inspiring words which have resounded in Salvationist hearts for decades was totally missed by the primary recorders of the day, both the news reporters and Salvation Army publication authors, or b) take the position that the primary recorders missed the words simply because these words were never spoken by William Booth.

Back then the heart was pulled in one direction but common sense and the mind directed to holding to option “b”. Years later, in extensively researching Catherine Booth my belief that these words were not William’s firmed further. The wider attribution of these words to William did not commence until 15 years later, in 1927, and even then the two authors that attributed the words to William have significant variance from each other and from the words above.  In 1929 Bramwell Booth claimed his father spoke the immortal words, but Bramwell’s assertion should be viewed in the context that he was embroiled in a leadership fight and was seeking to increase his legitimacy.

Over the subsequent decades, the myth has been perpetuated. So where did these inspiring words originate? First, we must recognize that the words are viewed as inspirational because of to whom they were attributed, and what grew from his work and leadership. If the words were spoken or attributed to a more common person, they would have long been lost. Second, we must recognize that the words and the myth have continued to live on because we want to believe in the words and until recently the organization's leadership has continued to publically attribute the words to their founder. What of those who claim to have heard them that day in May 1912? This can easily be accounted for by common human dynamics. Decades later many of those who were in Royal Albert Hall that day and recounted how they heard those stirring words, and how the address moved them, just thought they heard them. They recall being there and hearing William speak and as the words became attributed to William that day, they claimed to have actually heard them because they wanted to believe that they heard them from his lips and were not wishing to admit that they could not actually recall hearing his immortalized last words.

Do we know the source of the quote? While the true author of the final form may well be lost to history, the first portion of the “I’ll fight” appeared as a poem in a 1906 edition of “All the World”, six years before William was said to have authored them. It appears that core of the quote was penned by an early Salvationist, and possibly added onto by one or two others and then attributed to William.

While I’ve not been a member of The Salvation Army for years, it is my faith heritage and valued by me. At the end of the day I’m conflicted as to whether I should cry in sadness or laugh over how hagiography readily distorts history so that the words he never spoke have become William Booth’s most famous. Hopefully the poem's message will be embraced by the organization and its membership for it speaks to the ongoing spirit which drives them to provide a hand of assistance to those who are hurting and in need in our communities.

Kettle Record

Stretching back well over forty years manning a kettle every season has been a Sears family tradition. I have not missed a year since starting in 1967. In past years Jonathan, Josh and I would take a kettle for a whole day, which given our schedules has not been possible for the last two years. Tomorrow I will out again, but it will not be near the 60 hour record that was recently set. My respect and hat is off to the various people who stood for so long.

http://blog.salvationarmyusa.org/?p=9720

Why Are People Celebrating Women Outnumber Men at High Council As Progress?

I am somewhat perplexed by a host of Salvation Army blogs and other blogs by Salvationists that are making a big deal out of the upcoming High Council having more female representatives than male. They make it sound like this is a sign of great progress.

What gives? When did we stop thinking? Has our bloviating shut down our ability to reason? When did we settle for a shadow of the real thing?

Last decade, once the General elevated the spouses of TCs to the rank of the spouse, every High Council going forward was bound to have females equaling or outnumbering males. It is a demographic reality. Rarely are male TCs single, and even then, their wives are deceased. Single female TCs or IHQ department heads are a much more common occurrence than single male TCs. Hence, it takes only one female as a TC or IHQ department head to bring about females outnumbering males at a High Council.

A big measure of progress on female equality about which to crow would be either a) one of the married female High Council attendees being elected General rather than the husband, or b) that a female married officer is appointed to be a TC rather than the husband.

For well over century, theoretically both "a" and "b" have been possible but neither has happened, and it is not likely to occur in the foreseeable future. How many Salvationists truly believe that one of the married women at the High Council will be nominated ahead of her husband? How sad it is that none of us envision that happening. Does this mean that we do not have highly gifted females who are married to men who may have skills and talents, but less so than the wife?

I do not take such a dim view of our female officers. As Catherine Booth noted, it is not due to lack of nature on the female's part, but a lack of nurture and opportunity that married female officers are not in a position for either "a" or "b" to happen. Once either "a" and "b" happening more often we then will have something to celebrate.

Even before the wide spread of the suffrage movement the Army had female leaders. We had a great start and were well ahead of the crowd, but now where are we? It is unfortunate the western world has long passed us with regard to female leadership and equality so much so that we brag about females outnumbering males at the High Council.

Sigh!

An Alarming Statistic Called "Good News"?

Retired Commissioner Joe Nolan recently wrote on The Rubicon (http://therubicon.org/2009/08/grasping-for-salvation/)

“Interestingly and coincidentally, in the July issue of Salvationist, the editor comments as follows: ‘Here is some good news: YP rolls peaked in the period following the 1950 International Youth Congress; more than 111,000 young people were on those rolls of whom 33,000 were junior soldiers. Half a century later those figures were approximately 14,000 and 7,000 respectively.’”

“Good news?

“I guess it can be interpreted as good news, the percentage of those becoming junior soldiers rising to 50%, the bad news being that the rolls have declined significantly: 111,000 to 14,000? She does go on to say that “statistics do not tell the whole story and in some cases can be misleading” (”Lies, damn lies and statistics,” said Disraeli, not me, I would have politely said “darn lies”).”

I concur with Nolan. We need to ask, “what planet are you living on” and “where did you learn your logic” of anyone who sees “good news” in 7,000 out of 14,000 youth being junior soldiers in the USA when there use to be 33,000 out of 111,000 fifty years before. The cited stat should send alarm not comforting good news. It signifies the Army in the US is dying and that the officer pool both in numbers and in quality of leadership is collapsing. If the quality of leadership at all levels is collapsing, the American Army (also similarly trends in Canada) as a whole is in decline, that decline will increasingly become evident on two levels, the number attending worship and a significant decline in support from the community. Support from the community will take longer to be felt but the first signs could start to show within seven years.

A Challenge for Every Generation

There are those in the fundamentalist and evangelical church that hold that the Bible must be interpreted as literally as possible and not reinterpreted by modern thoughts. They speak as if the Bible was a flat document that is to be adhered to down to the letter. This is type of thinking maintains that contemporary trends and thoughts should have no barring upon the eternal teachings of the church. The same faith of our ancestors must be faithfully preserved and passed down.

These traditionalist pervade every denomination, including The Salvation Army. One of thesee branches within the church are described as “restorationists” (or known as "the primitive Salvationist movement" in the Army). The restorationists seek to return the church to its early state. In the Army this movement calls for a return to the early years of the Army (1865-1895) in matters ranging from dress to confrontational evangelism to programs to utilization of resources. The assumption is that the Army has drifted and become somewhat apostate. The view continues that just as God blessed the Army and these early methods He will do so again if we but obediently and passionately return to the old ways.

Whether those thoughts are in the Army or in other denominations, such thinking is flawed. It sees the past through rose colored glasses and does not see the pains endured and mistakes made during “the glory years.” What is overlooked is that those tragic mistakes have helped the church to learn from the past. A handful of undeniable past mistakes may be hinted at or even broadly sketched in historical records in a sanitized fashion without really revealing the heart of the struggle with its gore. Rather than focusing upon mistakes, the records tend to over glorify the accomplishments and the results, and more often than not, do so in a hagiographic manner.

Such thinking forgets that society progresses and learns from the past. Though the heart of humanity remains embroiled in most of the same struggles, how those personal, interpersonal and cultural issues are worked out in the present is unique from prior generations. It is unique simply because society has evolved, because our new toys/technologies help create new issues past generations never dreamed of addressing. Add to modern technology the ongoing evolution of thinking, new laws and different societal standards and you have a context that is unlike those of the earlier generation. We cannot say with any certainty what the Booths or Wesley, or Knox or Luther or Peter or Paul or David or Moses would say about a particular contemporary issue or expression today as they could not and did envision our society.

Each generation has to confront its contemporary issues within its context. The Bible must be understood within its context, eternal truths defined and distinguished from cultural trappings. The kernel of the teaching carries forward to instruct and guide, not the trappings and the expression. Hence, each generation has to interpret and apply afresh the eternal teachings.

Getting Some Perspective

There are moments when one is arrested by an item that causes one to pause and gain perspective. Some moments are unpleasant while others are pleasant. Below is a link to a video that helps me to keep what I do in perspective. It causes me to refocus my eyes to see what I may not notice if I was not looking.

This short video reminds us how little things can make a big difference to someone else.

http://media.servicenetwork.com/popMediaPlayer.asp?File=tsa/katiesstory.flv&

A Sobbering Thought?

Throughout its history the Church has taught that God’s Spirit works through the Church and its people. Wesleyan and Salvation Army theologies affirm that not only does God work through the institution of the Church but through its individual members. A common theme that occurs in Sunday sermons is how God’s Spirit guides and shapes the lives of His people.

Our Officers and theological documents teach that as the believer matures in the faith that their thoughts, words, views, decisions and actions are increasingly under the direction of the Spirit and are shaped by the Spirit of Christ. Such teaching not only goes hand-in-hand with growing toward holiness but is wedded into the foundation of the holiness doctrine. If a person who claims to be in the state of holiness does not have the Holy Spirit increasingly shaping the majority of their thoughts, decisions and actions on a daily basis then the claim to holiness and spiritual maturity is negated.

Yet, we recognize that individuals do error in their judgments. Holiness does not keep them from making errors in judgment and making misstatements. Hence when something happens that is not in keeping with the Spirit it is explained away. The problem is when it is explained away too quickly and too frequently as it starts to negate the theology of holiness and the work of the Spirit that is taught on Sundays.

A sister teaching is that God works through the collective decisions of the whole. While one or two may have errors in judgments, the prayerful deliberation of the spiritual mature leadership works much more in keeping with the desires of the Spirit. The confidences Salvation Army Officers and Soldiers are called to have in their divisional and territorial leaders are founded upon this teaching. The same is said to be of the confidences the soldiery are called upon to have as they obey and support their Corps Officers and Officers in the local social service office and center.

Functionally Orders and Regulations cannot conceive of an Officer commanding a soldier to do something that Officer knows is illegal and/or contrary to Scripture. These holiness teachings and the spiritual state of the Army’s leadership compels the soldiery to obey their leaders unless they have clear and compelling rationale that their leaders are acting outside the leading of the Spirit.

At its core, the Officers and Soldiers of The Salvation Army are duty-bound by their Senior Soldiership vow to view the decisions of their leaders as being divinely guided. They are obligated to view the decisions of such leaders as God’s voice and their actions of God’s sign to them regarding the direction of their lives.

The problem for and the challenge for those who are in leadership positions is to recognize the ramifications of the Army’s theology. It challenges them to be more thoughtful and deliberate in their decisions rather than hasty and reactionary. It challenges them to look for hope, to build for a godly outcome and to see how they can redeem a person or situation. The problem is that when leaders act in haste, speak and make decisions too quickly, think the worst too quickly, or let unchecked emotions guide their words that the recipient is accepting their decisions as God’s will and message.

In looking back over the years I can see how many have interpreted the actions and words as Christ telling them to leave the Corps or even the Army. I doubt the leader viewed their actions and words as being God telling the person to leave, or as God speaking to the other person with a divine message, but the recepient may well be doing so. Our teaching and the senior soldier vows, and the sermons proclaimed from the pulpit encourage them to think in such a manner. Hence, the person’s response in leaving may well be in keeping with our theology just as much as it is an emotional response....and that should give each of us pause in how we respond to others in such a moment.