Salvation Army Day

Salvation Army Day is an annual American holiday celebrating the Salvation Army. Despite the formidable military name, there is no violence or cruelty involved. It is a Christian charity that has only one goal for itself: to help people, to make society better. The holiday is celebrated on March 10.

History

The timing and conditions of Salvation Army Day are unknown. Probably someone wanted to immortalize in history this charitable organization, which is still successfully functioning today.

The history of the organization itself begins in the English town of Nottingham, when William Booth was born there in 1829. Without this man, such an organization might not have appeared. He became a Methodist preacher at the age of 15, but then began preaching on his own. His activities covered a very poor London neighborhood, Whitechapel. Seeing the grief of poor and destitute people, in 1865, together with his wife Catherine, he decided to establish a Christian organization, the activities of which would be aimed at helping such people. This is how the Salvation Army came into being, and it quickly found support in the community. Thanks to Booth, there have also been published works aimed at finding effective solutions to the problems of poverty among the population.

The modern symbol of the Salvation Army appeared in 1981 in San Francisco. There the captain of the organization wanted to feed 1,000 poor people. To raise funds, he placed a red cloth shaped like a pot in the street. On it he wrote, “Keep the pot always full. Thanks to people who cared, the necessary amount was quickly collected, and the fabric served as the basis for the emblem of the organization.

Interesting facts

• In creating the organization, Booth decided to move away from typical Christian entities, emphasizing similarities with military organizations. He became the first general. There were ranks in the Salvation Army, special uniforms, compositions on drums and other instruments, and so on.
• Today the organization operates not only in England, but also in the United States, Europe, South Africa, Asia, etc.
• In 1904 even King Edward VII joined in supporting the English organization.

How to celebrate

Find out more information about the Salvation Army’s successes and where their activities are concentrated today. The best way to celebrate Salvation Army Day is to become involved in the organization and help others.

Spread the word on social media. Ask other users what they know about the Salvation Army, and maybe some of them have been or are members of the organization.

When is Salvation Army Day celebrated in 2024?

Salvation Army Day is observed on March 10 each year.

Observations