Fun Facts
Fun facts about The Salvation Army
On The Wagon
Men and women receiving the services of The Salvation Army coined the phrase “on the wagon”. Former National Commander Evangeline Booth – founder William Booth’s daughter – drove a hay wagon through the streets of New York to encourage alcoholics on board for a ride back to The Salvation Army. Hence, alcoholics in recovery were said to be “on the wagon.”
The Salvation Army in Films
There is a reference to The Salvation Army in over 140 films. Some of the more notable references include Captain America: Civil War, Seabiscuit, A Christmas Story, Titanic, and Batman Begins. One of the more recent and popular movies would be Spider-Man: Far From Home where Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, was recruited to support a Salvation Army fundraiser.
Strawberry Field Forever
The Beatles’s 1996 song “Strawberry Fields Forever” is John Lennon’s nostalgic reference to a Salvation Army orphanage called Strawberry Field in Woolton, England. Lennon is said to have played with childhood friends in the trees behind the orphanage when he was a boy.
The Salvation Army started in a graveyard
When Booth found himself without a church to preach in, he became a travelling preacher, spreading Christianity wherever he could and on the streets. In 1865, he was invited to preach in London’s East End and was provided with a piece of land on which to preach, which just so happened to be situated in a graveyard. Despite the melancholy surroundings, the graveyard sermons became a big success and the location became the first Salvationists’ base of operations, providing an unlikely point of origin.
The hole in the middle of the doughnut
The Beatles’s 1996 song “Strawberry Fields Forever” is John Lennon’s nostalgic reference to a Salvation Army orphanage called Strawberry Field in Woolton, England. Lennon is said to have played with childhood friends in the trees behind the orphanage when he was a boy.
Silver Bells
Songwriters Jay Livingston and Ray Evans worked for Paramount Pictures and were asked to come up with a Christmas song. Using The Salvation Army bell ringers for inspiration, they wrote a song called “Tinkle Bells.” When Livingston went home and told his wife, she had to fill him in on an alternate meaning of the word “tinkle.” They changed the name to “Silver Bells” and it has been a Christmas favourite ever since.
To God be the Glory
The Salvation Army also has a salute, which is to raise the index finger of our right hand above shoulder height, pointing to God, as a way of saying that God deserves all glory and praise.
Fun facts about The Salvation Army Singapore
General Evangeline Booth’s Visit to Singapore
In 1937, General Evangeline Booth, the first woman General of The Salvation Army and daughter of the Founder William Booth, visited Singapore and gave a speech at the Victoria Memorial Hall on the topic “The romance of The Salvation Army”. She also co-wrote a book titled “The War Romance of the Salvation Army”, which is based on her life and account of the many lives The Salvation Army touched and led to the Lord. The book also focuses on the relationship between the U.S. Army and The Salvation Army during World War 1.
Sources:
The Salvation Army 60th Anniversary Book, “By Love Compelled”
The Salvation Army Headquarters in Singapore
In January 1938, due to progress and expansion, The Salvation Army’s headquarters in Singapore moved to a quaint old “temple house” located at the junction of Clemenceau Avenue and Penang Road (formerly Tank Road). Built in 1882, the Chinese courtyard house was originally the residence of prominent Teochew businessperson Tan Yeok Nee. On 19 November 1974, the building was gazetted as a national monument.
Why the Uniform?
The Salvation Army uniforms are not very stylish. In fact, they often get us mistaken for staff of other companies. Nevertheless, for The Salvation Army officers, it is an honour to wear them as an outward sign of our calling, to care for the lost, feed the hungry, and comfort the hurting. The uniforms remind staff that we represent something larger than we do. We are an Army working from the ground and we are fighting with love for the undeserved.
The Salvation Army Flag Made in Prison
In 1942, during the World War 2, the British surrendered to the Japanese and many of The Salvation Army officers, together with hundreds of others, civilians and soldiers, were sent to prison. While in prison, in order to create The Salvation Army flag, officers used pieces of cloth dyed in various liquids – yellow, red and blue. This represents the passion and determination of our staff together with prisoners to care for each other’s burdens without discrimination.
Source:
War Cry, Sep 2002
Award Winning Programmes For Children Of Ex-Offenders
The Salvation Army has offered prisoners and their families prison support services ever since we first started. As early as the pre-World War II era, when the Japanese also imprisoned our officers, we began working in prisons. Our Prison Support Services – Kids in Play initiative now helps ex-offenders become useful members of society, stay crime-free, and reintegrate into the community by working closely with Singapore Prison Services. The Singapore Prison Service recognised our efforts to aid in the rehabilitation and reintegration of criminals by awarding us the 10-year Journey Plaque in 2021.
Mending and Rebuilding Ties
Through our partnership with Singapore Prison Services, The Salvation Army Prison Support Services – Kids in Play is able to carry out work that assists in the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders. Our work is critical because it helps mend broken family ties and build strong families, which is effective in preventing re-offending and mitigating intergenerational crime. Because of our efforts, we received the Public Transformation Award 2022 from Minister Chan Chun Sing, which recognises organisations for excellence in service delivery, innovation, and organisational practices at the team and individual levels. We also received the Advocate for Second Chance Award 2022 from Minister Josephine Teo in recognition of the aftercare work that we do for released prisoners.
Part of Singapore’s History
The Salvation Army lent its expertise to the government as it set up its social welfare ministry. We were honoured to assist the government and share our best practices.
