THE SALVATION ARMY CELEBRATES
150TH ANNIVERSARY

ONE hundred and fifty years ago today, on 2 July
1865, William Booth – an unheralded preacher
from the British city of Nottingham – took on a
new ministry in the rough, poverty-ridden streets
of east London. That ministry became The
Salvation Army, which today works in 126
countries around the world, offering hope and
help to millions of people every year. The
Christian faith that drove William Booth to help
'the least and the lost' still powers today's
Salvation Army in its stated mission to 'preach
the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human
needs in his name without discrimination'.
To mark the 150th anniversary, more than 15,000
Salvationists and friends have gathered in The O2
– just a few miles away from The Salvation
Army's Whitechapel birthplace – for a five-day
international congress under the theme
Boundless – The Whole World Redeeming. (Visit
www.boundless2015.org for more details.)
Special 'Founders' Day' events attended by the
movement's international leaders General André
Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox (World
President of Women's Ministries) are also being
held in the East End, recognising the remarkable
achievements, influence and legacy of William
Booth and his wife, Catherine.
Today, there are more than 1.5 million
Salvationists serving God and mankind out of
15,636 corps and other church centres in 126
countries. Ministries include hospitals, healthcare
clinics, primary, elementary and high schools,
homeless shelters, senior citizens residences,
emergency disaster services, addiction treatment
centres and community programming.