AJSAHistoryVol1Iss2 October 2016

IS THE CORPS HISTORY BOOK A WAKE UP CALL FOR US TODAY?

By
Robert Marshall

Introduction

Commissioner James Hay introduced, Orders and Regulations for the keeping of the local corps
history into Australia.1 Being a forward thinker he also had these orders and regulations printed on
the inside page of the book:

Regulation:
(1). This book is provided for the recording of events in connection with the history of the above

corps.
(2). The records made must be of a reliable character, and before entry must be approved by at

least two members of the census board and the commanding officer of the corps.
(3). All Entries must be made in ink.
(4). The following will give an idea as to the kind of events or incidents which must be preserved

for future information and guidance.
4(a). Any great spiritual awakening - date of same - period of continuation – name of officer
- general results - prisoners taken - recruits and soldiers made.
4(b). Any calamity befalling the corps, such as loss of hall, loss of several soldiers.
4(c). Opening of a new hall.
4(d). Death of any prominent officer (field or local) connected with the corps.
4(d). Brief statement of Self Denial results each year.
4(f). Epidemics in the town, and what action was taken by the corps.
4(g). Any destruction in the town, and what action was taken by the corps. These and
similar incidents should be recorded. Before entering up present day events, a serious
effort must be made to get reliable history since the opening of the corps, and
carefully enter the same.

5. The dates of events must be recorded within the ruled column, and the items must follow
consecutively without loss of space.

6. The book must be carefully preserved, wrapped in good paper, covered from dust, and must be
kept at the officers’ quarters. This book is the property of The Salvation Army, and must be
open for the inspection of the provincial commander or any officer deputised by him or by the
N.H.Q.

Even today these regulations Hay put in place have not changed to any great extent, the only exception
being the unique method Hay proposed for storing the book. He decreed that the book must be
carefully preserved, wrapped in good paper, covered from dust and “must be kept in the officer’s
quarters.”2

Reference citation of this paper
Robert Marshall, “Is the Corps History Book a wake up call for us today?”, The Australasian Journal of
Salvation Army History, 1, 2, 2016, 150-154.
The paper was presented at ‘History – Our Wake Up Call?’, Salvation Army History Symposium 22-24 July 2016,
Maroochydore, Australia, The Salvation Army Eastern Territory Historical Society, Brisbane Chapter.
1 These regulations are a copy of those which appear on the inside cover of The Warwick Corps History Book, dated 9
January, 1913 to 9 December, 2001.
2 Regulation 6 which appears on the inside cover of The Warwick History Book, dated 9 January, 1913 to 9 December,
2001.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 151

As well the Orders and Regulations for Corps Officers of The Salvation Army, chapter 14,
Section 2, CORPS BOOKS, subsection 3 (q)3 reads as follows, “Corps History Book, kept by the
Secretary, in which must be entered all important Corps events”.4

What are the dangers to the Corps History Book in 2016?

At every corps there is only one copy, the only copy in the world. Have you ever thought about that?
That would put this book in the category of extremely rare, in fact priceless to the Salvation Army’s
history. Yet these books are usually stored on site and not in a fire-proof safe nor in a controlled
atmosphere. If the building is destroyed by fire, flood or other means, the book is gone and so is the
written history of that corps. We all know there are instances where this has happened. In another
case, a corps building was burnt but the history book was found at another corps and now has been
donated to the local historical society where it remains today.

Any original corps history books are now over one hundred years old. Any national library will
tell us that books are actually dying at this stage and so too the information on their pages. In one of
these articles the commentator says that discolouring of the paper from white to a dark rusty orange
is because of the old way of making the paper and the dying process comes from within.5 When this
happens it is only a matter of time until the pages become brittle and then just disintegrate into smaller
pieces. These processes are aided by the application of glued pictures, the use of Sellotape and the
insertion of newspaper cuttings. Another part of the article refers to the smell of these books and
describes it as the smell of death for these books. Archivists warn that no attempt to restore these
books should be made by amateur restorers, as this will hasten the death.

After a number of years, most of these books become twice their original size with all the
documents, photos and newspaper cuttings that have been added. This puts stress on the spine and
the stitching plus the glue holding them together. Pages become loose and sometimes lost. This is
easily detected because the pages are numbered. Then as well normal wear and tear, pages have
sometimes been ‘surgically’ removed by a razor blade!

A corps history book which has grown to twice its original size due to the inclusion of photos and
newspaper cuttings. (Photograph supplied by the author)

3 Orders and Regulations for Corps Officers of The Salvation Army, (London, UK: International Headquarters of The
Salvation Army, 1976, Chap. 14, Sect. 2, Subsection 3q), 157.
4 This statement first appeared in 1925 in Orders and Regulations for Corps Officers of The Salvation Army, (London,
UK: International Headquarters, 1925, Chap. 12, Sect. 2, Subsection 3u), 200.; The order was also given “When a
Soldier or Recruit is promoted to Glory, required particulars must be entered in the Rolls and the Corps History Book,
and the D.C., after endorsing the same, may authorize the destruction of his Record Card”, Booth, Orders and
Regulations, (Chap. 12, Sect. 2, No. 6, Subsection 3d), 201.
5 Richard Severo, “A Dying Process of Old Books, Acid Devours Many Old Books, Chemists Race to Stop Decay”, The
New York Times, (USA, 1 December, 1981).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 152

Destruction of corps history books is further hastened when used for resource purposes, when
new officers come to the corps, when anniversaries are coming near, through incorrect handling of
the book with dirty hands, using poor opening techniques and not wearing gloves. Poor copying of
these books such as the scanning, exposure to sun rays, strong lights, and incorrect storage also
contribute to their demise. The least destructive method of reproduction is by digital photography
which can be done in colour or black and white. If copied this way, the words are still visible and can
be distinguished.

When a corps closes down or is united with another corps, the active life of a corps history book
is over. This applies to all the corps involved in a closure or regrouping and it is at such times that
there is a greater chance of corps history books being lost or destroyed.

History books are not the only corps records in danger of loss. One example is the soldiers’ roll.
In one case, a soldiers’ roll from a corps closed in the early 1950s was found in a rubbish bin by an
officer and rescued. Unfortunately this book had had ‘surgery’ with a razor blade and pages had been
removed. What was there to hide? The truth? A mistake? Something misspelt? Who knows?

A corps history book with pages removed (Photograph supplied by the author)

The changes to the audit for corps (which has been established to be more transparent, in itself
a necessary and good thing), has revealed that some auditors do not have knowledge of some Army
regulations. Conflicting information can be received from an auditor about the keeping of records
which has resulted in officers being advised to destroy some historical documents. Only a few weeks
ago my corps officer asked if I knew where an older soldiers’ roll might be. The only answer I could
give was that it has been destroyed. I have also spoken to some other corps officers who have said
this had also happened at a corps where they had been stationed.

The wanton destruction of a history book was prevented one Sunday morning a few years ago.
I met an officer carrying the corps history book at the door of the corps. When questioned what he
was doing with it, he replied, “I am going to throw it out; it is no good anymore”. For the only time
in my life, I stood directly in front of an officer and said (I think I almost yelled), “No you are not.
Give me that book!” A stunned silence prevailed for a few seconds before the officer, still white faced
and shocked passed the book to me saying, “Well, maybe you can do something with it.” With the
book in my keeping, I hastily made my escape, still surprised at my outburst.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 153

Social media of today like ‘Facebook’®, ‘Twitter’® mean people spend a lot of time recording
corps activities on these media types and thus they are not recorded in the corps history book. Soon
it is possible that younger officers and others will only communicate this way. I think we have to
embrace these new ways of doing things but we also need to be aware that both a hard copy and an
offsite copy must be kept to minimise the loss of the original history and the recording of news. But
firstly we must pay attention and capture the information in our older history books now. If we don't
change our approach to our history, it will be lost forever.

In conclusion, I will use a couple of lines from the article written by David Woodbury, in the
Pipeline On Line, entitled “History, What’s the Point?”, He wrote, “We, who are the gatekeepers of
that knowledge, have the responsibility to pass on that knowledge in a manner that relates to, and is
comprehended by, contemporary generations”.6

6 David Woodbury, “History What’s the Point, Army Archives”, Pipeline on Line, 2016.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 154

WHY SHOULD THE DEVIL HAVE ALL THE GOOD MUSIC?
THE CHRISTIAN USE OF CONTRAFACTUM AND PARODY

By
Garth R. Hentzschel

Much can be learnt about The Salvation Army through hymnology, the study of its songs. This
paper will focus on only one area of Salvation Army hymnology, the use of secular tunes for sacred
worship or contrafactum and parody.1 Song has given The Salvation Army a rich tapestry in its
development, history, theology and has featured heavily in the modern identity crisis, the so-called
“worship wars.”2 The paper will discuss William Booth’s quotation, look at the beginning of song
in The Salvation Army and through the use of examples, reveal something of the variety of secular
tunes used by The Salvation Army.

There are numerous claims that William Booth or other Christian leaders declared, “Why
should the devil have all the good music”, or “tunes” or the like, however there is no evidence that
Booth ever said this statement.3 The Bandsmen and Songster in 1929 attributed this quotation to
John Wesley, but Brindley Boon, Sing the Happy Song! stated this too cannot be confirmed.4 A
blogger claimed that this phrase is a “mis-quote” from Reverend Rowland Hill, who in an 1844
sermon stated, “The devil should not have all the best tunes.”5 This was a call for Christians to write
good music and not for the church to use secular music in churches. David W. Music went even
further and claimed that the quotation is often misused when people want to use any style of music
in church. Music went on and stated that the misused quotation holds to an idea that the music came
from the devil:

Reference citation of this paper
Garth R. Hentzschel, “Why should the devil have all the good music? The Christian use of contrafactum and
parody”, The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, 1, 2, 2016, 155-181.
The paper was presented at ‘History – Our Wake Up Call?’, Salvation Army History Symposium 22-24 July 2016,
Maroochydore, Australia, The Salvation Army Eastern Territory Historical Society, Brisbane Chapter.
1 Contrafactum – “a chorale or hymn produced by replacing text of a secular song with religious poetry”, Merriam-
Webster dictionary, (USA, 2016), http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contrafact ¶ 1, accessed 2 July, 2016.,
or “a song in which the melody is similar or even identical to another song yet contains different lyrics”,
“Contrafactum: What’s that?” musicnotes blog, (USA, 26 July, 2016),
http://www.musicnotes.com/blog/2016/07/26/contrafactum-whats-that/ ¶ 1, accessed 2 July, 2016.
Parody – work slightly modified to create a new work that is similar to the old.
2 For an example of the discussion around this, see John Cleary, “Salvationist worship – A historical perspective”,
Journal of Aggressive Christianity, retrieved http://www.armybarmy.com/JAC/article12-42.html, accessed 2 July, 2016.
3 This quotation and those similar to it are often attributed to William Booth, see for example, “Why should the devil
have all the good music?”, Stories for Preaching, (USA, 2016), http://storiesforpreaching.com/why-should-the-devil-
have-all-the-good-music/ accessed on 2 July, 2016.; Brian Radcliffe, “Why should the devil have all the good tunes?”,
Assemblies, (UK, 1999-2016), http://www.assemblies.org.uk/sec/2320/why-should-the-devil-have-all-the-good-tunes
accessed 2 July, 2016.; “Music in The Salvation Army”, The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser,
(NSW, Friday, 7 January, 1944), 3.; However, Wikiquotes stated:

Though it is widely attested that Booth used this addage [sic], it originates in the 18th century, being attributed to
George Whitefield, in The Monthly Review, or, Literary Journal, Vol. 49 (June 1773 - January 1774), p. 430; it has
also been reported as a remark made by Rowland Hill, when he arranged an Easter hymn to the tune of “Pretty, Pretty
Polly Hopkins”, in The Rambler, Vol. 9 (1858), p. 191, as well as being attributed to Charles Wesley, and sometimes
his brother John.
“William Booth – Quotes”, Wikiquote, (USA, last modified on 24 September 2015, at 23:50).
4 Brindley Boon, Sing the Happy Song! A history of Salvation Army vocal music, (London, UK: Salvationist Publishing
and Supplies, 1978), 115. The only Christian leaders in their field who can be linked to these words were Larry Norman
and Sir Cliff Richard who sang the song Why should the devil have all the good music, view
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsyOzVsVWKs and
lyrics.wikia.com/Larry_Norman:Why_Should_The_Devil_Have_All_The_Good_Music
5 “Why should the devil have all the good music”, Dial-the-Truth Ministries, (USA, 1995),
http://www.av1611.org/question/cqdevila.html accessed 2 July, 2016

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 155

The front cover of William Booth, Salvation Music – Volume II. Being a collection of favorite [sic] songs
of The Salvation Army, 1883, (London, UK: International Headquarters, 1883)
(Garth R. Hentzschel’s Private Collection).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 156

…the phrase is one of those sayings that seems to make a telling point in a few words and
allows for no “comeback.” However, those who glibly use the question may not realize that they
are making some rather unfortunate claims about the very music they are trying to defend.6

Booth however came from a different angle, that music was not of the devil but was divine. In the
1880 Christmas edition of The War Cry, he wrote:

Music has a divine effect upon divinely influenced and directed souls. Music is to the soul what
the wind is to the ship, blowing her onwards in the direction in which she is steered… Not
allowed to sing that tune or this tune? Indeed! Secular music, do you say? Belongs to the devil,
does it? Well, if it did, I would plunder him of it, for he has no right to a single note of the
whole gamut. He’s the thief!... Every note and every strain and every harmony is divine and
belongs to us.7

Yet those who may seek to use this longer quotation, as the ‘one-liner’ discussed earlier, to prove
that Booth would welcome any tune and any spiritual centric words into The Salvation Army are
very much mistaken. Within the following year, as 1881 progressed, sentimental ballads and comic
tunes became popular, Booth did not approve.8 Booth was more calculating, he would only choose
tunes and words that would lead to changed lives and service to others, not displays of sombreness
or jocularity. But that is jumping ahead, the introduction of song to the movement will next be
investigated.

Let the song begin!

In Sing the Happy Song, Boon, outlined the singing heritage of The Salvation Army from the
earliest days of the Christian Mission.9 The first recorded use of a song in the movement came from
Booth’s own diary. In 1865, he wrote about the small group of missioners who had an open-air on
Mile End Road. Booth stated, “hundreds appeared to listen with undivided attention”, as they went
back to the “Room”.10 He described the scene:

We then formed a procession and sang down the Whitechapel Road to the Room. We had an
efficient band of singers, and as we passed along the spacious and crowded thoroughfare,
singing ‘We’re bound for the land of the pure and the holy’, the people ran from every side.
From the adjacent gin palaces the drinkers came forth to see and hear; some in mockery joined
our ranks; some laughed and sneered; some were angry. The great majority looked on in
wonder, while others turned and accompanied us as on we went, changing our song to ‘There is
a fountain filled with Blood’ and then again to ‘With a turning from sin let repentance begin!’11

Some songs have had a great impact on The Salvation Army. The song We’re bound of the land of
the pure and the holy by William Hunter was written in 1842 and first published in Minstrel of Zion

6 David W. Music, “VIEWPOINT - Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music? It’s Time to Put That Old Myth
to Rest”, Reformed worship, (USA, December, 2004), http://www.reformedworship.org/article/december-2004/why-
should-devil-have-all-good-music-its-time-put-old-myth-rest ¶ 2, accessed 2 July, 2016.; also see a stronger discussion
about this idea by a blogger, “Why should the devil have all the good music”, Dial-the-Truth Ministries, (USA, 1995),
http://www.av1611.org/question/cqdevila.html, accessed 2 July, 2016.
7 Cited in Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 115.
8 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 115.
9 Boon, Sing the Happy Song!
10 The “Room”, was probably the Dancing Academy at 23 New Road, used by the Mission from Sunday 3 September,
1865. Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 2.
11 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 2.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 157

(1845).12 Not only was it the first song recorded at the beginning of the movement, but it appeared
at the opening salvo of The Salvation Army in many locations.13 This song also appeared in
Christian Mission Hymn Book and The Salvation Army Penny Song Book, two early publications of
the movement. Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Slater said:

This song is not of Army origin, but surely no people have sung it so often at outdoor and
indoor meetings as have Army folks. Vast numbers, hearing the pointed questions from the lips
of Salvationists, have been lead to leave the way of sin and take the upward road to heaven.14

An example of the Christian Mission “processioning”, walking through the streets singing.15
The song was sung to the tune The Eden Above16 and the first verse and chorus stated17:

12 Gordon Avery, Companion to The Song Book of The Salvation Army, (London, UK: Salvationist Publishing &
Supplies, 1970), 207.
13 George Scott Railton used this song when he led seven Hallelujah lasses to expand the work of The Salvation Army
in New York, USA (1880). Frederick Tucker and Henry Bullard opened fire in Bombay, India with this song
(September, 1882). Hanna Ouchterlony and Jenny Svenson also used the song to open the work in Stockholm, Sweden
(December, 1882). George Pollard and Edward Wright used the song in the first open-air meeting in Dunedin, New
Zealand (1 April, 1883). The song was used to open the work in Denmark (May, 1887), Norway (January, 1888) and
Finland (November, 1889). The song also had two indirect links to The Salvation Army in Australia. First, in July 1878
James Dowdle sang this song and Edward Saunders came to the Mission and later helped commence The Salvation
Army in Adelaide. Second, the song led Isaac Unsworth to the Christian Mission where he became an officer and on a
brief visit to Australia met Major James Barker at Melbourne. Avery, Companion to The Song Book, 208.; Boon, Sing
the Happy Song! 3&4.; Robert Sandall, The History of The Salvation Army – Volume Two, 1878-1886, (New York,
USA: The Salvation Army Supplies and Purchasing Department), 1979, 247.
14 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 3.
15 The Victory, (Melbourne, Vol. 3, No. 2, February, 1899), 60.
16 Anon, The eden above, in The Tune Book of The Salvation Army (TBSA), (London, UK: Salvationist Publishing and
Supplies, 1988), Tune 593.
17 Only the first verse and chorus will be used in most cases to keep this paper as short as possible.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 158

We’re bound for the land of the pure and the holy
By William Hunter

We’re bound for the land of the pure and the holy,
The home of the happy, the Kingdom of love;

Ye wanderers from God in the broad road of folly,
O say, will you go to the Eden above?

Will you go? Will you go?
Will you go? Will you go?
O say, will you go to the Eden above?18

The song continued by describing elements of the Christian’s idea of heaven and ended in a
statement of faith, “O yes, we will go to the Eden above!”19

The fight against being one of the churches

In a lecture presented on The Salvation Army and its relation to the churches, Catherine Booth not
only outlined the relationship the Army had to the churches but also the differences between them.
She stated:

…we had to fight our way out of traditionalism and conventionalism… We were resolved on
reaching the people, and therefore we have accepted the only conditions possible under the
circumstances.20

She continued, “The Salvation Army has grown so fast because it has been allowed to have free
course!” Later still in a deeper comparison Booth stated:

What a long time the Church has been singing – I don’t want to reflect on anybody – but how
long has the Church been singing:-

“Onward, Christian soldier,
Marching as to war,

With the Cross of Jesus
Going on before”?

How long have we been singing:-

“Am I a soldier if the Cross?”

And yet how little hand-to-hand fighting with sin and the devil! God has, however, taught us
better, and we are determined to carry the battle into the very strongest fortresses of the
enemy.21

Although there is a constant need to fight against traditionalism and conventionalism, if church
history was better understood it would be clearly seen that the church and the world had a long
history for borrowing each other’s tunes. Robert E. Thomson, ‘The Devil’s Tunes’ pointed out that:

The Salvation Army wasn’t the first religious organization [sic] to use secular tunes with sacred
texts. When Martin Luther and his associates, in the early 16th century, introduced

18 William Hunter, We’re bound for the land of the pure and the holy, in The Song Book of The Salvation Army (SBSA),
(London, UK: International Headquarters of The Salvation Army, 1986), Song 905.
19 Hunter, We’re bound for the land.
20 Catherine Booth, The Salvation Army in relation to the church and state, (London, UK: The Salvation Army
Publishing Department, 1883), 30.
21 Booth, in relation to the church and state, 37-38.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 159

congregational singing into worship services, they often used folk tunes well known to their
congregations.22

Manfred F. Bukofzer went further back in history and stated that the practice of borrowing tunes
was wide spread in the Middle Ages, 5th to the 15th Centuries:

The absence of contrast between ‘secular’ and ‘sacred’ styles of music in the Middle Ages can
be shown simply by the observation that a secular song, if given a set of sacred words, could
serve as sacred music, and vice versa. Only recently has it been recognized how frequently such
interchange took place, and the more we learn about medieval music, the more important it
becomes. The practice of borrowing a song from one sphere and making it suitable for use in the
other by the substitution of words is known as “parody” or “contrafactum.”23

To the novice there would appear to be little difference between parody and contrafactum as both
reuse existing material, in this case tunes. However, Mark L. Kligman defined contrafactum as “the
practice of composing new texts to older melodies” whereas a parody “denoted the use of
previously used but reworked music…”24 It was The Salvation Army’s ability to do both of these
which became its success. Not only did the Army ‘borrow’ tunes that cut across high culture, with
the use of older folk songs, and pop-culture, with the use of drinking songs, military songs and
patriotic or national songs, but it also ‘reworked’ tunes by adding songs together, changing tempo
or repeating sections of the tune to repurpose the older melody. It was this repurpose that was
always at the forefront of the contrafactum or parody.

Thomas Troeger, Wonder Reborn: Creating Sermons on Hymns, Music and Poetry, claimed
that the repurpose was deeper than just borrowing the tune. He claimed that it was a metaphor for a
changed life; if a song could be saved, then so too could be the singer:

…Contrafactum is a theological method for developing an alternative consciousness.
Contrafactum is a new way of seeing the world. Contrafactum is a reminder that we are a work
in progress, a new creation that is yet to be finished and that finds its ultimate purpose in a
meaning greater than the dimensions of mortal life and human accomplishment.25

Despite the long history of the church and the world ‘borrowing’ tunes from each other, and the
deeper symbolic understanding of the practice, some churches may not have been as accepting of
this practice even into the 1960s. Christian Comedian, Andy Andrews explained that as a child he
was bored with the tune to Amazing Grace so he sang it in church to the tunes of Ghost riders in the
sky, House of the rising sun, and the television theme to Gilligan’s Island. Rather than being praised
for his initiative, Andrews was given a spanking!26

22 Robert E. Thomson, “The Devil’s Tunes”, Priority, (USA, Vol. 8, No. 1, Spring, 2006),
http://saconnects.org/gallery/prioritypeople.org/article.php?articleID=23, accessed 2 July, 2016.
23 Manfred F. Bukofzer, “Popular and Secular Music in England”, in Anselm Hughes and Gerald Abraham (ed.), The
New Oxford History of Music 3: Ars Nova and the Renaissance, 1300-1540, (London, UK: Oxford University
Press, 1960), 108.
24 Mark L. Kligman, Maqām and Liturgy: Ritual, Music, and Aesthetics of Syrian Jews in Brooklyn, (Detroit, USA:
Wayne State University Press, 2009), 16.
25 Thomas Troeger, Wonder Reborn: Creating Sermons on Hymns, Music and Poetry, (England: Oxford University
Press, 2010), no page numbers.
26 view https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cINrWlfCPI

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 160

The introduction of ‘secular’ tunes to Salvation Army worship

Salvationists often pride themselves on the heritage of using secular tunes for their Christian songs,
yet the entire story would not be known by most. Many would not know that, as was stated earlier
Booth was not impressed with comic or sentimental songs. There were also times when Booth flatly
denied that drinking tunes or music hall tunes had been used by The Salvation Army.27 The history
most Salvationists would know is that given in Army historical writings on the origins of secular
tunes:

The first recorded use of a tune of this character occurred during the visit of the General to
Worcester in January 1882 when “Sailor” Fielder sang the words written to “Champagne
Charlie” by William Baugh and printed in the Christmas 1881 issue of the War Cry.28

There are however a number of problems with this statement. First, Champagne Charlie was not the
first secular tune used by The Salvation Army. Second, there are a number of different narratives
linked to the Champagne Charlie case. Third, Booth at one point denied that drinking songs similar
to Champagne Charlie were used by The Salvation Army.

First, although Champagne Charlie is often used to show how secular tunes were introduced
into the Army, it was not the first secular tune to be used by The Salvation Army or Christian
Mission. James Dowdle29 declared that the first time he met Booth, Booth was singing O how I love
Jesus to the tune of In and out the window, a parody of So early in the morning. The year was 1867,
the place was Whitechapel and The Salvation Army was still the Christian Mission and only two
years old!30 Also, still in the time of the Christian Mission (1865-1878), Charles Fry had his song,
Ye sons of God, awake to Glory set to tune The Marseillaise published the Christian Mission Hymn
Book.31 Then just after the name changed, 1879, two songs appeared in The War Cry set to secular
tunes, one was to the tune of The Red, White and Blue, the other to Ring the bell Watchman.32 Bless
His name, He set me free!, to the tune of Champagne Charlie did not appear in The War Cry until
Christmas 1881.33

Second, there have been three different narratives about the introduction of Champagne
Charlie; a simple pop-narrative, a more complex official and calculated narrative, and then a
narrative which appears to sit in the middle. Thomson, gave an example of the simple narrative,
which was filled with a number of errors but which was made popular by Roy Castle in the
television series, Marching as to War:34

It was Jan[uary] 22, 1882. William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army, was scheduled to
preach at a meeting in a theater [sic] in Worcester, England. Such a large crowd assembled that
a news report said the General himself “had great difficulty in getting in.”

27 Music halls of Booth’s day (1840s to 1860s), had more of the character of barrooms than theatres, were normally
attached to pubs, which had often acquired adjoining houses so as to build an extension and the songs and shows were
used to keep the patrons drinking.
28 Robert Sandall, The history of The Salvation Army, 109.; a shorter but similar quotation is in Boon, Sing the Happy
Song! 115.
29 Dowdle received the letter from William Booth which inspired the theme for The Salvation Army History
Symposium, 2016.
30 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 115.
31 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 99.
32 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 115.
33 Sandall, The history of The Salvation Army, 109
34 Marching As To War, (London, UK: Anglia TV series, 1988), presented by Roy Castle.

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During the meeting George “Sailor” Fielder, a former sea captain, was asked to sing a
solo. He chose “Praise His Name, He Sets Me Free.”35 The Founder was impressed. “That was a
fine song,” he said to Fielder. “What was the tune?”

Somewhat embarrassed, Fielder responded, “General, that’s a dreadful tune. It’s
‘Champagne Charlie.’”

But the General was not put off. Turning to his son Bramwell, he exclaimed, “Why
should the devil have all the best tunes?”36

This quotation had a number of errors, the name of the song was incorrect, as stated before
there is no evidence that Booth uttered the words “Why should the devil have all the best tunes?”,
and the acceptance of the tune did not take place until later in the year. To carry on with the
problems of this narrative Castle sang the following version of Champagne Charlie to press home
the story:37

Champagne Charlie
By Ernest Irving and Frank Eyton

Some people go for funny drinks and down ‘em by the pail
Like coffee, cocoa, tea and milk and even Adam’s ale

For my part they can keep the lot I never would complain
I wouldn't touch the bloomin’ stuff, I only drink champagne. For,

Champagne Charlie is my name
Champagne Charlie is my name
There’s no drink as good as fizz, fizz, fizz
I'll drink every drop there is, is, is

All round town it is the same
By Pop! Pop! Pop! I rose to fame

I'm the idol of the barmaids
Champagne Charlie is my name.38

The issue with these lyrics and the tune is that they were the revised lyrics for the 1944 movie
Champagne Charlie and were written by Ernest Irving and Frank Eyton. This version was too late
to have influenced The Salvation Army’s contrafactum, Bless His Name, He Set me Free! As the
tune was different it would have needed to be a parody.

Champagne Charlie. Mid-Victorian presentation of a typical music hall “comic.”39

35 This is an incorrect title of the song as it should be, Bless His name, He set me free.
36 Thomson, “The Devil’s Tunes”.
37 Marching As To War.
38 “The Lyrics – Champagne Charlie”, A casquet of vocal gems from the golden age of music hall, (UK, no date),
http://monologues.co.uk/musichall/Songs-C/Champagne-Charlie(2).htm accessed 2 July, 2016.

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The next narrative of how Champagne Charlie entered Salvation Army hymnology is the
‘official’ narrative and was more detailed and calculated than the one above.40 Boon, stated:

… during the visit by the Founder to Worcester in February 1882. ‘Sailor Fielder, … sang a new
song by Captain William Baugh. This had been published in The War Cry two months before
and was written to the music hall hit of the day, Champaigne Charlie. The solo, Bless His name,
He set me free!, was enthusiastically received, the congregation joining heartily in the refrain
again and again. The General was not overjoyed.

Two weeks later he conducted a council of war at Bristol. In the Monday afternoon
meeting, and again at night, the converted sea captain was called upon to repeat his solo….
[Financial supporters encourage Booth to stop the practice but Booth wanted to put it to the
test]…

The occasion was the opening of the Clapton Congress Hall in May 1882 …
Captain Gipsy Smith was there to sing James Bateman’s The Blood of Jesus cleanses
white a snow to the tune I traced her little footsteps in the snow; Adelaide Cox was brought
from service in France to sing If you want pardon, if you want peace … to Pretty Louise; and
‘Sailor Fielder’ sang the converted version of Champagne Charlie.41

Here Champagne Charlie and the other secular tunes were linked with the Army. Boon later
concluded too that, “In this unexpected way hand-clapping was first introduced into Army meetings
and the battle for the ‘devil’s tunes’ was won”.42

Another version, by Elijah Cadman, who appeared to be an eyewitness to the event, had
Baugh himself sing the song and took the story up at Clapton Congress Hall in May 1882:

…The scene was the platform of the Congress Hall, Clapton, London. The congregation would
be about three thousand in number. The General wanted a solo. He asked a certain Major Baugh
to sing. At that time the hymns of the Army were mostly the revival hymns of the period,
supplemented by many of the great hymns of the Wesley collection. Just then the gayest music
hall song, known by everyone, was “Champagne Charlie,” and its title tells what was it ideal.
“I’ll sing a song to ‘Champagne Charlie’ said Baugh queryingly. “Oh no,” said the General, “we
draw the line at ‘Champaign Charlie’”. So something of much less value for the effective
stirring of the mind of the multitude at the moment was substituted. In a later service of the
series the same day (often the meetings lasted a day, with intervals for refreshments) Baugh was
told again to sing. He sang a since famous song of the Army, beginning:

I was a slave for many years,
And conquered by my sin,

With the chorus:

Bless His Name! He set me free,
…

Everyone of the three thousand knew that rollicking tune. The chorus with its repetitions
was easy to “pick up”. It ran like an electric current through the whole auditorium, and fused
every mind. Then, with one voice and with an abandon of triumphant gladness, which has to be
felt rather than described to be appreciated, the while congregation sang out the chorus….When
Baugh sat down the General said: “What tune is that, Baugh?” With a twinkle of the eye, Baugh
replied, “That’s ‘Champagne Charlie’” The General adopted the song there and then, in spite of
its label, for there was no denying its effectiveness.43

39 N.C., “Popular songs and their singers, when grandpa was one of the boys”, The Age, (Melbourne, Australia:
Saturday, 10 May, 1941), 11.
40 See Sandall, The history of The Salvation Army), 109-110.
41 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 115-116. Sandall had Gipsy Smith sing Bless His name, He sets me free. Sandall, The
History of The Salvation Army, 110.
42 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 116.
43 J.C., “Elijah Cadman, Salvation Army Leader”, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Saturday, 31 December, 1927), 6.

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Whatever the true narrative of its acceptance, to Salvationists Champagne Charlie became I was a
slave for many years, or more commonly Bless His name, He set me free!, and to the world it
became the story of The Salvation Army’s use of contrafactum and linking the sacred with the
secular.44 The original song of Champagne Charlie was written and performed by George
Leybourne and the music by Alfred Lee, c1867. The song would have been sung in rooms adjacent
to public houses where patrons would continue to drink alcoholic drinks while they were
entertained.45 As outlined above the song was converted by Baugh and the two songs are listed in
full:

Champagne Charlie I was a slave for many years or
By George Leybourne & Alfred Lee Bless His name, He set me free!

I’ve seen a deal of gaiety By William Baugh
throughout my noisy life
With all my grand accomplishments I was a slave for many years,
I never could get a wife And conquer’d by my sin,
The thing I most excel in is
I tried and pray’d in doubts and fears,
the P.R.F.G. game46 But still was wrong within.
A noise at night, in bed all day,
and swimming in Champagne. I heard that Jesus died to save,
From every sin set free;
Champagne Charlie is my name
Champagne drinking is my game I gave up trying there and then,
Good for any game at night my boys And oh, He set me free!
Good for any game at night my boys
For Champagne Charlie is my name Bless his name, he set me free,
Champagne Charlie is my name Bless his name, he set me free,
Good for any game at night my boys O the blood, the precious blood,
Who’ll come and join me in a spree? I’m trusting in the cleansing flood.
Bless his name, he set me free.
The way I earned my title thro’ Bless his name, he set me free,
a hobby I have got I know the past is washed away,

Of never letting others pay And now in Jesus I am free!
however long the shot
And now I live to God alone,
Whoever drinks at my expense I live to do His will;
are treated all the same
I give myself to God away,
From Dukes and Lords, to cabmen down, That He my soul may fill.
I make them drink champagne. He takes the offering as it is,
And makes it as His will,
Chorus And through Lamb I’ve constant peace,
For Jesus says, ‘Be still!’
From Coffee and from Supper Rooms,
from Poplar to Pall Mall Chorus

The girls on seeing me exclaim, And though the world and Hell unite,
“Oh what a champagne swell” My peace to overthrow,
The notion ‘tis of everyone if
My trust is in the living God.
‘twere not for my name Who makes me white as snow.
The precious Blood now cleanses me,

And Jesus keeps me right;

44 See for example some of the many discussions of the song in newspaper articles throughout history; “Salvation Army
hymns”, The Week, (Brisbane, Saturday, 20 January, 1883), 17.; “Salvation Parody”, The Sun, (Sunday, 4 February,
1940), 4.; “Music in The Salvation Army”, The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser, (NSW, Friday,
7 January, 1944), 3.; “To heaven on wheels”, The Age, (Melbourne, Friday, 12 May, 1950), 15.; “Why early police
knew the time”, The Mail, (Adelaide, Saturday, 8 November, 1952), 6.
45 For an example of the original setting and song view http://youtube.com/watch?v=cwYCrqUqvbo
46 P.R.F.G - Private Rooms For Gentlemen.

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And causing so much to be drunk, My will is swallowed up in God,
they’d never make Champagne. I’m walking in the light.48

Chorus Chorus

Some epicures like Burgundy, Now in my soul there’s constant peace,
Hock, Claret and Moselle A peace I cannot tell;

But Moet’s vintage only satisfies The living waters bubble up,
this Champagne swell And Jesus is the Well.

What matter if to bed I go The conflict’s o’er, the battle won,
dull head and muddle thick And Jesus is the King;
A bottle in the morning sets me
Where’er I go, and while I’ve breath.
right then very quick. I always mean to sing.

Chorus Chorus 49

Perhaps you fancy what I say
is nothing else but chaff

And only put into this song
to raise a little laugh

To prove that I’m in jest
each man a bottle of cham

I’ll stand fizz round yes
that I will and stand it like a lamb.

Chorus47

Baugh also went on to convert an Australian tune, Minnie darling, come and wander! to Blessed
Saviour, now behold me!50

Third, even after the acceptance of Bless His name, He set me free!, in fact just over six
months later, William Booth denied that The Salvation Army used such songs. In January, 1883
Canon Girdlestone argued that The War Cry had in it “a parody of a vulgar drinking song, which
must literally shock by its profanity every Christian or ordinary sensibility.”51 Booth’s reply was
interesting and concerning. He wrote, “…it is entirely without foundation, no such line having ever
been presented in any publication of the movement.”52 Booth claimed the Canon had misquoted the
song and demanded an apology! Canon Girdlestone did not apologise and in fact sent a copy of the
song in The War Cry to the newspaper. In turn the newspaper wrote:

…letters which have reached us put it beyond doubt that such a parody is or has been in actual

use at the Salvationist meetings, and one correspondent points out that in the very last number
of the War Cry there appear two similar parodies of music-hall songs of still more objectionable

and shocking kind. Such an abuse of language as these parodies exhibit can only have the effect
of alienating from Mr. Booth’s organisation the bulk of those sympathisers who were disposed
to condone much of his method in consideration of the supposed excellence of the end.53

47 “The Lyrics – Champagne Charlie”.
48 William Baugh, Bless His name, He set me free! in William Booth, Salvation Music – Volume II. Being a collection
of favorite [sic] songs of The Salvation Army, 1883, (London, UK: International Headquarters, 1883), Song 81.
49 Later the title and a number of words were changed and the final verse added, see Salvation Army Songs, (London:
UK: The Salvationist Publishing and Supplies, n.d.), Song 253, 176.; here the song is also listed to be sung to the tune
of Mercy still for thee.
50 Sandall, The History of The Salvation Army, 110.
51 The Week, (Brisbane, Saturday, 20 January,1883), 17.
52 The Week, (Brisbane, Saturday, 20 January,1883), 17.
53 The Week, (Brisbane, Saturday, 20 January,1883), 17.

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In the same article a Miss Cobb commented on how loud these songs were sung, “That Christianity
could ever have been made ‘rowdy’, would have seemed an impossible feat, but the Salvation Army
has accomplished it.”54 Why Booth denied the use of such tunes is a mystery, or was it that he was
denying that the original words were used in Army meetings? It does however show that Booth was
still concerned about the use of just any tune or words.

There is other item of evidence that Booth would not just have ‘any old music’! In 1913, only
one year after Booth was promoted to Glory, a Brigadier Perry was interviewed about Ragtime, an
emerging style of music. Perry talked about the Army’s process of selecting music for use in
worship. The report stated:

... Brigadier Perry of the army headquarters in Queen Victoria-street, … “We believe that all
music belongs to God. The devil has stolen a lot of it, but bit by bit we get it back again. Our
late General,” continued Brigadier Perry, “always believed in taking back lively and inspiring
tunes to the service of Christianity, no matter how far they had strayed from grace. Yet any
adoption had to be carefully considered and safeguarded against extravagances. We consider
many things unofficially, but I can say that, so far official sanction for ragtime hymns has not
been applied for. In taking over popular airs from the music-halls so much depends on how the
words have been rewritten to make them valuable for evangelical work. I remember when that
great comic song. ‘Champagne Charlie’; was at the meridian of its fame an officer asked the late
General to consider a hymn to that tune. The General looked at it, admitted the great popularity
of the air, but said, we must draw the line. Yet later, when another officer sang a hymn to this
same ‘Champagne Charlie’ tune at a meeting at which the General was present, he at once
adopted it, convinced of its value. But Ragtime – it is so very wordly and so very comic – really
one has to consider it very, very carefully.55

This statement showed the criteria that Booth and early Salvationists would assess the parody or
contrafactum: the tune must be lively and inspiring, yet not extravagant; and, the words must be
written to make it valuable for evangelical work. In a list of secular tunes used by the Army, Fred
Creighton, The Salvation Army’s ‘Secular’ Heritage, went further and described the motivation of
the evangelical criteria:

Because the early Army meetings attracted mostly ‘unchurched’ men and women who knew
secular (e.g. music hall) music better than church hymns… the Army used ‘Army’ words set to
secular song tunes to encourage the ‘unchurched’ to attend, participate and be converted in
Army meetings.56

A review of the converted songs shows that most of the words present a narrative of a personal
experience in Christ or elements of a biblical story, again a narrative focus. Perhaps this is
something for the contemporary Army to consider. Would our earlier forbearers accept much of the
Christian music being used by the Army today? Is the current music lively and inspiring, is it
recognisable to the ‘unchurched’, is it narrative in nature? Are the tunes used borrowed from secular
or church cultures? Is today’s Christian music more emotive, extravagant and slower of tempo?
Booth was not after sentimental or extravagant music Booth wanted lively and inspiring tunes and
he got them!

54 The Week, (Brisbane, Saturday, 20 January,1883), 17.
55 The Western Australian, (Perth, Monday, 23 June, 1913), 8.
56 Fred Creighton, The Salvation Army’s ‘Secular’ Heritage, originally published in the Jan-Feb-Mar 2003 issue of
THEME Magazine accessed from Music and Gospel Arts (MAGA) (Canada: Canada and Bermuda Territory, 29
December, 2008), ¶ 2, https://www.themeonline.ca/2008/the-salvation-armys-secular-heritage, accessed 2 July, 2016.

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Examples of converted secular tunes

The remainder of the paper will give examples of a number of the songs sung to secular tunes and

used by Salvationists throughout history. In most cases, to keep the paper as short as possible only

the first verse and chorus will be used. Footnotes will be included to give links to the original tune
and words. Creighton57 identified that the 1988 edition of The Tune Book of The Salvation Army
(TBSA)58 had 105 secular tunes to accompany the songs, only a small number are investigated
here.59 In addition to these, other songs which have used secular tunes have been identified and

included.

By no other name

There are some rare tunes in the TBSA which have kept their original name, usually those
which are contrafactum as the tune did not change. The first example is to the tune Ring the bell
Watchman.60 William James Pearson, the person who converted the words, became an evangelist in
The Christian Mission in 1874. In 1878 when The Christian Mission changed its name to The
Salvation Army, Pearson heard the chimes of Bradford Town Hall play Ring the bell Watchman and
he sensed them calling to him. The words were changed to Come Join our Army which appeared in
The Salvationist, the magazine which preceded The War Cry, in February 1879.61 The sentiment of
the song did not change; both are a calling to action, the original to announce some item of news,
the Army to call people to join its ranks:

Ring the bell, watchman Come, join our Army
By Henry Clay Work By William James Pearson

High in the belfry the old sexton stands, Come, join our Army, to battle we go,
Grasping the rope with his thin bony hands Jesus will help us to conquer the foe;
Fighting for right and opposing the wrong,
Fix'd is his gaze as by some magic spell The Salvation Army is marching along.
Till he hears the distant murmur, Ring, ring the bell.
Marching along, marching along,
Ring the bell, watchman! ring! ring! ring! The Salvation Army is marching along;
Yes, yes! the good news is now on the wing. Soldiers of Jesus, be valiant and strong;
Yes, yes! they come and with tiding to tell.

57 Creighton, The Salvation Army’s ‘Secular’ Heritage.
58 The Tune Book of The Salvation Army, (London, UK: Salvationist Publishing and Supplies, 1988).
59 Those listed in Creighton, ‘Secular’ heritage, and not included in this paper are: Tune 158, Ten Thousand Souls
(Down in a Green and Shady Nook the Violet Grows); Tune 152, I Bring My All to Thee (It Was My Last Cigar, My
Boys); Tune 363, Breathe Upon Me (Minnie Darling, Let Us Wander); Tune 278, Coming to the Cross (Mother Kissed
Me in My Dream); Tune 445, Speak, Saviour, Speak (Sleep, Dearest Sleep); Tune 503, Stella (Sweet Mary, My Age is
Sixteen); Tune 573, The Lion of Judah (The Lion of Freedom is Come From His Den); Tune 93, Hardy Norseman (The
Norseman’s House of Yore); Tune 149, Forest Green (The Ploughboy’s Dream); Tune 76, Belmont (The Rat-catcher;s
Daughter); Tune 99, Irish (There Was a Cameronian Cat); Tune 442, Pleasure in His Service (Where is the Marry
Party?); Tune 486, The Cross Now Covers my Sins (Young Edward, the Gallant Hussar); Tune 348, Whitechapel
(Annie Lisle/ Far Above Vayuga’s Waters); Tune 339, All Through the Night (AR-HYD-Y-NOS a Welsh Melody);
Tune 580, At the Cross (As They Were Marching Through the Town); Tune 138, The Judgement Day (Carry me Back
to Tennessee); Tune 155, Mercy Still For Thee (Footsteps on the Stairs); Tune 480, Almighty to Save (Where Can the
Soul Find Rest?); Tune 740, My Home is in Heaven (Home in the Valley ‘Mid the Maple Leaves); Tune 235, There is a
Happy Land (I Come From a Land Where Care is Unknown); Tune 641, Ere the Sun Goes Down (I Have Work Enough
to Do); Tune 84, Down in the Garden (Massa’s in de Cold, Cold Ground); and Tune 258, Passion Chorale (My Heart is
Distracted By a Gentle Maid). In addition to this Thomson, ‘The Devil’s Tunes’ identified O happy day that fixed my
choice (How Dry I Am). Please note that the numbers are for the 1988 edition of TBSA.
60 View http://youtube.com/watch?v=cNOP5tYPTqI
61 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 99.

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Glorious and blessed tidings. Ring, ring the bell!62 The Salvation Army is marching along.63

The Salvation Army were not the only people to ‘borrow’ tunes, Australians know the tune
Ring the bell Watchman as their folk songs, Click go the shears:

The Bare-Belled Ewe or The Shearers Song
By Anon

Out on the board the old shearer stands,
Grasping his shears in his long, honey hands,

Fixed is his gaze on a bare-bellied “Joe,”
Glory if he gets her, won’t he make the “ringer” go.

Click go the shears boys, click, click, click,
Wide is his blow and his hands move quick,
The ringer looks around and is beaten by a blow,
And curses the old snagger with the blue-bellied “Joe.”64

A more identifiable tune, even today, is My bonnie lies over the ocean. This was a tune which

was a clear example of contrafactum, as the original tune had been kept unaltered and its original
name unchanged in TBSA65 while the words have been converted:

My bonnie lies over the ocean God’s love is as high as the heavens
Sea Shanty By Anon

My Bonnie lies over the ocean God’s love is as high as the heavens,
My Bonnie lies over the sea, God’s love is as deep as the sea,
My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
Oh bring back my Bonnie to me. God’s love is for all kinds of sinners,
God’s love is sufficient for me.
Bring back, bring back,
Oh bring back my Bonnie to me, to me, God’s love, God’s love,
God’s love in sufficient for me;
Bring back, bring back,
Oh bring back my Bonnie to me.66 God’s love, God’s love,
God’s love is sufficient for me.67

Traditional, folk and ballad tunes

There are other tunes which have reminded in the TBSA; however the original contrafactum no
longer appeared in the 1986 edition of SBSA, one example is the folk song, Begone dull care68
which became Begone, Vain World.69 Although a traditional English ballad it was upbeat with a fast

tempo:

Begone Dull Care Begone, Vain World
Traditional Ballad By Anon

62 “Ring the bell, watchman”, http://www.jsward.com/shanty/StrikeTheBell/RingTheBell.html, accessed 2 July, 2016.
63 William James Pearson, Come, join our Army, in The SBSA, Song 681.
64 Mark Gregory, “Australian folk songs”, (Australia, 1994), http://folkstream.com/022.html, accessed 2 July, 2016.
65 Sea shanty, ‘My bonnie lies over the ocean’, In The Tune Book of The Salvation Army, Tune 738.
66 “My bonnie lies over the ocean”, Kididdles (USA, 2016), http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/m033.html accessed 9
September, 2016.
67 Anon, “God’s love is as high as the heavens”, in The Song Book of The Salvation Army, (London, UK: International
Headquarters of The Salvation Army, 1986), Song 47.
68 View http://youtube.com/watch?v=vHgdenQwDbk
69 John Jackson, Begone, vain world, in TBSA, Tune 617.

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Begone, dull care! Begone, vain world!
I prithee begone from me; Thou hast no charms for me,

Begone, dull care! My captive soul

Thou and I can never agree. has long been held by thee;
Long while thou hast been tarrying here, I listened long to thy vain song,

And fain thou wouldst me kill; And thought thy music sweet,
But i’ faith, dull care, And thus my soul

Thou never shalt have thy will.70 lay grovelling at thy feet.71

Another, more romantic traditional song was, Drink to me only with thine eyes based on the
poem Song to Celia by Ben Johnson, 1616.72 Johnson’s words borrowed an existing tune. At a later

date a tune was specifically written for the words by Henry Harrington. Later this tune was used for
the parody Behold the Saviour to fit to Samuel Wesley’s words.73 Although this tune remained in
TBSA it was another where the original converted words had been lost to the Song Book. The song
in the Song Book outlined the story of Easter:

Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes Behold the Saviour
By Ben Johnson By Samuel Wesley

Drink to me only with thine eyes Behold the Saviour of mankind

And I will pledge with mine. Nailed to the shameful tree;
Or leave a kiss within the cup How vast the love that Him inclined

And I'll not ask for wine.74 To bleed and die for thee!75

There are also a number of tunes which were originally folk songs, one, a Scottish Air, Oft in
the Stilly Night76 was used for Nearer, my God, to Thee written by a non-Salvationist:77

Oft in the Stilly Night Nearer, My God, to Thee
By Thomas Moore By Sarah Adams

Oft, in the stilly night, Nearer, my God, to thee,
Ere Slumber's chain has bound me, Nearer to thee!

Fond Memory brings the light E’en though it be a cross
Of other days around me; That raiseth me;

The smiles, the tears, Still all may song shall be,
Of boyhood's years, Nearer, my God, to thee,
The words of love then spoken.78
Nearer to thee.79

Not only were songs from British heritage used but there were some with an Irish lineage as
well. One example was, Sweet Belle Mahone which was used by Albert Orsborn, who converted it

70 “Begone dull care”, Musica International, (n.d.), http://www.musicanet.org/robokopp/english/dullcare.htm, accessed
2 July, 2016.
71 Anon, Begone, vain world!, in Salvation Army Songs, (London, UK: Salvationists Publishing and Supplies, 1925),
Song 220.
72 View http://youtube.com/watch?v=-HEvFst_eoc
73 Samuel Wesley was the father of John and Charles Wesley; Henry Harrington, ‘Behold the Saviour’, in TBSA, Tune
75.
74 “Song to Celia [Drink to me only with thine eyes]”, Poetry Foundation, (USA, 2016),
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/44464 accessed 9 September, 2016.
75 Anon, ‘Behold the Saviour of mankind’, In Salvation Army Songs, Song 3, 2.
76 View http://youtube.com/watch?v=ea2Sgqvk-6o
77 Lowell Mason, Nearer, my God, to thee, in TBSA, Tune 190.
78 Thomas More, “Oft in the Stilly Night” Music in the works of James Joyce, (N.Y., USA, n.d.), http://www.james-
joyce-music.com/song04_lyrics.html, accessed on 15 July, 2016.
79 Sarah Fuller Adams, Nearer, my God, to thee, in SBSA, Song 617.

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to Fellowship With Thee.80 The British training principal, Commissioner Thomas McKie suggested
Orsborn write a song to the tune for a Clapton holiness meeting:81

Sweet Belle Mahone Fellowship with thee
by John Hugh McNaughton by Albert Orsborn

Soon beyond the harbor-bar Spirit of eternal love,
shall my bark be sailing far; Guide me, or I blindly rove;
O'er the world I wander lone, Set my heart on things above,

sweet Belle Mahone. Draw me after thee.
O'er thy grave I weep good-bye- Earthly things are paltry show,
Phantom charms, they come and go;
hear, oh, hear my lonely cry;
Oh, without thee what am I, Give me constantly to know
Fellowship with thee.
sweet Belie Mahone?

Sweet Belle Mahone, Fellowship with thee,

sweet Belle Mahone; Fellowship with thee,
Wait for me at heaven's gate, Give me constantly to know

sweet Belle Mahone.82 Fellowship with thee.83

Another traditional tune The Salvation Army used, this time from North America, was Buffalo Gals84
which appeared in TBSA as And above the rest:85

Buffalo Gals And Above the Rest

As I was walking down the street I know that my redeemer lives,
Down the street, down the street What joy the blest assurance gives!
A pretty girl I chanced to meet He lives triumphant o’er the grave,
And we danced by the light of the moon
He lives omnipotent to save.

Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight And above the rest this note shall swell,

Come out tonight come out tonight This note shall swell, This note shall swell,
Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight And above the rest this note shall swell,
And we'll dance by the light of the moon86 My Jesus hath done all things well87

Drinking tunes

Salvationists also combined tunes from secular drinking songs to create parodies. Storm the Forts of
Darkness88 was an example of two or three drinking songs joined together. The tunes were
Landlord, fill the flowing bowl and Here’s to good old whiskey with some minor tune alterations.
There could also have been a third song which has been lost to time and would have been at the end
of what is now the chorus of Storm the Forts. This practice was not unique to this song as The
Salvation Army would sing what was known as ‘fruit salads’. This was where two or more choruses
would be linked together or parts of choruses joined together to form a new parody with the Army’s

80 J.H. McNaughton, Fellowship with thee, in TBSA, Tune 642.
81 Avery, Companion to The Song Book, 179.
82 John Hugh McNaughton, “Belle Mahone”, Digital Commons @ Connecticut College, (USA, n.d.),
http://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/sheetmusic/20/, accessed 15 July, 2016.
83 Albert Orsborn, Spirit of eternal love, in SBSA, Song 630.
84 View http://youtube.com/watch?v=CVYilKX1GXw
85 Ranter tune, And above the rest, in TBSA, Tune 5.
86 Buffalo Gal, Ballad of America, (USA, 2012), http://www.balladofamerica.com/music/indexes/songs/buffalogal/,
accessed 2 July, 2016.
87 Samuel Medley, I know that my redeemer lives, in SBSA, Song 144.
88 Secular melody, Storm the forts of darkness, in TBSA, Tune 802.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 170

own songs. The original words to the first verse of the two songs which were combined to make
Storm the Forts of Darkness were:

Landlord, Fill the Flowing Bowl Here’s to Good Old Whiskey
Traditional song By Anon

Landlord fill the flowing bowl until it doth run Here’s to good old whisky, knock it down, knock it
over. down!

Landlord fill the flowing bowl until it doth run Here’s to good old whisky, knock it down, knock it
down!
over!
For tonight we’ll merry-merry be, Here’s to good old whisky, makes me feel so
frisky!
For tonight we’ll merry-merry be,
For tonight we’ll merry-merry be, Here's to good old whisky, knock it down!

Tomorrow we’ll be sober.89 Go rolling home (rolling home!)
Rolling home (rolling home!)

By the light of the silvery moon (woo-oo-oo)
Happy will I be, with a barrel on my knee,
And the shadow of my tophat on the wall.90

To have the original words fit the current Salvation Army parody, they would be something like
this:

Landlord, Fill the Flowing Bowl & Storm the Forts of Darkness
Here’s to Good Old Whiskey By Robert Johnson

Landlord fill the flowing bowl Solders of our God, arise!
until it doth run over. The day is drawing nearer;
Shake the slumber from your eyes,
Landlord fill the flowing bowl The night is growing clearer.
until it doth run over!
Sit no longer idly by
For tonight we'll merry-merry be, While the heedless millions die,
For tonight we'll merry-merry be, Life the bloodstained banner high
For tonight we'll merry-merry be,
And take the field for Jesus.
Tomorrow we'll be sober.
Storm the forts of darkness,
Here's to good old whisky, Bring them down, bring them down!
knock it down, knock it down!
Storm the fort of darkness,
Here's to good old whisky, Bring them down, bring them down!
knock it down, knock it down!
Pull down the devil’s kingdom
Here's to good old whisky, Where’re he holds dominion;
makes me feel so frisky! Storm the forts of darkness, bring them down!
Glory, honour to the Lamb,
Here's to good old whisky, knock it down! Praise and power to the Lamb,
Go rolling home (rolling home!)
Rolling home (rolling home!) Glory honour,
Here's to good old whisky, praise and power,
makes me feel so frisky! Be forever to the Lamb!92

Here's to good old whisky, knock it down!91

89 “Landlord fill the flowing bowl until it doth run over”, Darachweb, Celtic Music and Flags, (USA, 1999-2012),
http://www.darachweb.net/SongLyrics/LandlordFillTheFlowingBowl.html, accessed 2 July, 2016.
90 Anon, “Songbook: Go Rolling Home”, Wychwood Warriors Wiki, (USA, 11 April, 2007),
http://wychwood.wikidot.com/songbook-go-rolling, accessed 2 July, 2016.
91 “Landlord fill the flowing bowl until it doth run over”; Anon, “Songbook: Go Rolling Home”.
92 Robert Johnson, Soldiers of our God, arise, in SBSA, Song 696.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 171

Storm the Forts was nearly lost to the Army as Johnson sent it to The War Cry three times before it
was accepted for publication and then later appeared in 1884 Scottish edition of Salvation Music.93

Country and western tunes

Not only were drinking and traditional or folk tunes used, but also some with more of a
country and western feel. One was, I traced her little footsteps in the snow and this tune’s parody
became Come, shout and sing.94 James Bateman, who converted the words of the tune was a music
performer before his own conversion. After his show he would go to the local public drinking house
and continue performing to collect money to pay for more beer. One of the songs he would sing for
a drink was I traced her little footsteps in the snow95 and when he got converted he converted some
of his show tunes as well.96

I traced her little footsteps in the snow Come, shout and sing
By Anon By James Bateman

Now some folks like the summertime when the they Come, shout and sing, make Heaven ring
can walk about With praise to our King,

Strolling through the meadow green it's pleasant Who bled and died, was crucified,
there no doubt That he might pardon bring.
His blood doth save the soul,
But give me the wintertime when the snow is on the
ground Doth cleanse and make it whole,
The blood of Jesus cleanses white as snow.
For I found her when the snow on the ground

I traced her little footprints in the snow O the blood of Jesus cleanses white as snow, yes, I
know!
I found her little footprints in the snow
O the blood of Jesus cleanses white as snow, yes, I
I bless that happy day know!
when Nellie lost her way
For I found her when the snow was on the ground97 I bless the happy day,

When he washed my sins away,
The blood of Jesus cleanses white as snow.98

Bateman, like the other Salvationist Pearson, converted more than one tune. Bateman’s list of
converted songs included: Sinner, see yon light which was converted from Lottie Lane; Under the
Blood and Fire Flag which was converted from Under the Union Jack; and Fighting, Fighting on
the narrow way which was converted from Sailing, sailing. Bateman also went on the write his own
tunes which included: Calvary’s stream is flowing; Down where the living waters flow and The day
of victory’s coming.99

Another country and western style song, The Little Old Log Cabin Down the Lane became
Lily of the valley:100

The Little Old Log Cabin Down the Lane The Lily of the Valley
by Bill Monroe by Charles Fry

93 Avery, Companion to The Song Book, 214.
94 H. Wright, Come, shout and sing, in TBSA, Tune 633.
95 View http://youtube.com/watch?v=NydduGgwOe8
96 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 116-117.
97 “Footprints in the snow”, Cowboylyrics (USA, 2016), http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/monroe-bill/footprints-in-
the-snow-17427.html accessed 9 September, 2016.
98 James Conner Batemann, Come, shout and sing, in SBSA, Song 798.
99 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 117.
100 Will S. Hays, The lily of the valley, in TBSA, Tune 819.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 172

Oh I’m getting’ old and feeble and I cannot work I’ve found a friend in Jesus, he’s everything to me,
no more He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul
The lily of the valley, in him alone I see
The children no more gather ‘round my door
An’ ol’ Massa and ol’ Missu, they are sleeping side All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
In sorrow he’s my comfort, in trouble he’s my stay,
by side
Near the little ol’ log cabin in the lane. He tells me every care on him to roll.

Oh, the chimney’s fallen down and the roof’s all He’s the lily of the valley, the bright and morning
caved in star,

Letting in the sunshine and the rain He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
And the only friend I’ve know’ is that old dog of He’s the lily of the valley, the bright and morning

mine star,
And that little old log cabin in the lane.101 He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.102

Military, patriotic and national tunes

There are also military or patriotic tunes used by The Salvation Army. One such tune was,
The Little Octoroon103 which became Ring the Bells of Heaven:104

The Little Octoroon Ring the Bells of Heaven
By Anon By William Orcutt Cushing

Near the old plantation, at the close of day, Ring the bells of Heaven, there is joy today
Stood the weary mother and her child, Far a soul returning from the wild!

List'ning to the sounds along the valley’s way, See, the Father meets him out upon the way,
While their hearts with hope were throbbing wild. Welcoming his weary, wandering child.

Glory! glory! how the freedmen sang! Glory, glory, how the angels sing!
Glory! glory! how the old woods rang! Glory, glory, how the loud harps ring!
‘Twas the loyal army sweeping to the sea, ‘Tis the ransomed army, like a mighty sea,
Flinging out the banner of the free.105 Pealing forth the anthem of the free.106

Another example of a military patriotic tune was Marching through Georgia.107 The Salvation

Army focussed the motivation of the song to the need to rally the Christian soldiers when it was
converted to Shout aloud Salvation:108

Marching through Georgia Shout Aloud Salvation
By Henry Clay Work By George Scott Railton

Bring the good ol’ bugle, boys, we’ll sing another Shout aloud salvation, and we’ll have another song;
song, Sing it with a spirit that will start the world along;
Sing it as our comrades sang it many a thousand
Sing it with the spirit that will start the world along,
Sing it as we used to sing it 50,000 strong strong,

101 Little Ol’ Log Cabin in the Lane, Musica International, (USA, n.d.),
http://www.musicanet.org/robokopp/usa/ohimgett.htm, accessed 2 July, 2016.
102 Charles Fry, I’ve found a friend in Jesus, in SBSA, Song 344.
103 View http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ykv5RqvRHNM
104 George Frederick Root, Ring the bells of Heaven, in TBSA, Tune 777.
105 Little octoroon, The Traditional Music Library, (USA, 2000), http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/songster/11-little-
octoroon.htm, 2 July, 2016.
106 William Orcutt Cushing, Ring the bells of Heaven, in SBSA, Song 550.
107 View
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=marching+through+georgia&&view=detail&mid=0D10124F7A0C92D7AA53
0D10124F7A0C92D7AA53&FORM=VRDGAR
108 Henry Clay Work, Shout aloud salvation, in TBSA, Tune 785.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 173

While we were marching through Georgia. As they were marching to Glory.

Hurrah, hurrah, we bring the jubilee! March on, march on! We bring the jubilee;
Hurrah, hurrah, the flag that makes you free! Fight on, fight on! Salvation makes us free;
So we sang the chorus from Atlanta to the sea
While we were marching through Georgia!109 We’ll shout our Saviour’s praise over every land and sea

As we go marching to Glory.110

Another military tune was, Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, The Boys Are Marching.111 This tune was,
originally a Northern song written during the America Civil War by George F. Root but was so
popular that the Confederacy created their own lyrics. Later The Salvation Army linked Charles
Wesley’s words to the tune and it became We’ll all shout Hallelujah:112

Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, The Boys Are Marching We’ll All Shout Hallelujah
The Confederacy version By Charles Wesley

In my prison cell I sit, O How happy are they
thinking, Mother, dear, of you, who the Saviour obey,
and my happy Southern home so far away; And have laid up their treasures above.
and my eyes they fill with tears Tongue can never express
the sweet comfort and peace
'spite of all that I can do, Of a soul filled with Jesus’ love
though I try to cheer my comrades and be gay.

Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! The boys are marching; We’ll all shout hallelujah

cheer up, comrades, they will come. As we march along the way
And beneath the stars and bars We will sing redeeming love

we shall breathe the air again With the shinning host above
of freemen in our own beloved home.113 And with Jesus we’ll be happy all the day.114

Those who attended Sunday School or Salvation Army Company Meetings may also remember the chorus
sung to this tune, Jesus loves the little children:

Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, The Boys Are Marching Jesus Loves the Little Children
By George F. Root
Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! The boys are marching;
cheer up, comrades, they will come. Jesus loves the little Children,
And beneath the stars and bars All the children of the world
we shall breathe the air again Red and yellow, black and white
They are precious in His sight,
of freemen in our own beloved home.115 Jesus loves the little children of the world.116

109 Marching through Georgia, New Georgia Encyclopedia, History & Archaeology, Civil War & Reconstruction,
1861-1877, (USA: University of Georgia Press, 2004-2016), http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-
archaeology/marching-through-georgia, accessed 2 July, 2016.
110 George Scott Railton, Shout aloud salvation, in SBSA, Song 815.
111 View
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Tramp!+Tramp!+Tramp!+The+boys+are+marching&&view=detail&mid=7465
C4F43A2B774B1DAD7465C4F43A2B774B1DAD&FORM=VRDGAR
112 George Frederick Root, We’ll all shout hallelujah, in TBSA, Tune 587.
113 Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! (Confederate Lyrics), Music and Poetry of the Civil War, (USA, n.d.),
http://www.contemplator.com/america/trampsouth.html, accessed 2 July, 2016.
114 Charles Wesley, O how happy are they who the Saviour obey, in SBSA, Song 367, 294. The versus were written by
Wesley but there this chorus was added later and there is no indication of the song writer.
115 Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! (Confederate Lyrics).
116 Jesus loves the little children, cyberhymnal, (2 December, 2007), http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/e/jesloves.htm,
accessed 2 July, 2016.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 174

Another nationalist tune used was that of a classical nature, Kaiserhymne117 which appeared
in the TBSA as Austria.118 The tune, written in 1796 by Joseph Haydn has been used by the church
for a number of hymns and Germany used it for its national anthem. The Salvation Army used it for
the words O thou God of every nation which Richard Slater stated was, “… nearest of all others to
supplying the Army with a song of a national anthem type”.119 It was written for the opening of
Clapton Congress Hall in May 1882.

Deutschlandlied120 O thou God of every nation
by William James Pearson

Deutschland, Deutschland über alles, O Thou God of every nation,
über alles in der Welt, We now for thy blessing call;
Fit us for full consecration,
Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze
Let the fire from Heaven fall.
brüderlich zusammen hält, Bless our Army! Bless our Army!
Von der Maas bis an die Memel,
With thy power baptise us all.
von der Etsch bis an den Belt, Bless our Army! Bless our Army!
Deutschland, Deutschland über alles, With thy power baptise us all.122

über alles in der Welt!121

Another Salvation Army song linked to national songs is Ye sons of God, awake to Glory
which is set to The Marseillaise and was penned by Charles Fry.123 It is interesting to note that this
song appeared in the Christian Mission Hymn Book which was before Fry became a member in the
first Salvation Army band.

A cross section of secular tunes throughout the years

As has been shown there has been a long history of Salvationists taking secular tunes and
converting them. Contrafactum and parody were not only used in the commencement of the
movement but continued to more contemporary times. A cross section of five converted tunes will
be used as an example to cover the last 100 years of the movement and are: a music hall tune
converted in World War One; an Australian folk tune converted in the 1960s; an advertising jingle
and a movie tune converted in the late 1980s; and a converted K-pop (Korean Popular) tune of
2012.

117 Deutschlandlied – German National Anthem, The editor of Encyclopaedia Britannica, (USA, 18 May, 2015),
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Deutschlandlied, accessed 2 July, 2016.
118 Joseph Haydn, Austria, in TBSA, Tune 408.
119 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 99.
120 English: Song of Germany

Germany, Germany above all else,
Above all else in the world,

when, for protection and defense,
it always stands brotherly together.

From the Meuse to the Memel,
From the Adige to the Belt,

Germany, Germany above all else,
Above all else in the world!

View
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=deutschlandlied&&view=detail&mid=E82C882E36CFEE48CFA7E82C882E3
6CFEE48CFA7&FORM=VRDGAR
121 Deutschlandlied – German National Anthem.
122 William Pearson, O Thou God of every nation, in SBSA, Song 622.
123 Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 99.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 175

In World War One an un-named Salvationist set words to It’s a long way to Tipperary124 the
name of this Salvationist has not been identified, but the story has survived. The words later
appeared in a book of readings and songs in World War Two, Red Shield Huts For Australian
Troops.

It’s a long way to Tipperary On the ocean of love and mercy
By Jack Judge By Anon

It’s a long way to Tipperary, On the ocean of love and mercy,
It’s a long way to go. To the Homeland I go;

It’s a long way to Tipperary I’m determined to trust the journey,
To the sweetest girl I know! In the safest hands I know.
Good-bye, sin and folly,
Goodbye, Piccadilly, Farewell worldly care,
Farewell, Leicester Square!
It’s a long long way to Tipperary, For the port of glory is before me,
But my heart's right there.125 And my heart’s right there.126

The newspaper report stated that the Salvationist author lost both legs and an arm and his sight in
the war but the song was reported to have remained with his company through the conflict.127

A less harrowing tale comes from 1967 near the Queensland-New South Wales border. It was

while he was travelling on the road from Broken Hill to Tibooburra that Major Walter Proudley was
inspired to turn the chorus of Waltzing Matilda128 into O, what a saviour:

Waltzing Matilda O, what a Saviour
By A.B. Paterson By Walter Proudley

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, O, what a Saviour, O, what a Saviour,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me, O, what a Saviour is Jesus my Lord,

And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil He died on the cross and rose again the third day
O, what a Saviour is Jesus my Lord.130
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.129

Belinda Hentzschel wrote a number of Contrafactum for the young people to sing for a young

peoples’ anniversary in 1989: I love Aeroplane Jelly became I love King’s kids and Christ’s crew;
and Happy little Vegemites131 became, Happy little Sally kids:

Happy little Vegemites Happy little Sally kids
By Alan Weeks By Belinda Hentzschel

124 View
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=It%e2%80%99s+a+long+way+to+Tipperary&&view=detail&mid=B8B040AC
08EDF69DAFC4B8B040AC08EDF69DAFC4&FORM=VRDGAR
125 It’s a long way to Tipperary, Wikipedia, (USA, 10 September, 2016),
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_a_Long_Way_to_Tipperary, accessed 12 September, 2016.
126 Red Shield Huts For Australian Troops, (Sydney, Australia: Territorial Headquarters of The Salvation Army, 1 May,
1940), Chorus no. 25, 65. It must be noted that all 34 choruses in this book have secular or popular tunes which
included; Bells of St. Mary, Pack up your troubles, Home on the range, Little old Lady.
127 “Salvation Army in Europe war zone”, Norwich Bulletin, (Norwich, USA, Friday, 13 November, 1914), 8.
128 View
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Waltzing+Matilda&&view=detail&mid=FF09911F2AAD4391F37FFF09911F
2AAD4391F37F&FORM=VRDGAR

129 Waltzing Matilda, Images Australia, (Australia, n.d.), http://www.imagesaustralia.com/waltzingmatilda.htm,

accessed 2 July, 2016.
130 Walter Proudley, personal hand written note, Garth R. Hentzschel’s private collection.
131 View
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=happy+little+vegemite%e2%80%99s&&view=detail&mid=E42946B163FF7F
C32175E42946B163FF7FC32175&FORM=VRDGAR

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 176

We’re happy little Vegemites, as bright as bright We’re happy little Sally kids as bright as bright can
can be, be,

We all enjoy our Vegemite for breakfast, lunch and We all enjoy our Christian life from breakfast
tea, through to tea.

Our mummy says we’re growing stronger every We all proclaim our Saviour’s love, we want to live
single week, for Him,

Because we love our Vegemite, we all adore our We will live our lives for Him, let others see we live

Vegemite, for Him
It puts a rose in every cheek!132 And spread His love through all the world!133

Hentzschel also converted the tune of the movie with the same name, Those magnificent men
in their flying machines134 into I’m living for Jesus:

Those magnificent men in their flying machines I’m living for Jesus
By Ron Goodwin By Belinda Hentzschel

Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines. I'm living for Jesus a life's that's for me
They Go Up, Tiddly, Up, Up. There is no doubt about it,

They Go Down, Tiddly, Down, Down. I'm saved cleansed and free
They Enchant All The Ladies He's my friend and my Saviour,
And Steal All The Scenes
my Lord and my King
With their Up, Tiddly, Up, Up
And They're Down, Tiddly, Down, Down. He's the joy of my living,
my life is in Him.
Up! Down! Flying Around.
Looping The Loop And Defying The Ground. Je-sus, loves me I know
For His arms are around me wherever I go
They're All, Frightfully Keen
I've found courage within
Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines.
Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines. For he’s saved me and cleansed and freed me from sin.
For he’s saved me and cleansed and freed me from sin.
Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying
Machines.135 For he’s saved me and cleansed and freed me from
sin.136

An even more recent converted tune which was another example of a contrafactum is Psy
Gangnam Style.137 Booby Carr converted the K-Pop tune into Junior Soldier style:138

Gangnam Style Junior Soldier style
By PSY By Booby Carr

Oppa Gangnam Style Junior Soldier style
Gangnam Style Soldier style

Najeneun ttasaroun inganjeogin yeoja I know that Jesus is my Saviour from sin-a
Keopi hanjanui yeoyureul aneun pumgyeok inneun I’ve asked Him to forgive me, and I know he lives

yeoja within-a

132 Alan Weeks, Australian songs, Happy little Vegemites, Australia AllDownUnder.com (Australia, 1998-2016),
http://alldownunder.com/australian-music-songs/happy-little-vegemites.htm, accessed 2 July 2016.
133 Belinda Hentzschel, personal hand written note, Garth R. Hentzschel’s private collection.
134 View https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPgS26ZhqZs
135 Ron Goodwin, Those magnificent men in their flying machines Lyrics, (USA, n.d.),
https://www.flashlyrics.com/lyrics/ron-goodwin/those-magnificent-men-in-their-flying-machines-68, accessed 2 July,
2016.
136 Belinda Hentzschel’s, personal hand written note, Garth R. Hentzschel’s private collection.
137 View
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Gangnam+Style&&view=detail&mid=DFD160C5626619AB3BE4DFD160C56
26619AB3BE4&FORM=VRDGAR
138 View https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-LsecI5T9E

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 177

Bami omyeon simjangi tteugeowojineun yeoja I’ll trust Him to keep me good, know that He will
Geureon banjeon inneun yeoja help me

Naneun sanai By His help I’ll love and obey!
Najeneun neomankeum ttasaroun geureon sanai
Keopi sikgido jeone wonsyat ttaerineun sanai I will tell my friends
Bami omyeon simjangi teojyeobeorineun sanai I’ll tell them Jesus loves them And I’ll help them

Geureon Sanai follow Him
I’ll show them what I do, To make sure I stay close
Areumdawo sarangseureowo
Geurae neo hey geurae baro neo hey to Him
I’ll read my Bible, And I promise I will pray to Him
Areumdawo sarangseureowo
Geurae neo hey geurae baro neo hey I will pray to Him!

Jigeumbuteo gal dekkaji gabolkka I’m a soldier, a junior soldier
And I will fight hey! For what is right hey!
Oppa Gangnam Style
Gangnam Style I’m a soldier, a junior soldier
And for a sword hey! I’ll use His word hey!
Op, op, op, op
Oppa Gangnam Style ‘cause I’m a soldier in the army of the Lord!

Gangnam Style Junior Soldier style
Soldier style
Op, op, op, op
Oppa Gangnam Style Whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop
Junior Soldier style
Eh, sexy lady Soldier style
Op, op, op, op
Oppa Gangnam Style Whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop
Junior Soldier style
Eh, sexy lady
Op, op, op, op H-E-Y Jesus saves me
Eh-eh-eh, eh-eh-eh139 Whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop

Junior Soldier style

H-E-Y Jesus saves me
Whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop
Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey!140

139 English Translation: Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style
Gangnam style

A girl who is warm and humanly during the day
A classy girl who know how to enjoy the freedom of a cup of coffee

A girl whose heart gets hotter when night comes
A girl with that kind of twist
I’m a guy

A guy who is as warm as you during the day
A guy who one-shots his coffee before it even cools down

A guy whose heart bursts when night comes
That kind of guy
Beautiful, loveable

Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Beautiful, loveable

Yes you, hey, yes you, hey
Now let’s go until the end
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style
Oppa is Gangnam style, Gangnam style

Oppa is Gangnam style
PSY – Gangnam Style Lyrics, Kpop lyrics, (USA, 2016),
Read more: http://www.kpoplyrics.net/psy-gangnam-style-lyrics-english-romanized.html#ixzz4LBI1yWVL, accessed 2
July, 2016.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 178

The use of Christian tunes for contrafactum

Contrafactum also worked in reverse. Charles Wesley’s song My God I am Thine was one of
the victims.141 Just prior to the Great Depression, Harry McClintock turned the tune into Hallelujah!
I’m a bum.142 It was recorded in 1928 by six singers with some variations on the words. The singers
were: Harry “Mac” McClintock, Vernon Dalhart, Arthur Fields, Jack Kaufman, “Lazy” Larry (aka
Frank Marvin) and "Hobo" Jack Turner (aka Ernest Hare):143

My God, I Am Thine Hallelujah! I’m a Bum
by Charles Wesley by Harry McClintock

My God, I am thine; What a comfort divine, Rejoice and be glad for the Springtime has come
What a blessing to know that my Jesus is mine! We can throw down our shovels and go on the bum

Hallelujah, send the glory! Hallelujah, amen! Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, send the glory! Revive us again.144 Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again.145

Earlier than this The Skeleton Army and others used Salvation Army songs as both parody

and contrafactum against Salvationists. One such tune was taken in 1884 from There is a Happy
Land:146

There is a Happy Land The Skeleton Hymn
By Andrew Young
Where is our quiet gone?
There is a happy land, Far, far away,
Far, far away,
Our credit we shall have to pawn,
Where saints in glory stand, Far, far away,
Bright, bright as day.
Our visitors are going soon,
O how they sweetly sing: And tradesmen too up to the moon,
Worthy is our Saviour-King!
You had better be a coon,
Loud let his praises ring, Far, far away.
Praise, praise for aye.
The Salvation Army we must drive,
Bright in that happy land Far, far away,
Beams every eye;
For cannibals to eat alive,
Kept by a Father’s hand, Far, far away,
Love cannot die.
We will pepper and salt them too,
On, then, to glory run; And make them fit for a rare good stew,
Be a crown and kingdom won, And old Head shall sail with the crew

And bright above the sun Far, far away.148
Reign, reign for aye.147

140 Booby Carr, Junior Soldier Style, (USA, 2 July, 2014), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-LsecI5T9E, accessed
2 July, 2016.
141 John J. Husband, My God, I am thine, In TBSA, Tune 739.
142 View https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uKbIkYGsIg
143 Hallelujah! I’m a bum, International lyrics playground, (USA, transcribed by Mel Priddle, July 2012),
http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/h/hallelujahimabumharrymcclintock.shtml, accessed 2 July, 2016.
144 Charles Wesley, My God, I am thine, in SBSA, Song 355.
145 Hallelujah! I’m a bum, International lyrics playground.
146 There is a happy land, in TBSA, Tune 235.
147 Andrew Young, There is a happy land, in SASB, Song 897.
148 Nigel Bovey, Blood on the flag, (London, UK: The Salvation Army UK Territory), 2015, 268, 435-437.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 179

Conclusion

As stated before a number of these songs were battle or patriotic songs which called the population
to action. The Salvation Army did not often move the motivation of the song away from its original
purpose. General Albert Orsborn, one of the poet generals and writer of songs who used secular
tunes stated:

If we gave a song a different meaning, it was like giving a lovely lady a new dress. Everyone
was the better for it. Incidentally, this thing was done with folk songs, in other religious
communities, long before we thought of it. Most songs of the ballad types are – or were – so
near to Salvation Army metres and melodies that no violence was needed to convert them.149

General Albert Orsborn, a Salvationists song writer

The final example of a parody used by The Salvation Army, which also fitted well with the
symposium, was Soldiers rouse thee, which used the Welsh tune of Men of Harlech150 or in Welsh
Wele goel certh.151 As Orsborn outlined, the meaning changed, but the motivation, metres and
melodies did not:

149 Cited in Boon, Sing the Happy Song! 120.
150 View https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRtnWVvDX6k Tune 732.
151 In the traditional Welsh language

Wele goelcerth wen yn fflamio
A thafodau tan yn bloeddio
Are I'are dewrion ddod I daro
Unwaith eto'n un
Gan fanllefau'are tywysogion

Llais gelynion trwst arfogoion
Craig are graig a grbn!
Arfon bth ni orgydd
Cenir yn dragywydd

Cymru fydd fel Cymru fu
Yn glodus ymysg gweldydd
'Nghwyn oleuni'are goelcerth acw
Tros wefusau Cyro'n marw
Annibyniaeth sydd yn galw

Am ei dewraf dyn

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 180

Men of Harlech Soldiers rouse thee
By George Scott Railton
Hark I hear the foe advancing
Barbed steeds are proudly prancing Soldier, rouse thee! War is raging,
Helmets in the sunbeams glancing God and fiends are battle waging;
Every ransomed power engaging,
Cymru fo am byth
Break the tempter’s spell.
From the rocks rebounding Dare ye still lie fondly dreaming,
Let the war cry sounding Wrapped in ease and worldly scheming,
Summon all at Cambria’s call While the multitudes are streaming
The haughty foe advancing
Men of Harlech on to glory Downwards into Hell?
See your banner famed in story
Waves these burning words before ye Through the world resounding,
Let the gospel sounding,
Cymru fo am byth!152 Summon all, at Jesus’ call,

His glorious cross surrounding,
Sons of God, earth; trifles leaving,

Be not faithless but believing;
To your conquering captain cleaving,

Forward to the fight.153

As has been shown there has been a very long tradition in the Christian church and The Salvation
Army to use contrafactum and parody to link sacred words to tunes known by people. If the Army
is to wake up and again aim to attract the masses of unchurched, then perhaps the movement needs
to question the current use of emotive tunes used by the churches and reconnect with “lively and
inspiring [secular] tunes… no matter how far they had strayed from grace.”154 This, it is hoped,
would develop the “alternative consciousness,” that the singer is “a work in progress, a new
creation that is yet to be finished” and that they would find their “ultimate purpose in a meaning
greater than the dimensions of mortal life and human accomplishment.”155 The Salvation Army may
not yet have reclaimed all the notes from the devil but it has certainly captured some good ones!

152 Men of Harlech (Wele goel certh), (USA, n.d.),
https://www.bing.com/search?q=men+of+harlech+lyrics&qs=AS&pq=men+of+harlech+lyr&sc=3-
18&sp=2&cvid=7C034DE01BE94158ACE1B73EB15CA432&FORM=QBRE&cbust=1, accessed 2 July, 2016.
153 George Scott Railton, Soldier, rouse thee!, in SBSA, Song 693.
154 The Western Australian, 8.
155 Troeger, Wonder Reborn, no page numbers.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 181

The interior of the Maroochydore hall decorated for the symposium showing a section of a painting
by Garth R. Hentzschel based on Vachel Lindsay’s poem, General William Booth Enters into Heaven

(Picture courtesy of Glenda Hentzschel).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 182

OVERVIEW OF THE SYMPOSIUM HOLINESS MEETING-
‘WAKE UP – BE THE LIVING SACRIFICE!’

By
Garth R. Hentzschel

And
The Salvation Army Historical Society, Brisbane Chapter

The committee of The Salvation Army Historical Society, Brisbane Chapter led the holiness meeting.
The meeting theme connected with that of the symposium with Romans 12:1-8 being used as the
basis for the sermon. Visitors to the symposium joined with the Maroochydore Corps’ brass band
and assisted with the music.

The meeting began with two songs sung by the Maroochydore singing group. Then Garth R.
Hentzschel recited Vachel Lindsay’s General William Booth Enters into Heaven while Rachel
Hentzschel supported him on the flute.

After the poem the congregation, with the accompaniment of the band sang, Have you been
to Jesus?

Have you been to Jesus?
By Elisha Albright Hoffmann

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in his grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?1

After the song a number of facts about William Booth’s life was shared. Booth was born in
Nottingham on 10 April 1829 and The Salvation Army has a small museum in his former home now
located in a Salvation Army retirement complex. Booth was the son of Samuel and Sarah Booth.
There had been an earlier William Booth born to the couple; however this child died in infancy. At
the age of 15 William Booth was converted and two years later became a local preacher. During this
time it is reported that Booth knelt and prayed, “God shall have all there is of William Booth” and
many people have attributed this to Booth’s success. Booth commenced what would become The
Salvation Army in 1865. Booth was not only General of The Salvation Army, but for a time was

Reference citation of this paper
Garth R. Hentzschel and The Salvation Army Historical Society, Brisbane Chapter, “Overview of the
symposium holiness meeting – ‘Wake up – Be the living sacrifice!”, The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army
History, 1, 2, 2016, 182-189.
The holiness meeting was part of ‘History – Our Wake Up Call?’, Salvation Army History Symposium 22-24 July
2016, Maroochydore, Australia, The Salvation Army Eastern Territory Historical Society, Brisbane Chapter.
1 Please note that the numbers in this overview are from the 1986 song book and 1988 tune book also that only the first
verse are given for each song. Elisha Albright Hoffmann, Have you been to Jesus, in The Song Book of The Salvation
Army (SBSA), (London, UK: International Headquarters of The Salvation Army, 1986), Song 417, 608.; Are you
washed?, in The Tune Book of The Salvation Army (TBSA), (London, UK: Salvationist Publishing and Supplies, 1988),
Tune 608.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 183

Admiral of a Salvation Navy. Booth was promoted to Glory from Hadley Wood, Hertfordshire, on
20 August 1912 and his funeral was the largest funeral procession for a commoner London had seen.2

The next song, which was used for a prayer time was Thou Christ of burning cleansing flame.
The song was originally entitled The fire and appeared in The War Cry of 14 April 1894. The song
was to be sung at the Jubilee campaigns held in the UK and other countries to mark the 50th
anniversary of Booth’s conversion. The campaigns were combined with one of the International
Congresses in London, 2-6 July 1894; a congress which also celebrated the 29th anniversary of The
Salvation Army. Between the verses of this song Major Heather Drew, the Vice-President of the
Society prayed and led the congregation in the Lord’s Prayer:

Thou Christ of burning cleansing flame
By William Booth

Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire!

Thy blood-bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire!

Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost,
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire!3

Continuing with snippets from Salvation Army history and to show some of the activities of
the Army in the past a number of “Did you know?” points were presented. Booth was a vegetarian,
eating neither fish nor flesh nor fowl. The Salvation Army made their own instruments and push
bikes for a time. The Army owned and operated a safety match factory. Booth was awarded an
honorary doctorate from Oxford University. The Army flag has been to the moon, top of Mt Everest,
Antarctica and the Arctic circle. Australian war-time Prime Minister, John Curtain had been a
Salvationist and bandsmen before joining the Labor movement. In addition to Salvation Army
centres, Booth has had the following items named in his honor; schools, roads, a train engine, a rose
and a mountain.

The Maroochydore Corps led the section of the meeting. Corps pianist, Meg Johnson played
for the collection of the tithes and love offering and the Society’s treasurer, Robert Marshall prayed.
Debbie Robbie from the corps lead a children’s time before the young people went to their classes.
The announcements were given by the Corps-Sargent Major Barry Hart. Then the symposium
keynote, Major Kingsley Sampson from New Zealand read the chosen scripture passage:

Romans 12:1-8
Living Sacrifices
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to
the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able
to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3For by the grace
given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but
rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has

2 Cyril Barnes, With Booth in London – A Tourist Guide, (St. Albans, UK: International Headquarters of The Salvation
Army, 1986).; Charles T. Bateman, Everybody’s Life of General Booth, (London, UK: Marshall Brothers, n.d.).;
Edward Bishop, Blood and Fire!, (Gateshead, UK: Longmans, Green and Co., 1964).; Minnie Lindsay Carpenter,
William Booth – Founder of The Salvation Army, (London, UK: The Epworth Press, 1942).
3 William Booth, Thou Christ of burning cleansing flame, in SBSA, Song 203, 165-166.; Tucker, in TBSA, Tune 335.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 184

given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all
have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs
to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is
prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching,
let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others,
let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let
him do it cheerfully.4

After the Bible reading the Secretary of the Society, Major Glenda Hentzschel led the sharing
and testimony section of the meeting. The one of the songs featured in Saturday night’s presentation,
Soldiers of our God, arise!, was sung:5

Soldiers of our God, arise!
By Robert Johnson

Soldiers of our God, arise!
The day is drawing nearer;
Shake the slumber from your eyes,
The night is growing clearer.

Sit no longer idly by
While the heedless millions die,
Lift the bloodstained banner high

And take the field for Jesus.

Storm the forts of darkness,
Bring them down, bring them down!

Storm the forts of darkness,
Bring them down, bring them down!

Pull down the devil’s kingdom
Where’re he holds dominion;
Storm the forts of darkness, bring them down!
Glory, honour to the Lamb,
Praise and power to the Lamb,
Glory honour, praise and power,

Be forever to the Lamb!6

Notes from the message given by Garth R. Hentzschel

There are many links between the passage of scripture, Romans 12:1-8, the life William Booth and
the theme of the symposium. The Bible passage outlined: the method of worship - to offer our bodies
as a living sacrifice (v1); the need for renewal - not to conform to the patterns of this world – but be
transformed! (v2); then, finally not only live out our calling as a part of the body of Christ (v3-5),
but to also open the gate for others to realise their callings (v6-8). With such themes, this passage
could be a good wake-up call for The Salvation Army.

William Booth is an example as how the elements of this passage can be lived out. As a young
man, Booth went to the basement of a Methodist church in Nottingham and prayed “God shall have
all there is of William Booth.” Some have said that this statement was the secret of Booth’s success.

4 Berean Study Bible, (USA: Bible Hub, 2004-2016), http://biblehub.com/bsb/romans/12.htm, accessed 2 July, 2016.
5 See Garth R. Hentzschel, “Why should the devil have all the good music? The Christian use of contrafactum and
parody”, The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, 1, 2, 2016, 171.
6 Robert Johnson, Soldiers of our God, arise!, in SBSA, Song 696, 551-552.; Storm the forts of darkness, in TBSA, Tune
802.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 185

I however see it a little differently. I believe that Booth’s success was that he never took it back. He
was a living sacrifice!

The problem with a living sacrifice is that it can move off the altar. A dead sacrifice has lost
its own will, it cannot move, it is stuck in the place it has been laid. It has lost its ability to function.

A living sacrifice is different; it can move about, it can do things, and yes, it can even leave the
place it needs to be. It can leave the altar and leave what is pleasing to God. It can conform to the
patterns of the world (v2). So therefore the secret of Booth’s success must be that he remained a
living sacrifice. Booth remained a living, breathing, free-willed ever changing living sacrifice until
his dying breath took him, as Vachel Lindsay’s poem stated, marching his Army into heaven.

This is the challenge for us all, Were we once a living sacrifice? Have we moved ourselves
from the altar of God? Or, Are we a dead sacrifice, still on the altar but have fallen asleep? Are we
sitting dead and full of jealousy over another’s service? Have we lost our motivation to be a part of
the body of Christ? I think it is so easy to become a dead sacrifice. A sister or brother in Christ may
have said negative things to us or about us. A person may have stated that it is better to conform to a
standard of the world. It could be because we think the great salvation war is the responsibility of the
officer or only leaders of The Salvation Army or the churches.

We may believe that it was Booth’s job, or it was easy for him, he was the leader, the founder!
This is however not the case as is shown in a series of letters written to Commissioner Dowdle and
from which the theme of the symposium was chosen. Booth wrote on 8 August 1884:

…Pray for me. We must do more praying. I can easily see how, in the rush of all this mighty
sweeping work, we can be taken off from God. The greater problem we have to solve is, to keep
equally a hold of God and man, trusting Jehovah, and yet using every human method that is
possible to be devised.7

Against the idea that it was only his, Booth’s or the officers’ duty to be the living sacrifice, Booth
wrote in October 1889:

I ask for a hundred thousand souls, in order to stimulate everybody to lend a hand. I am very
sorry that many Soldiers don’t take much interest in soul-saving, and with others it is very languid
feeling… I want to stir everybody up to work for it with enthusiasm. …I want to stir up the whole
Army.8

It is therefore the responsibility of all of us to be the breathing, serving, enthusiastic, living sacrifice.
After pleading with his readers, Paul goes on (from v2) to define for us what this looks like. Again
we can take some parallels from Booth’s life.

Verse 2 stated, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind.”9 Booth fought against: alcohol, even though it was often the only safe
option (because public water supplies were often contaminated); smoking, although others claimed
it was good for one’s health; cheap matches, although people claimed it would ruin the economy;
sexual practices against minors; and people who hated Christianity. One of Booth’s most famous
speeches concluded:

7 George Scott Railton, Commissioner Dowdle – The Saved Railway Guard (2nd ed.), The Red Hot Library No. 8,
(London, UK: The Salvation Army Book Department, 1912), 81.
8 Railton, Commissioner Dowdle, 85-86.
9 Berean Study Bible.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 186

While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight
While little 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!10

Booth did not conform to the standards of his time. What us?
There are striking similarities with our own time. The cheap foods we buy may have been

offered up to other god’s. We find it difficult to accept sexual practices that seem to be forbidden in
the Bible; we may feel we are forced to hide our faith in the name of tolerance. We are told to
conform! Booth, the prophets and Christians throughout history have been challenged by the need to
remove themselves from the standards and standards and patterns of their age. Are we a living
sacrifice or are we conformed to the standards of the world? If we are able to be transformed, there
is warning against pride! We cannot have a ‘holier than thou’ attitude. Verse three warns the living
sacrifice, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with
sober judgment.”11 Booth was not too proud to do anything to save a soul. Once Rudyard Kipling
told Booth that he disapproved of some Salvation Army methods. Booth rebuked Kipling as stated:

…Young man,… if I thought that I could win one more soul for Christ by standing on my
hands and beating a tambourine with my feet, I would learn to do it.12

Booth did many unusual things for his day. He travelled the UK in a motor vehicle, used secular
tunes for sacred songs,13 joined Christian worship with social reform.14 Nothing was beneath him.

I think this is one area where Salvationists and Christians need to wake-up. We think too much
of ourselves and too little of the movement of the church or the call of Christ. We are often falling
into the standards of this world, the ‘I generation’. “You and I” is plastered everywhere, Youi, iphone,
ipod, iconnect, me bank. A living sacrifice does not think themselves more highly, nor more often
that they should.

The remainder of this passage (v4-8) is more practical. Here a number of the translations differ.
Many translations are written autobiographically, in that if you have this gift or that gift then use it
in the body of Christ. However, there are a number of translations, including the King James Version
and the Amplified Bible like the one used here which show that a living sacrifice also allows others
to serve.15 The living sacrifice not only thinks of others, works to help others in the body of Christ,
but also allows others to serve. Too often we feel safe when we either all do the same thing or if we
do all the work our self. Another way I feel The Salvation Army is falling asleep is that we assign
roles and close off the service to anyone else – only officers can teach or preach about the Bible, only

10 Janet Benge and Geoff Benge, William Booth: Soup, soap, and salvation, Christian heroes: Then and now, (Seattle,
USA: YWAM Publishing, 2002), 191.
11 Berean Study Bible.
12 William Barclay, The new daily study Bible, The letter to the Corinthians, (Louisville, USA: Westminster John Knox
Press, 2002), 247.
13 See Garth R. Hentzschel, “Why should the devil have all the good music? The Christian use of contrafactum and
parody”, The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, 1, 2, 2016.
14 See Cecil Woodward, “Historical foundations of In Darkest England and the Way Out”, The Australasian Journal of
Salvation Army History, 1, 2, 2016.
15 Berean Study Bible; King James Version (public domain) also has “he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity”.;
Amplified Bible, (La Habra, USA: The Lockman Foundation, 2015), had “…someone has the gift of] prophecy, [let
him speak a new message…”

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 187

Welfare gives to the poor, only Community Care Ministries visit people. But a living sacrifice not
only uses their gifts in “proportion to [their] faith”, they also open the doors for others to use their
gifts; “let him serve”, “let him teach”, “let him encourage”, “let him give generously”, “let him
govern diligently”, and “let him do it cheerfully.”16 It is not to be one big free for all either, but to
“form one body [in which] each member belongs to all the others.” 17 Again let us turn to one of
Booth’s letters:

…Oh, for more holy, restless, God-honouring, soul-saving ambition! Why are we content to do,
in our meetings, and our speeches, and our praying, and our believings, always so much of a
repetition of what went before?
…The success of The Salvation Army, humanly speaking, has largely resulted from the novelty
of its plans and methods; and now we appear in danger of sinking down to the level of an ancient
sect.18

Deficiency in any one of these areas could see the individual or the organization change from
a living into a dead sacrifice. If we do not give our whole body, if we take it off the altar, if we live
with pride or if we deny another’s calling and gifts. Booth gave a warning about becoming a dead
sacrifice! He wrote:

If we do, I feel sure that God will raise up some other people, who will go as much in advance of
us in novelty, and reckless disregard of public opinion, and as much in the teeth of the prejudices
of old-fogeyism, either amongst us or outside of us, as we ourselves did in these respects twenty
years ago. We must wake ourselves up! Or somebody else will take our place, and bear our cross,
and thereby rob us of our crown.19

But then Booth put forward a statement. Note it is not a question, but a statement of hope:

I look to you to help me.20

Here is our challenge: Are we, are you, prepared to help? Were you once a living sacrifice?
Humble, prepared to share in the work of God and build others up? Or are you a dead sacrifice, tired
or full of selfishness and jealousy of others’ calling? Wake-up! Wake-up soldiers! Wake-up officers!
Wake-up adherents and friends! Wake-up Salvation Army! Be the living sacrifice we are all called
to be, or as William Booth prophesied: “Somebody else will take our place, and bear our cross, and
thereby rob us of our crown.”21 If you need to again be the living sacrifice, come to Jesus now!

As a time of prayer and to link with the idea of a living sacrifice, the song I bring my heart to
Jesus was sung. The song commences with a consideration of the heart and the feelings and
concludes with a promise of bringing all to Jesus, the true idea of a living sacrifice:

I bring my heart to Jesus
By Herbert Howard Booth

I bring my heart to Jesus, with its fears,
With its hopes and feelings, and its tears;

Him it seeks, and finding, it is blest;

16 Berean Study Bible.
17 Berean Study Bible.
18 Railton, Commissioner Dowdle, 96.
19 Railton, Commissioner Dowdle, 96.
20 Railton, Commissioner Dowdle, 96.
21 Railton, Commissioner Dowdle, 96.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 188

Him it loves, and loving, is at rest.
Walking with my Saviour, heart in heart,

None can part.22
As the meeting drew to a close, O boundless salvation was sung as the flag of The Salvation
Army was marched around the hall in a Hallelujah Windup:

O Boundless Salvation
By William Booth

O boundless salvation! Deep ocean of love,
O fullness of mercy, Christ brought from above,
The whole world redeeming, so rich and so free,
Now flowing for all men, come, roll over me.23
The benediction was sung with the assistance of the corps band and the congregation was
encouraged to farewell each other in song. The song which was sung was God be with you till we
meet again:

God be with you till we meet again
By Jeremiah Eames Rankin

God be with you till we meet again,
By his counsels guide you, upon you,

With his sheep securely fold you,
God be with you till we meet again.

Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus’ feet;
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.24

22 Herbert Howard Booth, I bring my Heart to Jesus, in SBSA, Song 420, 337-338.; I bring my Heart to Jesus, in TBSA,
Tune 675.
23 William Booth, O boundless salvation, in SBSA Song 298, 238-239.; My Jesus, I love thee, in TBSA, Tune 565.
24 Jeremiah Eames Rankin, God be with you till we meet again, in SBSA, song 954, 763-764.; God be with you, in
TBSA, Tune, 506.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 189

One of the buildings from The Salvation Army Conference Centre & Youth Camp, The Esplanade,
Bulcock Beach, Caloundra. This property was sold in 2004 (Picture courtesy of Glenda Hentzschel).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 190

HISTORY IS OUR WAKE-UP CALL!
A CASE STUDY FROM THE HISTORY OF THE SALVATION ARMY ON

THE SUNSHINE COAST, QUEENSLAND.

By
Garth R. Hentzschel

The theme for the symposium weekend was a question “History – Our Wake Up Call?” and I think
that it is safe to say that there has been enough evidence given in the papers from the symposium to
answer this question with a resounding YES! History can be used as our wake up call, but why do we
need to wake up? William Booth prophesied:

We must wake ourselves up! Or somebody else will take our place, and bear our cross, and thereby
rob us of our crown.1

If the Army does need to wake-up and history can be the metaphoric alarm clock, then as
Reynaud in his paper outlined, it must be the right type of history and not a loosely compiled
collection of myths or “Lying for God”.2 The deeper investigation of history may uncover some
uncomfortable issues for The Salvation Army, as Sampson outlined in his paper,3 but historian
Margaret MacMillan, showed that the true role of any historian is to challenge and explode myths.
MacMillan stated, “Such disillusion is a necessary part of growing up in and belonging to an adult
society...”4 It is time therefore for The Salvation Army to grow up in the historical and analytical
sense. This paper will give a summation of the presentations over the weekend, investigate the need
for a wakeup call and then use the Salvation Army history on the Sunshine Coast as a case study to
show how history could be used as a wake-up call to challenge the future direction of the movement.
The geographical area of the Sunshine Coast not only experienced some of the earliest expressions
of The Salvation Army in Australia, it saw many unique ministries and also witnessed this movement
help shape the area into what it is today. The Salvation Army successfully ministered to minority
populations, conducted ministry in the smallest of communities, commenced patterns of social
behaviour and used sources at their disposal to reach the population for God. These are all areas which
the movement is struggling to engage with in the correct culture. Using such a case study can show
how the movement can wake itself up, take its place, bear the cross and retake its crown.

Reference citation of this paper
Garth R. Hentzschel, “History is our wake-up call! A case study from the history of The Salvation Army on the
Sunshine Coast, Queensland?”, The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, 1, 2, 2016, 190-203.
The paper was presented as a summation at ‘History – Our Wake Up Call?’, Salvation Army History Symposium 22-24
July 2016, Maroochydore, Australia, The Salvation Army Eastern Territory Historical Society, Brisbane Chapter.
1 George Scott Railton, Commissioner Dowdle – The Saved Railway Guard (2nd ed.), The Red Hot Library No. 8,
(London, UK: The Salvation Army Book Department, 1912), 96.
2 Daniel Reynaud, “Lest we forget: Fighting Mac, The Army and contemporary Australia”, The Australasian Journal of
Salvation Army History, 1, 2, 2016, 42-52, 50.
3 Kingsley Sampson, “Souls, saints, humanity: What lessons might The Salvation Army take from its history that will
keep it true to its mission?”, The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, 1, 2, 2016, 18-30.
4 Margaret MacMillan, The uses and abuses of history, (UK: CPI Bookmarque, 2010), 39.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 191

“Crisis of decline”

How do we know that The Salvation Army is struggling in these areas? Does the Army need to wake

itself up? All of the presenters’ papers at the symposium outlined things that The Salvation Army

once did, the movement was awake! Bennett challenged all Christians about the future stand on
current issues,5 while Rayner challenged the movement that it needed to become motivated to use
MacKenzie to reengage with the Australian psyche.6 Are these just isolated missed opportunities or

is something deeper going on? In 2013 at the Tri-Territorial Heritage Centre and Archives

Conference, in New Zealand, Hentzschel and Hentzschel claimed that The Salvation Army in

Australasia was going through a “crisis of decline”, and that, the deeper investigation into its history
could be used as an evaluative tool.7 Hentzschel and Hentzschel stated: “Although not often openly

discussed in Salvation Army publications, The Salvation Army in many western countries is going

through a ‘Crisis’ of decline. For example, each Territory represented here have declined in both the
number of corps and senior soldiers from 1973 till present.”8 In the latest statistics the decline is
continuing in Australia, but has reversed in New Zealand.9 The combining of the two Australian
Territories may hide this trend.10

Numbers of Corps and Senior Soldiers in three Salvation Army Territories

Territory Numbers for 1973 Numbers for 2004 Numbers for 2013 Numbers for 2016

Australia 428 Corps/outpost 220 Corps/outpost 183 Corps/outpost etc. 173 Corps/outpost etc

Eastern 31,500 snr soldiers 10,672 snr soldiers 8,519 snr soldiers 7,880 snr soldiers

Territory

Australia 562 Corps/outpost etc. 236 Corps/outpost etc. 187 Corps/outpost etc. 174 Corps/outpost etc

Southern 31,500 snr soldiers 11,349 snr soldiers 7,759 snr soldiers 7,039 snr soldiers

Territory

New Zealand, 167, Corps/outpost 119 Corps/outpost etc. 111 Corps/outpost etc. 118 Corps/outpost etc

Fiji and Tonga etc. 5,651 snr soldiers 5,358 snr soldiers 5,446 snr soldiers

Territory 9,184 snr soldiers

The need for the Army to be alert is not new, William Booth was concerned about this early in
the history of the movement. In a series of letters written to Commissioner Dowdle and which the
theme of the symposium was based, Booth wrote on 8 August 1884:

…Pray for me. We must do more praying. I can easily see how, in the rush of all this mighty

sweeping work, we can be taken off from God. The greater problem we have to solve is, to keep
equally a hold of God and man, trusting Jehovah, and yet using every human method that is
possible to be devised.11

5 David Malcolm Bennett, “‘The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon’ Affair”, The Australasian Journal of Salvation
Army History, 1, 2, 2016, 53-71.
6 Reynaud, “Lest we forget: Fighting Mac”.
7 Garth R. Hentzschel and Rachel Hentzschel, “Officer stories, the dots of Salvation Army history, it’s time to get the
full picture: A critical examination for inclusive Salvation Army historical research”, presented at ‘Making
Connections: Joining the Dots’, Tri-Territorial Heritage Centre and Archives Conference, 9–13 April, 2013, The
Salvation Army Booth College of Mission, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory.
8 Hentzschel and Hentzschel, “Officer stories, the dots of Salvation Army history”, 24.
9 In the presentation, Kingsley Sampson outlined that the increased numbers have come from the countries of Fiji and
Tonga as well as a new initiative looking to grow the territory.
10 Hentzschel and Hentzschel, “Officer stories, the dots of Salvation Army history”, 24.; Relevant years of The
Salvation Army Year Book, (London, UK: The Salvation Army International Headquarters).
11 George Scott Railton, Commissioner Dowdle – The Saved Railway Guard (2nd ed.), The Red Hot Library No. 8,
(London, UK: The Salvation Army Book Department, 1912), 81.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 192

Booth not only saw that the movement needed to pray and hold on to both God and man, but also
individual Salvationists needed to be stirred up. In October 1889 Booth wrote:

I ask for a hundred thousand souls, in order to stimulate everybody to lend a hand. I am very sorry
that many Soldiers don’t take much interest in soul-saving, and with others it is very languid
feeling… I want to stir everybody up to work for it with enthusiasm. …I want to stir up the whole
Army.12

If Booth felt the need to stir up the whole Army, I do not think it wrong to say with the evidence
above, ‘We want to wake up the whole Army.’ There does however need to be an awakening through
historical inquiry, Hentzschel and Hentzschel, based on research by MacMillian, went on to say that
the wrong use of history, the retelling of myths rather than deeper research, is a problematic process.
Hentzschel and Hentzschel stated:

As the crisis intensifies or continues many recent histories of The Salvation Army have tried to
return back to history of ‘Justification for Existence’ and to justify current or future programs by
linking them to past glories of its own institutional history.13 This is a dangerous move and could
result in organisational suicide as nothing is learned and the organisation will continue to decline
but justifying its leaders’ actions, justifying continual action and so go around and around until
the organisation becomes redundant. For this reason and to see more clearly the full picture of
Salvation Army history it is imperative for Salvation Army historians, archivists, officers and
soldiers to investigate a new historiography that is strong enough to collect and analyses data and
to help describe the indescribable.14

Since Hentzschel and Hentzschel presented their paper a number of histories have tried to give the
deeper historical inquiry. These have included but not limited to; a reinvestigation of the
commencement of the Army’s work in Adelaide,15 a different story of the commencement of The
Salvation Army in Queensland,16 and an investigation into the Army’s work in Zimbabwe,17 have all
challenged how the Army’s past has been reported and the lessons needed to learn from the new
investigation.

Deeper historical inquiry could be used as a wake-up call and way forward

As Sampson showed there are positive elements from the Army’s past which the movement can learn
from; the innovators of the early year, the use of young and vibrant people, and the use of the latest
technology, could all be ways that history could show a road map for the future.18 However, Sampson
also showed areas where the Army got it wrong. The Army therefore can, if correctly analysed, use
history to wake up and learn from these mistakes. In the welcome to the symposium quotations from
historian-generals, General Frederick Coutts and General Shaw Clifton, gave some understanding of

12 Railton, Commissioner Dowdle, 85-86.
13 Here was given the example, Henry Gariepy, Christianity in Action – The International History of The Salvation
Army, (USA: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009).
14 Hentzschel and Hentzschel, “Officer stories, the dots of Salvation Army history”, 24.
15 Garth R. Hentzschel, “Hidden turmoil of Army’s early days”, Pipeline, (Sydney, October, 2013), 16-18.
16 Garth R. Hentzschel, “From an Irish primitive Methodist to a Queensland evangelical woman warrior.” Bulletin of the
Methodist Historical Society of Ireland, (Vol.18, Iss, 34, 2013).; Garth R. Hentzschel, “The long shadow of Irish
Primitive Methodism: Fintona Primitive Methodism and its impact on South East Queensland.” Bulletin of the
Methodist Historical Society of Ireland, (Vol. 19, Iss 35, 2014).
17 Norman H. Murdoch, and Harold Hill (Ed), Christian Warfare in Rhodesia-Zimbabwe, The Salvation Army and
African Liberation, 1891-1991, (Eugene, USA: Pickwick Publications 2015).
18 Sampson, “Souls, saints, humanity.”

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the importance of such a process and how the Army could investigate such matters. Coutts showed
the importance of history to contextualise the current standing and stated:

…history is to a community what memory is to an individual. Without memory I would be an
‘unperson’, unable to say whence I came or whither I was bound. History enables a community –
whether an entire nation or a section of a nation – to place itself in relation to its own past, its
present opportunities and its future prospects.19

Clifton used Coutts’ quote and built on it to show how the understanding of the historical present
can be linked with the present trends to more fully understand the current context:

Unless we know where we have come from, we cannot know who we are today… a Thinking
Salvationist has a knowledge of our past, a sense of our history, so that she or he can think
intelligently and in context about the present and the future… a sense of history and a working
knowledge of our past are crucial to being a modern thinking Salvationist…. A sense of history
is not enough on its own. A sense of the social, moral and political trends of the present day is
also crucial to the Thinking Salvationist. Keeping in touch with, and understanding, the world
beyond the often introspective confines of The Salvation Army is absolutely central to our soul-
saving and soldier-making mission under God.20

In this way, to look at the movement’s past as well as the trends of today can help the Army use
history to wake up.

Lessons to learn

From the current historical myths in Salvation Army there are a number of assumptions which
continue to drive the movement, either in policy or in practice. Six of these myths and the associated
assumptions will be investigated here and the preliminary research of the history of the Army on the
Sunshine Coast will be used as a case study. The six myths are:

• The Salvation Army commenced in Queensland in 1885 with rapid revival growth;
• Officers commenced the movement throughout Queensland on their own;
• There was outstanding growth in all areas at the commencement of the work;
• Corps worked as a ‘faith community’;
• The movement was Anglo-centric; and
• The Salvation Army was culturally relevant.

Myth One - The Salvation Army commenced in Queensland in 1885 with rapid revival growth
Current assumption – The Salvation Army sprung up overnight and raced through Queensland like
a wild fire; the movement needs to pray and wait for the next revival.21
Fact - There was a lot of ground work done and it was hard work.

It is now becoming clear that William Booth’s Christian Mission was sending converts out around
the world years before the official commencement of The Salvation Army. In their new towns and

19 Frederick Coutts, In Good Company, (London, UK: Salvationists Publishing & Supplies,1980), 71.
20 Shaw Clifton, Selected Writings Vol. 2, 2000-2010, (London, UK: Salvation Books, 2010), 19, 21.
21 Hazell gave six reasons for the Army’s early rapid growth, while Sanz gave nine reason, neither gave information on
the earlier work of the Army. George Hazell, “Spreading like a bushfire,” Hallelujah, (Sydney, Summer 2007), 51-53.;
Ken Sanz, “How revival happened,” Hallelujah, (Sydney, Summer 2007), 10-12.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 194

cities these converts were waiting for or starting the Christian Mission. Woodward quoted Jane Short,
an evangelist in The Christian Mission.22 She was just one example of the impact of The Christian
Mission’s influence around the world. In 1870 Short travelled to Australia and with her brother helped
commence the Sydney City Mission. She also stated that on her boat a number of the crew were
converts of Booth’s mission. The Christian Mission also spread to the USA even before Eliza
Shirley’s family commenced the work there. Charles Owens, the honorary secretary for the Christian
Mission also came to Australia on the Empress Russell in 1873 as a welfare officer. He visited
churches in Rockhampton, Brisbane and Sydney. Current research is also being done which indicates
a more permanent founding of The Christian Mission in Brisbane, which commenced in the 1870s.
This Mission, later called The Salvation Army held meetings from 1873 to 1885 in places like
Ipswich, Sandgate, Bundaberg, Gayndah, Townsville and North New South Wales before the
‘officially’ recognised work commenced.

On Friday 1 October, 1875 the leader of this earlier group travelled on the Culgoa for Noosa to
conduct meetings.23 The leader, being a female preacher, was compared to other female preachers
including Mrs. Catherine Booth.24 It is not yet known if the meetings were only conducted in Noosa
or if areas further north were visited, such as Gympie, Maryborough or Bundaberg. The leader did
not return to Brisbane until Wednesday 3 February, 1876.25

Then two years prior to the ‘officially’ recognised commencement of The Salvation Army in
Queensland (June 1885), three years before the ‘official’ commencement of The Salvation Army in
Gympie and eleven years before the work ‘officially’ commenced on the Sunshine Coast, the Army
visited the area. Gympie Times and Mary River Mining Gazette, July 1883, announced “the advanced
guard of The Salvation Army has reached Tewantin.”26 Yet again, in 1895 an unnamed group of
Salvationists held a Sunday evening service at Tewantin and bought together most of the population
with a “good collection”, because of this the reporter stated, “so I infer we shall have another visit
from them soon.”27 Although it could be the Gympie Corps, it read like it was a more local group.28

This was all before there were “official” declarations of Salvation Army commencements.
Rockhampton and many other towns in Queensland had a similar experience. In fact, on recognisance
to Rockhampton, Ruben Edwards visited the town out of uniform to scout for locations. When he sat
in a tea room people came up to him and asked, “Are you a Salvation Army Officer?” “Yes,” he said,
“Why?” The response was that they too were Salvationists and had been waiting for The Army to
arrive.29 This group had already commenced a corps a number of years earlier. The official record

22 Cecil Woodward, “Historical foundations of In Darkest England and the Way Out”, The Australasian Journal of
Salvation Army History, 1, 2, 2016, 31-41.
23 “Queensland, ‘Shipping,’” The Brisbane Courier, (Brisbane, Saturday, 2 October, 1875), 4.; “Shipping Intelligence,”
The Telegraph, (Brisbane, Saturday, 2 October, 1875), 2.
24 “Primitive Methodist,” The Telegraph, (Brisbane, Saturday, 2 October, 1875), 2.
25 “Shipping Intelligence,” The Telegraph. (Brisbane, Thursday, 3 February, 1876), 2.
26 “Brevities,” Gympie Times and Mary River Mining Gazette, (Gympie, Saturday, 28 July, 1883), 3.
27 “Tewantin,” Gympie Times and Mary River Mining Gazette, (Gympie, Tuesday, 17 September, 1895), 3.
28 What happened to the rest of the Tewantin Salvation Army story? In October, 1898 the Eumundi Corps held a concert
in the area and Salvationists continued to visit the area. Sometime before 1973 to c1990 Gympie Corps ran an outpost at
Tewantin and ran Noosa as a Red Shield Service Unit from 1982 to 1986. In 1986 a Red Shield Accommodation Centre
was opened in Noosaville (run out of Gympie and then Nambour Corps), then in 1987 Gympie opened an additional
social centre, called the Noosa Emergency Housing Programme in Tewantin (this closed by 1993). At some point
Nambour Corps commenced an outpost at Noosa and c1993 it received Corps status. The Noosa Shire Crisis Housing
Programme became the responsibility of the Noosa Corps in 1995 but in the same year Nambour again took over the
running of the Corps. In 1996 the Corps regained its independence and a new quarters was purchase. In 2007 the Noosa
citadel was opened at Noosaville.
29 Rueben Edwards, “The Opening of Queensland,” The War Cry, (Melbourne, 9 July, 1910).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 195

stated that the Army spread like wild fire, but was it really igniting from the embers already burning?
The official history tells nothing of the hard labour that went before the “official” openings.

“Our Queensland Expedition”
(LtoR) Staff-Officer Edwards, Adjutant Wright, Captain Bowerman and Mrs Wright.30

Myth Two – Officers commenced the movement throughout Queensland on their own
Current assumption – Officers were sent to Queensland to start the work alone & the Salvation riders
were Officers on their own, this leads to an assumption that it is the role of the officer to commence
and grow The Salvation Army.31
Fact - All levels, soldiers, officers and friends, assisted in the foundation and development of The
Salvation Army.

It is becoming clear that non-officers commenced the work of The Salvation Army in Queensland
and other areas. Even on the Sunshine Coast, it appears that the simple narrative of the Army
commencing with the appointed offices, the Salvation Riders who rode in on horseback and subdued
the area for God and the Army is not as accurate as first thought.32 There was the earlier work in
Tewantin and Gittins discussed Sister Libe, a convert from Toowong Corps who had been in the area
for two years and had some impact.33 In addition to this, throughout the early years local officers and
soldiers played an important role in the development of and sustaining the work of the Army. As in
the advertisement below soldiers visited local communities and conducted meetings.34 Booth too was
concerned when soldiers were not as engaged in winning souls and stated, “I want to stir everybody
up to work for it with enthusiasm. …I want to stir up the whole Army.”35 Not just officers, but
“everybody,” “the whole Army.” 36

30 “Our Queensland Expedition,” The War Cry, (Melbourne, 4 July, 1880), 1.
31 This is not unique to Queensland, Kelly stated that in the USA, “in the early days of our movement the cost of a new
corps opening was the allocation of one committed officer…” David E. Kelly, “Regaining our momentum,” The
Officer, (London, May-June 2016), 30-33, 31.
32 For information on the commencement and context of the Salvation Riders see Ray Kerkhove, “Milieu and context:
Towards a comprehensive history of religious change on the Sunshine Coast”, The Australasian Journal of Salvation
Army History, 1, 2, 2016, 111-129.
33 Kay Gittins, The Salvation Army Nambour Corps – 100 years of service on the Sunshine Coast, (Nambour, Australia:
The Salvation Army Nambour Corps Centenary Committee, 1994), 2.
34 “Salvation Army,” Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser, (Nambour, Saturday, 6 July, 1907), 2.
35 Railton, Commissioner Dowdle, 85-86.
36 Railton, Commissioner Dowdle, 85-86.

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An advertisement outlining officers and soldiers ministering at Salvation Army
centres on the Sunshine Coast.37

Myth Three – There was outstanding growth in all areas at the commencement of the work,
that all corps were large and that God’s favour meant big numbers
Current assumption – The closure and joining of territories, divisions, corps and outposts leads to
more effective work and larger corps which can keep growing.38
Fact - Closing corps and centralising structure moves the Army away from the community it hopes
to serve. The Sunshine Coast saw the number of corps grow as it moved into small communities and
the opening of outposts saw new corps open while other areas of the state declined.

As Kerkhove outlined, there has been a move toward the idea in churches of the megacentre, where
people can remain on the same campus for everything including schooling, retirement homes and
church.39 This is a patter to which the Army has paralleled other churches. This however moves the
Army further away from the community and creates its own community. To develop such centres
smaller corps are sold off and properties need to be move away from housing areas to purchase more
land. In places like Cairo, Egypt and Dubai, UAE for the state religion of Islam to engage with the
community there is a Mosque on every corner. Indeed, Catherine Booth saw that sometimes success
in numbers negatively impacted the success in the aims of The Salvation Army; to have individuals
form a relationship with God. Catherine wrote, “We united in the chapel for the prayer meeting, and
although the success was hindered by the great crowd, above 40 persons professed to find
salvation…”40 Captain William L. Brown, “What is success?” also questioned the idea Salvationists
have about success in numbers alone.41

The Salvation Army had corps or outposts in a large number of places throughout the Sunshine
Coast and to the north; 3 corps in Gympie with outposts, seasonal work at Cotton Tree, Bli Bli,
Buderim, Caloundra, Conondale, Coolum, Cooloolabin, Cooroy, Diddillibah, Eumundi, Maroochy
River, Maroochydore, Montville ‘Razorback’, Mooloolah, Ninderry, Noosa, North Arm, Palmwoods,
Petrie’s Creek, Tewantin, Woombye, Wappa, and Yandina. Many of these places, as Kerkhove
described, were little wooden boxes and sometimes regular open-air engagements.42

37 “Salvation Army,” Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser, (Nambour, Saturday, 6 July, 1907), 2.
38 Scott Simpson, “A new chapter,” Pipeline, (Sydney, October, 2015), 10-13.
39 Kerkhove, “Milieu and context.”
40 Cited in David Malcolm Bennett (2011) The Reminiscences of Catherine Booth, Camp Hill Publications, Brisbane, p.
29.
41 William L. Brown, “What is success,” The Officer, (London, Vol. 17, No. 10, October, 1966), 707-709.
42 Kerkhove, “Milieu and context.”

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Expressions of Salvationism on the Sunshine Coast throughout the years.
Each flag represents a Salvation Army corps or outpost.43

The early Salvation Army understood that people would not necessarily come to their centres,
so Salvationists went to the smaller communities. The smaller communities repaid the Army’s
attention by attending the meetings. Kerkhove gave one such example for 1894. He stated that 100
people crowded into the little old Diddillibah school hall for a Salvation Army meeting, this is
significant considering that the population of Nambour and Woombye together had only around 600
people at this time. The sight of 100 people together was a very unusual occurrence.44 In addition the
100 people would have been a sight in a hall that should only seat 70 people.45 Yet the 100 people
mattered to the Army so the Army came to Diddillibah.

Throughout the 1980s and 2000s the Sunshine Coast went against the trend of south east
Queensland Salvation Army development. As corps and outpost in Brisbane were closing or
combining the Army on the Sunshine Coast was expanding. Outposts like Caloundra, Maroochydore
and Noosa developed in to corps and some of them opened their own outpost.46

Myth Four – Corps worked as a ‘faith community’
Current assumption – Corps work inwardly with the different sections and focus on ministries that
have direct and immediate outcomes for growth and pastoral care.47
Fact – Salvationists developed unique ministries – to serve others – to serve their local community –
to serve the wider society that did not always impact local corps growth.

43 The map was developed from google maps.
44 “Historical tables, demography, 1823 to 2008”. Queensland Government, (Australia, 2016),
http://www.qgso.qld.gov.au/products/tables/historical-tables-demography/index.php, as cited in Ray Kerkhove,
“Heinrich Keil and the origins of Keil Mountain,” (no publication information).
45 “Advertisement,” Town Associations, Sunshine Coast News, Coast eMedia Pty Ltd (Australia, 2006), ¶ 6,
http://sunshinecoastnews.com.au/Events/Community%20Services/Town%20Associations-343.aspx, accessed 2 July,
2016.
46 See The Salvation Army Disposition of Forces, (Sydney, The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory, 1960s to
2010s).
47 See for James Condon, “Building a better future,” Pipeline, (Sydney, May, 2015), 7, 10.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2016. Page 198

Caloundra boasted two unique ministries and a more traditional approach with an outward looking
focus that would never immediately grow the local corps, but did positively impact the wider
Salvation Army.

Salvation Army Huts were established during WWII and one was located at Caloundra.
Caloundra had Rest, Recreation and Training Camps and were utilised during route marches and
training for amphibious operations. The Red Shield Hut at Caloundra was a tent at the light horse
camp, these centres were built, equipped and maintained entirely by The Salvation Army and served
as a rest, writing or entertainment room.48 As military personnel were on the move the local corps
would not have received immediate growth from this ministry.

The second ministry was a camp. For many years The Salvation Army had the Caloundra –
Conference Centre & Youth Camp on The Esplanade, Bulcock Beach. This property saw Salvationist
and non-Salvationist campers be ministered to with no direct influence upon the local corps. Spiritual
retreats, music camps, leadership training, children camps and camps for the poor were all held on
the site and it would be unlikely that any would attend the corps through these activities. The property
was sold in 2004 with the promise that another camp site was to take its place on the Sunshine Coast,
this has not eventuated.

In addition, more traditional types of work were taken to smaller communities. The ministries
developed in many of the small camps (settlements) throughout the Sunshine Coast. A school hall,
memorial hall, empty cottage, CWA hall and an open-air green space were all pressed into service to
minister to communities. Salvationists did this knowing that people would not travel back to the corps
centres, but still needed to hear about the love of God and the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.
As Steve Hedgren and Rob Lyle stated, “Booth realized that a corps is only truly healthy and biblical
if it sees its mission as reaching outside itself.”49

Myth Five – The movement was Anglo-centric
Current assumption – The need to engage with multicultural ideas to create a number of sub-cultures
and different ministries to bring in people of different cultures.50
Fact – The Salvation Army had corps made up of minority populations or integrated individual South
Sea Islanders and Aboriginals into other corps.

Bennie and Minnie Buka Buka, Buderim Kanaka Salvationist couple
known for their musical excellence (Photograph courtesy of Bill and Bev Lavarack).

48 “Salvation Army Huts at camp,” The Courier-Mail, (Brisbane, Thursday, 9 November, 1939), 2.
49 As cited in Steve Hedgren and Rob Lyle, “Hallmarks of a healthy corps,” Pipeline, (Sydney, January, 2015), 35.
50 See for example, Esther Pinn, “Time for a change, Salvation Army encouraging a new approach to reconciliation,”
Pipeline, (Sydney, May, 2015), 41.

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Kerkhove claimed that, “Only down-and-outs, drunks and ‘coloured folk’ usually bothered with the
movement. Thus Buderim’s Salvation Army ‘Camp’ (church) for a long time consisted almost solely
of Pacific Islanders (the semi-enslaved sugar cane workers).”51 The outpost at Buderim Mountain
also ministered to the camps (settlements) of the local sugar cane workers and aboriginal people. Not
only did visiting officers and soldiers hold meetings at these centres,52 but the corps band travelled
the area as well as north to Gympie and south to Brisbane. One report gave a description of the band
of the Corps:

Buderim Mountain has a novel Salvation Army band, composed entirely of coloured soldiers-
aborigines, kanakas, half-casts, &c. – and a small full black picaninny, of about 7 years of age,
plays a cornet. This young musician has been taught to read the score, which is fastened on his
father’s knee. A girl of 12, beats the drum, and members of the band are orderly, disciplined,
earnest, and generally well-behaved.53

A group of Buderim Mountain Salvationists in 1896.54

No special programs or ministries were developed as all were incorporated into Salvationism and the
Army’s culture. In another article Ray Kerkhove stated:

For the Kanaka converts, the Salvation Army offered opportunities of travel and a degree of
acceptance, camaraderie and promotion unheard of in the largely prejudiced world of Colonial
Australia. The Salvationists’ equitable treatment of non-Europeans and their deep empathy for
the impoverished or afflicted made them good partners for the community, and one of the few
available paths into the benefits of Western civilization.55

The Army often worked against society’s cultural while it accepted all into its own. There are other
examples of Aborigines and South Sea Islanders being connected with The Salvation Army. Ipswich

51 Gittins, The Salvation Army Nambour Corps, 5-7, 11f. cited in Kerkhove, “Heinrich Keil and the origins of Keil
Mountain”.
52 See for example “Salvation Army,” Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser, (Nambour, Friday, 12 February, 1904), 2.;
“Salvation Army,” Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser, (Nambour, Saturday, 6 July, 1907), 2.; “Salvation Army,”
Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser, (Nambour, Saturday, 24 August, 1907), 2.; “Salvation Army,” Chronicle and
North Coast Advertiser, (Nambour, Saturday, 7 September, 1907), 2.
53 The Week, (Brisbane, Friday, 2 May, 1924), 13.
54 Gittins, The Salvation Army Nambour Corps, 9. The Salvation Army hall was in Mill Road and was later removed to
become a clubhouse on the golf course in 1932.
55 Ray Kerkhove, Spiritual dimensions of Buderim’s Indigenous history, (no publication information), 5.

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