Crest_Vol6_No1_Spring_2005

VOLUME 6 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2005

THE CREST

THE SALVATION ARMY ARCHIVES, CANADA AND
BERMUDA TERRITORY

Professor Wiggins, The Army’s Minstrel

The August 1900 first week Footnotes in history
edition of the War Cry car- 75 years ago.
ried a full page account of
the promotion to glory of MOTHER’S DAY
George A.C. Wiggins with
the heading “ Synopsis of Sunday, May 11th will be
the Career and promotion observed as ‘Mother’s
to Glory of our Glorified Day’ throughout the Terri-
Comrade the Late Profes- tory. Every corps will be
sor Wiggins.” expected to conduct ser-
vices in accordance with
“He is going to take me,” Professor Wiggins at the Piano directions issued through
were the last words which the Divisional Command-
our dear departed ers.
brother, Professor Wiggins Official Song Sheets with
intelligently uttered before order of service have
his now-glorified spirit had been prepared for these
gatherings. Orders for
flitted from its ‘house of clay’ to be these should be forwarded
to the Printing Secretary,
“forever with the Lord” Thus was the last testimony given by G.A.C Wiggins one of 20 Albert Street, Toronto.

the outstanding contributors to the world of Salvation Army music in the early days of JAMES HAY
Territorial Commander
the Salvation Army, Canada and Bermuda Territory.

When it came to matters musical Wiggins was a master. Prior to his Salvation Army
involvement not only was he a leading church organist but he was also a highly re-
garded music teacher. His music career began early in life, having played before
Queen Victoria shortly after his sixth birthday. His early aptitude for music opened up
an opportunity as an instructor of music in the British army. He traveled with the
army and eventually ended up in Fredericton N.B. where he was discharged on medi-
cal grounds. He then went back to England and enrolled in the Royal Academy of Mu-
sic in London, where he received his degree and remained as a teacher for one year.
Coming back to Canada he took a position in the Collegiate Institute of Whitby where
he was recognized as one of the professors of that institution. However, the professor
had a serious weakness in his character. He was a slave to alcohol. For 25 years whis-
key had been gradually gaining mastery over this talented musician. In time it had
such control over him that he would turn up in a drunken state for service in the local
church where he was choirmaster and organist.

THE SALVATION ARMY COMES TO WHITBY.

When Professor Wiggins heard the Salvationists on the street corner in Whitby he
began to think that the Judgment Day was drawing nigh, and that it was high time he
had quit the one unfortunate habit of his life and that which was destroying him- the
drink. He listened to the Army on the street two or three times and then followed them
to the barracks and there sought and found salvation. A transformation took place
immediately. He became a soldier, and a year or so later applied for officership. He
was accepted and was appointed to Cobourg corps. The soldiers of Cobourg Corps
were proud to have as their corps officer, not Captain Wiggins, but, as he was better
known, Captain Professor Wiggins. ...continued back page

THE CREST

Page 2

THE WAR CRY– May 13th, 1893

Outdoor Knee -Drill hitting, blood and fire people were “excited”
songs, set to swinging over the Easter War Cry.
Captain Sam Blackburn, of tunes. Now, ye poets, up None were left for the
and at it! meeting, and many offered
Lisgar Street, does not ap- them a quarter for a copy.
Contributions in the shape
pear to be tied down to of original airs are urgently Captain Read Writes
needed by our Musical De- From St. John’s
forms and ceremonies. Last partment. If you can put
words to the same so much I have just returned from a
Sunday morning, the the better. Now all you mu- tour north, around Trinity
sical Salvationists, arise and and Bonavista Bays. In all, I
weather being fine, he shine. walked fifty-four miles in
order to fulfill our appoint-
From a lecture During 1897 cam- thought he would have his Easter War Cry Sold Out ments, sailed a very small
paign in Dundee Scotland knee-drill outside. About schooner on a rough sea
This is rather late, but good over 100 miles, conducted
“ Souls! Souls! Souls! My heart twenty-three assembled, news all the same. 27 meetings and was gone
hungers for souls! There is no and had a glorious time. Lieut.Wrightman writes from St. John’s sixteen days.
need for me to teach you any- Here’s a good plan for the from Truro to say that the
thing. How can I, when a Scots- coming hot weather. Eighteen miles of the fifty-
four was through soft snow
man knows everything? - eve- Original Music Needed up to my knees, and that on
the first of May.
rything that ever happened, or Songs! Songs! songs ! We
is going to happen. No, you are Not unlike the travels of St.
cradled in theology, and fed on find ourselves much in Paul this !
religion. But I’ll tell you what I need of original , hard-

can do, I can urge you to make

practical use of what is in your

heads and your hearts. Real,

practical religion! To get you in

the way of the Saviour, who

went about doing good– that is

why I am here”

William Booth

“The Salvation Army What a The Great Councils In
strange name? What does it Newfoundland!
mean? Just what it says– a
number of people joined to- Thursday night was a won-
gether after the fashion of an derful time. Cadets were
army; and, therefore it is an promoted and became
army, and an army for the pur- Lieutenants, Lieutenants
pose of carrying salvation became full fledged Cap-
through the land, neither more tains by a word or two from
nor less than that.” the Brigadier, and three
warriors( 0ld warriors, I
Catherine Booth believe) are now Brigade
Captains, each in charge of
a district comprising of sev-
eral corps. The Salvation
Army here is, as Brigadier
Jacobs says, in the whole-
sale business not retail.

VOLUME 6 NUMBER 1

Page 3

COMMENTARY

Captain John Roberts was VE Day Celebrations overseas during the war. One gentleman( not a vet-
known as the Childrens’ eran) said that every Christmas since the war his fa-
Captain in the early days of Windsor Ontario ther, Harold Fielder would put a donation, equivalent
the Army. It is thought that to the cost of two new blankets into the Christmas
he was the first officer to My wife and I at the invita- kettle, and since his passing, he the son has done
conduct meetings for chil- tion Of the Public Relations likewise.
dren. His work gave birth Director, set up a display in
to the world wide ministry the Windsor ON. Armoury His father had been wet and cold and upon coming
of The Salvation Army to in connection with the VE into contact with a Salvation Army Red Shield worker
children and youth, which Day celebrations which was given two blankets which he took with him into
has touched the lives of were held in the city. Our Germany as the war came to an end.
tens of thousands of young display depicted the role of
people. Today as then The Salvation Army and the Shortly after entering one of the bombed out German
working with youth is of Red Shield Supervisors cities he came upon a German mother and her four
paramount importance and during both World War 1 children. She had very little, her husband had been
demands a solid investment and World War 11. Over a an officer in the German army and was now dead
of personnel and finances. period of two days 1255 and she and her children were desperate. Harold
students and their teachers took pity on her and gave her his two Salvation Army
The ’Youth and Children’s’ visited the military displays blankets. She in turn out of gratitude gave him an en-
display in the Army Mu- as well as our display. We graved German ceremonial pipe which Harold’s son
seum shows how innovative had the priviledge of an- still has in his possession today. And the two blankets
and creative early day swering their questions and given to a soldier over sixty years ago are still adding
youth leaders were as they talking about the Salvation to The Salvation Army’s annual Christmas appeal .
sought to bring children to Army. It was an education
a personal knowledge of for the students as well as JEC
Jesus, and today’s youth for ourselves.
leaders continue to provide Historical Society Meeting Schedule 2005
that same kind of creative Two Blankets!
leadership. (Meetings will be held in Calvert Room T.H.Q.)
One of the pleasures of the
two days was listening to Monday October 3rd. 7:30 P.M.
the veterans as they visited
our display and spoke with Monday December 5th 7:30 p.m.
fondness of their associa-
tion with The ‘SALLY ANN’

From the Tackaberry files January 31,1883 New Museum Displays

November 8th, 1882 something irreverent in the (Kingston) This morning a ‘Children and Youth.’
hymn,”Elijah was a jolly old trunk arrived from the relates to the international
Rev Mr.Bray of Montreal, man, and was carried off to Cape upon which were theme ‘2005 A Year For
is opposed to The Salva- heaven in a fiery van.” Yet written the words”captain Children and Youth.’
tion Army and it’s meth- its intent is good. It is de- Abbie Thompson”
ods. The Reverend gentle- signed to convey to the “Hallelujah” “Fire”. The The ‘General Clarence D.
man particularly objects to untutored mind a biblical Customs officer eyed it Wiseman’ display pays
the hymnology of the truth in language suited to suspiciously, and thought tribute to The Army’s 10th
Army, portions of which the capacities of the per- of dynamite, infernal ma- general and first Canadian
contain, in his opinion, sons on whose behalf The chines, and fenians. He general.
very little of religious fer- Salvation Army labours. refused to search it, and
vour. Certainly it is hardly ordered its removal to the 2005 Year of The Veteran
possible to escape the The Toronto Globe warehouse to await its display saluting Canada’s
conclusion that there is owner veterans.

The Toronto Mail

THE SALVATION ARMY ARCHIVES, CANADA AND BERMUDA TERRITORY
26 HOWDEN ROAD, TORONTO ON M1R 3E4

PRESENTLY PRESERVING THE PAST FOR FUTURE WE ARE ON THE WEB:
INSPIRATION
W W W. HE R IT AG E. SA LVA TI O NA R MY. C A
….continued from page 1
a rich blessing and more power for our afternoon
His next appointment to Brockville was the scene of his arrest meeting. Two-thirty p.m. grand march and open
and imprisonment in the Brockville jail for having refused to air at the market square, Captain Wiggins and
obey the Magistrate’s orders not to hold anymore open airs or Lieutenant Glidden with cornets, drawing hun-
march along the town’s streets. As he was being led off to jail he dreds of people to hear what the Lord had done for
could be heard singing at the top of his voice: “ I’m satisfied with us when deep in sin.
Jesus here, He’s everything to me.”
Evening at 8 o’clock, a real Holy Ghost, Salvation,
It was immediately after his release from the Brockville jail that how to be happy meeting. Happy Bill and his wife,
he wrote the words and music of that song which has gone God bless them, gave powerful testimonies to the
around the world: saving power of Jesus. Staff Captain Cooper sang

“Forward soldiers, marching on to war ” What the Lord has Done For Jim and Me.” Accom-
panied on the piano by Captain Wiggins who also
Step out boldly, keep the foe in view; sang several solos

We shall conquer, for we know we are He represented the Canada and Bermuda Territory
at the Crystal Palace in London, England during the
True Blood and Fire soldiers of the King of Kings.” Triennial Congress in1890. Writing to his wife from
the Congress Hall, Clapton, London, England he
Following a brief career as a corps officer the professor captain said: “ I cannot describe to you the grandeur of the
was appointed to territorial headquarters staff where he was processions and meetings at the Crystal Palace. I
involved in the music of the territory. He traveled throughout trembled and cried with delight. About one hun-
the territory making and singing Salvation Army music and dred and thirty thousand people present, 5200 offi-
songs and telling what Christ had done for him through the cers among them, every country represented;
Army’s instrumentality. 1,000 bandsmen – I played on the piano at the pal-
ace, 500 out to the penitent form.”
He was a prolific writer of songs. In 1885 a booklet of his songs
titled “ New and Original Songs” composed by Professor Geo. A talented musician and soldier of Jesus Christ,
A.C. Wiggins, B.A was published by Commissioner T.B.Coombs. upon being suddenly promoted to glory was given
an impressive service in the Lippincott barracks,
Another booklet of songs was published in 1887. Songs such as where he loved to come and “sing and pray and
“Come Away To Calvary”,” There’s A War To Wage”, and ” I’m play for Jesus” as he used to say. He was given a
Saved and Fully Trusting” were just a few of his compositions. soldier’s funeral, his body being laid in Mount
Pleasant Cemetery, on Tuesday June 19th 1900.
The War Cry June 1885 carried the following report: COBOURG.

VICTORY FOR God! DEATH TO THE DEVIL!

Eleven o’clock Holiness meeting grand, good feeling; received

THESE WE HAVE KNOWN….

Their influence lives on.

Lieut Colonel and Mrs Ernest Parr As a senior bandsman and songster he was he met Eva Snowden who became the love of
actively involved in corps life, and was em- his life and subsequently his wife.
Ernie Parr, a young lad in ployed as a clerk in the Glasgow Branch of
Govan, Glasgow, Scotland, dis- The Salvation Army Emigration and Travel They entered the Training College from Dover-
covered The Salvation Army and Department. He soon became renowned for court Citadel corps and were commissioned
quickly became involved in its his prowess as a soprano cornetist and joined by General Eva Booth. Corps appointments
activities. Joining the Govan the International Staff band. were followed by appointments in administra-
Junior Band he quickly came tion and as the Principal of the College for
under the influence of a godly Ernie was only a lad of 19 when he set sail for Officers Training in Toronto. In all of their ap-
bandmaster. Canada on board the S.S. Antonia. He found pointments Eva was an inspiring influence of
his way to Winnipeg where a job awaited him Christian love. Her last appointment was as the
and a place in the Winnipeg Citadel band Territorial Retired Officers Secretary while
under the leadership of Bandmaster Henry Ernie was the Staff Secretary, Territorial Head-
Merrit. During his six years in Winnipeg quarters. A gifted musician and poet, the Colo-
Ernie became involved in the senior band nel will always be remembered for his special
and also the young people’s bandleader. He words ands notes of encouragement. We thank
also worked in the Finance Department at God that they passed our way.
territorial headquarters, Winnipeg where