Raids on ‘drunks’ all part of the mission from God

deansimpson7
Oct 15
2 min read

An image from 1897 showing two Salvationists praying for a ‘drunkard’ and leading him to Christ. (Right) An excerpt from the 1935 War Cry.

BY BARRY GITTINS

There’s nothing like a claim of divine intervention to bolster the spirits of the faithful, and the Salvos believe, like the cinematic brothers in blues from the 1980s, that they are on a mission from God – and with some divine assistance and guidance, they’ll set things right with the world.

Part of that mission used to be “a series of ‘drunks’ raids”, where Salvationists would seek out people who were the worse for wear, to render aid and share their faith.

On more than one occasion, 90 years ago, the Salvos believed their efforts, aided by God’s intervention, meant that “suicide was averted and domestic strife ended”.

In a 1935 War Cry report from Footscray (6km drive west from Melbourne’s CBD), we read that the corps officer, Major Carnell, felt led to lead his troops to a different spot for their open-air meeting; on the way back “they encountered a man ‘manifestly in great mental distress’”, who they persuaded to accompany them back to the hall.

There, he told them a “pitiful tale” as he prayed. “Had it not been for the music of the band,” we read, “he probably would have taken his life by his own hand, as he sorrowfully confessed, for when the Army passed by, he was on his way to the railway line to throw himself under a passing train.”

The man found peace with God and his newfound friends; he’d once “held a high position of trust, but drink had destroyed all his prospects in life… Plans are being made for his future.”

The same major reported that one Sunday morning, a bloke asked him to “visit a woman leaning over a gate further up the street”. He saw “a pitiful sight” – a young woman’s face “swollen and besmeared with blood. She had been shamefully beaten by her husband, who, the officer learned, was inside.”

The Salvo tried to reassure the assaulted woman and then confronted the husband. The Salvo confronted him “about his wrongdoing”, before speaking and praying with both the victim and the perpetrator in the one room; the article reports a penitent husband and his wife were drawn together, and “a touching reconciliation was effected”.

The major told his soldiers the story of that morning during the holiness meeting, and “two women Salvationists volunteered to visit the home regularly”; the abused wife attended the salvation meeting that very night.

Adverse mental health, suicidal ideation and domestic violence are still very much a part of the social fabric, although the prospect of groups like The Salvation Army accosting impacted people on the streets has been greatly reduced by societal and cultural change.

Are we likely to intervene in people’s lives these days, or be on the lookout for signs of God doing so? As General Albert Orsborn wrote, “except I am moved with compassion, how dwelleth Thy Spirit in me? In word and deed, burning love is my need; I know I can find his in Thee.”