What in the world?
- deansimpson7
- Oct 10
- 2 min read
BY BARRY GITTINS
One hundred years ago, in their 1925 periodical, the War Cry, Salvationists were bemoaning the influence of popular culture (films, sport, gambling, ‘the funny paper, the dance rooms’, etc.) on ‘the worldlings’ they wanted to recruit – that is, on their neighbours, relatives, workmates and fellow citizens who they believed were seduced by ‘the world’ and all its pleasures.
The role of ‘the world’ in distracting people from joining The Salvation Army, in cahoots with those other distractions ‘the flesh’ and ‘the devil’, was a serious issue for Salvos, as shown by the illustrations from that year.
The 3 October cover showed ‘the world’ focusing on money, drama, fashion, gossip, etc., ignoring The Salvation Army’s invitation.
It’s a common theme for many churches, this fear and jealousy of the world’s drawing power. It possibly stems from Jesus Christ’s evocative command to be in the world but not of the world; to swim in the culture but not be part of the culture.
The Salvos were a curious case of embracing and using popular culture when it suited them, and no lesser an authority than William Booth had dreamed that The Salvation Army could be ‘the whole world redeeming’ in scope, if they swam in Christ’s love (in his 1893 song, O Boundless Salvation).
Another way to see the world – as a beautiful creation of God, who as Jesus taught wanted people to have ‘life in all its fullness’ – was that the world could point people to the One who made it.
The classic 1927 song (we used to call them Negro spirituals) He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands used the examples of creation to encourage singers to see God’s hand present and over all creation.
Three more illustrations of the era when the War Cry ‘went to war’ on the lure of ‘the world’.
It was in 1934 that the Army’s fourth world leader (and first female General) Evangeline Booth wrote the life-affirming, ambitious anthem, The World for God, with its pledge: ‘I give my heart! I’ll do my part!’
The Salvation Army is at its most alluring when it presents the message of Christ’s love to the people it encounters, be it at the movies, the shops, at the corps or in the workplace.
The notion of ‘the world, the flesh and the devil’ all conspiring to lead humanity away from God is not necessarily one that Jesus pushed; the Son of man was more likely to be found hanging out with his mates or with ‘dodgy types’ at parties than sitting morosely with Pharisees and the respectably judgmental.
READ MORE: For more articles on Salvation Army history, click here
