Salvation Army Printed Collections
IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 2133 Salvation Army Printed Collections
Held at: Salvation Army International Heritage Centre
Domain: printed
Title: Salvation Army Printed Collections
Date(s) of contents: c 1868-
Level of description: Collection
Extent and medium: c 3,500 books and pamphlets.
CONTEXT
Name of creator(s): Christian Mission East London Christian Mission Salvation Army
Administrative/Biographical history: The East London Christian Mission was founded by the Methodist Reverend William Booth in 1865, and changed its name firstly to the Christian Mission and finally, in 1878, to the Salvation Army. The new name reflected the organization's quasi-military structure and ethos, which viewed its objectives as a form of spiritual warfare. The Salvation Army was formed as a nondeminational, integral part of the Christian church, its objectives being 'the advancement of the Christian religion… of education, the relief of poverty, and other charitable objectives beneficial to society or the community of mankind as a whole' (Salvation Army Act 1980). As well as evangelising, the Salvation Army has been involved in temperance, medical, educational and social work. An interesting aspect of the Salvation Army's work, consolidating its actual evangelisation, was its programme of emigration schemes which it ran to all parts of the British Empire during the early years of the twentieth century. A notable aspect of the Salvation Army's structure is that it has from its early days employed women at equal ranking to men.
However, although the Army's sphere of activity eventually expanded to include over 100 countries worldwide, it never considered itself to be a missionary organisation in the normal sense of the term, preferring, rather, to establish its work locally. Its library aims to include a copy of every book published by the Salvation Army, in English and other languages, as well as books about Salvationists and the work of the Salvation Army, and is probably the largest collection of Salvation Army literature under one roof anywhere in the world.
See also:
Robert Sandall, Arch R Wiggins and Frederick Lee Coutts, The history of the Salvation Army, 7 vols (Atlanta : Salvation Army Supplies, 1986).
Jeffrey Cox, Imperial fault lines: Christianity and colonial power in India, 1818-1940 (Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 2002).
Custodial history: Accrued by the Salvation Army Heritage Centre.
Immediate source of acquisition:
CONTENT AND STRUCTURE
Scope and content/abstract: The reference library consists of over 3,500 books and pamphlets, in addition to almost complete runs of Salvation Army periodicals published in Britain, together with some periodicals from overseas, including the Indian War Cry (1886-1983) and The Crusader (China, 1921-1941). The library aims to include a copy of every book published by The Salvation Army, in English and other languages, as well as books about Salvationists and the work of The Salvation Army, and is probably the largest collection of Salvation Army literature under one roof anywhere in the world.
Books held by the library include the published writings of William Booth and his wife Catherine, and other members of the Booth family, Salvation Army teaching material, Bible study books, Orders and Regulations, and Handbooks of Doctrine, as well as biographies of many Salvationists. The music collection includes volumes of The Musical Salvationist (1886-1993), as well as Salvation Army tune books and song books for congregational singing and soloists. The history section includes histories of the work internationally and in a number of countries, copies of William Booth's book, In Darkest England and the way out, and criticism of the Darkest England scheme, as well as progress reports on aspects of Salvation Army social work and other programmes, including war work and emigration.
Salvationist periodicals held by the library include titles covering:
International and local news, official announcements, obituaries (The East London Evangelist (1868-1869), The Christian Mission Magazine (1870-1878), The Salvationist (1879), The War Cry (1879 - present), All the World (1884-1929,1938 - present), Salvationist 1986 - present, The Salvation Army Year Book (1906-1908, 1910, 1913 - present));
Children and young people (The Little Soldier (1881-1887), The Young Soldier (1888-1996), Kids Alive (1996 - present), YP (1906-1910), The Warrior (1911-1955; various changes of title), Vanguard (1956-1972), The Life-Saving Scout and Guard (1921-1948), The Scout and Guard (1948-1955));
Officers and Local Officers (The Officer (1893-1899, 1913-1931, 1950 - present ), The Field Officer (1900-1913), The Officers' Review (1932-1949), The Staff Review (1922-1931), The Local Officer (1897-1908,1936));
Music and musicians (The Bandsman and Songster (1907-1937, various changes of title), The Musician (1938-1986));
Social work (The Deliverer (1889-1917, 1919-1923, 1928-1993), The Darkest England Gazette (1893-1894), The Social Gazette (1894-1917), The Social-Deliverer (1917));
Assurance Society (Assurance 1898-1903, 1924-1970), SAA (1910-1920), SAAS Ltd Broadcaster (1923));
Naval and Military/Red Shield work (Under the Colors (1897-1919, incomplete series)).
System of arrangement:
ACCESS AND USE
Language: English plus many indigenous languages.
Conditions governing access: In view of the age and condition of the original volumes, some titles such as The War Cry and The Social Gazette are only available for reference on microfilm.
Conditions governing reproduction: Usual copyright rules apply.
Finding aids: Card catalogue, plus local online databases.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Related material: Material relating to the Salvation Army that is housed outside of the UK can be found via the UK Heritage Centre's links to other Salvation Army Heritage Centres worldwide.
The Salvation Army International Heritage Centre also holds archives of overseas work.
Publication note: Further details about the Salvation Army Heritage Centre's library and some of its printed holdings have been published online, with particular reference to its periodicals.
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Note: Compiled with the aid of:
The website of the Salvation Army International Heritage Centre.
Rosemary Seton and Emily Naish, A preliminary guide to the archives of British missionary societies (London: School of Oriental and African Studies, 1992).
Date(s) of descriptions: September 2002.
- INDEX ENTRIES
- Subjects
-
- Assocations
- Christians
- Devotional texts
- Disaster relief
- Educational missionaries
- Educational missionary work
- Emigration
- Evangelistic missionaries
- Evangelistic missionary work
- History
- Humanitarian assistance
- Hymnals
- International cooperation
- International politics
- Medical missionaries
- Medical missionary work
- Migration
- Missionaries
- Missionary societies
- Missionary work
- Music
- Musical styles
- Nondenominational missionary societies
- Organizations
- Periodicals
- Protestant missionary societies
- Protestants
- Religious activities
- Religious conversion
- Religious groups
- Religious history
- Religious institutions
- Religious movements
- Religious music
- Religious organizations
- Religous texts
- Social problems
- Social welfare
- Social work
- Teaching materials
- Women missionaries
- Women's missionary work
- Youth organizations
- Assocations
- Personal names
-
- Booth | Catherine | 1829-1890 | née Mumford | "Mother" of the Salvation Army
- Booth | William | 1829-1912 | founder of the Salvation Army
- Booth | family | of London
- Booth | Catherine | 1829-1890 | née Mumford | "Mother" of the Salvation Army
- Corporate names
-
- Christian Mission
- East London Christian Mission
- Salvation Army
- Christian Mission
- Places
-
- Europe
- London
- UK
- Western Europe
- Europe