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Abiel said:The question I ask is 'what would happen if one of our local ne'er-do-wells were to wander into our hall on a Sunday morning.'
Andy Broadley said:General Booth Enters Into Heaven
Booth led boldly with his big bass drum
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
The Saints smiled gravely and they said, "He's come,"
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
Walking lepers followed rank on rank,
Lurching bravos from the ditches dank
Drabs the alleyways and drug fiends pale
Minds still passion ridden, soul flowers frail:
Vermin eaten saints with moldy breath,
Unwashed legions with the ways of Death
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
Ev'ry slum had sent its half a score
The world round over. (Booth had groaned for more).
Ev'ry banner that the wide world flies
Bloomed with glory and transcendent dyes,
Big voiced lassies made their banjoes bang,
Tranced, fanatical they shrieked and sang;
"Are you? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?"
Hallelulah! It was queer to see
Bull necked convicts with that land made free.
Loons with trumpets a blare, blare, blare,
On, on, upward thro' the golden air!
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
Booth died blind and still by Faith he trod,
Eyes still dazzled by the ways of God!
Booth led boldly and he look'd the chief
Eagle countenance in sharp relief,
Beard a-flying, air of high command
Unabated in that holy land.
Jesus came from the court house door,
Stretched his hands above the passing poor.
Booth saw not, but led his queer ones
Round and round the mighty courthouse square.
Yet! in an instant all that blear review
Marched on spotless, clad in raiment new.
The lame were straightened, withered limbs uncurled,
And blind eyes opened on a new, sweet world.
Drabs and vixens in a flash made whole!
Gone was the weasel head, the snout, the jowel
Sages and sibyls now, and athletes clean,
Rulers of empires and of forests green!
The hosts were sandall'd and their wings were fire!
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
But their noise play'd havoc with the angel choir,
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
Oh shout Salvation!
It was good to see Kings and Princes by the Lamb set free.
The banjos rattled and the tambourines
Jingling jingl'd in the hands of Queens.
And when Booth halted by the curb for prayer
He saw his Master thro' the flag fill'd air.
Christ came gently with a robe and crown
For Booth the soldier, while the throng knelt down.
He saw King Jesus; they were face to face,
And he knelt a-weeping in that holy place.
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Well you have a bit of work to do over there then don't you. We had a guy come in recently and he was still welcome to have a coffee and food even though he wasn't going to stay. On another occassion when he came he was welcome to put out copies of The Big Issue for our church members to buy. He was most certainly not ushered out. My wife and I continue to befriend him when he comes to church as well as when we pass him in the street and we even make special trips with the sole purpose of visiting him. So be careful before you make sweeping generalised rubbishing comments please that aren't true across the entire army. It may be true in some areas but don't bag out areas that are doing well in this regards.Andy Broadley said:Pfft.... we know the answer to that one.
They be ushered out as quickly and quietly as possible before anyone got distressed by them
true but of course that is just a poem not something that can be proven to have actually happened. The only thing from that poem we can be sure about is that William Booth went to heaven. If you like I could try to make up a poem that mentions reference checks. Will you then take it that reference checks should be conducted! Of course not. Let's have a sensible discussion shall we.Andy Broadley said:Read this through a few times.
No mention of reference checks
TheDag said:true but of course that is just a poem not something that can be proven to have actually happened. The only thing from that poem we can be sure about is that William Booth went to heaven. If you like I could try to make up a poem that mentions reference checks. Will you then take it that reference checks should be conducted! Of course not. Let's have a sensible discussion shall we.
I for one wouldn't mind people who aren't christians being prevented from becoming soldiers. After all when you become a soldier you agree to certain things and I've met soldiers who have become soldiers because it looks good to be involved with the salvos. They don't believe Jesus rose from the dead and they have the occasional alcoholic drink. I think something should be done to prevent that kind of thing happening. Certainly anyone may come to the meetings but lets remember that there are standards to be kept when you become an adherant or a soldier and we need to make sure they are being kept.Andy Broadley said:So lets have some reasons for reference checks being made before someone can become a soldier.
TheDag said:I for one wouldn't mind people who aren't christians being prevented from becoming soldiers. After all when you become a soldier you agree to certain things and I've met soldiers who have become soldiers because it looks good to be involved with the salvos. They don't believe Jesus rose from the dead and they have the occasional alcoholic drink. I think something should be done to prevent that kind of thing happening. Certainly anyone may come to the meetings but lets remember that there are standards to be kept when you become an adherant or a soldier and we need to make sure they are being kept.
TheDag said:maybe you could check with the people the applicant associates with. Get the CO to talk to them. Some soldiers I've come across made no secret of the fact that they had the odd drink and didn't agree with some of the statements they agree to uphold. I'm one of those annoying people. I tell the truth. If I had been asked about them I would've mentioned the drink.
InTheFlame said:Mmmmm.... I think some of our corps probably have, yes. Sometimes I'm tempted to think, though, that a few visits to a shelter, soup kitchen or drug rehab centre should be compulsory before anyone becomes a Soldier. Does that make me too 'nice' or not nice enough?
(PS. I think 'nice' is being used in the old, old meaning... once upon a time it simply meant 'precision or fastidiousness', not 'pleasant/enjoyable'. Make sense?)
InTheFlame said:Hmmmm... I think I agree with you on the basics, but not necessarily on WHAT exactly we should be doing.
I suspect that the SA's main problem in the west is that it worked out that the old methods weren't working too well, and stopped them... but hasn't quite worked out all its NEW methods!But some parts of the SA are. Take a look at the Project 614s in Vancouver and Toronto, for example.
Definitely, we should be out there on the streets. Do we need to haul a band out to a park? Welllll... maybe a bbq and public prayer breakfast would work just as well. Or a prayer tent at the local markets. Or serving coffee at the local gay pride event. From what I've read, the SA was primarily a nuisance to the other churches, NOT the general populace
I've done very little community service in the last couple of years. Add a fulltime job to depression, and sometimes there aint much of me left over! And atm, add in early pregnancyBut on the bright side, I have made an effort to get to know the down-and-out types around our suburb, and the non-down-and-outs too! So I feel as though I'm still doing my bit... just.
Sascha Fitzpatrick said:What do soldiers do then, exactly?
I'd always figured that soldiership meant a commitment to working with the SA for those who are downtrodden and destitute.
This thread makes me think this may not be the case... :?
FWIW - I'm not a soldier, due to the alcohol AOW. I have thought about it, under the assumption that it meant you'd primarily be doing the 'social work' side of SA if you were a soldier.
I'm a bit confused...
Sasch
Gwen'sMom said:Andy, when you become a Soldier are you taught how to evengelise or do you just "wing it" on your own? Are you taught how to bring up the subject in conversation?
Also Andy, when you are introduced to an Office how do you greet them? Do you say "Hi Major Smith" or "Hi Bob"? Is there a proper ettiquite? I just want to do things proper.
I would say the proper way is to address them how they would prefer to be addressed.Gwen'sMom said:Andy, when you become a Soldier are you taught how to evengelise or do you just "wing it" on your own? Are you taught how to bring up the subject in conversation?
Also Andy, when you are introduced to an Office how do you greet them? Do you say "Hi Major Smith" or "Hi Bob"? Is there a proper ettiquite? I just want to do things proper.
TheDag said:I would say the proper way is to address them how they would prefer to be addressed.
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