The Salvation Army SA/NT
Salvos celebrate 140 years in Australia!
It all started here in Adelaide!
5 September, 1880
This Saturday, The Salvation Army celebrates 140 years in Australia!.
It was in Botanic Park that The Salvation Army held its first open‐air meeting on Australian soil
on 5 September 1880.
Edward Saunders and John Gore, two prior converts of The Salvation Army in England met at a
meeting of the temperance evangelist Matthew Burnett in Adelaide in April 1880 and together
with James Hooker, they started holding open‐air meetings in Light Square.
140 Years ago, on 5 September, 1880 at a Botanic Park open‐air meeting, John Gore standing
on the back of a grocer's cart announced The Salvation Army's arrival in Australia with the
invitation, "if there is any man here who hasn't had a meal today let him come home with me."
The Salvation Army's dual mission of evangelism and social welfare was begun by lay people,
with Captains Thomas and Adelaide Sutherland arriving five months later to a well‐established
congregation.
The movement grew rapidly and quickly began Corps (Churches) right around South Australia
and Australia.
Welfare work was informal at first, but by the time of the Depression, homes for unmarried
mothers, released prisoners and unemployed men had been established, in addition to hospital
visitation, missing persons tracing and clothing distribution. Armed services chaplaincy began
during the First World War.
The Salvation Army took seriously the principle of the priesthood of all believers and viewed
this as meaning the equality of all believers. The attempt to implement this in the life of the
early Salvation Army can be seen in the varied backgrounds of the early Officers. Nineteen‐year old
Captain Susan Upton was a domestic servant, Captain John Jago had owned a public house
in Nailsworth and Captain Ned Foyle was a reformed alcoholic sailor.
140 years on and we are still here! While we may not be jumping on the back of grocer's carts,
we are still providing meals to those who need it. We are still providing accommodation for
those suffering from homelessness, family and domestic violence and addiction. We are still
providing emergency relief for those in financial hardship. We are still assisting those impacted
by disaster.
We are still giving hope, where it is needed MOST Today.
The Salvation Army continues its dual mission of evangelism and social welfare. Lay
involvement in mission is still strong and outreach to the poor and marginalized continues
through the many services it provides in our community today.
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