Relics of the Salvation Army

A couple of weeks ago I was at a wedding in Exeter UK. The venue was the old Salvation Army 'Temple' in Exeter which is a fascinating building. I was almost distracted from the wedding by the furniture. Streching the whole width of the hall, approx 40 feet, was a beautifully polished 'Pentitent Form'. This was the 'altar' of the Salvation Army where souls were encouraged to 'get right with God'. The 'form' is really not intended for 'sitting' but to put your elbows on as you kneel.

In 2 foot high letters of gold it carried the words..

[size=large]"HERE BRING THY... ...WOUNDED HEART"[/size]

...split into the two halves of the Penitent Form and consequently spread right across the width of the hall. A little lower in slightly smaller letters were the two more golden words

[size=large]"Salvation...Holiness".[/size]

The Salvation Army Sunday meetings used to be a 'Holiness Meeting' in the morning and a 'Salvation Meeting' in the evening. This beautiful old piece of furniture is a 'relic' from the days when we believed people needed to 'repent' to come to Christ and presumed that if God was not already at work in their 'wounded hearts' they would not wish to come.

The Salvation Army officers did not 'counsel' the enquirers but knelt with them to 'pray through' until they came to personal conviction that God had heard their cries for mercy; hence it was often called the 'Mercy Seat'. Whether they came for 'Salvation' or for 'Holiness' they came to the same place; to Christ alone, with their wounded hearts.

It sat there through the whole (wonderful) wedding almost transfixed by the silent testimony of the days when God was expected to move in people's lives and bring them 'broken hearted' to the cross.

Have we lost something...?

If only these benches could talk! What stories they would tell of God's miracles in the hearts of people!

Diane

My photos don't really show it very clearly but the small 'cupboard' in the centre has the words 'Salvation' and 'Holiness' in the scrolls. You can just about make it out if you zoom twice on the lower picture.

Ron, these pics are most powerful. Relics from an ancient time, a long-past era, a period when the land was inhabited by "giants".

Whatever happened? What killed them off?

These are wonderful pictures. Thanks so much for sharing them. Andrew Strom in 2004 was invited to speak at a large Salvation Army gathering in Iowa of leaders to challenge them to remember their roots. He spoke two sessions on the history of the Salvation Army as well as the Gospel. Many were challenged and all but one stood to their feet at the invitation. It was an awesome sight.

Ron asked earlier "have we lost something?" I have been in churches where the altars were taken over to the side as if they were relics of the past. Sometimes they were completely broken down. I have also seen those altars repaired and used again. :-)

As some of you may know the sally Army has a dear place in my heart,My wife being one reason as we met while she was under the 'articles of war' and stationed in north London UK.Her parents are still in the S.A.
The sad thing is many of the old halls over here in the UK are being sold off for re development.One such hall I visited recently with my work.It was in Dover, a stones throw away from the white cliffs.
It was in a sorry state being stripped of every evidence of its former glory.As i walked around the different rooms, i could still imagine the place as it was intended,it had a magnificent main hall and wonderful skylight windows.The mercy seat was still intact but soon to be ripped out, As Diane commented, what stories could these old walls tell, if they could speak.
So, what is to become of it, sadly, luxury apartments,even the cornerstone with insciption will be no more

In the last 300 years of Christian History the main renewal ongoing movement has been the "holiness" movement. Today we have no trace of it barely left. All the "holiness" movements are not anymore but have the trappings and relics of the former days

Yes. My great great grandmother was Methodist turned Pentecostal. They desired to please the Lord at any cost. If they thought if offended God- it was gone.

I don't think it is by accident that it came through the holiness movement. When folk put their whole lives on the altar the fire will fall. This is basically what G.W. North said years ago. We can't fool God, He knows when the altar is full. When it's full the fire falls.

Hi, I picked up this thread quite by accident.

I was saddened to read this comment about The Salvation Army and its mercy seat. It was spoken of as if God has left us and the mercy seat is indeed a relic of a bygone age. I can tell you that the mercy seat is still very much a part of our worship and experience. In every corps church) there is a mercy seat - not usually as ornate as the one that was pictured and described - but there, nonetheless. In the corps where I am the minmister it is used frequently. The lasy time just a few weeks ago when 7 people knelt in porayer, worship, commitment and humbly seeking of blessing.

Oh please don't think that the Army has been forsaken by God!

At last Saturday's ordination of new officers the mercy seat was lined and lined again with seekers, and also with groups of people standing together to pray for one another. It was the most moving time as the Holy Spirit came.

The Army is a praying Army and though we have been brought low in numbers, he is blessing us and we are learning again to be warriors for him.

O see us on thine altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day.
To crown the offering now we pray:
Send the Fire! Send the Fire! Send the Fire!

We still have and use the altar in our churches. Many are too proud today to seek God publicly.

Whilst it may be true that some old buildings are going, you need to realise that old buildings don't last forever and sometimes lose their usefulness. Our own Temple, opened by William Booth himself, is up for sale for who-knows-what use.
But The Salvation Army in Newcastle is growing (and the mercy seat is used!)

I don't know much about The Army in Dover and the state of itse building but I do know the officers there are doing a remarkable, growing, evangelical work with Romany people.

We cannot - must not - hold on to the relics of the past as if they held some power still. Let's move forward with new facilities 'to serve the present age.'