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by John Pettifer
Baden-Powell
invited only one religious minister to become a
vice-president of the Scout Association when he
formed it - the Salvation Army's founder; Reverend
William Booth.
After declining the offer due to
his heavy work load, Reverend Booth asked B.-P. if
the Salvation Army could use the Scout program and
method when training its youth. When B.-P. agreed,
the Salvation Army Scout Association (a branch of
Scouting known as the "Life-Saving Scouts) was
created; it ran independently until the mid 1030s.
In 1937, an agreement brought an affiliation
between the Salvation Army Scout Association and
the Boy Scouts of Canada.
Today, the Salvation Army Scout
Association continues as a separate Scout
Association, recognized by World Scouting through
that affiliation. In almost all respects, the
Salvation Army Scout Group is a full member of the
local Scouts Canada Council. (The other recognized
Scout Association in Canada is L'Association des
Scouts du Canada. Representatives from both these
organizations sit of Scouts Canada's National
Council.)
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Ties that Bind
Recently, the Salvation Army's
Territorial Commander, Commissioner Don Kerr,
attended the National Council meeting to sign a
revised Memorandum of Agreement that allowed for
co-education Scouting within the Salvation Army
groups. As well, he strengthened the bond between
the two organizations.
Until recently, the Salvation
Army had a strong affiliation with Canadian
Guiding, but decided to sever that relationship due
to changes within Guiding that the Salvation Army
felt were weakening the spiritual emphasis. The
Army made the change reluctantly, but continues to
recognize and praise Guiding for its excellent
leadership training. While Salvation Army groups
welcome children of all religious backgrounds and
beliefs, Scouting forms an integral part of the
Salvation Army's Christian Education program. In
addition to subscribing to the appropriate Scout
Promise and Law, Salvation Army Group members must
also subscribe to the Salvation Army pledge, "to
abstain from the use of intoxicating drink, drugs,
tobacco, gambling and all other injurious
habits."
Two Salvation Army youth
publications ("The
Edge", and the "Young
Soldier") often contain
Scouting articles. Top performers in Salvation Army
groups receive "The General's Award." Those adults
who demonstrated "exceptional Christian service to
youth through Scouting receive the "Scouter's
Award." The Army promotes the Religion in Life
Award within its groups, too. (Contact Salvation
Army offices for details.
Methodist Roots
The worldwide Salvation Army is a church with
Methodist heritage and doctrines. In Canada, its
administrative territory covers both Canada and
Bermuda (though Scouting in Bermuda comes under the
UK Scout Association). The Army has 16 divisional
headquarters (DHQ), each operating under a
divisional commander (DC).
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Each divisional commander also
has a divisional youth secretary (DYS) who
provides support and contact for Scout groups
within the division. Nationally, a Territorial
Scout Director (Captain Dirk Van Duinen) maintains
contact. He is based in Toronto. (Captain Van
Duinen recently received the Scouter's
Award.)
Not a Sponsor
The Salvation Army isn't a
"sponsor" in generally accepted Scouting terms, but
a separate association affiliated with Scouts
Canada. As part of the affiliation agreement, the
Salvation Army retains its distinct identity, with
authority over its leaders, and its own policies
concerning finances, appointments, and spiritual
emphasis. In addition to accepting Scouts Canada's
policies ( as outlined in Bylaw, Policies and
Procedures), the Salvation Army groups are also
guided by a similar, but complementary document,
"Orders and Regulations for the Salvation Army
Scouts."
New Salvation Army groups
register initially through their respective
Salvation Army divisional headquarters, though
subsequent registration, using Salvation Army
forms, is handled in the normal manner through
local Scout offices.
Salvation Army Scouting has had
a long and close association with Scouts Canada.
This will continue as both organizations move
confidently into the next millennium.
*This appeared in the
June/July 1998 edition of The Leader p37.
It is posted here with the kind permission of the
author. (The photo of William Booth was not part of
the original article and comments in parentheses
are mine)
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