Text 8. Social Agencies. Salvation Army.

Salvation Army is an international Christian religious and charitable movement organized and operated on a military pattern. It furnishes various forms of assistance to persons in need of spiritual solace and material aid. The Army is established in more than 80 countries, preaching the gospel in about 112 languages in 16,000 evangelical centres and operating more than 3,000 social welfare institutions, hospitals, schools, and agencies.

It was founded in 1865 in London by the English Methodist minister William Booth. It was originally founded as the Christian Mission, with the aim of carrying on evangelical and social-welfare work among the inhabitants of the slum areas of London. The mission rapidly expanded its activities and in 1878 it was renamed the Salvation Army. Booth was accorded the title of general, and the officers and members of the organization were given military ranks and titles in accordance with their duties. The organization was later organized into territories, each of which had jurisdiction over a specified country or other major geographical area.

The international character of the Salvation Army dates from 1880, when a group of its members went to the United States and established an American branch in New York City. The movement subsequently spread to all parts of the world.

The Salvation Army was particularly active during World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945), rendering a wide variety of services to Allied soldiers. In World War II its American branch operated more than 3,000 War Service Units, including 1,000 mobile canteens, on 26 battlefronts. In the postwar period the Salvation Army promulgated a program called Marching Forward, the main objectives of which included the promotion of evangelism, the prevention of juvenile delinquency, aid to veterans and their families, extensions of services in police courts and prisons, and programs to end human suffering in countries devastated by war.

As of 1999 the Salvation Army operated in 94 countries, using 173 languages and dialects to preach the gospel. World membership of the group totals about 2 million people, of whom 17,000 are active officers. Some 600 kindergartens, 950 primary and middle schools, 100 secondary schools, 50 trade schools, 25 teacher training schools, one Bible college and one university are maintained by the Salvation Army in various parts of the world. The facilities operated by organization members throughout the world include maternity homes, children's homes, and hotels to give free lodging and to serve free meals.

The institutions operated by members in the United States include adult rehabilitation centers to enroll homeless people in a program of work and rehabilitation, children's camps, general hospitals, maternity homes and hospitals, children's homes and foster-care centers, residences for senior citizens and young working women, senior citizen centers, and centers for alcoholics. Such social services are offered without discrimination as to race or creed.

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Notes:

charitable – благотворительный;

spiritual solace – духовное утешение;

subsequently [‘sΛbsikwәntli] – впоследствии, позже;

Allied [ә’laid] soldiers – союзные войска;

promulgate – пропагандировать;

free lodging – бесплатное временное жилье;

foster-care centers – центры, помогающие усыновить детей;

creed – вероисповедание.