A Church with a social mission

So in order to get a view from the top he arranged an interview with Lieutenant Dominic Eaton - who with his wife Debbie - are the local ministers.

Mr Smyth asked Lieutenant Eaton: “Is the Salvation Army a church?”

He replied: “Yes. The Salvation Army world-wide is a full member of the World Council of Churches and here in Northern Ireland is a full member of the Irish Council of Churches.

“What many people do not seem to understand is that the social work of the Salvation Army comes about because of the effort it makes to carry out Christ’s command to ‘Love Thy Neighbour,’ Matthew’s Gospel Chapter 25, Verses 34-40 define the reason for our social work.”

Lieutenant Eaton explained that the Salvation Army was second only to the Government in its social expenditure.

He said that the Salvation Army operates in 125 countries and that this brings a melting pot of different cultures to Carlisle Road Citadel each month with people from Bangladesh, India and Iran amongst those in attendance.

Mr Smyth added that all these cultures have their own form of story-telling and look at things like Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden in the context of their own culture.

“There are aspects of William Booth’s beliefs that are current in our daily living such as a registration of unemployed and employers seeking workers,” he commented.

“Much of our present NHS was outlined by Booth when he looked at the London Cab Horse Act,” he said.

“The notice of meetings in today’s Sentinel with the arrival of the Divisional Headquarters Team will reflect on the ‘Army’s’ place in the 21st century,” he added.