When Queen Victoria sat on the British throne, and Benjamin Disraeli was her prime minister, a Christian newspaper was launched that may still be found on the nation’s streets nearly 150 years later.
In 1879, as British soldiers fought the Anglo-Zulu war in southern Africa, the Salvation Army began publishing ‘The War Cry,’ a publication that continues today as a significant technique of outreach for the evangelical Christian charity.
A United States ‘War Cry’ was first published in 1881 and is one among quite a few editions published overseas.
I’m a giant fan of ‘The War Cry’ and buy a replica each time I see it on sale from a Salvation Army member in London or on a neighborhood high street. The publication’s long life is evident evidence that printed publications still have a job to play in a digital world – and may form a very important a part of Christian mission alongside in-person and online outreach.
As someone who has been involved in Christian communications for greater than 50 years, I’m impressed at how ‘The War Cry’ at all times seek to be relevant – and difficult – to non-church readers.
Recent editions have featured Premier League club AFC Bournemouth explaining the meaning of a Bible verse on a player’s bandage, lessons in honesty from a latest ITV spy drama, and a Christian mother explaining why she selected home education for her daughter.
Each edition includes information on how one can turn into a Christian, and a prayer to commit one’s life to Christ. New believers can apply to receive free information concerning the faith.
Salvation Army corps are encouraged to distribute copies through their networks and community activities. In past years, significant numbers were sold at local pubs, with the ‘Sally Army’ seller being a well-known sight amongst weekend drinkers.
Today, the Salvation Army reports that ‘The War Cry’ reaches around 1.7 million readers within the UK and Ireland alone, and raises around £1.6 million to support community projects.
I even have a private connection. For 90 years, ‘The War Cry’ was printed in St Albans, north of London, not removed from the church where I minister.
The Salvation Army’s Campfield Press produced the newspaper from 1901 to 1991 and, at one time, the Press had its own railway siding to hurry distribution across the country. A member of our congregation worked on the Campfield Press for a few years.
The War Cry’s name, explains the publishers, “refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.”
The Salvation Army began on the streets of East London in 1865 when Methodists, William and Catherine Booth, abandoned the standard concept of a church pulpit to take God’s word on to the people.
Their work included establishing shelters for individuals who were homeless, a family-tracing service, running soup kitchens, helping people living within the slums, and establishing rescue homes for girls fleeing domestic abuse and prostitution. The couple also oversaw the world’s first free labour exchange and campaigned to enhance working conditions.
Today, The Salvation Army is a church and charity lively in virtually every corner of the world serving in greater than 130 countries.
Rev Peter Crumpler is a Church of England minister in St Albans, Herts, UK, and a former communications director with the CofE.
Source: https://www.christiantoday.com/news/why-the-war-cry-still-sounds-on-britains-high-streets
