The Future of the Salvation Army: Guess What?
Remaking the Army with a High C!
Missing the days, as a young TYS, cup of coffee in hand, enjoying those midnight officers council “remaking the army” sessions.
Curiously Creative
Sporadically Spirited
Emphatically Entertaining
Remembering one in particular with the TMS (Territorial Music Secretary) present, arguing passionately that a territorial band was vital to the future of the Salvation Army. “No brass, no Army!”
The TYS countering, sometimes raising his brassy voice to a High C, that it was futuristically counterproductive to think this way. Squeakily (or is it spelled Cqueakily) muttering words like “Exclusive,” “Antiquated,” “Club mentality,” “Death spiral,” “Downright scary!”
The evening always ending with High 5’s, agreeing to disagree, and then off to our rooms groggily, snuggling in for some High Z’s. The TMS dreaming of a Western Music Institute (WMI) with a territorial band and songsters brigade. The TYS dreaming of a Western Youth Institute (WYI), with guitars, bongos or whatever the compelling, contemporary flavor of the day.
GUESS WHAT!
WMI was inaugurated that year.
With WYI simultaneously approved to alternate sequentially.
GUESS WHAT!
“Possession is nine-tenths of the law.”
GUESS WHAT!
WMI took possession first, and never relinquished it.
THAN WHAT?
20 years later, simultaneous with that TYS becoming Secretary for Program, WYI finally came into being— albeit in a step-child capacity.
THAN WHAT?
Shortly thereafter, into being came a territorial brass band,
youth band, songster brigade and youth chorus, ad infinitum.
THAN WHAT?
Following came a creative arts
ensemble—albeit in a step-child capacity.
In the same context, someone recently asked this old once-upon-a-time TYS what he thought about the future of The Salvation Army—not in an officers council “remake the army” session, as he no longer attends—a High (R) now coming after his name.
The question did lead me to my previous cyber conversation with Samuel Logan Brengle’s and his long ago response to same question, however. Ergo, he and I are now having a cyber “remake the army” session together (he now in Glory and I on the threshold). And, yes, thus far these sessions have been…
Curiously Creative
Sporadically Spirited
Emphatically Entertaining
He said to me, virtually…
“Joe, I too have recently been asked what I think about the future of The Salvation Army. This is an old question, about as old as The Army itself. It was going the rounds when I joined The Army over forty years ago, and someone has been asking it ever since. Both friends and foes of The Army have asked it. Officers and Soldiers whose lives and whose families have been linked up and entwined with The Army have asked it; and I doubt not our leaders have pondered over it and given it their profoundest and most anxious thought.”
Sam and I are now well into this cyber conversation, all to be fully shared in upcoming posts. He too has a viewpoint on music and the future of the Army, among other things. And these cyber “remake the Army” sessions are guaranteed to be…
Curiously Creative
Sporadically Spirited
Emphatically Entertaining
We may not always agree, and maybe even reach a High C at times! But always ending with a High 5! Or should I say ending on a…
