Hi Tim and Marshall , please don’t read this till after your holiday Tim. While I agree with the contents of these two podcasts on the sacraments, I wish you had talked to me first before providing incomplete info about the Salvation Army in particular, and I hope you will do if you are going to mention the SA in relation to church history. Specifically Salvation Army and uniform wearing. After being saved one was sworn in as a soldier( becoming a member) and then encouraged to don a uniform. This was not insisted upon except if you joined the band or choir or was ordained as an officer (pastor). The uniform is just a symbol, but it does imply integrity, caring and passion for souls, not that every wearer was an exemplar of these characteristics. I recall as a uniform wearing teen walking home from church being accosted by a teenage girl who was convinced she was being pursued by a man. The symbol of the uniform clearly meant something. Secondly a minister friend leaving a funeral home was approached by a member of Hell’s angels who wanted him to conduct a funeral. Clearly the dog collar symbol meant something. SA and the sacraments. These were not discontinued because of the presence of converted alcoholics. This is easily overcome by leaving out the alcohol. The MAIN reason was the need to have an inner experience rather than relying on outward expressions. Catherine Booth was strongly opposed to mere believism. Also as a dissenting church along with the Baptists, sacraments administered by such a church would not be regarded as valid by the C of E. Participation in the sacraments was not meant to be efficacious for salvation. I wasinterested in your comments about the Ukraine. InSiberia in 2015 the Pentecostal churches also shunned alcohol. Perhaps this is because of rampant alcoholism in Russia. On one final note. These churches, like some Mennonite churches, observed the sacrament of foot washing in which I took part. The washer prayed over his recipient. One could validly ask why we don’t practise this which Christ Himself did command. Thanks for listening. As the podcasts are public, then perhaps they need public discussion. terry A.
