The Salvation Army had camps in Upland Boro for a number of years. The above picture is from the 1930's. 

 

Note: The Salvation Army began in London in 1865 and started in America in 1899. Today we do not think of the Salvation Army as a "army" but it was different a 100 years ago. This article is from June of 1918 to help with WW1.

 

 

 

 

DEDICATION OF NEW CAMP

Salvation Army Conducts Interesting Ceremonies on the Edward Crozer Estate in Upland

 

                Tinkle of bells in the wood rim the rate of consecrated knuckles on the tambourine, the blue-hooded face arched by the blood-red ribbon of “Salvation,” the appealing blue eyes of the modest young “Army Maiden” stopping before you while you fumble for a quarter, a half, or maybe a penny and your thoughts, perhaps also your heart, go with them as they march away from their corner meeting down the street, falling into faint, sweet echoes like the sound of good deeds in this war-racked world.

                But it wasn’t the tambourine yesterday.  Marching a dozen abreast into the wide gate of the Edward Crozer estate at Upland, yesterday morning, a well-drilled body of Salvation soldiers, with banners not “golden, glorious, olden” but of blood and fire and blue wound up the long avenue, led by the salvation army Staff Band of twenty-five pieces, and playing – oh, what?  Not the ordinary blatant march tune, but a stirring processional of “blood and fire?”  Military?  Yes. But a function of the Army is always different from anything else; and it doesn’t cut any ice whether you are destined to wield pitchforks or harps, you will take off your hat to those militant, independent workers of the world on the spiritual plane.

                MANY CITIES REPRESENTED – There were delegations from Philadelphia, Camden, Wilmington, Norristown, Pottstown, Chester and many other places of barracks.  Prominent in the line were the cadets from the Salvation Army Training School, Philadelphia.  Col. Charles Miles, principal of the school, Philadelphia; Adjutant William Black, Pottstown; Ensign Marion Tweedie, Norristown; Capt. Harriet Patch, Chester; Adjutant Smith, Philadelphia; Brigadier Annie Cowden, of the Hone for Women and Children, Philadelphia; Mrs. Major Crawford, Philadelphia; Adjutant Florence White, of the Day Nursery, Philadelphia, and a long line of the ancient worthies of Salvation, grown gray but not weary in the battle that never ends.

                When the summit of the park was attained, these marchers took their places in the great campus between the buildings and before the speakers’ stand, surrounded by flaunting foliage of old trees; flowed in between and around then, packing every available spot of the greensward until the speakers themselves ascended the platform amidst the shouts and fanfare of banners, ribbons and of everything that could be waved, while a mighty shout of acclaim arose.  Then there were the massed yells of the Training School class, drowned by the band’s music.

                GREETED WITH APPLAUSE – As Mayor McDowell, Col. Charles Miles and Major Crawford ascended the stand the great cheer was renewed.  It was a welcome, hearty and sincere.  When the speakers for the day were seated and an expectant quiet had settled, Major Storey of Philadelphia, made an invocation, and Brigadier Cowden of the Philadelphia Rescue Mission and Children’s Work, read the Scripture.

                THE ARMY SONG – And while fully a dozen happy lads and lasses swung wildly up and down in an adjacent see-saw, the Arm flag song arose, led by the Training School cadets and the band.  It is impossible to convey the spirit which permeated the whole exercises without hearing or knowing the song; so here it is, sung as only the Salvation Army can give it:

                                                THE MESSAGE OF THE FLAG

                                Would you of your banner know the meaning,

                                With its yellow, red and blue?

                                In the breeze its crimson glory streaming

                                Waves aw message grand and true.

                                                       CHORUS

                                Lift up the army banner, Blood and Fire!

                                Blood and Fire!  Lift it higher!

                                Lift up the Army banner, Blood and Fire!

                                For it tells of full salvation.

 

                                Blood-red crimson tells of God’s salvation,

                                Bids us think of Christ, who died

                                For the sins of every tribe and nation.

                                When the blood flowed from His side.

 

                                Fiery yellow, emblem of the Spirit,

                                Leads up back to Pentecost;

                                He was sent to plead the Savior’s merits,

                                And to help us save the lost.

 

                                Heav’nly blue suggests we may be holy,

                                Purified from inbred sin;

                                Evil tempers, pride, and worldly folly

                                Nevermore to dwell within.

 

                                ‘Neath the colors we should be courageous,

                                Marching to Immanuel’s lend;

                                What though all the hosts of Hell engagers?

                                Christ is Captain of our band!

 

Then followed other songs:  “He is my all in all,” and “America,” which you ought to hear the Salvation Army sing with its band, and you will take off your hats to it for two reasons.

Major Crawford introduced Mayor McDowell with a few good words, and then the tumultuous welcome was repeated in the Mayor’s honor.

MAYOR WELCOMES VISITORS – Modestly, almost diffidently, the Mayor began his address as if he, too, were impressed with the spontaneous unusualness of the occasion.  In part, he said:

“As Mayor of a great industrial city, busy with its commerce and widely diversified industries, I am a busy man, but when I saw who made the request that I should be here, impressed with the great work of the Salvation Army, I couldn’t say ‘no.’” The Mayor enumerated his conceptions of the Army’s work, its tremendous field of usefulness, and the great practical good it was doing.  He spoke of the significance of it in the lives of little children, and drew a brief but graphic picture of the difference between Europe and here – “not for the sacrifice of lives, but for the saving of them!” – and said that it was the business of his army to “save lives.”  Then His Honor (all too soon) became diffident again and concluded:  “As I am not a gifted platform speaker, I desire to introduce to you Col. Charles Miles, principal of the Salvation Army Training College of Philadelphia, as the orator of the day.”

COLONEL MILES SPEAKS – Then again that great billow of applause and welcome.  Colonel Miles said, among many other things:

“Comrades, Officers, Soldiers, and Friends:  It is something to have a chance to get away for fresh air, and always good to see the elected father of a great city get among the best people on earth.”  The sentiment was cheered to the limit.  He said the day was long gone when cities were averse to welcoming the hosts of the Salvation Army; that cities now were glad to show “us” every courtesy.  He expressed his joy at the opportunity to take part in this ceremony, and to have the privilege of dedicating “these new buildings (which cost over $4000) to open of the best purposes to which any building could be dedicated.”  There should be more care “for the cradle-end of life and less for the grave-end.”  The buildings and his “Salvation Army Fresh Air Camp” were for the children; it would seem that many “children were not born but damned into the world.”  Often the only chance many children have of seeing flowers is when they are in the hands of the gay, in the city.  He described the gift of these broad acres as a wonderful thoughtfulness of splendid donors, for children, through the care of the Salvation Army, “who are not experimenters but practical workers,” and spoke with trenchant power of “the moralities and spiritualties of childhood. We are living in significant times,” he said.  “Our Army goes with the Bible in its hands.”  He said the American soldier was thoughtful of Salvation Army women workers and quoted Major McAllister as saying that they all reverence the name of God; he hadn’t heard oaths from the American soldiers; “they protect our workers and, someone had declared if any man were to swear at them he would risk being taken out and shot.  Clean soldiers fight clean battles,” he declared.  He described the efforts of the Crusaders of old to regain the tomb of Christ, Bible in hand, and said that now soldiers go forward with a new creed.”

CITIES ARMY WORK – He was proud of the Salvation Army work of the twenty or thirty years of Sunday Salvation work.  He gave several narratives of consecrated soldiers; of one seven times wounded, and when he went, said to his superior officer, “The gun is in good condition, sir,” and died.  “That is heroism.”  They will die for the flag.  “You can’t find a slacker in the Salvation Army under that flag,” he said, pointing to “Old Glory.”  “May our boys soon march home in victory!  The Kaiser is not God.  God Himself is God,” he said, and then paid glowing tribute to the boys and the saving of them giving earnest congratulations to the donors of this ground.  “I pray God may keep us until we come into our own.  Faithful here for youth and manhood, the Salvation Army is a wonderful organization.  After thirty-seven years I am prouder of it than ever.”  He alluded to the Salvation Army banner as the “Rising Sun Flag,” and America’s as a rising sun flag.  “Germany won’t wipe out those flags; the two will win together.”  His fine tribute to Commander Booth brought fervent cheers.  “When Miss Booth stands on her feet, she is the greatest orator in America,” he said.

                Colonel Miles concluded with an appropriate dedicatory prayer to the Heavenly Father, placing in His hands these buildings in His name for children, and a new lease of life for all and referred to the gift as of spiritual significance for young lives, remade here in these beautiful buildings and grounds and in the name of ‘our mothers’ God and our fathers’ Christ.