Day 46: Praying for those who work for the good of their communities (1919)

Join with Salvationists of the Wales Division for day 46 of 150 days of prayer.

• ‘He says, “Be still and quiet! Understand that I am God. I rule as king over the nations. All the world will say that I am great”’ (Psalm 46:10, EasyEnglish Bible). 

1919

This year Hope Lodge, an industrial home / maternity home, opened in Cardiff.

The War Cry reported from Blaina: ‘On Sunday night two souls knelt at the mercy seat. A man in khaki threw a donation into the open-air ring, with the remark, “For what the Army did for me in France.”’

Atheism gathered pace in the 19th century. Rich people were frustrated by the Church’s reluctance to face up to reasonable questions (eg, about evolution or Bible criticism) and poor people were angered by the Church’s relative inaction in the face of dire poverty. In the 20th century two world wars hastened the advance of secularism and atheism. The Army’s down-to-earth faith, as seen in places like Hope Lodge, stood it in good stead with the public and, as a result of the Red Shield Services, with service men and women.

Prayer

• Pray for all those who work for the good of their community.
• Make a list of people you know working for the good of the community. Pray that God will encourage them and, when you see them, thank them for what they are doing.

Closing thoughts on the 1910s

The First World War provides the main storyline for the 1910s. It was an event which shook up many things, including the public’s attitude to matters of faith. The Salvation Army in Wales was also shaken up by being reorganised as a sub-territory. And a Welshman, David Lloyd George, helped shake up UK society with social reforms that were the beginnings of the Welfare State. The Salvation Army, in its early days, tried to address the lack of a Welfare State and then to address gaps in government provision.