The Salvation Army began in 1865 when William Booth, a London minister, gave up the comfort of his pulpit and decided to take his message into the streets where it would reach the poor, the homeless, the hungry and the destitute.
His original aim was to send converts to established churches of the day, but soon realized that the poor did not feel comfortable or welcome in the pews of most of the churches and chapels of Victorian England. Regular churchgoers were appalled when these shabbily dressed, unwashed people came to join them in worship.
Our Beginnings in Malaysia
The Salvation Army began work in Malaysia (then Malaya) in 1938 when Adjutant & Mrs Frederick W. Harvey were appointed to Penang. They started their ministries at a former YMCA building and learnt to speak Malay. The work then expanded when the Boys Home was opened.
The Army then spread its services to other parts of Malaysia:
1940 - Ipoh & Melaka 1950 - Kuching 1955 - Batang Melaka 1966 - Kuala Lumpur 1995 - Banting, Bintulu & Kota Kinabalu 2001 - Petaling Jaya
Through the years, The Salvation Army has reached out with care and compassion to many individuals and families across Malaysia. With a strong focus on social ministries, the Army in Malaysia has become well known for its residential care facilities, and more recently, through community based services. |
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