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The Home League
The Home League was founded in
1907 by Mrs. General Bramwell Booth, wife of William Booth’s
eldest son. Florence
Booth realized the need for a program to teach young women
the art of good house keeping, as well as, Christian womanhood. |
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The emblem of the Home League is house
placed on a Bible, symbolizing the need for God’s Word
to be the foundation of the home. The depiction of the house
changes depending on the corner of the world it comes from,
so as to add cultural distinctiveness. The Bible, however,
is a constant throughout the world. |
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The Home League came to
the United States as Europe was embroiled in World War I
and the US was becoming increasingly un-easy in its own neutrality. The
first known Home League meeting to take place in the US was
in 1915 Chicago. Mrs. Commissioner Estill led the inaugural
meeting of the Home League on American shores. |
In 1926, only five
years after the formation of the Western Territory, Major
Bessie Smith became the first Territorial Secretary for the
Home League Department. Major
Smith remained in this position until 1928. In 1933 Major Smith
returned to her post as Home League Secretary (official title
change around 1930), replacing Mrs. Colonel Crawford who had
been Home League Secretary in the interim. Major
Smith was transferred away from her post again in 1938. |
Since
1915 whenever the United States has gone to war the Home
League has done its part to support the troops and bring
victory and peace. In World
War I sewing brigades were formed to help sew uniforms,
and blankets for the soldiers.
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In
World War II many Home Leagues were engaged in helping
run local USO’s, and other Salvation Army facilities
dedicated to the welfare of the troops. From
WWI to the present the Home League has also created
care packages for the troops in an effort to bring
some of the comforts of home to the soldiers. |
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From the early years of the
Home League in the Western Territory it has adapted itself
to local conditions and cultures. The
result has been a bringing together of women from all ethnic,
social, and economic backgrounds to share with one another
the virtues of Christian womanhood. |
Women officers, beginning
in the mid-1990’s, became
universally referred to by their own first name and rank
instead of by their husband’s first name and rank. This
change was made to show that women are also fully vested
in ministry as Salvation Army Officers. |
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Women’s Ministries is
the umbrella term for ministry to women in The Salvation
Army. The new name was adopted in the United States
1997 in an effort to show the broader scope of ministry to
women. Women’s Ministries includes programs like
Home League, and a variety of outreach groups. Internationally
in 2002 Women’s Organizations, leaders, sections and
departments were renamed Women’s Ministries.
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Most recently, Women’s
Ministries has celebrated 100 years of the Home League by
holding the WOW Celebration “Win One Woman” in
Anaheim, California on June 9th, 2007. The territorial
event celebrated the invaluable contribution of women to
The Salvation Army both around the world and in the Western
Territory. Lt. Colonel Diane O'Brien portrayed Catherine
Booth, to challenge our women to make a stand for the cause
of Christ and win the lost for Jesus sake. A three year WOW
Initiative, (born in the heart of Commissioner Pat Swyers)
that began October 2006, will focus on Winning Our World
for Christ through the efforts of our Women's Ministries
programs and through the ministry of women. |
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Today almost every corps in the Western
Territory has a Home League that is continuing the 100 year
tradition of teaching the next generation how to be godly
women in an ever changing world. The love and care
of the Home League is as vibrant and life changing today
as it was when Mrs. General Bramwell (Florence) Booth founded
the Home League one hundred years ago.
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| Past and Present Women Leaders of the
Western Territory |
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