Rural Ministry
Horse-drawn cavalry forts with their "Salvation Riders" enabled The Salvation Army to reach people in the Australian bush with the gospel.
“Captain Sincock and Lieutenant Haycraft, in the name of our God we commission you as the first two ‘Salvation Riders’ in these colonies. We have provided neither purse nor script, simply furnishing you with sufficient conveniences suitable to the peculiarity of the enterprise to commence your important mission. You are expected to meet your own expenses and pay your own way. Your main business will be to carry the glad tidings of salvation to the back country amongst the small settlers and sparse population of farming districts.”[1]
Major William Peart stood outside The Salvation Army’s Queensland Colonial Office in January 1893 and exhorted Edward Sincock and George Haycraft to go forward with the gospel and to be totally dependant upon God and the generosity of the people of the bush. Floods thwarted the initial crusade causing the intrepid pair to return to Brisbane but soon they were plunging back into the Queensland hinterland. Sincock and Haycraft carried the gospel message into the open air, and with cornet and accordion, personal testimony and exhortation, the message was heralded forth; one officer keeping the meeting going during the time the other was engaged in receiving the collection.[2] In addition to contacting isolated homesteaders, they assisted with teaching children at Broaklea where there was no school, and opened the 403rd Corps in Australia at Kilkivan in August 1893.
Peart’s exhortation was probably much the same as that said by Major Charles Jeffries outside the Southern New South Wales Divisional Office some five years earlier in March 1888 when he farewelled Captain Stephens in the Aggressive, a cavalry fort on its initial expedition to spread the gospel away from the populated centres. This horse-drawn caravan was a somewhat primitive and makeshift arrangement [3] and although only on loan for a limited time, convinced Jeffries the concept worked and that people far removed from towns and cities could be reached by The Salvation Army’s ministry. Jeffries was appointed to South Australia in January 1889 and lost no time in launching South Australia’s cavalry fort, adopting the name Aggressive from his first vehicle in NSW.
However, the accolades for launching the first Australian cavalry fort called Victor belong to Benalla, Victoria. The corps officer, Captain Isaac Quick wrote in January 1888: One of our auxiliary members, seeing how great was our need, kindly presented us with a fine pair of horses. Another, a gentleman of means granted a loan and offered to purchase a chariot for us. At Mr Bull’s coach factory he saw the very article that was wanted. Upon learning that it was for The Salvation Army, Mr Bull deducted £10 from the price and lent us the money to purchase the harness from Mrs Clarke’s, who in turn kindly gave a good discount. By the time the horses and chariot had arrived, we had a complete turn-out worth about £75 for £33.[4]
Benalla Corps was able to pursue their work with great success. We have seven outposts now, in full swing, said Quick, and we travel 30 miles in one direction from Benalla, 20 miles another, and 10 another. We called upon some people one day, and they were glad to see us, at the same time telling us that there had not been anyone at their house for 10 years to speak to them about their souls! The week following the Victor’s debut saw Australia’s second cavalry fort, the Conqueror under command of Lieutenant Ernest Gilbert heading into the Bush from Beechworth, Victoria.
Territorial headquarters seized upon the demonstrated successes of these early “Forts” and prevailed upon William Booth, during his visit to Australia in November 1891 to dedicate and commission two purpose-built cavalry forts. Warrior was commanded by Captain William Farquharson and destined for NSW while Australian was commanded by Captain William Small and headed for the Wimmera, Victoria. The War Cry reported: This was how best to reach those of our fellow creatures far removed from the haunts of town and city life; where lives are lived out in the solitude of the bush.[5] It continued, Of course we do not claim any great originality … In fact, in England and Europe “Gospel Vans” were all but commonplace. The entry of The Salvation Army into mobile warfare goes back to the early 1880s in England, when a scheme sprung up in the mind of the Commandant of the Training Homes which has now blossomed out into what is known as the “Cavalry Corps.” After much patient thought a van was designed which should contain berths for 12 men, a tiny washing stand and cooking stove, and afford room for the necessary stock and provisions and clothing for an extended tour. Faith and work won the day, and soon the “Victory” and the “Rescue” were accomplished facts.[6]
Horse-drawn cavalry forts and Salvation riders trekked the Australian hinterland reigning supreme until May 1925 when Colonel Walter Suttor (Chief Secretary, Australia Eastern Territory) launched Australia’s first motor van at Bathurst. Motor vehicles are very much in the fore of The Salvation Army’s outreach today but the romance of the horse-drawn wagon and difficulties of the bush are lost in modern speedy, reliable and comfortable transport.
By Lindsay Cox
[1] All the World, January 1893.[2] War Cry (Australia), 24 April 1965. p.8
[3] War Cry (Melbourne), 12 December 1891.
[4] War Cry (Melbourne), 21 January 1888. p.1.
[5] War Cry (Melbourne), 12 December 1891.
[6] Expeditions of the Life Guards, no date. p.13. Australia Southern Territory Heritage Centre, Melbourne.