EDITORIAL
W
Heroes of the Salvation War
akanda forever!” That’s the rallying cry of Black Panther, the first Black Marvel superhero, who led his fictional kingdom of Wakanda to prosperity and freedom. Black Panther was played by actor Chadwick Boseman, who recently passed away from colon cancer at age 43. Boseman also played Jackie Robinson, the baseball player who broke the colour barrier, and music legend James Brown. Accolades poured in from across North America—but the most touching were from children who posted social media photos of their Black Panther action figures in tribute to their hero. It reminds me that The Salvation Army also has Black, Indigenous and people of colour who have been instrumental in this salvation war. Recently on our Facebook channel, we featured a variety of #ArmyHeroes who have pioneered the work around the world: • Commissioner Narayana Muthiah was the first Indian officer to rise to the Army’s highest rank of commissioner. Born to high-caste Hindu parents in 1872, Muthiah was a zealous Hindu who hated Christians. When Salvationists came to his town, he and his friends pelted them with rocks. But the gospel message stirred his soul, eventually leading him to the mercy seat. He was cast out of Hinduism and had to forfeit all his property. Though he faced many challenges—including
Salvationist
is a monthly publication of The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory Brian Peddle General Commissioner Floyd Tidd Territorial Commander Lt-Colonel John P. Murray Secretary for Communications Geoff Moulton Editor-in-Chief and Literary Secretary Giselle Randall Features Editor (416-467-3185) Pamela Richardson News Editor, Copy Editor and Production Co-ordinator (416-422-6112) Leigha Vegh Associate Editor and Staff Writer 4 October 2020 Salvationist
imprisonment for engaging in open-air work—he never wavered in his faith, becoming an example of steadfastness for Indian and nonIndian Salvationists alike. • Major Mbambo Matunjwa was a Zulu warrior turned Salvation Army officer. When Salvationist missionaries came to his village in South Africa in 1871, they preached the gospel and asked, “Are there any here who will give themselves today to this God who gave his only Son to die for us?” Matunjwa stood up and said, “I am willing.” No longer a Zulu warrior, he became a fighter for Christ. • Commissioner Gunpei Yamamuro was the first Salvation Army officer commissioned in Japan. Yamamuro was 23 and working as an assistant pastor when the Army came to Japan. After studying the Orders and Regulations for Soldiers, he decided to become a Salvationist. He held a variety of positions as an officer and, 30 years later, was appointed territorial commander. Commissioner Yamamuro was decorated by the Emperor of Japan for service to his country and received the Order of the Founder. In this issue of Salvationist, we share the lived experiences of diverse Salvationists across the Canada and Bermuda Territory (page 10). Many
Brandon Laird Senior Graphic Designer Hannah Saley Digital Media Specialist Ada Leung Circulation Co-ordinator Ken Ramstead Contributor Agreement No. 40064794, ISSN 1718-5769. Member, The Canadian Christian Communicators Association. All Scripture references from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV) © 2011. All articles are copyright The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory and can be reprinted only with written permission.
have faced discrimination and difficulty, and yet they continue to be a shining light for Christ in our movement. Our International Positional Statement on Racism affirms that “all people are made in the image of God and are equal in value” and “the world is enriched by a diversity of cultures and ethnicities.” We still have room to grow when it comes to championing equity and inclusion; we must continue to listen and learn. With Christ’s help, we are building God’s diverse kingdom. As the chorus says, “There is room for all in the kingdom of God. Hallelujah!” GEOFF MOULTON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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