“A SEMI-OFFICIAL ORGAN OF SURVEY AND ENQUIRY, QUESTION AND ANSWER”:1 THE HISTORY OF NEW ZEALAND’S BATTLEPOINT MAGAZINE, 1963 – 1988 Margaret Thompson and Kingsley Sampson Dedication This article is dedicated to the memory of Major Dr Harold Hill, 12 June 1942 – 3 August 2020. Hill was the first editor of Battlepoint magazine, a board member in later years and strong advocate for the magazine. He was an encourager and mentor to many and the one who suggested its history be written.
Battlepoint logo, designed by Gavin Hewitt, and used on the cover for issues from 1983
Introduction If one was to ask any member of The Salvation Army in New Zealand under the age of 50, it would be interesting to discover how many would have any knowledge or opinion of Battlepoint magazine. Yet for 25 years Battlepoint served as a vehicle for New Zealand Salvationists and others to express their ideas and opinions on matters relating to Salvation Army thought and practice as well as theological and political topics relevant to the Army – and all without censorship from territorial headquarters. Battlepoint was initially established as a forum for the Salvation Army Students’ Fellowship (SASF) in New Zealand but later functioned under its own editorial board after the demise of the SASF in New Zealand in the early 1970s. It was published three or four times a year from 1963 to 1988. Challenges common to all editors and business managers throughout its history were in obtaining sufficient articles to publish in a quarterly journal and securing enough regular subscriptions to cover costs. That it persisted for 25 years and outlasted other similar Salvationist magazines is testimony to the vision of its ten editors and the tenacity of its supporters.
Reference citation of this paper; Margaret Thompson & Kingsley Sampson, “‘A semi-official organ of survey and enquiry, question and answer’: The history of New Zealand’s Battlepoint magazine, 1963 – 1988”, The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history, 6, 1, 2021, 21 – 38. 1 Alfred Gilliard, “From the Commissioner,” Battlepoint, 1, 1, (New Zealand, September 1963), 3.
The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 1, 2021. Page 21
