Salvation Army Red Kettle

Background

The Salvation Army is a denomination that grew out of the missionary and charitable work William Booth began in the slums of London, England, in 1865. It is organized along military lines, so its ministers are called officers. The Salvation Army is reported to have begun its mission in Korea in October 1908 with the arrival of officer Robert Hoggard.

Development

• 1891, United States: Captain Joseph McFee, a Salvation Army officer in San Francisco, wanted to provide a Christmas dinner for about 1,000 poor people but lacked the funds. He recalled a charity pot he had seen on the docks of Liverpool, England, during his years as a sailor. According to tradition, after obtaining permission from the city authorities, he hung a pot at the Oakland ferry landing with a sign reading "Keep the Pot Boiling." Accounts of the circumstances differ. Korean sources say the effort was meant to help people left destitute by a shipwreck, while American Salvation Army sources state that many people had lost their jobs during an economic depression. Within a few years the campaign had spread to some thirty locations along the West Coast of the United States.
• 1928, Korea: On December 15, 1928, during the period of Japanese colonial rule, Joseph Bar, the officer commanding the Salvation Army in Korea and reportedly a missionary from Sweden, set up the first charity kettles in downtown Seoul. The purpose was to help people suffering hardship from poor harvests and drought. Collections at about twenty locations, including Myeong-dong and Jongno, reportedly raised more than 800 won, although the exact figure varies slightly among sources. The funds were used to provide food, winter clothing, and fuel.
• Changes to the kettle in Korea: At first, ordinary household pots were hung up for the purpose. In 1965 these were replaced with red cylindrical tin kettles, and since 2004 sturdier steel kettles, made with the sponsorship of a kitchenware company, have been used. In 2005 small charity kettles for placement in government offices, banks, and schools were also introduced.

Results and Influence

The campaign's symbols are the red kettle, its tripod, and the hand bells rung by uniformed officers and volunteers. The kettle's red color is explained as representing the Salvation Army's red shield and the blood of Jesus Christ. Many Salvation Army members volunteer for the street collections together with their families. The funds raised are used for relief of neighbors on the margins of society and for social welfare work.

In Korea, the kettles operate each year at some 300 locations nationwide following a year-end kickoff ceremony at which the bell is rung for the first time.

Assessment

Although the Red Kettle began as the fundraising campaign of a single denomination, it is regarded as having become a symbol that evokes Christmas and year-end giving even for people who do not attend church. The Salvation Army describes the campaign as an expression of faith that puts love of neighbor into practice. The press has portrayed the Red Kettle as one of the familiar sights of the year-end season, carried on from generation to generation.