Salvation Army Church Cessnock

At the Salvation Army Cessnock, we exist to introduce people to Jesus & to serve suffering humanity.

1880-1900: Gaining a Foothold in Australia

Several localities lay claim to having held the first Salvationist meetings in Australia. These pioneering meetings were conducted by various immigrants who had been converted by The Salvation Army back in Britain. It is Adelaide, however, that owns the right to claim the first official Salvation Army Corps in Australia.

John Gore and Edward Saunders were both converts of the early Christian Mission. They met unexpectedly in the colony of South Australia and decided to form a Salvation Army Corps in Adelaide.
Gore and Saunders held a street meeting in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. Gore's parting invitation to those standing around listening, reflected Booth's philosophical bent towards Christian ministry: "If there is any man here who hasn't had a decent meal today, let him come home to tea with me. "