HERE BRING THY THANKFUL HEART...

The Mercy Seat

 ‘The hope of the Army is in the penitent form. As soon as that goes out of use, we go out’ (General Albert Orsborn).

The International Spiritual Life Commission affirmed to the whole Army world that the mercy seat in Salvation Army meetings symbolizes God’s unremitting call to his people to meet with him. It is not only a place for repentance and forgiveness, but also a place for communion and commitment. Or, in the words of General Bramwell Tillsley, “it’s not a place of disgrace, but a place of Grace…” The report emphasizes, ‘Here we may experience a deep awareness of God’s abundant grace and claim his boundless salvation.’

The Army Drum ready to be placed in front of a young lad...

Encouraging the use of the mercy seat, the commission says, ‘The mercy seat may be used by any one, at any time, and particularly in Army meetings when, in response to the proclaimed word, all are invited to share loving and humble communion with the Lord.’

Perhaps its most widely used purpose, that of a ‘mourners bench’, a helpful place to bring the seekers together to instruct and encourage them. And we know that as soon as that youngish newcomer, or that special long-time, “we- hope-her-son-gets-saved” comes forward, that the CSM and RS will serve in their divine duty to seek to bond the convert with a loving Savior.

Is this the scene that causes some Sallie saints to stay clear of the Mercy Seat? What would happen if that same CSM or RS, or B/M, S/L, YPSM, HLS, CO, DC, you name them, were the first to come and kneel at that place of Mercy, simply to ‘say thank you Jesus’ at the place where they found forgiveness from sin? Do we not all need ongoing instruction and encouragement?  The Mercy Seat is a sacred, a holy meeting place where we commune with God through His Holy Spirit, where He instructs and encourages. And, in the early days of the army, it was also called (the first issue of The War Cry, 1879) the ‘holiness table’.

I had the distinct privilege of learning to know General Jarl Wahlstrom through a number of SA occasions that brought us together; the annual Scandinavian Congress weekend in New England, where he Mrs. Marie Wahlstrom were weekend guests, and 2 years later in Canada when I served as B/M at Windsor, and 2 years later, in the Old Orchard Beach Camp Meetings, and then, in hosting him for a full week as our NY corps celebrated our centenary, and the next year in Sweden. The General was a gifted speaker, and perhaps due his native Swedish (actually Finnish by birth) gift for “saga weaving”, found it easy to engage his listeners. I remember portions of each of his sermons, some 20 or more, due his compelling story-telling style.

One that I recall almost verbatim, a story I heard him share twice, since his election as our international leader had him leading a congress in India…

It was Sunday morning with a lingering humid mist slowly lifting from the dewy ground outside our temporary meeting place. Hundreds of dark hued Salvationists were bent in silent prayer, a territory where the army growth was explosive, and for which we were thanking God. Scores lined  the Mercy Seat… As we sang our closing song some minutes later I felt God leading me to extend just one more invitation to come forward… and then, through the mist in the back of the tent I saw two angels clad in white carried by the spirit toward the front of that temporarily erected tabernacle- broad, joyful smiles, with tears glistening on the dark skinned cheeks… I could see more clearly as they came nearer that they weren’t really heavenly angels, but rather army angels, clad in their white saari uniforms, S’s and red epaulets in place as they knelt. I went down to pray with them and both said simply, “We just came to say Thank you Jesus”, and so, after a minute or two they returned to their chairs. Surely that isn't some cross  cultural trait we need to embrace. I believe it's more of a Cross thing to embrace!

Perhaps naively, I make no claim to be a theologian, I wonder if any Christian act pleases the heart of God more than my simply coming to kneel at my Saviors feet, at the Mercy Seat, saying thank you God for your forgiveness, seeking His encouragement. Well yes, God also loves and delights when we lead others to make a covenant with God at that place of Grace, and instructs those earlier saintly sallies to, Ring the bells of heaven…”



Dr. Sven Ljungholm
Soldier, Hamilton Corps, Scotland