By F. P. Gibbon
Published in 1934
Far more than a million Boys have passed through The Boys’ Brigade. There is many a Boy who owes everything to The Boys’ Brigade just as The Boys’ Brigade owes everything to Sir William Alexander Smith, the founder. It has been said of him, ”He opened the door to the vision of the Kingdom of God to a million Boys.” So, what is it that is so special about this person and his method, aims and object of training boys that benefited those who joined the ranks of The Boys’ Brigade?
Sir
William A. Smith saw in boyhood a means to advance the Kingdom of Christ, and
he realized that the first step was to provide a real interest instead of
letting them run wild becoming mere hooligans and loafers. More than that, he believed that they would
be led to the service of their Master.
He realized that in order to gain espirit de corps which, when rightly
guided and controlled, brings out, develops and stimulates unselfishness and
the instinct of self-sacrifice that is so strong in youth. He believed that the individuals must be
bonded together in some association in which they have common interests, with
some distinctive title or badge or uniform to mark it as their own. So he saw a vision of a brigade in which
elementary drill, physical exercises, obedience to the word of command,
punctuality and cleanliness will be taught to the Boys. It would be something that boys regard as
distinctively their own, to which they would be attached and of which they
would be so proud that they would not be ashamed to do anything that might
bring discredit upon it. Organized
games would be followed and he believed that the outcome would be discipline
and order in the Sunday School – as which he saw lacking. Therefore, with much prayer, the vision of
forming such organization comes true. With
help from some friends and officers, they decided upon the name – The Boys’
Brigade and adopted the emblem of an anchor with the words Sure & Stedfast as
the motto and its text: Remember
now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. They realized the importance of boyhood, the charm of boyhood,
the amazing possibilities of boyhood, and called forth a revolution in Sunday
School methods.
The
Object, aims and methods of The Boys’ Brigade is traced as much who Christ is
as an ideal man. Christ himself was also
an ideal boy. The
desire is to direct Boys into the right channel and train them to be brave,
true Christian men and show them that in the service of Christ they will find
the truest, bravest life that a man can live. The Brigade is determined to win boys for Christ by presenting to
them a view of Christianity to which their natures will most readily
respond. The Brigade makes a point of
acknowledging God in everything, of putting Christ at the head of everything,
and tries to do it in such a way that a boy will feel that religions element in
the work is a pleasure and not a bore.
It is to inculcate in a boy’s mind that religion is a thing for Sunday
and Sunday School. The Brigade tries to make them feel that there is no part of
one’s life that is beyond the range of God’s love and that everything one does
should be done in God’s sight.
Sir
William Alexander Smith was a young fellow of great nature and the embodiment
of honour and fair play. He was very
keen on Boys and their life. Many
people noted him as a born leader of boys.
He understood that as slovenliness destroys self-respect, so smartness,
correctness and cleanliness not only stimulate the right sort of pride in the
individual, but also discipline and espirit de corps in the section, company or
battalion; and that discipline and espirit de corps will carry men through
based on corporate trust and reliance. He understood men very well. In fact, the men of his 1st
Glasgow Company even worshipped him. He
was in respect an ideal officer. A
characteristic familiar to all his friends was his “masterfulness”. But it was a very attractive form of
masterfulness, born of strength and clear vision, persuasive and never
overbearing, never inconsiderate or contemptuous and it was these qualities
that helped to make him so great a leader of men and boys. Though he was masterful, his lifelong
friends agree that persuasive was his most pronounced characteristic. In asking a man to undertake some particular
duty, he always gave others the impression that he was the one man in the world
who could do it well. Indeed, he was
also a great encourager. He believed
most earnestly that words and example inspired by God could bring one suddenly
and strikingly to a realization of the need to be born again; to bring Christ
into one’s life and to give that life to the Master’s service. Even in the manner of giving criticism, he
would expose the flaws gradually and logically.
He
never allowed anything to interfere with the fullest preparation of his bible
class lesson. He had everything thought
out with scrupulous care, never trusting to the “inspiration of the
moment”. He is
the true officer who loves his boys, who believes in his boys and who is
prepared to give up everything for their sake.
Other
comrades of those early days, speaking of his personal attractiveness, his good
looks and erect figure agree that his features and penetrating eyes gave him a
rather stern expression, which however did not indicate a stern nature. Boys and their parents went to him for guidance
on all sorts of matters – as did many Brigade officers. They never found him too busy to listen and
give good counsel and practical help.
In his busiest times, he was never too busy to give good advice to young
officers and appreciate them for their service. His attractive personality and marked sincerity inspired
confidence to all who met and talked to him.
He was not an orator, but he spoke very effectively in good and simple
English. His addresses were never
wandered from the point. However, he
rather disliked publicity, and certainly shunned the limelight, much preferring
that some other speaker should tell the story of The Boys’ Brigade while he sat
in the background quietly. In 1909, he
was knighted by King Edward VII and well deserved the honour; but he was so
modest and humble a man that in the headquarters notes in the Gazette he never
even referred to it.
With
the launch of The Boys’ Brigade, strict discipline is also enforced. The Boys infinitely prefer strictness to
slackness as long as strictness is blended with justice and an understanding of
and sympathy with boy’s nature. As the
officers possessed these qualities and also showed an interest in their work,
their play and their homes, most of the boys stuck to The Boys’ Brigade. No boy might fall in if a single minute late
and no one was allowed to miss two consecutive drills without a satisfactory
reason. The Brigade itself is part of
the great army that is fighting for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom in the
world. Thus, a
boy is led to recognize that the love of God and the service of humanity in the
spirit of Christ is the ultimate manifestation of that loyalty to his company
with which he began.
The
Boys’ Brigade also owns much to Mr Smith’s wife. No Boy, however uncouth, could fail to be touched by the
beautiful home life of the Captain and his wife, by her lovely voice and every
dainty ways, by her strength and gentleness and the atmosphere of love and
complete trust. Mrs Smith was absolutely unselfish and she threw her heart and soul into
her husband’s plans and hopes, and helped and encouraged him in all
difficulties and perplexities.
She welcomes boys to her home and know them intimately and to be
interested in them and to gain confidence and friendship.
Sir
William Alexander Smith’s success as a pioneer was largely due to his
instinctive grasp of the fact that boys are keen to do the right thing, once
they see it done by one whom they believe in.
His boys soon began to take cue from him and many turned out a great
leader.
All
his life, Sir William Alexander Smith lived for The Boys’ Brigade. He was at a committee meeting at the London
office on 8 May 1914 that he collapsed in his chair, and was unconscious. He was taken to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital
immediately. He never recovered
consciousness and early in the morning on 10 May 1914 he passed away. Cerebral hemorrhage was the cause for his
death. There was no doubt that overwork
was the cause of his death. Companies
composed of Sergeants and Staff Sergeants preceded the Founder’s own company in
the funeral procession. The long route
lined by 7000 Officers and Boys of the Glasgow Battalion, with members of the
Church Lad’s Brigade, Jewish Lad’s Brigade, Boys’ Life Brigade, the Boy Scouts
and boys from the Industrial Training Ship, Empress. Each Boy gave a last salute to Sir William Alexander Smith - their
hero. Indeed, he was not only the
beloved Captain of The Boys’ Brigade but also the true friend of boys
throughout the world.
Written
by:
Oct
Pang Wei Chuan
BOTC
1996
The
Boys’ Brigade
First
Singapore Company