The Christian Mission was a common sight in Manhattan in the Guys and Dolls era. During the depression, the rates of crime, drug addiction, gambling, and alcoholism skyrocketed in response to the tragic situation in which men found themselves. Soup Kitchens quickly became common fixtures in Manhattan, run by religious organizations in an attempt to aid the disenfranchised. While some establishments were happy to simply leave their services at providing food, others had a vested interest in the sins of their "customers," - some even trading food and board for a confession of sins or a pledge of faith in Christ. The Salvation Army was the most visible organization in this era: The operation had come overseas from its native London 20 years prior, spreading their message to the major cities of a new country. The Salvation Army made it their mission to bring the word and way of God to the world. They ran their organization like a Christian military. The prayer meetings were referred to as “knee drills,” the people who ran the missions were the “corps,” and the church members took on titles relating to their position within the church hierarchy, such as Corporal, Sergeant, General, and Major.
In the first half of the 20th century, the Christian soldiers set their sights on New York City. In the 1920s, they were doing their level best to convert Manhattan. They took to the streets, handling out pamphlets detailing the road to salvation. However, the midtown mission – run by the #2 NYC Corps – wasn’t doing extremely well. The area criminals and gamblers scoffed at the street evangelicals and the daily parades by the Salvation Army brass band. The midtown mission didn’t see much interest from sinners. Though the Salvation Army had a reputation for perseverance – trying everything possible to save their fellow man – there was talk of closing down the mission. The midtown criminals were just too hard to crack. However, the hardened criminals and drunks finally softened to the Salvation Army and their cause, mainly due to the efforts of one woman. “The Angel of Broadway,” Miss Rheba Crawford. Rheba Crawford was a beautiful young woman, filled with the “Blood and Fire” of a true Salvation Army Sergeant. She took charge of the midtown mission, changing everything. Rheba Crawford preached everyday from the side steps of the Gaeity Theatre on 46th street. She took the poor and the drunk into the mission, even without promise of devotion to the church. Her devotion to “doing the most good” for the people softened the jaded Times Square inhabitants, endearing them to her efforts. Over time, she developed a following. The numbers of listeners grew– eventually, crowds of hundreds would gather around the theatre stairs to listen to Rheba’s sermons. It was said that she went on to convert “half of Manhattan.” Journalist Damon Runyon loved her story so much that he immortalized her as Miss Sarah Brown – devoted missionary doll and future partner of Sky Masterson. Click below to view a 1922 newspaper article about Rheba Crawford. |
a photo of one salvation army band corps
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information drawn from:
Chesham, Sallie. Born to Battle. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1965. Print.
Fuder, John. A Heart for the City: Effective Ministries to the Urban Community. Chicago, IL: Moody Pub., 2006. Print.
Gariepy, Henry. Christianity in Action: The Salvation Army in the USA Today. Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1990. Print.
Hewitt, Gordon. The Problems of Success: A History of the Church Missionary. London: SCM, 1971. Print.
Robert, Dana Lee. American Women in Mission: A Social History of Their Thought and Practice. Macon, GA: Mercer UP, 1996. Print.
Fuder, John. A Heart for the City: Effective Ministries to the Urban Community. Chicago, IL: Moody Pub., 2006. Print.
Gariepy, Henry. Christianity in Action: The Salvation Army in the USA Today. Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1990. Print.
Hewitt, Gordon. The Problems of Success: A History of the Church Missionary. London: SCM, 1971. Print.
Robert, Dana Lee. American Women in Mission: A Social History of Their Thought and Practice. Macon, GA: Mercer UP, 1996. Print.