BRIEF INSIGHT OF BOYS' BRIGADE

In the 1880s during the time of a man named Williams Alexander Smith a young Sunday school teacher and an Army Reserve Officer became very worried that the Boys in his Sunday school class were not settling down enough for him to teach them about Christ Jesus and how to become better people and grow both Spiritually, Educationally and Socially.

In sight of his thought he compared this attitude to where he was an Officer in the Volunteers as he could get many men to do exactly as he wanted but here in North Woodside Mission Hall, it was difficult as he struggled to get Boys to sit down and learn. He then got the idea that Boys could be trained as Volunteers and same he could teach them in oneness.

Later on, he discussed the idea with his two friends James R, Hills and John B, Hill who were also Sunday school teachers and Volunteers like himself and the programmes was talked out with care and plans were made. Williams Smith summed up his aim, objective and rules in words;

His Aim:

“To devise something that would appeal to a boy on the heroic side of his nature, something that would let him see that in the service of God there is as much scope for all that is brave and true and manly as in the service of King and Country”

His Objective:

“The advancement of Christ Kingdom among Boys and the promotion of habits of Reverence, Discipline, Self Respect and all that tends towards a true Christian Manliness”

His Rules:

Rule 1; No Boy is allowed to fall in if he was even a minute late on parade at eight o’clock.

Rule 2; No member is allowed to miss two drill meetings.

On the 4th October, 1883, the three Leaders Williams Alexander Smith, James R Hill and John B Hills invited the Boys of North Woodside Mission Hall to Join the organization and the First Inaugural Parade was held consisting of Twenty Eight Boys within the age of 12 to 17 years. Three nights we allowed for recruitment and a further number of 31 Boys came along making it a total number of 59 Boys and 2 Officers.

The newly formed organization was named Boys’ Brigade and was registered to the Free College Presbyterian Church as 1st Glasgow Company with Rev. George Reith inducted as Chaplain, Williams Alexander Smith as Captain and James R Hill and John B Hill as Officers.

The year closed with an examination for promotion among the Boys and two Sergeants, two Corporals and two Lance Corporals were appointed and further more was divided into six squads.

#CentMaxine #1883 #BB 🌏