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Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.

—1 SAMUEL 7:12

Ebenezer in Hebrew means “stone of help.” It is mentioned in the Bible when the prophet Samuel placed a small stone monument between the cities of Mizpah and Shen to commemorate a victory by the Israelites over the Philistines. Samuel did this because, as the spiritual leader, he knew the value of remembering from where they had come.

Today, after 150 years of ministry in the United States, The Salvation Army has many historic memorials, particularly in the USA Eastern Territory, that remind us how God has played an extraordinary role in building the Army’s legacy of faith and commitment to meet human need without discrimination. In this issue of SACONNECTS magazine, our writers have provided an amazing roadmap that includes historic sites of the Christian Church.

From the triumphs and struggles of Salvation Army immigrant pioneers in Cleveland, Ohio, and New York City in the 1870s, to the official inauguration of The Salvation Army in Philadelphia, Pa., and beyond, you will discover the places and people who helped build the Christian faith among a multiethnic, multiracial mix of congregants. These stories will inspire you, whether you’ve also immigrated here or were born here.

As you read about Salvationists whose lives were forged in the fire of persecution and transformed by faith in Christ, you’ll be surprised and even humbled. You’ll also see them minister courageously in neighborhoods amid changing demographics and values.

WARREN L. MAYE, Editor in Chief