Table of Contents
Charles Jeffries
Commissioner Charles Henry Jeffries (1864 - February 1, 1936) became an officer in 1883, entering the CFOT from Whitechapel, London, England. He is a notable Salvationist as he was formerly the 2nd in charge of the Skeleton Army.
On Sunday, January 1, 1882, Jeffries and other members of the Skeleton Army were disrupting a Salvation Army watchnight service that lasted through the night at the Whitechapel Corps. Charles H Lindsay and Reuben Edwards were present at this service. Edwards had urged Jeffries to decided for Christ but was repulsed. In the Sunday evening meeting Edwards, again rebuffed by Jeffries, said, “If you will not let me speak to you, I will pray for you!” and himself knelt at the penitent-form. A few minutes later, Jeffries dropped on his knees by his side. That night, thirty members of the Skeleton Army knelt with them.
| Commissioner Charles Jeffries | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Rank | Commissioner |
| Birth Date | 1864 |
| Death Date | February 1, 1936 |
Appointments
| Appointment | Rank | From | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penzance, England | Lieutenant | March 1883 | |
| St Blazey, England | Captain | ||
| Devonport, England | Captain | ||
| Social Secretary - Sydney, Australia | August 1884 | ||
| Provincial Commander for Wales | Adjutant | October 1899 | |
| Provincial Commander for the North West of England | Adjutant | December 1901 | |
| Assistant Field Secretary at the National Headquarters in London | Adjutant | 1907 | 1911 |
| Field Secretary | Adjutant | 1911 | |
| China | Adjutant | February 1918 | April 1919 |
| Principal of the International Training College | Commissioner | January 1922 | 1931 |
| British Commissioner | Commissioner | 1931 | 1935 |
Obituary
Cabled advice was received at the Sydney headquarters of the Salvation Army yesterday of the death in America of Commissioner Charles Jeffries, who was on his way to lead the annual congress in Australia.
The death of Lieutenant-Colonel Mabee, of America, who accompanied General Evangeline Booth on her Australian tour last year, was announced in the same message.
Commissioner C. Jeffries
Commissioner Jeffries retired from active service at the end of last year. He then held the office of British Commissioner, the largest command in the Salvation Army, comprising operations in the British Isles and Iceland. He joined the movement under its founder, General William Booth, in its early stage. He was among the earliest officers in Australia, where his appointments included that of social secretary. He inaugurated the work among children, which has since become a valuable feature of the Salvation Army's activities in Australia. He had a wide experience in many countries, and his strength of character and profound understanding of the purpose and ideals of the Salvation Army left their mark upon the thousands of young men and women who passed through the International Training College in London during the 10 years while he was the principal. His wife, who died three years ago, was an Australian, being well-known among Salvationists here by her maiden name, Captain Martha Harris.
External
Further Reading
- The History of The Salvation Army - Volume 2 by Robert Sandall. Pages 194-195
- Charles H Jeffries: From 'Skeleton' to Salvationist Leader by Lilian M Claughton