Salvation Army

Major Herbert B. Hamilton entered training from Lewistown, Pennsylvania. He is retired in the PenDel Division.

For Maj. Herbert B. Hamilton and his wife, C. Rea, of the Salvation Army, working in Allentown was tremendous. “All the work was enjoyable. We have touched thousands of lives,” said Herbert. “It seems as if we’ve only been here for a short time. The months were very short, and time went by very fast,” he said.

Having led the Allentown Citadel at 8th and Turner streets since January 1987, the Hamiltons are being reassigned to a new post in the old “Hell’s Kitchen” section of New York City. They will undergo a one-year training program at the Adult Rehabilitation Ministry, which will entail helping drug addicts, alcoholics, and parolees. They will later be assigned as administrators at one of 40 such centers in the Northeast.

When the Hamiltons leave Allentown next Wednesday, they will be succeeded by by Capt. Glenn Snyder and his wife, Bonita, coming from the Hartford Citadel Corps in Hartford, Conn.

Herbert, 53, and C. Rea, 56, are both natives of Pennsylvania. Herbert is from Lewistown and C. Rea is from Pittsburgh. Before coming to Allentown, they were stationed at the Salvation Army in Worcester, Mass., for nine years.

“I see Allentown as a changing inner city. There will be more challenges as an inner city changes,” he said. “I think there will be a tremendous change here within the next 20 years, he continued. “There will a population explosion, greater housing needs, higher taxes, and a more challenging school system to deal with. This area will continue to grow – with growing pains.”

The Allentown Citadel had a budget of $390,204 in its last fiscal year, said Herbert. “If you touch thousands of people, and spend thousands of dollars after 17 months and remain financially sound, it makes you grateful to God for such a blessing.”

“One of the highlights of working in Allentown has been working with the senior citizens,” said C. Rea. “They gave me a broad sense of what Allentown is all about, and they come from many different parts the region.”

According to Herbert, Allentown has specific needs, including affordable housing for the poor, ample food and clothing for families, and wholesome Christian programs. “There has been a tremendous ethnic change here, and certain human needs prevail, part of that being economic sufficiency for families.”

The Hamiltons also spoke of the prostitution problem in Allentown, and the rehabilitation programs aimed at correcting it. Herbert related the story of a staff member who momentarily stopped at a red traffic signal while driving an unlocked van. A prostitute opened the door and jumped in the van to proposition the staff member. The surprised man said, “I am a Christian gentleman, here to help you.”

Prostitutes have attended evangelical services, entered shelters, and received counseling, said Herbert. “Prostitution is something that has always been here.”

The Hamiltons also brought up the problem of domestic violence in Allentown. More shelter has been provided for battered families this year than in others, Herbert said. Many people are living together out of wedlock, and since there usually is no commitment, a serious conflict can end up with either a breakup or violence, he explained. A long-range goal envisioned by the Hamiltons is for a new facility to be built for victims of domestic violence. The problem is very serious in Allentown, they said.

Another shorter-range goal is the refurbishing of the old portion of the Allentown Citadel, which is now in progress. The refurbishing is part of an energy conservation program, they said.

“There is a great need for the Salvation Army here in Allentown, servicing the needs of people physically, mentally, and spiritually,” he said. “Allentown has been an exciting challenge. We will leave it with a dream and a vision for greater ministries of the Salvation Army.”

The Morning Call, June 23, 1988

A special farewell service for two local young people will be held on Sunday at The Salvation Army Klondike Citadel at 7:30 p.m.

Candidate Julia Freed of Glenwood, foster daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hoar, and Candidate Herbert Hamilton Jr. of R.D. 3, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Hamilton who were accepted earlier in the year by the territorial candidates board in New York City, will participate in the service of farewell held in their honor.

The Training School, located in the Bronx, New York City, will open next Wednesday at which time 60 young men and women from 11 eastern states will commence their training to become full time Salvation Army officers.

Julia and Herbert will leave Lewistown by car on Wednesday morning to be at the training school for the opening of the school. Three other officers from the local corps are serving on the field and with the two now entering the school will make a total of five officers from the Lewistown Corps in the past six years.

Candidate Freed has been employed as a corps helper, assisting in the local activities and in the office for the past ten months and Candidate Hamilton has been in the employ of Danks & Co. during the past year.

The Sunday evening service will be open to the public and representatives from the young peoples and senior departments of the corps will participate in the service. Candidate Freed will bring the message and Candidate Hamilton will lead in part of the service. This year's session name will be “Courageous” and the candidates will hold the rank of cadets upon entering the school.

A social farewell party will take place on Monday evening at 7:30 o'clock at Klondike.

Julia has been active in the young people's corps as a junior soldier. She received the general's medal as a Girl Guard and will receive a $35 scholarship towards her school fee certificate having completed six years of corps cadet Bible studies. She was enrolled as a senior soldier in April, 1953, and has been a Sunday school teacher along with taking an active part in the Torchbearers, divisional camp and various other activities.

Herbert, attended some of the youth activities as a youngster but only more recently became more active. He was enrolled as a senior soldier on April, 1956. He too has been teaching a Sunday school class, was Torchbearer Club president and was instrumental in the formation of the Salvation Army Boy Scout Troop 100. The troop prospered under his leadership as scoutmaster, a position he had held up to a few months ago.

The Lewistown Sentinel

• Private Collection of Andrew Peters
• Salvation Army Commanders Leaving Allentown With Regrets