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Most of the following information has been taken from the Boys Brigade website at www.boys-brigade.org.uk

The objective of The Boys Brigade is:

"The advancement of Christ's kingdom among Boys and the promotion of habits of Obedience, Reverence, Discipline, Self-respect and all that tends towards a true Christian manliness."

The Boys Brigade was founded on the 4th October 1883 in Glasgow by William Smith (b.1854 d.1914). He was a teacher in the Sabbath School of the North Woodside Mission, and was faced with the challenge of bringing discipline and interest to the restless older boys. William Smith was a volunteer Lieutenant with the army and had the idea of turning the Sabbath School boys into a volunteer band or brigade, with the same military order, obedience, discipline and self-respect as the volunteers.

For the first year, the 1st Glasgow company was alone, but shortly afterwards this new method of dealing with boys began to spread. By the end of the third year the movement numbered 2,000 boys, mostly in Scotland, centred around Glasgow, with companies ranged from Ayr to Inverness.

Today the oldest voluntary uniformed youth group in the world is still going strong engaged in Christian youth work around the world.

The Motto
"Sure and Stedfast"

The motto was taken by William Smith from the Authorised Version of the Bible, from the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 6, verse 19: 'Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast'

The Emblem
Linked to the motto, the emblem is an anchor:

The Boys Brigade Hymn

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift or firm remain?

Refrain: We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll;
Fastened to the rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviours love.

Will your anchor hold in the straits of fear,
When the breakers roar and the reef is near?
While the surges rave and the wild winds blow,
Shall the angry waves then your bark o'erflow?

Will your anchor hold in the floods of death,
When the waters cold chill your latest breath?
On the rising tide you can never fail,
While your anchor holds within the veil;

Will your eyes behold through the morning light,
The city of gold and the harbour bright?
Will you anchor safe by the heavenly shore
When life's storms are past for evermore?

Words: Priscilla Jane Owens, 1882.
Music: William James Kirkpatrick, 1882

The Boys Brigade Prayer

Bless O God, The Boys' Brigade and give to it greater power to advance Your Kingdom throughout the world.
Grant in Your mercy, that every member, past and present may prove steadfast in his fight against evil, and true in his allegiance to you.

Help us in times of temptation; make us strong where we are weak; give us courage in difficulty; faithfulness in duty; loyalty in friendship; and finally, by your mercy, bring us into your everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Mission Statement

The Boys' Brigade will care for and challenge young people for life through a programme of informal education underpinned by the Christian faith.

This will be achieved by:

• delivering Christian teaching in partnership with the church in which the company is based and encouraging the development of a personal Christian faith;
• providing opportunities for leadership, decision making and skills training;
  empowering boys and young people by involving them in decision making at all levels of the organisation and giving responsibility appropriate to their age and aptitude;
• raising awareness of boys and young people to the needs of others (especially other young people) locally, nationally and globally and encouraging them to engage in activities and projects in which they can make a difference;
• being sensitive to the needs and aspirations of boys and young people of varying backgrounds, differing abilities and stages of development and providing appropriate support, advice and guidance;
• ensuring the safety of boys and young people through the implementation of suitable procedures for the selection, training and supervision of leaders;
• equipping leaders through the provision of high quality training and resources;
• providing a network of professional staff to support voluntary leaders and
  creating opportunities to develop partnerships with other appropriate organisations and agencies.

The Boys Brigade in Ashfield

If you want to get involved in The Boys Brigade, the following Churches run Boys Brigade Companies in Ashfield:

St John's Methodist Church, Sutton-in-Ashfield

Stanton Hill Baptist Church, Sutton-in-Ashfield.

Central Methodist Church, Hucknall.