Boys’ Brigade

The pioneer of uniformed, voluntary organizations for boys or girls, it was founded in Scotland by William A. Smith in 1883, for “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.” In the uniform, in the ordered life of the company, and in the progressive program and award system, it appeals to and meets the needs of a boy's nature. The movement, which provides for boys in the eight-to-nineteen age range, has spread all over the world and currently has more than 3,000 companies (140,000 boys) in the United Kingdom, and nearly 2,000 companies (80,000 boys) in other countries. In 1971 the executive reaffirmed that the Boys' Brigade “must remain a Church-centred organisation, with the purpose of helping boys to achieve a true Christian faith. . . .”