Clarence Dexter Wiseman, (June 19, 1907 – May 4, 1985) was the tenth

General of The Salvation Army General is the title of the international leader and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Salvation Army, a Christian denomination with extensive charitable social services that gives quasi-military rank to its ministers (who are therefore know ...

from 1974 to 1977.

Life and career

Wiseman was born at Moreton's Harbour, Colony of Newfoundland on June 19, 1907. Being the son of Salvation Army

officers An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

, he moved frequently from one home to another as his parents postings necessitated. At the age of nineteen Clarence became a cadet at The Salvation Army Training College in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

, and was commissioned as an officer on July 4, 1927, with the rank of lieutenant. His first appointment was to Bedford Park Corps (Toronto). Six months later he was transferred to Yorkville Corps, Toronto, both appointments being as assistant to the commanding officer. On January 29, 1932, the then Captain Wiseman was married to Captain Janet Kelly. He was then on the staff of the editorial department at territorial headquarters (THQ) but soon after their marriage Captain and Mrs Wiseman were appointed to

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

South Corps and continued to work in

corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...

appointments until mid 1940. Captain Wiseman was then seconded to the Canadian Forces and appointed as chaplain to the 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Engineers. At the time the battalion was involved in training exercises just north of Toronto, but were soon drafted to Great Britain. Clarence and Janet Wiseman were parted for five years. After two years as chaplain, Clarence Wiseman received orders to resign his military commission, and was appointed as senior representative for The Salvation Army Canadian War Services, with headquarters in Cockspur Street, just off

Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, laid out in the early 19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. At its centre is a high column bearing a statue of Admiral Nelson comm ...

. When the war ended in June 1945, Clarence Wiseman returned to Canada and after a brief furlough he and Mrs Wiseman were appointed as leaders of the Army's work in Newfoundland where they served for more than eight years. At the beginning of 1954 the Wisemans returned to Toronto where the now Colonel Wiseman was appointed field secretary for the

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and

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Territory. Three years later he was appointed chief secretary, second in command of The Salvation Army's forces in Canada and Bermuda. Early in 1960 came the first overseas appointment for Clarence and Janet Wiseman. With the rank of lieutenant-commissioner they journeyed to

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where Clarence Wiseman served as territorial commander for the East Africa Territory. Two years later the Wisemans set sail for England where Commissioner Wiseman was appointed principal of the William Booth Memorial Training College, a post he held for the next five years. In 1967 Canada celebrated its centenary, and that year Clarence Wiseman was appointed territorial commander for the Canada and Bermuda Territory - the first Canadian to hold the office. In 1974 the eighth High Council nominated Commissioner Wiseman as a candidate for the office of General, the second time he had been nominated. He was duly elected to serve as the tenth general of The Salvation Army, taking command on July 6, 1974. Coming to the office at the age of 67, General Wiseman was only to have three years as the international leader as the retirement age was then 70. However, during his term in office he travelled the world extensively and Army work was opened for the first time in Guatemala.

Retirement

General Wiseman retired from active service on July 4, 1976, to be succeeded by his fellow countryman, General Arnold Brown. His nine years in retirement were filled with evangelical campaigns throughout North America and overseas. In 1976, he was appointed an officer of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the cen ...

"for his life-long dedication in the service of the Army and his inspiring leadership at home and abroad". He published his autobiography, A Burning in My Bones (1980) and The Desert Road to Glory (1982). General Wiseman died at his home in

Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to: People * Scarborough (surname) * Earl of Scarbrough Places Australia * Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth * Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong * Scarborough, Queensland, su ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

on May 4, 1985, and his wife followed him on May 25, 1993, from

Collingwood, Ontario Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay. Collingwood is well known as a tourist destination, for its skiing in the winter, and limestone caves along the Nia ...

. The Salvation Army's Wiseman Centre, a homeless and supportive housing shelter in St. John's, is named after Wiseman. The shelter opened in 1986 and is primarily a homeless shelter for adult men.

References

External links

The Salvation Army biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wiseman, Clarence 1907 births 1985 deaths Canadian clergy Canadian Salvationists Officers of the Order of Canada Salvation Army officers Dominion of Newfoundland people