Joe the Turk, one of The
Salvation Army's most legendary historical figures, has also
been regarded as the spiritual father of many Salvationists
throughout the years.
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Imprisoned 57 times
“for Jesus,” or for disturbing the peace with his open air
preaching as authorities described it, Joseph Garabed was not
the usual Salvationist. Originally born Nishan Der Garabedian
in Tallas, Turkey to a priest of the American Episcopal Church,
he was at first not able to join The Salvation Army church
because of his affinity for smoking and drinking.
Having arrived in
the United States with his brother at the tender age of 17,
Garabed wanted to travel the country in search of adventures. It
was his friendship with Houston native Salvationist, John
Ephraim Thomas Milsaps, however, that ultimately convinced him
to retire his habits in order to join The Salvation Army in
1887. He soon after changed his name to Joseph Garabed and was
nicknamed “Joe the Turk” for his colorful personality and
wardrobe.
During his 38 years
as a Salvation Army officer, Joe the Turk traveled coast to
coast spreading the gospel of The Salvation Army and defending
other Salvationists from public humiliation. He once ran out the
corrupt mayor of Macomb, Illinois and sat in his place until the
town elected a new mayoral candidate. In another town, he saw a
mob about to lynch a fellow Salvation Army corps officer and
braved the crowd until the officer was able to safely escape on
a train.
Time and time
again, in towns across the United States the six foot, 250
pound, Joe the Turk was arrested 57 times for his unorthodox
ways of spreading the word of God – most often using his cornet
as a means of capturing the public’s attention. Each time,
nonetheless, he was acquitted and released for what he described
as doing Jesus work.
After almost four
decades of adventurous service in the ranks of the Army, he
retired in 1925. By the time he was promoted to glory in his New
York hotel room in 1937, thousands of Salvationists across the
country and the world called "Joe the Turk" their spiritual
father.
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