Frederick Coutts

Frederick Coutts, CBE (September 21, 1899 – February 6, 1986) was the 8th General of The Salvation Army (1963-1969).

The son of corps officers, he was born in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. In 1920, he became an Officer of The Salvation Army from the corps in Batley, England. He served in divisional work in the British Territory from 1921 to 1925, when he became a Corps Officer of the British Territory. He would serve as Corps Officer of the British Territory for 10 years. It was during his time as Corps Officer of the British Territory that he married his first wife, Lieutenant Bessie Lee, B.Sc., in 1925.

Beginning in 1935, he would work 18 years in the Literary Department of International Headquarters. During his time there, he was the writer of the International Company Orders from 1935 to 1946, Editor of The Officers’ Review from 1947 to 1953, Assistant to Literary Secretary from 1947 to 1952, then in 1952, he became the Literary Secretary himself for a year.

In 1953, Frederick would move from Literacy Secretary to Training Principal at the International Training College. He would hold this job for four years. In 1957, he would become the Australia Eastern Territorial Commander for six years.

In December 1963, Frederick Coutts was elected by the High Council of The Salvation Army as General of the Army. During his time in office, he would receive a Hon Litt D from Chung Ang, Korea in 1966, Order of Cultural Merit, Korea, and a CBE in 1967.

He is the author of The Timeless Prophets (1944),Portrait of a Salvationist (1955),The Call to Holiness (1957), Essentials of Christian Experience (1969), The Better Fight (1973), No Discharge in this War (1975), No Continuing City (1976), Bread for my Neighbour (1978), In Good Company (1980), The Splendour of Holiness (1983) and The Weapons of Goodwill (1986). Extracts from his writings are also published in Through the Year with Frederick Coutts (1987) a book of daily readings by Peter M. Cooke.

His wife, Commissioner Bessie Lee, died in 1967. General Coutts retired a day before his 70th birthday, September 20, 1969. He married his second wife, Commissioner Olive Gatrall, in 1970. In 1981, he would receive a Hon DD from Aberdeen.

General Frederick Coutts died at the age of 86.