Fresh paint on the backside of a building in the Mission. While I was trying to shoot this design a man standing in a doorway was sending out wads of spit toward me. I decided to ignore him. Ejercito de Salvacion is known in English as the Salvation Army. I learn from Wikipedia that the crest dates back to 1878.
The cross: Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ
The "S": Salvation from sin through Jesus
The rays: The Fire of the Holy Spirit
The dots: The Truth of the Gospel
The swords: The Salvation War
The "S": Salvation from sin through Jesus
The rays: The Fire of the Holy Spirit
The dots: The Truth of the Gospel
The swords: The Salvation War
The wraparound motto Sangre y Fuego (or Blood and Fire) stands for the blood which was shed by Jesus for our sins and the Fire of the Holy Spirit. But Sangre y Fuego, I find, is not only or exclusively popular with Spanish-speaking adherents of the Salvation Army.
On MySpace I observe that the world of politico-punk-hardcore music lays its own claim to Sangre y Fuego. It appears, though, that the hardcore folk might be thinking of more literal manifestations of Blood and Fire.