Russell H. Conwell, Founder of the Institutional Church in America Part 15

CHAPTER XXVI

SERVICES AT THE TEMPLE

A Typical Sunday. The Young People's Church. Sunday School. The Baptismal Service. Dedication of Infants. The Pastor's Thanksgiving Reception to Children. Sunrise Services. Watch Meeting.

Sunday is a joyous day at The Temple, and a busy one. It is crowded with work and it is good to be there. Services begin at half after nine with prayer meetings in the Lower Temple by the Young Men's a.s.sociation and the Young Women's a.s.sociation. The men's is held in the regular prayer meeting room; the women's in the room of their a.s.sociation. Each is led by some member of the a.s.sociation who is a.s.signed a subject for the morning's study. These subjects, together with the leaders' names, are prepared in advance and printed on a little schedule which is distributed among the church members, so that they may know who has charge of the prayer meeting and the topic for thought.

Dr. Conwell has for twenty-two years presided at the organ in the men's meeting, and usually before the services are over takes a peep into the women's gathering, leaving a prayer or a brief word of cheer and inspiration. The meetings are not long, but they are full of spiritual strength. Men and women, tired with the business life of the week, find them places of soul refreshment where they can step aside from the rush and press of worldly cares and commune with the higher, better things of life.

By the time the prayer meetings are over, the members of the chorus are thronging the Lower Temple, receiving their music and attendance checks, waiting for the signal to march to their seats in the church above.

The morning services begin at half after ten, with the singing of the Doxology, the chanting of the Lord's Prayer by the choir and congregation, followed by the sermon. At the close of the service, Dr.

Conwell steps from the pulpit and meets all strangers or friends with a hearty handclasp and a cordial word of greeting.

While morning service is being conducted in The Temple, a Young People's Church is held in the Lower Temple. Dr. Conwell has not forgotten those wearisome Sundays of his boyhood when, too young to appreciate the church service, he fidgeted, strove to keep awake, whittled, and ended it all by thoroughly disliking church. He wants no such unhappy youngsters to sit through his preaching. He wants no such dislike of the church imbedded in childish hearts and minds. So he planned the Young People's Church. Boys and girls between three and fourteen attend it, and Sunday morning the streets in the neighborhood of The Temple are thronged with happy-faced children on the way to their own church, the youngest in the care of parents, who are able later to enjoy more fully The Temple services, since they are not compelled to keep a watchful eye on a restless child.

Before the services begin, the children are very much at home. No stiff, silent formalism chills youthful spirits. They are as joyous and happy as they would be in their own homes. As the moment approaches for the services to begin, they take their seats and at a given signal rise and recite, "The Lord is in His holy Temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him." A hush falls and then the sweet, childish voices begin that beautiful psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want," and without break or faltering, recite it to the end. Songs follow, bright, cheerful songs full of life, which they sing with a will. Then responsive readings and the Lord's Prayer and always plenty of singing. A short talk is given by the leader, often some one especially secured for the occasion, a talk not over their heads, but into their hearts, a talk whose meaning they can grasp and which sets young minds to thinking of the finer, n.o.bler things of life and inspires them to so live as to be good and useful. Sometimes lantern exhibits to ill.u.s.trate special topics are given. The mere sight of their bright, happy faces in contrast to the dull, bored expression of the usual child in church proves the wisdom of the work.

The children, as far as possible, perform all the duties of the services. A small boy plays the music for their songs, two small girls keep a record of the attendance, children take up the offering. But it is a church in more than mere services. Committees from among the children are appointed for visiting, for calling on the sick, to plan for entertainments, provide the games for the socials, and to look after all details of this character. There are also two officers, a secretary and treasurer. An advisory committee of ladies, members of The Temple, keep an oversight and guiding hand on the work of the children. The instruction is all in the hands of trained teachers, mostly from the college, including as Director the lady Dean of the College, Dr. Laura H. Carnell.

In the afternoon the Sunday Schools meet. The youngest children are enrolled in the primary or kindergarten department. This has a bright, cheery room of its own in the Lower Temple, with a leader and a number of young women scattered here and there among the children to look after their needs and keep them orderly. Hats are taken off and hung on pegs on the wall and the youngsters are made to feel very much at home.

One of the prettiest features of the service in this department is the offering of the birthday pennies. All the members who have had a birthday during the week come forward to put a penny for each year into the basket. Then the cla.s.s stands up and recites a verse and sings a song on birthdays. Very pretty and inspiring both verse and song are, and then the honored ones return to their seats, wis.h.i.+ng, no doubt, they had a birthday every week.

The taking of the offering is also a pretty ceremony. Verses on giving are recited by the children, then one small child takes his stand in the doorway, holding the basket, and the children all march by and drop in their pennies.

The intermediate department claims the next oldest children. It is led by an orchestra composed of members of the Sunday School, and the singing is joyous and spirited. The superintendent walks around among the scholars during the opening exercises, smiling, encouraging, giving a word of praise, urging them to do better. The fresh, clear voices rise clear and strong. Outside, on Broad Street, people stop to listen. Men lean up against the windows and drink in the melody. No one knows what messages of peace and salvation those songs carry out to the throng on the city street.

The cla.s.ses of the senior department meet in the various rooms of the college, and the adult cla.s.s in the auditorium of The Temple. This Dr.

Conwell conducted himself for a number of years, until pressure of work compelled him to use these hours for rest. A popular feature of his service was the question box, in which he answered any question sent to him on any subject connected with religious life or experience or Christian ethics in everyday life. The questions could be sent by mail or handed to him on the platform by the ushers. They were most interesting, and the service attracted men and women from all parts of the city. The following was one of the questions, during the year of building the college:

"Five thousand dollars are due next week, and $15,000 next month. Will you set on foot means to raise this amount or trust wholly to G.o.d's direction?"

And the pastor answered from the platform:

"I would trust wholly in G.o.d's direction. This is a sort of test of faith, and I would make it more so in the building of the College.

I do not know for certain now where the money is to come from next Wednesday; I have an idea. But a few days ago I did not know at all. I do not see where the $15,000 is to come from in December unless it be that the Feast of t.i.thes will bring in $10,000 towards it; that would be a marvelous sum for the people to give, but if it is necessary they will give it. We are workers together with G.o.d. I have partly given up my lecture work this month, as the church thought it was best, but suppose there should come to me from Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, or some other place a call to go and lecture on the 10th or 12th of December, and they should offer me $500 or more--I would say immediately, 'Yes, I will go'; that is G.o.d's call to help the College; that would be the direction of G.o.d. Such opportunities will come to those who should give this $15,000. If G.o.d intends the amount due on the College to be paid (and I believe he does), he will cause the hearts of those who desire to help to give money toward this cause. We trust entirely to G.o.d. I don't believe if I were to lie down, and the church should stop, that it would be paid. But I am sure that if we work together with G.o.d, He will never fail to do as He promises, and He won't ask us to do the impossible. I tell you, friends, I feel sure that the $5,000 will be paid next Wednesday, and I feel sure the $15,000 will be paid when it is due."

It may be interesting to know that the $5,000 was paid; and when the $15,000 was due in December, the money was in the treasury all ready for it.

From half after six on, there are the meetings of the various Christian Endeavor Societies in the Lower Temple. At half after seven the evening services begin and an overflow meeting is held at the same time in the Lower Temple for those who find it impossible to gain admittance to the main auditorium.

The preaching service is followed by a half-hour prayer meeting in the Lower Temple in which both congregations join, taxing its capacity to the utmost. It is a half hour that flies, a half hour full of inspiration and soul communion with the "Spirit that moved on the waters," a fitting crown to a day devoted to His service.

After the solemn benediction is p.r.o.nounced, a half hour more of good fellows.h.i.+p follows. The pastor meets strangers, shakes hands with members, makes a special effort to hold a few words of personal conversation with those who have risen for prayer. Friends and acquaintances greet each other, and the home life of the church comes to the surface. The hand of the clock creeps to eleven, sometimes past, before the last member reluctantly leaves.

Baptism is a very frequent part of the Sunday services at The Temple, usually taking place in the morning. It is a beautiful, solemn ordinance. The baptistry is a long, narrow pool, arranged to resemble a running stream. Years ago, when Dr. Conwell was in Palestine, he was much impressed with the beauty of the river Jordan at the place where Jesus was baptized. Always a lover of the beautiful in nature, the picture long remained in his memory, especially the leaves and blossoms that drifted on the stream. When The Temple was planned he thought of it and determined to give the baptismal pool as much of the beauty of nature as possible.

It is fifteen feet wide, sixty feet long, and during the hour of the solemn ordinance, the brook is running constantly. The sides of the pool, the pulpit and platform, summer or winter, are banked with flowers, palms, moss and vines. On the surface of the water float blossoms, while at the back, banked with mosses and flowers, splashes and sparkles a little waterfall. Over all falls the soft radiance of an illuminated cross. It is a beautiful scene, one that never fades from the memory of the man or woman who is "buried with Christ by baptism into death," to be raised again in the likeness of His resurrection. The candidates enter at the right and pa.s.s out at the left, the pastor pressing into the hands of each, some of the beautiful blossoms that float on the water. During the whole service the organ plays softly, the choir occasionally singing some favorite hymn.

When the number of candidates is large, being on occasion as high as one hundred and seventy-seven adults, the a.s.sociate pastor a.s.sists. It is no unusual thing to see members of a family coming together to make this public profession of their faith. Husband and wife, in many cases; husband, wife and children in many others; a grandmother and two grandchildren on one occasion, and on yet another, a venerable gray-haired nurse came with four of the family in which she had served for many years, and the five entered the baptistry together.

"Among the converts," says one who witnessed a baptismal service, "there were aged persons with their silvered hair. There were stalwart men, fitted to bear burdens in the church for many years to come.

There were young men and maidens to grow into strong men and women of the future church. There were little children sweet in their simplicity and pure love of the Savior, little children who were carried in the arms of those who a.s.sisted, and whom Dr. Conwell tenderly held in his arms as he buried them with Christ."

Another solemn service of the church is the dedication of infants. Any parents who wish, may bring their child and reverently dedicate it to G.o.d, solemnly promising to do all within their power to train it and teach it to lead a Christian life and to make a public profession of faith when it has arrived at the years of discretion. The service reads:

QUESTION.--Do you now come to the Lord's house to present your child (children) to the Lord? ANSWER.--We do.

QUES.--Will you promise before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you will, so far as in you lieth, teach this child the Holy Scriptures, and bring him (her) up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Will you train his (her) mind to respect the services of the Lord's House, and to live in compliance with the teachings and example of our Lord? When he reaches the years of understanding, will you show him the necessity of repentance, explain to him the way of salvation, and urge upon him the necessity of conversion, Baptism, and union with the visible Church of Christ? ANS.--We will.

QUES.--By what name do you purpose to register him (her or them) at this time? ANS.--

_Beloved_: These parents have come to the house of G.o.d at this time to present this child (these children) before the Lord in imitation of the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple as recorded by the Evangelist Luke, saying, "When the days of her [Mary's] purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons." These parents have learned from the Lord Jesus himself that he desires that all the children should come unto him, and that he was pleased when the little children were brought unto him that he might put his hands on them and pray.

Therefore, in obedience to the scriptures, these parents are here to present this child unto the Lord Jesus in spirit, that he may take him up in his arms, place his spiritual hands on him and bless him.

We will turn, therefore, to the Holy Scriptures for direction, as they are our only rule of faith and practice, and ascertain the wishes and commandments of the Lord in this matter.

_I Sam. I, 26, 27, 28_:

And Hannah said, O my Lord, as thy soul liveth, my Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord.

For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my pet.i.tion which I asked of him;

Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he wors.h.i.+pped the Lord there.

_Mark X, 13, 14, 15_:

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of G.o.d.

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of G.o.d as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

_Luke XVIII, 15, 16, 17_:

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them; but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of G.o.d.