1901
An old gentleman of 82 whose occasionally cynical speeches are always tinged with good humor was asked his opinion of modern church music.
"It's all very fine," he said dryly, "and I like to hear it, but there's one thing I've noticed. It may be just chance, but I've noticed it a good many times.
"When I was a boy, the people went to two services a day and sometimes three, and they sat on hard seats and sang with all their hearts:
"My God, the spring of all my joys.
"Now the congregation lean comfortably back in softly cushioned pews and listen to the choir singing:
"Art thou weary, art thou languid?
"I may be mistaken, but it comes home to me every now and then that hymnology is changing to suit the times." — Youth's Companion.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Tent Meetings
Ohio, 1901
A Nice Audience, Excellent Song Service and the Story of the Prodigal Son.
Last evening was clear and beautiful and fine, just right for a good meeting at the big tent. And nobody was disappointed. On the platform besides the welcome group of singers, were Revs. Herron and Dennison of Troy, and Revs. Black, Weddell, and Mann of Piqua. With Judd Palmer at the organ and Prof. Weeden to direct the singing and to sing "Calvary" as a solo, the singing was most impressive. Then followed the discourse of the evening by Rev. [J. W.] VanDeVenter, of which we can only give the merest outline.
He began his address with the story of the conversion and the ministry of Harry Moorehouse whose favorite theme was the "Wonderful love of God," and whose favorite text was Jno. 3:16. He said in brief:
"I do not wish to use the text often chosen by Harry Moorehouse but I wish to speak upon the same subject — The Love of God.
"There is a story told by Jesus of Nazareth, in the l5th chapter of Luke, which tells of the wonderful love of the Father, for a poor lost soul, that I want to use as a basis of my remarks. Had Jesus lived in America, and at this time, He probably would have laid the plot of his story here and selected his characters from our midst and I beg that privilege."
The speaker then proceeded to describe a country home with all of its charms, the home of two boys, one of whom, dissatisfied with the dull routine of farm life, asked the father for his portion of the property which finally was given him, and with the same he went out into the world to seek his fortune. He was conceited, stubborn and self-willed and would not listen to the advice of a kind, loving father and went away to the great city of Chicago, to pass through the college of experience.
He described his downward course as he went, step by step, to ruin. In three years he had wasted his substance in riotous living, "comes to himself" and finds that he is without friends, money or character, in short only a tramp. He decides to return to the old home.
The speaker then described the wonderful love of the old father, the anxious waiting, the many prayers offered and the final return of the lost son and his restoration to the old home circle.
In conclusion he told some touching stories which were listened to with deep interest by the audience.
A number asked for prayers and anxious ones were conversed with and led out to freely talk of their desire and determination to lead new lives.
This evening there will be a lecture on the Passion Play, with stereopticon views, the same as are seen at Oberammergau.
—The Piqua Daily Call, Piqua, Ohio, June 4, 1901, p. 5.
A Nice Audience, Excellent Song Service and the Story of the Prodigal Son.
Last evening was clear and beautiful and fine, just right for a good meeting at the big tent. And nobody was disappointed. On the platform besides the welcome group of singers, were Revs. Herron and Dennison of Troy, and Revs. Black, Weddell, and Mann of Piqua. With Judd Palmer at the organ and Prof. Weeden to direct the singing and to sing "Calvary" as a solo, the singing was most impressive. Then followed the discourse of the evening by Rev. [J. W.] VanDeVenter, of which we can only give the merest outline.
He began his address with the story of the conversion and the ministry of Harry Moorehouse whose favorite theme was the "Wonderful love of God," and whose favorite text was Jno. 3:16. He said in brief:
"I do not wish to use the text often chosen by Harry Moorehouse but I wish to speak upon the same subject — The Love of God.
"There is a story told by Jesus of Nazareth, in the l5th chapter of Luke, which tells of the wonderful love of the Father, for a poor lost soul, that I want to use as a basis of my remarks. Had Jesus lived in America, and at this time, He probably would have laid the plot of his story here and selected his characters from our midst and I beg that privilege."
The speaker then proceeded to describe a country home with all of its charms, the home of two boys, one of whom, dissatisfied with the dull routine of farm life, asked the father for his portion of the property which finally was given him, and with the same he went out into the world to seek his fortune. He was conceited, stubborn and self-willed and would not listen to the advice of a kind, loving father and went away to the great city of Chicago, to pass through the college of experience.
He described his downward course as he went, step by step, to ruin. In three years he had wasted his substance in riotous living, "comes to himself" and finds that he is without friends, money or character, in short only a tramp. He decides to return to the old home.
The speaker then described the wonderful love of the old father, the anxious waiting, the many prayers offered and the final return of the lost son and his restoration to the old home circle.
In conclusion he told some touching stories which were listened to with deep interest by the audience.
A number asked for prayers and anxious ones were conversed with and led out to freely talk of their desire and determination to lead new lives.
This evening there will be a lecture on the Passion Play, with stereopticon views, the same as are seen at Oberammergau.
—The Piqua Daily Call, Piqua, Ohio, June 4, 1901, p. 5.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Transplanted to the Skies Early
1901
Paul, the infant son of Rev. and Mrs. David Herr, died at their home in Springfield last Sunday, aged about 15 months. The baby was of delicate mold, too delicate for the blustering winds and angry billows of this life, and knowing this the Good Shepherd gathered it to his own bosom where there is never anything to harm, no pain, no disease, no death, but perpetual life and ever blooming flowers.
The baby was laid away to rest today.
—The Piqua Daily Call, Piqua, Ohio, June 4, 1901, p. 8.
Comment: The headline "Transplanted to the Skies Early" is the original headline for this little article, and of course the rest of the article is as it was first published. It is a remarkable way to describe an infant's death, or at least it would be remarkable today. You still can find plenty of very sentimental language in obituaries today, which is written by funeral homes or by family members. But I seldom see anything written in quite the same poetic tone as this little article.
Paul, the infant son of Rev. and Mrs. David Herr, died at their home in Springfield last Sunday, aged about 15 months. The baby was of delicate mold, too delicate for the blustering winds and angry billows of this life, and knowing this the Good Shepherd gathered it to his own bosom where there is never anything to harm, no pain, no disease, no death, but perpetual life and ever blooming flowers.
The baby was laid away to rest today.
—The Piqua Daily Call, Piqua, Ohio, June 4, 1901, p. 8.
Comment: The headline "Transplanted to the Skies Early" is the original headline for this little article, and of course the rest of the article is as it was first published. It is a remarkable way to describe an infant's death, or at least it would be remarkable today. You still can find plenty of very sentimental language in obituaries today, which is written by funeral homes or by family members. But I seldom see anything written in quite the same poetic tone as this little article.
A Day Dream of Tennyson
1901
In the "Life of Tennyson" occurs the following:
"A kind of waking trance I have frequently had, up from boyhood, when I have been all alone. This has generally come upon me through repeating my own name two or three times to myself silently, till all at once, as it were out of the intensity of the consciousness of individuality, the individuality itself seemed to dissolve and fade away into boundless being, and this not in a confused state, but the clearest of the clearest, the surest of the surest, the weirdest of the weirdest, utterly beyond words, where death was an almost laughable impossibility, the loss of personality (if so it were) seeming no extinction but the only true life. This might be the state which St. Paul describes, 'whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body cannot tell.' I am ashamed of my feeble description. Have I not said the state is utterly beyond words? But in a moment when I come back to my normal state of 'sanity' I am ready to fight for mein liebes ich and hold that it will last for aeons and aeons."
In the "Life of Tennyson" occurs the following:
"A kind of waking trance I have frequently had, up from boyhood, when I have been all alone. This has generally come upon me through repeating my own name two or three times to myself silently, till all at once, as it were out of the intensity of the consciousness of individuality, the individuality itself seemed to dissolve and fade away into boundless being, and this not in a confused state, but the clearest of the clearest, the surest of the surest, the weirdest of the weirdest, utterly beyond words, where death was an almost laughable impossibility, the loss of personality (if so it were) seeming no extinction but the only true life. This might be the state which St. Paul describes, 'whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body cannot tell.' I am ashamed of my feeble description. Have I not said the state is utterly beyond words? But in a moment when I come back to my normal state of 'sanity' I am ready to fight for mein liebes ich and hold that it will last for aeons and aeons."
Not an Educated Dog
1901
In the "Floresta Espanola" of Melchior de Santa Cruz the author has an anecdote of Cardinal Pedro Concalez. That prelate noticed that one of the priests in his retinue, a Biscayan, carried a short sword under his cloak. The cardinal reproved him and told him that it was wrong for a cleric to carry arms. The Biscayan replied that he carried the weapon to defend himself if he were attacked by a dog. The cardinal said that in case he saw a dog running at him he should begin to recite from the gospel of St. John. The priest acknowledged that this was a good way, but held to the dagger, "because there are some dogs who do not understand Latin."
In the "Floresta Espanola" of Melchior de Santa Cruz the author has an anecdote of Cardinal Pedro Concalez. That prelate noticed that one of the priests in his retinue, a Biscayan, carried a short sword under his cloak. The cardinal reproved him and told him that it was wrong for a cleric to carry arms. The Biscayan replied that he carried the weapon to defend himself if he were attacked by a dog. The cardinal said that in case he saw a dog running at him he should begin to recite from the gospel of St. John. The priest acknowledged that this was a good way, but held to the dagger, "because there are some dogs who do not understand Latin."
Monday, April 7, 2008
Trying to Keep Out
1901
A sick man who was really near to death could not resist the temptation to have a little fun with his spiritual adviser. He had a lingering malady, but his days were certainly numbered by a few weeks at the most. He had not been known as a man of strong religious convictions, and yet there was little if anything which could be said against him. It was one of those delicate cases in which it is hard for the minister to do anything. Some one suggested to Rev. Paul Weyand, then stationed at Morningside, that he make a call upon the patient.
Going to the house, he found the man propped up in bed to relieve a smothering sensation. The sick man could scarcely talk above a whisper, and Rev. Mr. Weyand began to make subtle inquiries about his spiritual welfare. The invalid's answers were all noncommittal and evasive, and finally in despair the pastor asked:
"Do you really want to go to heaven, Mr. Blank?"
"Do I want to go to heaven?" repeated the dying man in a hoarse whisper. "Why, that's the place I've been fighting so hard to keep out of for the last two years." — Pittsburgh News.
A sick man who was really near to death could not resist the temptation to have a little fun with his spiritual adviser. He had a lingering malady, but his days were certainly numbered by a few weeks at the most. He had not been known as a man of strong religious convictions, and yet there was little if anything which could be said against him. It was one of those delicate cases in which it is hard for the minister to do anything. Some one suggested to Rev. Paul Weyand, then stationed at Morningside, that he make a call upon the patient.
Going to the house, he found the man propped up in bed to relieve a smothering sensation. The sick man could scarcely talk above a whisper, and Rev. Mr. Weyand began to make subtle inquiries about his spiritual welfare. The invalid's answers were all noncommittal and evasive, and finally in despair the pastor asked:
"Do you really want to go to heaven, Mr. Blank?"
"Do I want to go to heaven?" repeated the dying man in a hoarse whisper. "Why, that's the place I've been fighting so hard to keep out of for the last two years." — Pittsburgh News.
Her Sacrifice
1901
The Rev. Cyrus T. Brady says in his book of missionary reminiscences: "I was once preaching about missions, urging the congregation to make some sacrifice for the missionary cause and indicating to them several methods by which they could follow my advice. Among other things I suggested that they refrain from purchasing any book which they very much desired and donate the money to me instead for my missionary work. I happened to have perpetrated a book myself.
"You will therefore understand my feelings when, a very bright woman in the congregation came up to me and handed me $1 with the remark, 'I had intended to buy your book and read it, Mr. Brady, but I have concluded to follow your advice and give you the money for missions instead.'
"I accepted the situation gracefully and told her I would lend her my own copy of the book to read. She smiled and thanked me, and as she did so I voiced my thought in this way, 'But after all Mrs. R., there does not seem to be any sacrifice on your part in this transaction, for you have the happy consciousness of having given the money for missions and yet have the book as well.'
" 'No sacrifice?' she replied. 'Why, have to read the book!' "
The Rev. Cyrus T. Brady says in his book of missionary reminiscences: "I was once preaching about missions, urging the congregation to make some sacrifice for the missionary cause and indicating to them several methods by which they could follow my advice. Among other things I suggested that they refrain from purchasing any book which they very much desired and donate the money to me instead for my missionary work. I happened to have perpetrated a book myself.
"You will therefore understand my feelings when, a very bright woman in the congregation came up to me and handed me $1 with the remark, 'I had intended to buy your book and read it, Mr. Brady, but I have concluded to follow your advice and give you the money for missions instead.'
"I accepted the situation gracefully and told her I would lend her my own copy of the book to read. She smiled and thanked me, and as she did so I voiced my thought in this way, 'But after all Mrs. R., there does not seem to be any sacrifice on your part in this transaction, for you have the happy consciousness of having given the money for missions and yet have the book as well.'
" 'No sacrifice?' she replied. 'Why, have to read the book!' "
Baptist Humor
1901
Here is a story from the Baptist conference at Leicester. It is about a minister. He found himself at chapel one morning without his sermon. "My dear brethren," he exclaimed, "I can only give you now what God will send me, but tonight I will come back better prepared." — Pall Mall Gazette.
Here is a story from the Baptist conference at Leicester. It is about a minister. He found himself at chapel one morning without his sermon. "My dear brethren," he exclaimed, "I can only give you now what God will send me, but tonight I will come back better prepared." — Pall Mall Gazette.
The Temple of Zeus
1901
All that remains of the great temple of Zeus, which was 700 years in building, is to be found about 150 yards from the foot of the Acropolis at Athens. The ruins consist of 10 columns of the Corinthian order 6-1/2 feet in diameter and 60 feet high. It was the second largest temple erected by the Greeks, one superior to it in size being the temple of Diana at Ephesus. According to a legend, its foundation was built by Dukalion, the Greek Noah, who from this point witnessed the waters of the flood subside. An opening in the ground is said to be the orifice through which the flood disappeared.
All that remains of the great temple of Zeus, which was 700 years in building, is to be found about 150 yards from the foot of the Acropolis at Athens. The ruins consist of 10 columns of the Corinthian order 6-1/2 feet in diameter and 60 feet high. It was the second largest temple erected by the Greeks, one superior to it in size being the temple of Diana at Ephesus. According to a legend, its foundation was built by Dukalion, the Greek Noah, who from this point witnessed the waters of the flood subside. An opening in the ground is said to be the orifice through which the flood disappeared.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Receives Testament He Lost in France
1919
Missouri Soldier Gets Bible He Lost During A. E. F. Service.
MEXICO, Missouri — William Judd of this city has just received from George E. Showman, of Ellsworth, Kan., a small pocket testament and a letter explaining that he found the book, in which Judd's name had been written, in France, May 17, 1919, and brought it back home with him, hoping that he would be able to restore it to its owner.
The testament, Judd says, was missed shortly after he reached France as a soldier, and he had no idea where he lost it. So when he received it from Showman and learned that it had gone to France and back he was greatly surprised.
Showman said in his letter that he thought perhaps the owner had been taken to the hospital and was dead, but sent the book anyway, hoping that if Judd had died or been killed that it would reach some of his relatives who would cherish it as a keepsake.
—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 7.
Missouri Soldier Gets Bible He Lost During A. E. F. Service.
MEXICO, Missouri — William Judd of this city has just received from George E. Showman, of Ellsworth, Kan., a small pocket testament and a letter explaining that he found the book, in which Judd's name had been written, in France, May 17, 1919, and brought it back home with him, hoping that he would be able to restore it to its owner.
The testament, Judd says, was missed shortly after he reached France as a soldier, and he had no idea where he lost it. So when he received it from Showman and learned that it had gone to France and back he was greatly surprised.
Showman said in his letter that he thought perhaps the owner had been taken to the hospital and was dead, but sent the book anyway, hoping that if Judd had died or been killed that it would reach some of his relatives who would cherish it as a keepsake.
—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 7.
The Congregation Smiled
1901
A certain clergyman when preaching extemporaneously touched on the subject of miracles. Some people, he said, had difficulty in accepting the miraculous stories of the Bible, as, for example, the story of the speech that Balaam's ass made to his master.
Looking solemnly at the congregation the preacher hammered in his contention with the remark. "Why should not God make an ass to speak — he made me to speak." — New York Tribune.
A certain clergyman when preaching extemporaneously touched on the subject of miracles. Some people, he said, had difficulty in accepting the miraculous stories of the Bible, as, for example, the story of the speech that Balaam's ass made to his master.
Looking solemnly at the congregation the preacher hammered in his contention with the remark. "Why should not God make an ass to speak — he made me to speak." — New York Tribune.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Keeps Women Silent, How Does He Do It?
1920
Pastor Finds Long-sought-for Method of Hushing Talkative Sex.
Women are not allowed to preach or to bear rule or authority in the church at Zion City, Ill., near Chicago.
"I will not allow any woman to come on the platform and preach or teach," said Overseer Voliva. "Paul said, 'Let the women keep silent in the churches,' and in Zion no woman can be a public speaker. No woman is entitled to bear rule or to be placed in authority. When the apostles were selected, there wasn't a woman among them. When God chose a prophet, or a messenger, he always chose a man."
Here are some of the things that a woman can do, according to Voliva:
She can stay at home and mend socks; wash the dishes; knit and darn; cook; keep her home and her children clean and tidy, and she can be an angel of mercy to the sick and distressed. But she can't preach.
Besides accepting the apostle Paul as an authority on woman's place. Voliva also takes the position that woman was to be subject to man, from creation down. Voliva gives as his reasons for this position that Adam was first created, then woman was created from the rib of man, and that Eve was first in the transgressions in the Garden of Eden. She didn't keep her place, and not only got into trouble, but dragged man into trouble after her.
—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 5.
Pastor Finds Long-sought-for Method of Hushing Talkative Sex.
Women are not allowed to preach or to bear rule or authority in the church at Zion City, Ill., near Chicago.
"I will not allow any woman to come on the platform and preach or teach," said Overseer Voliva. "Paul said, 'Let the women keep silent in the churches,' and in Zion no woman can be a public speaker. No woman is entitled to bear rule or to be placed in authority. When the apostles were selected, there wasn't a woman among them. When God chose a prophet, or a messenger, he always chose a man."
Here are some of the things that a woman can do, according to Voliva:
She can stay at home and mend socks; wash the dishes; knit and darn; cook; keep her home and her children clean and tidy, and she can be an angel of mercy to the sick and distressed. But she can't preach.
Besides accepting the apostle Paul as an authority on woman's place. Voliva also takes the position that woman was to be subject to man, from creation down. Voliva gives as his reasons for this position that Adam was first created, then woman was created from the rib of man, and that Eve was first in the transgressions in the Garden of Eden. She didn't keep her place, and not only got into trouble, but dragged man into trouble after her.
—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 5.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Biggest Bible To Visit U.S. On Its Worldwide Mission
1920The year 1920 is to be marked by the visit to the United States and Canada of the most remarkable copy of the Sacred Scriptures ever produced. Weighing three-quarters of a ton, the volume stands 5 feet 2 inches high. It is 3 feet 6 inches across and when opened flat measures 7 feet 10 inches across the pages.
Carried in a specially constructed automobile with an attractive reading stand and platform, this wonderful book is to be the feature of a world-wide campaign for the popularizing of the Bible.
The campaign will start early in the new year and will be conducted by the Bible crusade of England, whose founder is William Henry Fry, grandson of the great English Quakeress, Elizabeth Fry.
Instead of being set in type and printed in a press, every verse of the Bible is being written by a different person and signed with his or her signature as a personal record of their belief in its teachings. So far about 2,000 texts have been written by the scribes, ranging from bishops to laborers.
Twelve large goatskins were required for the binding, which is in rich Levant Morocco leather of the finest quality. The book contains 175 sheets of stout paper boards. It is sewed with twine in the old-fashioned way round six stout hempen ropes. Each rope is thicker than the ordinary clothes-line.
To hasten the building of the book during the various processes of binding a staging was erected, from the cross beam of which depended an iron chain and pulley block, without which it would have required six men to manipulate the volume.
—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 2.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Mosaic Precautions
1910
No one can fail to be impressed by the careful hygienic precautions of the Mosaic period. For example, consider how animals were divided into the clean and the unclean, the reason for this being that the priests, in preparing them for sacrifice, noted the presence of parasites in the flesh or insides of certain animals which were therefore to be avoided.
Bits and Pieces
Some people treat the sermon as a table d'hote dinner, picking out the things that will not agree with them.
When the pulpit gets into poetic clouds it misses the man on the pavement.
A catalogue of vices never led any one into virtue.
Anaemia is often temporarily mistaken for virtue.
An ingrowing conscience drives many a man into sin.
No one can fail to be impressed by the careful hygienic precautions of the Mosaic period. For example, consider how animals were divided into the clean and the unclean, the reason for this being that the priests, in preparing them for sacrifice, noted the presence of parasites in the flesh or insides of certain animals which were therefore to be avoided.
Bits and Pieces
Some people treat the sermon as a table d'hote dinner, picking out the things that will not agree with them.
When the pulpit gets into poetic clouds it misses the man on the pavement.
A catalogue of vices never led any one into virtue.
Anaemia is often temporarily mistaken for virtue.
An ingrowing conscience drives many a man into sin.
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