North Carolina Newspapers

VOL. LIIL CHARLOTTE, N. C-, THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1931. —. NObl3. T PRAYER MEEffflG .METHODS j By Rev. H. T. McFariden, Louisburg,. N. C. (Paper read at the Presbyterian Workers’ Conference) The subject of Prayer Meet ing Methods which has Ibeen assigned to me for this hour iis one of the live issues of today, and one that is consuming a great deal of time and energy, loth among educators and reli gious men and women of to day. ine question that most con cerns us at present is not what to do, but how should it be done? and what are the best methods that can be used to get over to the public what we have for them? Every business enterprise, large or small, has some definite rules by which business is governed. These rules may vary greatly from each other, but, nevertheless, they are methods, and those who are most concerned are putting forth every wit and en ergy to make their business i a success, and to render the best possible service to the public. The greatest business of the world today is the winning bf souls for Christ, and the spreading and advancement Of God's kingdom among men.1 The urgent question that is be ing asked day after day is, How shall this matter of soul winnning be presented to the people? We turn to a force that can well be called the power house of the universe, the elec tric force of the age, the con soling power of peace and hap piness, the beginning of civili zation, the progress of life and prosperity, and the real, spir itual and material growth of our great Christian Church. That force is the prayer meet ing. • 1 ' : Is not this an important ques tion? Should not our methods be carefully considered? Our prayer meeting methods are various, just as we have vari ous churches and denomina tions. Some, no doubt, are ef fective, and some are not; oth ers are simply a meeting of people singing, praying, and re turning to their various homes with little o*r no accomplish ment. Let me state here that there should always be a definite plan well worked out which one should follow in conducting prayer service. Before we can serve a great meal there is certain preparation that must be made before that meal can be served to any great advan tage: to this we all will agree readily. So then we come to a. matter of vital importance. I. Thorough Preparedness. A number of churches and pray er meetings have died because when they would have their meetings they had nothing def inite in the way of a plan to offer that would hold the inter est for a length of time. In our preparation for our meeting the selection of a leader is of great importance. The pastor or min ister of the local church, elder, deacon, trustee, or any other consecrated person may lead the meeting, but this person should bv all means be one that is full of the Spirit, one who knows Christ and can lead men to Christ by his or her exemplify ing life as well as through preacnmg. ' A prayer meeting should be called to order with the singing nf two or more lively hymns. Let them be inspirational, in citing and appealing to all. The offering of a spiritual prayer may be followed by Scmpture reading, singing and a short talk by the leader on some defi nite theme pertaining to church or community work. Special prayers should be offered for the sick, the unsaved, the in different and eareless ones of the church and community. A portion of the time should be iriven over occasionally for dis cussion on the subject or any $her thoughts pertaining to ^urch or community life. A prayer meeting is mare than a meeting together of people, singing, praying and returning to their various homes feeling that they have accomplished the purpose of the meeting. The prayer meeting imay be rightly nailed a place of spiritual culture, instruc tion, wisdom, happiness, and i a profound devotion to the cause of Christ and His work through a full sense of His love for us, and our duty toward Him, with a full and whole hearted co-operation of physi cal and spiritual strength in fBis work. ino prayer meeting will be a success unless the pastor stands as a central figure in the meeting. The whole burden of success and spiritual atmos phere seems to circle around, or rest upon the shoulders Of the minister. A definite theme at each meeting is very neces sary in order that great spir itual results might be acquired. The singing, Scripture lesson, and prayers should all point to ward that one definite purpose at which we are aiming. The music plays a very large part in the success of any meet ing Lively, familiar and spir itual music that deals directly with the subject that is before us for 'discussion and prayer. The old custom of singing the entire hymn has somewhat gone out of style in the prayer meeting and tends to deaden the spirit of the meeting. One or two stanzas of a lively hymn are far better from spiritual view whole hymn. We should prac tice the habit of singing songs at times without books and without calling the numbers. This tends to increase spiritual interest in a meeting. 2. Regularity and Punctual ity have their places in the mayer meeting. Regularity and punctuality should be stressed greatly for the best spiritual in terest of the meeting. We can not keep up the spiritual inter est in our meetings when they are irregular and filled with tardiness all through and through. We are not able to fo cus the entire attention of the audience on the prayer topic when there is interruption at all minutes by the late comets to the meeting. Tardiness leads to. the singing of many hymns at times that have just been sung. Some one entering late announces or raises in' many cases the very hymn that has just been sung, which brings a chill and a lack of spir itual interest in the meeting. A prayer meeting should in no wise be allowed to run until the people lose interest in it, but I would not confine you to any specific length to run your prayer meeting. That part should be governed largely by the spiritual interest and re sponses of the individuals. But let me say this: that a meeting should not be allowed to drag because of long prayers and lengthy periods. From 45 min utes t© one hour is indeed an ideal length in which spiritual interest ean be retained. Many churches for a long, long time have ^carried out the idea, and are now putting the same into operation, that min isters and elders in the Presby terian church, are the only per sons to ^conduct, a. prayer ser vice. But we have long since learned that variety is the spice of life. That feeing true, then in order to increase interest and' new opportunities for lead ership among young and old, a place should be allotted on our prayer meeting programme for the following organizations to conduct our religious services: The Ladies’ Missionary Society, Men’s Club, Bjrother hood, Westminster Guild, Young People’s Christian En deavor Society, Tuxis Clijb, Leagues and Forums. The lead ers taken from the various or ganizations should be conse crated persons in the service of Christ and humanity. 3, Socially speaking our prayer meetings have become static, and in many cases can be truthfully called “frig idaires” because of neglect |of friendship and hospitality man ifested to strangers in our local churches. We have become just a bit too cold. Just try a warm handshake of welcome .to strangers, visitors and church members, and make them wel come to the prayer meeting and =ee if our attendance does not increase. I observed while a student in school in one of our progressive cnurcnes tms metn od: a handshake with the per son standing next to you at the close of the service, -beginning with the minister in the pulpit and passing down to the pews. Dr. Benjamin F. Glasco, pastor of the Bidwell Street church, of Pittsburgh^. Pa., us es this method as a social help, which, he states, is greatly revolutionizing his own mid week service, and to the church at large we highly re commend this service. 1. Devotionals led by vari ous groups of the church, be ginning with elders, and includ ing every organization of the church. This links all individ uals with the spirit of the meeting. Forty minutes is de-o voted to this period. At the close the choir takes Jts place and renders gospel music; for service. 2. Pastor preaching a strong evangelistic sermon. This ser mon should not be longer than 20 minutes. '" "•"Tjfteiided ‘to all unsaved and unchurched members, the meeting closing at 9 P. M., followed with a so cial hour, coffee and doughnuts, cakes or sandwiches served iree to all who have attended the service. As each person en ters the church a ticket is giv en him or her for a social hour. This method, if put into action in our local churches will, no doubt, prove a great power in building spirituality. 4. We now present the com pulsory method. In military terms it is called the conscrip tion plan. This plan may not receive the endorsement of the majority of Christian thinkers as a real effective one. But in military success it has proven a great asset to America and other nations in warfare The victory that came to the U- S. A. during the re cent World War was due large ly to the conscription method, and if it has proven a success in killing men, then we do not hesitate to say that it will do pqually as well, if not better, in winning souls for Christ. May I recite to you a con crete case where this has prov en a great help? On my own field I had this experience witn two ladies, one young and the other old. and by chance, moth er and daughter. Both were somewhat bashful and back ward in their expressions be fore the public. They could not pray aloud in public, but I made it a practice of calling upon them from time to time with a very poor response at the beginning, but finally they con tinued to grow and grow until they have become real spiritual powers in, the prayer meeting, spiritual prayers and inspira tional talkers. But if they were left alone, no doubt, they would have become perfect drones. In our recent Week of Prayer this statement was made by the young lady: “I am growing spiritually strong, and had it not been for Rev. McFadden calling on me to offer prayer at various times, I would have re mained a weakling, a coward in the service of the Master.” (Continued on page 4) •t;; OUR PRESBYTERlANWtM.SflMEOF THE ify | By Rev. D. Talmage Murray, B. D.,? Harhisan College, hrmo, s.c. ^should say in the outset this article is not written to com me|ice a newspaper controvert; ■sy gthere will be no come-bacK on|ay part. “What I have writ ten! I have written.” I hope! Ir wilF not be classified as a radi cal its to my views on these is- t sue^ because there is nothing: rn oi% important in my life’s wont than the operation of the greast Church of which I form a part| The crowning goal in. everir man’s life should be his chuifh where he can serve in. suchfa way as to “Crown Him Lorc| of all.” j j Af present there is mu$h discission going on among REV. D. TALMAGE MURRAY our church leaders ral ='©ur- werk-.* Newspaper. articles are continuously com ing from the press with great criticisms as to our present condition. We do not hesitate to admit that some are justifi able and should cause us to take on new courage, yet in view of all that might be said concern ing our work, the fact still re mains that we belong to a great forward-going Church, one which we love and cher ish, because it was through her influence that we have been brought thus far into the light cf civilization where we can discern God’s plans and pur poses as He reveals them to the sons of men. As we look back over a period of more than sixty odd years when our forefathers were freed from slavery, leaving them without homes, lands, ig norant, and last, but not least, without the knoweldge of Jesus Christ, they stood with out stretched hands crying for help and their pitiful cry was heard and answered by our consecrat ed Northern white missionaries who came down in this South land and worked among Ne groes, first establishing preach ing stations and finally organ ized schools and planted the seed of Presbyterianism in the hearts of many. As the results of their labors we have a great harvest of Presbyterians in the South, many well organized churches, finely established schools turning out year after year young men and women who are serving the church in a most Christ-like way. This early work was done at a great sacrifice. “They climbed the steep ascent of heaven through peril, toil and pain,” and if this work is to be preserved our prayer must be, “0 God to us may grace be given to follow in their train.” As we think of the wonderful achievements of our Church and its present day leaders we thank God that the work of our Board has not been in vain in training Christian leadership. Our ministers are leading spir its in the communities in whish they live; they are highly re spected by both white and col oured and in most eases they head up. the .educational pro-1 gram in the ^community.. Their l wise counsel and influence have : helped to solve many racial problems ; Is -refer to such edu- ' caters as «Drs. tt. rL. McCrorey, 1 John A. Savage, John Por- * ter, rG; C. Shaw, A. B. McCoy, B.,rR Smith, sJ. ,W. Holley, G. j W.. Long,. I. P,, r Pogue, s M. J. '] Jackson,* C. W. .Francis, W. J. ; Nelson, - Elder J. ,D. Martin and ' a ^number-. +of nothoris who j are serving, the. Church in a most remarkable tway. , ^ In viewrof Ithis it ds thought by some that the-minister should give full time to. preaching the gospel. Preaching is only teach ing, and. .he can instruct in >a morerdefinite way; in the class room nnd>at the same time pro vide for himself sufficient rfunds upon which to. live. None of our .churches South are able to pay a minister a living sal ary. If we j depended on our churches for a living in this age depression 1 declare unto you some of us would break the speed limit ■'to the, poor house. Those wh<>rare,(disposed to think that we should give full time to church work arid not do anything else should -try thing, to sit -in a fine office arid it in the South. It is an easy ?ay what should be done,, arid how to do it, but when it comes i fo the actual doing, it is anoth^ er question. Any roan can sit; on the bench and effthriae the boy playing the game, but Hjrib in the game -and see how you wopld play. [ h . As, to. pur oftheirsucCe the that our Board has seen fit to retain ministers at the head in order to preserve that Christian influence for which they were established. Many young men and women have received their inspiration by coming in per sonal contact with ministers said thereby causing them to dedicate their lives to Chris tian serviee. As long as this record is kept up we have a .great outlook as a denomina tion. Church Membership This Is also another situa tion facing some of our church leaders. They are asking why we do not grow as other denom inations. They look at our rec ords- each year and find a con tinuous falling off. I think if they only knew the facts in the case they would not be so alarmed, as to our failure to grow, but pity the way in which some of our records are kept. Those of us who attend ed the Workers’ Conference a few weeks ago and heard Dr. S. ©. Thom’s report were given some light on the subject. Sufficient time was not given for all to answer. Briefly, we hope to .'point out some of the problems. Drs. H- L. McCrorey and l*. C. Shaw pointed out one thing that should be noted: that, as ministers we fail to follow up members leaving our churches and going elsewhere. We know the rule relative fo this. We do not discharge our duty along this line. As they leave our 'Church we should give them a letter to the Presbyterian churches in the cities to which they are - going. They may not want it. Now is the time for the minister to^ do ■■ some ecclesiast ical teaching. H Second: Many of our records are poorly kept. A candidate or ■candidates come before the session seeking membership. After the examination they are received into the church. The clerk will take their names on a piece of paper, saying, T will copy their names in the church roll when I get home. In many cases their names never get on (Continued on page 4) Phe Status of Religious Educa tion in the Sunday Church -School in Fifteen Negro Churches in the City of Knoxville, Tenn. This is a title of a thesis by dr; Ralph Stewart Elder, of the department of Religious Edu ction in Knoxville College. It is submitted in partial fulfillment >f the requirements of North western University for the de cree of Master of Arts. It is a jrilliant analysis of the situa tion that exists in the major churches of the city of Knox ville by a young man wiJi a seen, analytical mind, and a spiritual and social passion, rhe treatise is noted for its catholicity of spirit and trans parent fairness. It does not at tempt to pick flaws or to show up the efforts of the Negro at icligious instruction in an un friendly light. It is a sincere ef fort on the part of the author to make a study of the situation in regards to the religions ac tivities of the colored group in and around Knoxville to the end that he might be better pre pared to equip young men and young women to meet the reli gious needs of their communi ties, and to pave the way for a closer co-operation of the De partment of Religious Educa tion of the college with the churches of the community. He presents the facts as he saw them. They speak for them selves. ■His study embraces only fif teen of -the thirty-two churches in the city. These fifteen are the larger and more influential ones. Th^yr constitute a* cross section of the program of reli gious-instruction carried on by $h«*3*f*»l* ^we -efeareh- - - es belong to the "A. M. E. Zion group, one to the A. M. E., one to the M. E-, two to the Presby terian, U. S.-A., one to the Unit ed Presbyterian, three to the Baptist, one to the Christian Disciples, and one to the Church of God in America. In the schools surveyed there were 139 regular teachers, 48 substitutes, 106 general offi cers, 19 departmental officers, and 2,177 pupils, making a to tal of 2,489. Of this number only 315 were adults. Only two schools report a cradle roll. The preparation received by the teachers is as follows: Elementary training, 27; high school. 34; partial or complete college work. 82 ; training class es, 47; partial or complete course in School 'of Methods, 8. The survey reveals that the hourly cost for the secular ed ucation of each pupil enrolled in the city educational system is nearly five times as much as is spent for his religious in struction. It also appears that little or no effort is made by the schools to help the pupils to carry over the religious knowl edge acquired into daily con duct. That nearly one half of the Negro population between the ages of 6 and 21 are not identified with any church school. That the churches are not living up to their opportu nities to reach the youth of the community. The International Standard points out that: “The church in cd-operation with other educational institu tions has responsibility for the complete Christian education of its entire constituency and all. others in the parish not now connected with any church school.” According to this study only a few churches take an inter est^ the church vacation Bi ble school; that only one is equipped to carry on depart mental work. From this analysis the min isters of Knoxville can clearly see the task in front of them, both to a larger religious ser vice to a greater proportion of (Continued on page 3)