REFLECTIONS
Memories reminiscent of a by-gone era
Part one: “All day dinner and preaching on the grounds”
I remember well the second Sunday in August. Not only was this a time between tending the crops and harvest, this day signaled the beginning of a full week of revival services at the small church nestled in the grove of pines of rural South Carolina.
Preparations for this spiritual nourishment had begun the preceding week with the annual cleaning of the church property and the erecting or repairing of long tables situated under the dense shade of a cluster of china berry trees adjacent to the one room house of worship. These tables would accommodate the feast which would be spread immediately following the morning service and before the afternoon service; hence the term, “all day preaching with dinner on the grounds.” There were, of course, some who preferred to reverse the terminology in a weird attempt at mirth. Thus: All day dinner with preaching on the grounds.
Services began with the entire congregation assembled for Sunday school. After a hymn, prayer and announcements, the group retired to their respective classes. Since there were no separate classrooms; taut wires were fastened in a criss-cross pattern throughout the building, on which were hung white curtains. By pulling these curtains the church could be partitioned into the adult ladies, adult men, young adults, children, and nursery classes. It was here that the lessons from the standard Sunday school literature, The Quarterly, were taught. Following the lesson segment, the curtains were slid to the outside walls and the congregation re-assembled for the secretary’s report, another hymn, a prayer and it was now time for preaching.
As a general rule, the pastor brought the message at the morning service on the first day of revival. The afternoon sermon would be delivered by a visiting minister as would the morning and the evening sermons for the following week. After exactly one hour of preaching and a ten minute prayer, the pastor invited everyone to gather outside for ‘dinner on the grounds.’
The ladies left immediately to put out the food while the men huddled in groups and discussed anything from the minister’s sermon up to and including whether the recent drought had affected the yield from their crops. Then the large dinner bell clanged as a signal that the feast was about to begin.
The pastor offered a prayer of Thanksgiving and everyone got in line with paper plates in hand. Mothers were allowed first in line to fix a plate for their children. Behind them it was every man for themselves. The contents of bowl after bowl of potato salad, green beans, corn-on-the-cob, fried chicken, banana pudding, ham, deviled eggs, and biscuits quickly disappeared.
Demijon
Part Two: Revival week – Preaching.
Revival Week
The arrival of the visiting minister was a big event in this close knit community. The fact that he had missed the dinner meant that he would not have the opportunity to meet many of the members and regular attendees of the annual affair. It was, therefore, decided that someone in the community would act as chauffeur during the week and accompany him on his visits to members and possible candidates for membership within the vicinity. The pastor was unable to fulfill these duties due to the fact that he was required to hold a full time job to supplement the meager salary the church could afford as payment for his services.
Wilbur was the most likely nominee for the job as driver since he neither farmed nor held a full time job. His subsistence came from various odd jobs and he was the proud owner of a 1939 Hudson Hornet which would convey the minister on his rounds in relative comfort. Another plus in this arrangement was that he would have ample time to recruit a long-time backslider, Wilbur himself.
The afternoon service began at 2.30 p.m. With the exclusion of Sunday school, it followed the pattern of the morning service until the visiting minister ascended to the pulpit. He pulled a pocket watch from his vest pocket, laid it on the edge of the pulpit and slowly wound the chain around it. He then clasped his Bible in his left hand and raised it above his head. He pounded the pulpit with his right fist and roared, “ALL OF YOU ARE SINNERS!” Thus he began what would be a lengthy sermon. Alternatively reading a verse of scripture and then explaining just how this assembly had fallen short in the obedience to the Word. After weaving from one side of the lectern to the other for at least 30 minutes, beads of sweat appeared on his face. He removed his coat and vest, loosened his tie, wiped his face with a monogrammed handkerchief, and got down to the real business of preaching.
He was well into his second hour when his voice became soft. He began pleading with the congregation to come forward and take his hand, thus offering their lives to the Lord while everyone sang twelve verses of “Just as I am.” When several people had ventured forth, he returned to the pulpit, put his vest and coat on, wound the watch and put in away and began to pray.
With the final A-men spoken some two hours and fifteen minutes after the service began. He invited the entire assembly to welcome the ones who had come forward and took his place at the entrance of the church to greet everyone and accept an invitation from a staunch member for dinner the following evening. Similar services continued until Thursday night when The Meetings Broke.
Demijon
