Monday, April 06, 2009

The Model Church


Well, wife, I’ve found the model church – I
Worshipped there today!
It made me think of good old times, before
my hair was gray.
The meeting house was fixed up more than
they were years ago,
But then, I felt when I went in, it wasn’t built for
show.

The sexton didn’t seat me away back by the door;
He knew that I was old and deaf, as well as old and
poor;
He must have been a Christian, for he led me through
the long aisle of that crowded church, to find a place
and pew.

I wish you’d heard the singin’ – it had the old-time
ring;
The preacher said with trumpet voice, “let all the
people sing!”
The tune was Coronation, and the music upward
rolled,
Till I thought I heard the angels all striking their
harps of gold.

My deafness seemed to melt away; my spirit caught
the fire;
I joined my feeble, trembling voice, with that
melodious choir,
And sang as in my youthful days, “Let angels
Prostrate fall,
bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord
of all.”

I tell you, wife, it did me good to sing that hymn once
more;
I felt like some wretched mariner who gets a glimpse
of shore;
I almost wanted to lay down this weather beaten
form,
And anchor in the blessed port forever from the storm.

The preachin’? Well, I can’t just tell all the
Preacher said;
I know it wasn’t written; I know it wasn’t read;
He hadn’t time to read it, for the lighnin’ of his eye
went flashin’ along from pew to pew, nor passed a
sinner by.

The sermon wasn’t flowery, ‘twas simple gospel truth;
It fitted poor old men like me, it fitted hopeful youth.
‘Twas full of consolation for weary hearts that bleed;
‘Twas full of invitations to Christ, and not to creed.

The preacher made sin hideous in Gentiles and in
Jews;
He shot the golden sentences down in the finest pews,
And – though I can’t see very well – I saw the falling
tear
That told me hell was some way off, and heaven very
Near.

How swift the golden moments fled within that holy
place!
How brightly beamed the light of heaven from every
happy face!
Again I longed for that sweet time when friend shall
meet with friend,
“Where congregations ne’er break up, and Sabbaths
have no end.

I hope to meet that minister – that congregation, too –
In that dear home beyond the stars that shine from
heaven’s blue.
I doubt not I’ll remember, beyond life’s evening
gray,
That happy hour of worship in that model church
today.

Dear wife, the fight will soon be fought, the victory
be won;
The shining goal is just ahead, the race is nearly run.
O’er the river we are nearin’, they are throngin’ to the
shore,
To shout our safe arrival where the weary weep no
more.
John H. Yates - Photo from the Internet

7 comments:

Matt said...

is he dreaming?

Razzer said...

Fred, U got a distinct and an irresistable style of depicting and writing things. I liked most of ur posts. Well written with pictures to match. I'll visit u often.
Btw..I wonder if u cud hypnotise any fly yet?? Lol.
Maybe flies here r more tamable, u think??
:-)

Andy. :-)

FCB said...

Hi Matt,
It's okay to dream, eh?
I'm still looking for this church, maybe it's in Spokane?
Love Dad




Hi Anand,
Thanks for your comments and I'm glad you like the pics too.
I went back and visited your blog today and sure enough, some more interesting and useful posts. That one on how to handle phone complaints was very useful.
Glad to have you by,
Fred

Joseph Pulikotil said...

Hi Fred :)

I am still wondering whether there is an ideal church. If we go on hunting for the ideal church, the search will never end.

The trick is stay in one church and believe and trust Jesus to save us. Otherwise it will be like changing shirts :)

I stay in one church because of my forefathers and neither me nor my children are trying to find a new one.

I cannot say that the church service is so very exciting. It is dull and boring. The sermon invariably puts me to sleep. But then that is my church, my father's church and my grand father's church and also my children's church.

Your post is very interesting to read. I hope it is only a dream :)

Have a nice day,Fred :)
Joseph

Joseph Pulikotil said...

Hi Fred :)

This is regarding your query in my post regarding things I ate. They are snacks (vadas, bondas and sugian)

Best wishes :)

Mel said...

Terrific poem, Fred! I pray that all of us who attend churches will become part of God's answer to the prayer that our churches will become all that God created them to be in Christ.

FCB said...

Hi Joseph,
I just ran across your comment on this post and I love it! I agree with your senitiments that there is no ideal church but I have to laugh when you said -

"I cannot say that the church service is so very exciting. It is dull and boring. The sermon invariably puts me to sleep."

Your honesty is so rare and it does make this poem seem even more like a dream. Now I don't feel quite as bad about my church as you described, haven't fallen asleep yet, but one thing about being a Protestant is you have hundreds of churches to pick from. In a way I wish it weren't so, I suspect it would take some of the restlessness away. Anyway, thanks for your candid comments, I enjoy them.
God bless,
Fred