Week 11
of 52 -
So far have traveled about 124,000,000 miles.
Thoughts
during the week:
I
noticed the full title for the church last week: "International Assemblies
of the Firstborn." The minister's wife, whom I had known from
Toastmaster's years ago, told me that it was basically a copy of "The
Assemblies of God" in format. That was a common denomination in the area
of my mission - West Virginia-Kentucky-Tennessee. Copy or not - they had to
select a new title. I thought the title interesting. We began as "The
Church of Christ," and after a court case changed our name to "The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." I believe the group headed
by Joseph's brother retained the other title. Another group titled itself
"The Church of Christ,
Also
noticed in the program - blessing for certain people - one was a girl beginning
college in another city. "Pray that
she will always live in the protection of the Lord, and that she will become
involved in a good church."
To us,
there is good in all churches, but only one good church we would pray for one
to find.
The
Visit:
Leona
and I vote here. Leona suggested,
"Why don’t you go visit that
They
have a good-sized simple chapel. Floor
is like linoleum tiles. Carpet glue-down only in the aisle. Large plain cross in rock
wall at front. Very
simple décor overall.
Only
the minister was ever on the podium (stage).
Even the organist was at floor level off to the right. Those were the only two ever at front.
Songs
were sung from printed program - or from hymnal. It was very noticeable that everyone was
looking down. There was no music
director.
I'm
truly beginning to appreciate the projecting of the words up front - it adds
greatly to the quality of the singing - and the overall feeling of togetherness
- and there are always lots more smiles.
This is something we ought to try.
Sometimes it's just the whole song up there - fancier ones project a
line at a time in big letters, like carioke. (sp?) Believe me, this makes a very significant difference. Almost everyone sings. Eyes are focused at distance rather than for
reading - making everyone visible to one another. As Martha Stewart would say, "This is a
good thing." I like it best when
there is a director also. They can slow
and speed - bring about more or less loudness - and add other dynamics that you
just can't get without a director - unless there has been rehearsal. A congregation is unrehearsed - and needs a
director.
Attendance
was very low. In a chapel that would
hold 300, there were perhaps thirty.
I had
one bishop at BYU that had an interesting policy. He interviewed every member at the beginning
of each semester - asking them only a couple questions. "What jobs have you had in the
Church?" "Which of those jobs
did you like the best?" After
receiving an answer, he asked, "Would you like that job in this
ward?" His requirement for giving a
calling was a yes to this question. In
my case it was Sunday School Teacher, so that's the call I got in this
ward. He instructed me further, "As
a Sunday School teacher, your job is to increase attendance. If your class grows, you stay on the
job."
After
11 weeks of this 52 week journey, I can see clearly that the high attendances
are at churches where the programs are well-planned and executed. The low-attendance churches have boring
programs, even though they may have good messages. We are not called "The Children of
God" for nothing. If sacrament
meeting were more like primary, just more serious in content, attendance would
increase. We all know when a speaker
comes up who has some visual aids prepared in advance, or something else that
proves preparation and care, we like it better.
During
this entire meeting, there was never applause (Same as in our meetings) - but
also, there was never laughter. No humor
was included in the message.
Meeting
started with a song. The minister began
talking in the aisle - proceeding to the stage and a lectern. Then there was a section devoted to the
minister reading - and the congregation reading or singing a line - from a
section in the hymn book. There are
dozens of written scripts for this. They
had titles - and this one added after the title, "without communion." I learned later in the meeting that communion
(our sacrament) is served only on the first Sunday of each month. They call it "Communion Sunday."
There
was a talk from the minister after this exchange - where he read from text
printed in the program. He read it
pretty much word for word. From Isaiah, from Romans - and then from Matthew. We see this now in our general
conferences. I don't like it. Heber J. Grant once asked J. Golden Kimball
to write out his talks and let them be edited - and then to read them
word-for-word at conference. Kimball did
so. Grant thought it was the worst talk
he'd ever heard from Kimball - and later ordered him, "Brother Kimball - I
take it back about writing out your talks - do not ever 'pre-meditate' a talk
again." President Grant also said
of Kimball, "He is one of the most spiritual men I have ever known."
Then
they had the collection with plates.
Then
the minister gave his prepared talk - less formal. The minister talked of "
"My Biceps - or Abs or something like that."
Now I
knew he was talking about the tongue, but my thoughts ran a few places. Firstly, when we talk about the strength of a
muscle, we are talking foot-pounds per second, not the "power" of
communication. That power is metaphoric
- not really power that a muscle gives.
That metaphoric power could be given by pen rather than tongue - or a
hearing-impaired person could do it with his biceps and other muscles in sign
language. I also thought that he could
have gone another way and said, "It's the heart - nothing is so powerful as love."
Or he could have been talking about actual endurance - and not the
weight that could be lifted - then we might select the actual heart muscle -
which goes on and on without tiring. If
I had been on muscle beach (I'm much too intimidated to be seen there), I would
have answered as my ninth grade science teacher had taught us - "It's
about a tie between the quadriceps (muscles in the front part of thigh) and the
Gluteus Maximus (Our butt muscles)." These are the two main muscle groups we use
to stand up - lifting the whole body.
But it
was the tongue.
He
talked of some things that are done with the tongue -
Lullaby
Army
officer
Ambassador
Teacher
Attorney
(Representing an innocent client, he added.)
Pastor
The
pastor (Dan) was young - maybe in his 20's.
Then he
talked about Lutherans being in parts of the world where we would not have
thought. "Who would have thought
there would be confessional Lutherans in
It is
because we talk about the Lord to people.
Let the newscaster and the weatherman talk about small things; let us
talk about the Lord. Let us use our
strongest muscle to do this.
The
pastor was a very nice young man - greeted me as I came in - and talked a
little (knowledgably) about hotrods. The
people also were friendly before and after the meeting. (Coffee - juice - cookies - fruit served
informally after out front. People
lingered about 20 minutes.)
Out by
the road, there is a sign that says, "WHERE THE BIBLE IS TAUGHT AS THE
INSPIRED AND INERRANT WORD OF GOD."
We, of
course, word this significantly differently.
"The Bible is The word of God, so far as
it is translated correctly."
I
didn’t talk to anyone at this church about this "inerrant" nature of
the Bible, but I have talked to others before.
I ask them, "Which version?
King James?" They answer,
"It doesn’t matter what version."
I say, "Well - if I write a version during this next year, will it
be inerrant?" They are now a little
puzzled. "What if I put in it that
the Lutherans are wrong - and the Buddhists are correct about
everything." They answer,
"Well - that would not be the Bible, would it?" I respond, "Right - I have translated
incorrectly - so my Bible is not inerrant.
Anyone who translates and does it incorrectly introduces error. How can we know that any of these versions is
"The Bible" by your suggested requirement? To know that - you would have to have it
revealed to you by God."
There
were some bracketed words written in the program to be read by the minister
after his more formal talk - I assume talking of the scripture - but not
quoting it. This, of course, is another
translation. It was about the parable of
the sower. It
began, "Listen then, to what the parable of the sower
means:"
I have
heard Mormons say that everything we need to know for our use in achieving
exultation - is found in the standard works of the Church.
I ask
those Mormons if the temple ordinances are contained there.
Our
minds are more to be trusted than the written words of others. If we are true to what our mind tells us is
good, we will be on good ground. I've
taught lots of teenagers: "When it is time to decide what to do, ask this
question in your mind, 'What will I wish I had decided when I think about it
tomorrow?' " The
answer to that question will usually yield the correct choice - from our own
minds. Our minds are very trustworthy -
if we use them honestly. We almost
without exception know right from wrong.
It's the doing - and not the knowing - that we mess up on. Satan himself knows right from wrong. So does every man and woman. There are exceptions - but as a general rule,
it holds.
A
person who truly cares for his fellow beings will do quite well, even if he or
she never stumbles upon a Bible.
One thing
that appears to run true through all these visits - is that the people seem to
be of good will. It's amazing, in a way,
that religions have so many times been the catalyst for warfare and other evils
- when at their foundation, as a general rule, are people of good will. There is one particular thing that I think
leads this direction in times of stress and competition - it is the belief that
"My religion is right - and yours is wrong." Sometimes, the friction does not start by an
action of this believer - it starts from outside - where that belief is
challenged - and where it is a real or perceived threat to the well-being of
others. We were very successful in
Nauvoo, for example - it was larger then than the city of
We do
believe that other religions have a right to be - "Let them worship how
where and what they may." But we
also believe they will be wrong if they select to follow anyone other than the
Latter-day Saints. This exclusivist belief is uncomfortable to all those who
desire and believe God is inclusive. Unfortunately, among all the religions,
there are few who do.
I don't
think I learned very much about the Lutherans on this visit. I need to do this for ten years instead of
just one. (No no
- I'll be back when the year is finished.)
I do feel a general sense of understanding is forming - that will be
good for the rest of my life.
Week 11
of 52 -