The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-07
NEW QUARTERS
Tabernacle Outgrows It's
Present Location.

mat there is power III c leiith "a
God is evidenced by the remarkable
growth of the Tabernacle under the
guidance of Rev. Essex w. Kenyon.
For the past eight months, in the face
of the most adverse circumstances, he |
has worked steadily on in work which !
was at it's inception termed extremely |
radical. 1t will be remembered That |
about a year ago Rev. Mr. Kenyon
gave up his pastorate of the Free Bap- |
fist Church, giving as his reasons that
he could not conscientiously accept a
salary from any body of people His
congregation endeavored to persuade
him to reconsider the move. but to
no avail. Thenceforth, his work was
to be among a different class of peo-
pie entirely, people who We're deeply
| interested in the study of the gospel.
Beginning upon his gospel mission
at once with but seven adherents, the
| doughty pastor has led his flock
through thick and thin and has added
| thereto continually, until today he has
between eighty and ninety followers
who are not only regular attendants at
the Tabernacle, but are workers with
| him in his chosen field. AT first the hall
at 113 Main street afforded ample ac-
commodation and seemed well suited
to the purposes of the work, but the
steady growth and the increased mem
bership have necesstated the removal
of the mission to larger and better
quarters, more adequately adapted to
the purposes of Bible study. These
quarters have been found in the build
ing at the corner of Beacon and Her
mon streets, owned by the Rev. Az w.
Weeks, who has also allied himself
with the work of the mission.
Those who have scoffed at the work
Rev. Mr.. Kenyon has been trying to
do and who have not understood his
purposes and aims, have been led to
believe that the chief end AMI object
of the work was the healing Of the sick
by the laying on of hands. This, how
ever, is not the case, but the work
is rather mission work undertaken
among q class of people not reached
by the evangelical churches OF the
city.
For eight months, since the mission
was opened, the work has been steadily
growing, and those most interested in
the work have felt that new quarters
for the mission and Bible training
school must be secured. AS both are
; entirely supported by voluntary contri-
, buttons, a suitable place within their
/, means has been hard to find. The Rev
! A. w. Weeks, formerly pastor of the
| Dewey Street Baptist Church, has late
ly become interested in the work and
has allied his interests with the mission
and today the school will move into his
block on Beacon street. The large store
at the corner of the streets will be used
as a chapel, While several other rooms
of suitable size will be used as class
: rooms for the use of students and for
} teaching purposes. The chapel is pro-
lNTi1 a1 tRrtft 1oVA .1o
= rooms have been remodesed for Bible
; training school.
Each morning at 1890 o'clock there is
2 to be a class in Bible study, and on
Tuesday and Friday evenings at 230
and 7.3O there will be Bible lectures by
5 Rev. Mr.. Kenyon and Rev. A. w.
5 Weeks. On each Wednesday evening
there will be a testimony meeting, and
on Thursdays from to 3 p. IN. there
4 will be continuous prayer service At
2 this latter service the sick are to be
\ prayed for and there viii be laying on
2 of hands.
e It is a noteworthy fact in connection
y With this mission that the people who
/ have allied themselves with it are all
5 of them deeply interested in the work
e and several Of them are now engaged
: in similar work in other cities of the
state. Many of the most earnest work
g ers have also the power of healing al
: though this power has not been made
L the chief feature of the work of the
e mission. Recently several severe cases
n Of chronic Illness were entirely cured by
k the power of prayer as made manifest
here. and within week Rev. Mr. Ken
yon has been effectively cured Of the
grip simply through the power OF
prayer. Many of Mr. Kenyons follow
+ ers possess this power, but he has moi
desired to make this feature prominent
In speaking with The Spy man last
I evening, Rev. Mr. Kenyon said that
e the Tabernacle had no connection and
I was not allied with the faith curlets
9 or healers, or with the Christian Sci
T fists, and he knew whereof he spoke
a for he was at one time affiliated with
d the Christian Science movement. He
o says that the Bible, pure and unadul-
e terated, alone has been preached and
e through it the success of the mission
e is due.
Mr.. Kenyon says that as in the past
: all classes, lectures and other services
e at the Tabernacle will be free, anC
= that he shall depend for its support
r upon purely voluntary contributions
a In speaking of the growth of the mis-.
$ sion in comparison with that of some
r OF the largest churches, he recalled the
:. fact that every convert to Christianity
r made by any of the four largesf
churches In the city, costs the church
: on the average $177O. He has demon
:. strated for a fact that it is not neces
: sary for minister to receive a definite
n salary and that church work can bt
y successfully conducted on the volun
It tary contribution plan.
The service at the Tabernacle las
evening was conducted by Rev. H. L
Hastings of Boston, the famous scrip
tural tract distributor who preached
to q large audience on the value an6
y validity Of the Bible as the leading
# book Although over so years Of
age, Rev. Mr.. Hastings is still active
:, and during his busy life has distributed
y over. ITO tons of rellgious literature