Evening journal., 1907-12-09
PASTOR PLEADS
FOR REJOICING
Rev. J. 7. PTOuSe Says JOY
Should be a Part Of
Public Worship

A plea for an emotional and a joyous
religion was mace yesterday in a SER
mon by the Rev. J. T. Prouse. pastor
of Kingswood NJ e. Church. His
subject was Spiritual Rejoicing in
Public Worship"
Pastor Prouse took bis text from
Isaiah tx 3. They joy before Thee
according to the joy IN harvest. and
as men rejoice when they divide the
spoil" He said in part:
Joy occupied an important place in
the religious worship Of the Jews and
It was especially entered into with a
loud expression at the Feast of the
Tabernacles. when they looked upon
their full granerics end brought the
| last clusters Of their fruitful vines
They were not ashamed Of their over
| joyousness on these occasions Of
thanksgiving and praise. This spirit
/ went over into the Rev Testament
times when the disciples and apostles
looked forward to the days of Pente-
/ cost and other occasions of general
| devotion and gratitude. In the early
church and down to the evangelistic
/ Methodism was ever the spirit of the
Master. who said: Rejoice in the Lord,
and again / say rejoice. These things
have I tpollen unto you that my joy
might remain in you and that your
joy might be fun
"The Sabbath was a day of fostivity
and gladness with the formec Meth
odist people and the occasions Of the
Lords Supper and lone feasts were
! r.I.a rI faf fnr
of general rejoicing. II would indeed
he refreshing If on some SUNDAY at
the Communion table ye should find
ourselves forgetting Of ethical public
worship in the midst of a JOY before
the Lord according to the Joy in
harvest ard as uen rejoice when they
divide the spoil
Tile Jews 9n the Pass yer days
waived before the Lord their thank
offering of their first fruits in spirit
Of general excitement. The disciples
on the Day of Pentecost We're as if
filled with new wine. The church
since has always looked for spiritual
rejoicing in public worship.
1.-The people of God came together
it is true. to pay their VOWS unto the
Lord, but ever with the thought of
having a happy time. In faith they
had sown. in faith they reaped, in
faith they rejoiced together. Whether
it may have been blind or intelligent
faith; whether the harvest was
promising or otherwisei if there was
a famine in Israel. there was corn in
Egypt they rejoiced.
Il don't see for the life Of me why
we should in these days study to sup
press emotion in our public services
when il is not done anywhere else IN
public places, where a general interes
causes joy as in the recent Temperance
movement It was all right for
, Catholic prist. Father Temple, to shou
v about the stage in the Opera Hous'
p almost to the extent of a formei
f Methodist preacher in revival ser
e vice, and say that il was the happ'
;. day of his life 10 be privileged to stanC
D before such an audience advocating
S such a cause as anti-liccnse, and brini
= by his elocuence on that occasion Z
thousand or more people to their fee
in the midst of waving of handker
chiefs, clapping Of hands, stamping o
feet and exclamations of JOY. 1t Il
e O1ually right that we should have bacl
y our stated spiritual rejoicing in public
worship. Hear the fathers in Method
. ism talking about the good lone feas
and Communion services. in whicl
men, women and children shouted tn
praises Of God. Will we never am
more find ourselves singing about III
doors of our churches as they usai
to do, or around our church altars
waving our thank offerings to Coz
with JOY before himNaccording 70 tn
joy in harvest?
''I believe the time is near at han'
when our churches will have the sam
spiritual enthusiasm that marked tn
services of our fathers. The minister
of to-day are in sweeter harmony thai
was ever known in the history o
denominations. They are growing les
disposed to criticise genuine religion
emotion, and If our faith viii onl
reach out we may wake up some Sun
Z day morning in the atmosphere O
spiritual rejoicing and find churche
( of all denominations crowded to over
4 flowing, with earnest devout heart
opened to receive the word of life an
< 10y before the Lord according to th
I joy of harvest. and as men when the
divide the spoil