A church on wheels; or, Ten years on a chapel car

Front matter

T REV. C.H. RUST T

Book . 1^9 A x

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT.

Preface

In response to a request which has come from some of my friends, I write of God's leadings during ten years of service on '* Glad Tidings// Of necessity the personal pronoun will be often used in this story, but in all humility. Both Mrs. Rust and myself ascribe all the glory for what has been accomplished to our blessed Lord, as he through his Holy Spirit has used us to help many needy souls in the great Northwest. As we have thought of our own weaknesses and failings we have stood amazed before God as he has so evidently blessed the truth when sung and spoken by us.

After Paul's first missionary journey he returned to Antioch to the church there and rehearsed all the things that God had done (Acts 14 : 27), so in this volume I shall endeavor to do the same, and I trust the reader will constantly remember that this is a story of what God has done through his appointed agents. It is his work.

We want the Christian public, and particularly the Baptist denomination, to know more about the chapel cars. While I am enthusiastic over the possibilities of this form of Christian work, I would not unwisely attempt to place it on too high a plane, but rather ask the reader to calmly consider the

vii viii PREFACE

facts regarding it. This is surely one of the successful forms of evangelistic service of the twentieth century.

These pages have been written during a few weeks of a very busy season, when I have been holding from forty to fifty meetings a month, therefore I trust the reader will not be too harsh in his criticism of the literary merit of this book. I have endeavored to tell the experiences of our ten years of service in simple language for the purpose of enlightening those who read, regarding the chapel-car movement, and with the sincere prayer that the story of these years may encourage many a heart, and help more than one life onward toward God and righteousness.

C. H. R.

Minneapolis, Minn., May 31, 1905.

Introduction

The chapel car service is a unique method in modern evangelization. The cars have not only awakened the curiosity and interest of the people, but for fourteen years have been great engines for good. They have had the universal approval of the Christian public. Their story is a simple one. The inceptive idea grew in the mind and heart of Dr. Wayland Hoyt through a visit in the West with his railroad brother, Colgate Hoyt, Esq. Boston W. Smith, known as '' Uncle Boston," with energy and wisdom brought the idea to an issue in the first car, "Evangel." From the inception in 1890 until now Uncle Boston has been the manager of the chapel cars, and to him the American Baptist Publication Society and the denomination are greatly indebted for the success of this branch of service. But God has given the Society rare men and women as missionaries who have done the most heroic work in the spirit of the Master. There are six cars like this one, '* Glad Tidings," and the band of workers on these cars feel that they are a family ; they call themselves ''the Chapel-car Family." They have had frequent meetings together for consultation and service, and the influences of these meetings are a perpetual benediction in each heart. God has put

ix

X INTRODUCTION

his seal upon the labors of these his servants. Over fourteen thousand persons have professed conversion in the car meetings since 1891. Dotting the Southern and Western plains stand nearly one hundred and fifty meeting-houses which have grown out of the chapel-car service. Whole communities have been transformed by their evangelistic meetings. The railroads have been most generous in their gifts of transportation and many other things which have made the work successful ; the cars have been of great service to railroad men in the shops and elsewhere.

Rev. C. H. Rust and wife have been ten years in the service of the Society on the car "Glad Tidings.'' Their labors have been preeminently successful, and their names are fragrant in the West because of their good deeds in the Master's name. We are glad to give a God-speed and a blessing to this little book which records the experiences of ten years, and pray that its reading may stimulate many hearts, not only to help this work and to aid the Society substantially to carry it forward, but to consecrated service to Him whose kingdom we seek to extend.

ROBERT G. SEYMOUR,

Missionary and Bible Secretary.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

Rev. C. H. Rust Frontispiece

Mrs. C. H. Rust 4 ^

Exterior of Car '^ Glad Tidings'^ 7

Interior *' Messenger of Peace ^^ 9^

Car on Special Spur Track 19 \^

Ruth and Marjorie Rust 2$^

Young People's Meeting at Car 6$ ^

Railroad Men Outside the Car 96 y

Railroad Men Inside the Car 10 y

A Churchless Town /jj5 ^

Laying the Foundation /i9 ^

Shingling a Church 142 ^^

One of Our Chapels 14^ y

Rev. D. W. Hulburt Holding up Corner-post of

Church j^o

xi

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I. ENTERING THE CHAPEL-CAR SERVICE .... i

II. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 12

II

THE matter of transportation is very important to the success of chapel-car service. In taking this up with the railroads it necessarily brought us into direct contact with the presidents and officials of our great Western railroad systems, and we are glad to state that, with rarely an exception, we have found them to be courteous gentlemen, anxious to do the right thing for their men, for the towns along their lines, and for the general public. We have no sympathy with those who think they are shrewd when they attempt to get the best of a railroad company in the matter of transportation. We fear that much of the dealing with these companies which is called smart is nothing more nor less than stealing. While it is true that the railway companies are far from being perfect, yet they are not soulless corporations in every instance, and many of them are headed by conscientious Christian gentlemen. At times they have been deceived by some who professed to be right and true, and it has been our policy since the beginning of chapel-car work to be perfectly frank and honest with them. We have asked them to look into our work from every point of view and examine every detail of service along the line, giving us no consideration that we are not worthy of.

It is the rule of the companies to grant no passes except for some consideration. If the chapel-car work could not show where it really helped the company and its towns we were doomed. We are glad to state that the efficiency and benefit of the service rendered through the chapel car has been almost universally acknowledged in railroad circles.

There were many questions in the minds of the denomination when the Publication Society accepted the first chapel car. It was considered by some to be the result of the dreaming of an impractical mind; by others it was styled a ''white elephant/' by others '' Uncle Boston's Toy/' and even the most enthusiastic questioned its permanent usefulness under the most favorable conditions. It certainly was an experiment. It was one thing to have a car ; it was another to get it hauled. If it could not be hauled at a small sum per mile how could it be used ? And when we consider the fact that the universal price charged by railroad companies for hauling a car is fifty-four cents a mile, and that those who gave the first car, although being railroad officials, would not guarantee to use their influence toward getting reduced rates for the car, what could the most sanguine expect ?

Very fortunately the matter was placed in the hands of Mr. Boston W. Smith, of Minneapolis, with instructions to ascertain what the railroad companies would do. After much prayer he took some pictures of the car to the office of tiie general manager of one of the great Western systems controlling five thousand miles of track, and after explaining the purpose of the car and the nature of the work very carefully to this man, asked him what his company could do for it. After thinking it over this official pressed a button ; a clerk came in, and he told him to issue a free pass over all divisions, good for Boston W. Smith and assistant, and car '* Evangel, '^ with special instructions to trainmen to make it as pleasant as possible for Mr. Smith.

It v^as difficult for Uncle Boston to find words with which to express himself, as he tried to thank this general manager. As he accepted the pass from the clerk, and walked out of the office, he was overwhelmingly convinced that God's hand was in this. Ever since that day Mr. Smith has proven himself a great help to the entire chapel-car movement by his ability to talk with and interest railroad officials in the work. God alone knows how much has been accomplished in the matter of transportation by his prayerful, tactful, personal contact with railroad men. We owe much to him. However, each chapel-car missionary has had much to do with transportation matters. It is well for the missionary to meet the officials and know them and for them to know him.

It is also true that much depends upon the personal character of the railroad official with whom he is to deal. If that man is a conscientious Christian, or recognizes the moral benefit derived from

Christ's teachings being inculcated in the minds of his men, he will be much more favorably impressed with the chapel car than one who has no tolerance for religion. Let me add, however, that there has never been a time previous to the present when railroad companies were so free to recognize the demand and need for moral character among their employees as to-day. They are enforcing rules regarding drinking and frequenting saloons that would not have been tolerated a few years ago. Therefore the power of the chapel-car with their own men is more easily seen.

We must not think that this proves that all the railroads of the country have been throwing passes into our hands without being asked and earnestly reasoned with. We generally have to work for what we get in this world. I want to state also that some railroad companies have not understood what basis our work stood on. I was in the office of an official of a very large Western system not long ago. During our conversation he said, ** Why you have a great deal of wealth back of your chapel car, haven't you ? '' I answered, '* No, sir. We depend entirely upon the contributions from churches and individuals.'' *'Oh, yes," he said, '* I recognize that, but there is one particular individual, is there not ? " He believed that a certain wealthy and prominent Baptist was forwarding the money to pay our bills, including transportation.

I remember taking two pictures of my car and calling at the office of the general manager of a system '* whose main offices were in St. Paul, Minn. He was not particularly cordial but was gentlemanly in his manner toward me. After looking at the pictures, and noting my request to have his company haul the car, he turned toward me and said rather abruptly, ** I would not have that car on my line for three months for any amount of money." I then said to him, '*! think you misunderstand my request and the work of the car when you answer in this way. I appreciate the many calls you have from religious organizations for special transportation, and that this at first thought seems to be an unreasonable request, as the car might be in the way of traffic on your line, but I do not come to you as one who wants something for nothing, but as a man with a reasonable and Christian business project to present to you, and, if after explaining it more fully and answering all of your questions concerning it, you can honestly say that our work is not worthy of your consideration, and your company will not be benefited enough to pay for the hauling of the car, then I do not want you to grant me any special transportation."

He called in another official and we had a long, frank talk. I answered all their questions the best I could, and told them of our side-tracking the car at the shops for a noonday meeting for the railroad men. I reminded them that the theatre and circus cars stop at the town to take money out, and had, many times at least, a bad effect upon the people of the town and the railroad men who handled the car, but we stopped in the town to help the people morally and to leave money there in church buildings, etc. I also told them of the work of the car in a new community where there were saloons and no church. How we had gone to towns like that and stayed until the whole moral atmosphere of the town was changed and a meeting-house was erected and paid for. Then I informed them of our personal touch with their men along all the line ; of the many railroad men whose lives had been changed from sin to righteousness.

This general manager finally said, '* Well, Mr. Rust, we will think it over, and if you will call to-morrow we will see what we can do for you.*' I thanked him, told him I would call the next day, and after a pleasant farewell word, left the office.

I had left the building and was standing on the corner of the street waiting for a car, when a colored man stepped up to me. He asked if I was the young man who had been talking with the general manager. I answered, **Yes, sir.'' '*Well,'' he continued, "I was behind a door in the ofifice and heard your talk, and I want to tell you that you will git your pass all right, never you fear ; now you see if you don't.*' His eye twinkled, and he revealed a fine set of white teeth as he smiled, and I confess that his words made me hopeful.

I called the next day, and sure enough the general manager gave me a time pass, and as I told him to have his men watch our movements and

B work along his line, he expressed a wish that we might be successful in our undertakings. Since then he has been very kind to us and granted us transportation many times for special trips.

Our annual passes read in nearly every instance, ** Pass C. H. Rust and assistant.*' These are good on any train, thus enabling me to get home to see my loved ones without drawing on the ** missionary fund." The car is moved under special orders each time. Trip passes generally read, " Pass C. H. Rust, car, and party."

We are very careful never to abuse our privileges in any way. The railway companies trust us, and we surely want them to continue to do so. We have had people come to us a number of times and ask if they could not ride with us. One man wanted us to put him under the seats. Our answer is always *'No."

We never make any ''demands" as to what train the car is to be hauled on. The division superintendent decides which is the most convenient, and we acquiesce. On long hauls we use the passenger trains and on short hauls freight trains.

DIFFICULTY

One matter of transportation has bothered us considerably. It is the question of how to get side-track privileges for a number of days or weeks without becoming a nuisance to the company's men, as they are obliged to switch the cars on the house or industry track every day, and there isn't an extra

Car on a Special Spur TPvAck

Pa^e 19 wwm^

Young People'* Meeting at CaPv

Page G.")

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION I9

track to be found in every small town. The fact of hauling the car did not bother the officials much ; it was the question of how they could allow us to be on a side-track for any great length of time without seriously hindering them in the prosecution of their business. It is generally known among shippers and those who receive much freight, that the company charges two dollars for every twenty-four hours after the first forty-eight hours that a loaded box car is left on the track, and oftentimes ten dollars for a theatre or circus car. Thus you see that the railroads are very considerate to allow us to stay at all. It is only because of their desire to do all they can to help on a good cause.

Noting this difficulty I conferred with the officials, and asked them if they could not have their section men build a short spur from the side-track and run my car on to it, then swing the side-track back into place and leave the chapel car on rails of its own, out of the way of all traffic.

In answer to my request orders were given to have it done. It costs the company about eight dollars to build the track and take it up again when we leave town. We have offered to pay for it but they have never sent in any bill yet, and they have done this for us many times. This spur is only built when we stay in a town a long time, in order to erect a church or make the work permanent. It certainly obviates the difficulty and makes it far more pleasant for the missionaries and the railroad men.

All of this goes to show that if the railroad companies understand what our service really is there is hardly any limit to what they will do for us. Many, many times they have contributed much more than transportation to the building up of the new towns on their lines. They have hauled the lumber for the church buildings in carload lots free, a number of times, and in other ways have shown their interest in our work.

When we stop to think that for fifteen years they have hauled our cars free, nearly fifty different railroads thus assisting us, and also realize how much this would have cost if we had paid mileage even at a reduced rate, I for one feel profoundly grateful to them, and I know if we could get into one mass meeting all of the people in the towns where the chapel cars have visited, together with the whole Baptist denomination, they would to an individual arise to vote most hearty thanks to these railroad corporations. We certainly do appreciate it.

CONCLUSIONS

Our experiences with the railway companies in this matter of transportation reveal much that pleases us.

(i) That God is leading. (2) That the railway companies are interested in the moral welfare of their employees and the towns along the line. (3) That the officials of the companies recognize it is a fair business proposition to haul our cars free in consideration of the work done. (4) That the railway companies acknowledge the power of the chapel-car service in developing their new towns in the right direction. (5) That practical railway men do not deem our work at all visionary or unpractical. (6) That many of our great transportation companies are manned by men of character and sterling worth who are interested in every good cause.

Ill

IN this department we will endeavor to introduce our readers to something of our home life while on the chapel car. The parsonage on the car is fitted up to live in every day as one would in a home ; it is not simply to travel in. We have given the size of our apartments. The main living room, which is bedroom, study, parlor, and dining room, has just nine square feet of open space. The kitchen is four and one-half feet square, and in this there is a steel range, an ice chest, and a china closet. One will easily see that the parsonage is compressed and condensed into the smallest space possible, so that the audience room could be made as large as possible. Many times we have had visitors from cities come to the car and they have exclaimed, ''Oh, how romantic, how delightful to travel like this ! " They have in mind a trip of a few days rather than making the car a home.

Nevertheless, when we have been side-tracked in some small town in the Minnesota woods or on Dakota prairies, and have seen how the people are obliged to live in their small shanties and houses, we have often thanked God for the small yet cozy quarters in our home on wheels.

At first we found it rather hard to adjust ourselves to the size of our apartments. Everything seemed to be in the way and we were always in each other's way. We were both liable to do everything a little too quickly, and this gave us no end of trouble. We found we did not have room to jump from one thing to another unless we took very short leaps. At the end of the first three months we had numberless bruises, because of our running into sharp corners and things in general. I hit my knee on one door jamb, and my head on one corner so often during the first year that I was never without either a sore head or a lame knee. Once when rushing from the parsonage to the chapel I struck my head so hard on the small closet near the door, that I dropped to the floor like a felled ox and almost lost consciousness. I know it was my fault, I should not move so quickly. I have thought these accidents may have done some good, however, by rousing some lazy brain cells into activity.

I do not want to present any darker picture of chapel-car domestic life than I ought, for we have often been exceedingly grateful for our beautiful quarters in the car. However, the parsonage on the car could hardly be called a home. It was more of a business office for the Lord's busy missionaries. We had practically no privacy. A woman would feel this more than a man perhaps. It was exceedingly hard for Mrs. Rust. We were seldom allowed to be alone. Mrs. Rust had no room or closet she could call her own, no dresser on which to lay pins, ribbons, and numerous other belongings. The only place was my desk, and I needed that for other things. She had no rockingchair, no sewing machine, etc. It was good discipline for us and tested our religion. We prayed for special grace and wisdom every day in our endeavor to fit into the demands of the place and the work.

When I think of all that Mrs. Rust was obliged to pass through in order to stay with me on the chapel car for the first three years, I feel thoroughly ashamed of myself to think that I allowed her to do it. I was young, and perhaps that can partially excuse me for my lack of consideration.

All mothers who read this will appreciate what I am about to write. For the first few months we got along very nicely ; the ordinary difficulties encountered in adjusting ourselves to the car home and its work did not bother us much, but before little Ruth came into our lives Mrs. Rust had much to bear. The constant traveling, the meeting of strangers continually, and the hard work in and out of the meetings made it almost unbearable for her. In less than two months after the coming of our first-born, Mrs. Rust and Ruth were with me in my car work, part of the time living on the car and part of the time in a room outside. We wanted to be together, but we wonder whether we did right or not. It seems as if we did not. The care of a child in such close quarters was very hard on

Ruth and Mar.tohie Rust

US and was not good for Ruth. How I ever wrote my sermons I do not know. How Mrs. Rust ever endured the strain of cooking, caring for baby, and helping in the meetings is more than I can explain. At night Ruth slept in a hammock swung between the berths, and Mrs. Rust occupied the lower, while I took the upper.

But this could not go on indefinitely. The chapel car was no place to bring up children. So we have had a home in St. Paul and Minneapolis for the last eight years, and the Publication Society has allowed me enough extra money each year to permit my engaging any one whom I may choose to assist me. Mrs. Rust has been at home the larger part of the time, but has assisted me on the car much and in our meetings with city churches during some of the winter months.

My life away from loved ones and home has made me sympathize with the great host of traveling men. There was a time when I could stay away much longer than I can now. Home is dearer to me than ever. I am so glad I have one, and that I have children, not only for my own personal joy but because it helps me in my work. I have often said that a young man cannot preach as he ought to until he is married and has children. How can we feel what a father feels until we are fathers ? Oh, how many times I have felt the great throbbing heart of my heavenly Father yearning for his children erring in sin, as I have been conscious of my love and anxiety for my own little ones.

My heart was wounded deeply once after returning from a long trip to find my child did not know me. And once again, when little Ruth met me at the door and said soon after, *'How long are you going to stay, papa ? '' and then, *'When are you going home again ? '^ She thought the chapel car was my real home and I had only come to visit her.

Home life on the chapel car is often disturbed. You never know just what is to happen. If the car is not on a special spur of its own it must be switched nearly every day and night. During one night last summer we were switched five times, and handled quite roughly. I remember that my head was severely banged against the end of my berth.

The railroad men always handle the car as quietly as possible, but when it is between freight cars and these cars must be switched, then ours must be handled with the others. I would like to have some neat housewife who prides herself on daintiness, see our refrigerator after a switching crew had banged our car up and down the track for a half-hour. Such a sight. Milk, potatoes, jelly, pickles, all together. Do you not think that such experiences would be conducive to the sweetening of dispositions ? This would often occur when we were away from the car. We would never know the exact moment when the engine would couple on so that we could be prepared. I remember that Ruth was sitting in my lap once and the freight train (they sometimes hauled the car on such trains) stopped suddenly and threw us over against the door very hard, bruising us quite severely. Once the engine struck our car with terrific force, and the desk looked like a great waste basket, only worse. There was ink, mucilage, envelopes, papers, books, etc., all in a heap. These were good opportunities to prove that one can keep sweet under the most adverse circumstances.

Mrs. Rust enjoyed the same privileges about her kitchen work. We were on the end of a long freight train one day, when she said, ** Put up the table for dinner, please, we are about ready.'' I started to get the table, when the train gave a sudden lurch and knocked me against my desk, jamming my hand, and that dinner was sent from the kitchen stove, away under the desk in the library. At another time Mrs. Rust was getting breakfast on an oil stove. I saw a switch engine coming, and was sure it was going to strike hard. I rushed in, and in Yankee style yelled *' Look out, Bertha, its coming." She looked out the window to see what was coming, and just then the engine struck the car, and away went the entire breakfast on the kitchen floor. We lived on ''force " that morning.

I remember another occasion when Uncle Boston was with us, and Mrs. Rust had cooked a very nice omelet. We had seated ourselves at the table and Mrs. Rust was about to serve the omelet, when in trying to turn quickly in that little kitchen she hit her elbow against something, and the dish being overturned the omelet went to the floor. We had *' dropped eggs " that morning.