First Rockford Church

(1911-)

The Gospel Messenger Oct. 28, 1911 page 683 Vol. 50 No. 43

The Rockford Church

 It has been my privilege to spend a fortnight with church at Rockford, Ill., and it seems to me worth while to write of some things I found there and some lessons learned.

 I am sure that there are many of our members lining in the country who are, like I myself have been, really ignorant of the nature of the work our city pastors have to do, and the amount of good they really do. I wish more of them could enjoy the experience that has just been mine.

  For a number of years, the work of Rockford has been under the control of the District Mission Board, with Bro. P. R. Keltner and wife in charge. Now it is an organized church, with Bro. Keltner as pastor. With Brother and Sister Keltner, Sister Grace Swartz is working, all three of them giving their entire time to the work. Some one may wonder what they all find to do. Well, if you were there awhile, you would soon fine out. I can assure you that the work of a really successful city pastor is not sinecure. If you think that the things needed in the is a great preacher, you are certainly mistaken. The thing the city people need and appreciate is a man who will be a real brother to them in both their joys and their sorrows, will give them wise and friendly counsel, and help them to help themselves. That is what the workers in Rockford have been, and as a result, the people of that section of the city have more confidence in our workers than any others, so much so that members of other churches having pastors on whom they might call, come to Bro. Keltner instead. While I was there, he was asked to visit a sick lady, whose pastor was in easy reach and might just as easily have been called. He is asked quite frequently to solemnize marriages and to conduct funerals for people of the neighborhood. Sometimes they even ask him to baptize their babies, but he draws the line at that.

  The member of the church, too, have the same spirit, and I am sure the name over the door of the church “The Brethren Church.” Means something to those people that they appreciate.

  And now you want to know. What of the growth of the church, and the kind of life the members live? Well, considering the number of members of Rockford church has, the attendance of other people is something remarkable, and they are a splendid class of working people, too. Those who have been added to the church in the past, as well as those who came in during these meetings, are showing a faithfulness that puts to sham the unfaithfulness of so many country members. Some of them have had a great deal to face in coming into the church and adopting her distinctive principles but they have done it with the very noblest spirit, and not in sorrow, but in Joy.

 There is no great rush of people into the Rockford church, but there is steady growth. People are being interested, taught, and helped by the daily work of the members and the special workers there. Then, when a revival meeting is held, there are always a few that are ready for church membership. This make a steady healthy growth.

  I am glad for my two weeks there: I feel that I have learned much from Bro. Keltner that will be a help to me I my own field of labor, and I certainly did enjoy the work and association there with the members and others. May god bless the Rockford church and her faithful workers! 

Paul Mohler,  Chicago, Ill