Kenneth visited his father in Meadville and met a working man at the Erie Railroad who was doing what Kenneth used to do there. He was making substantially more money than Kenneth was likely to make in religious work.
Kenneth reads from his journal about a two week evangelistic meeting he was planning. He wrote Dad Hall, a prominent Episcopalian evangelist, who agreed to be the speaker. Kenneth then informed the church of the plans.
Kenneth reads about his plan to get a quartet for every night of the week for the evangelistic meetings. He reads about his discussion with Dad Hall about personal works in relation to Calvinism. He tells of his plan to preach on Second Coming as…
Kenneth describes the first in a series of evangelistic meetings he organized. He tells of how people responded to his first night meeting. Evangelist Dad Hall got sick and Kenneth had to ask Chris Jensen, a man he picked on campus, to take over.…
During the two week evangelistic meetings there happened an incident at the Methodist church which divided the congregation into two groups. Kenneth got involved and one night he had all the people at his evangelistic meeting go to the Methodist…
The young people at Kenneth's church were all college aged people but none of them ever went to college. Kenneth organized them into a club and had all kinds of activities going on for them. He managed to have them help out in producing the parish…
Kenneth recalls his examination for ordination in April 1926. He recalls his ordination as well, an unforgettable experience in which so many hands were laid on him. He felt something was happening.
The last issue of Kenneth's parish paper stirred up a "rumpus" all over the countryside among hard-boiled farmers. They were all talking about how to be square with the Lord about their money. Many told Kenneth that he should be a missionary right…
Kenneth tells about the end of his year at the church he pastored. Evangelist Dad Hall would stir up the congregation, Kenneth would calm things down in the right direction. Kenneth remembers preaching a sermon on tithing as the church was jammed…
Kenneth recalls a bit of a problem with the girls at his church who were asking him for a ride home. He was glad to do that and it even was fun at times, but some of the girls kept putting themselves forward.
Kenneth was asked to preach at Princeton and he did it the most natural but effective way he could. He almost won the sermon contest without knowing that he was participating in it.
Kenneth had only two more Sundays to preach in Columbus, and the news of his departure felt like there was a funeral going on. The feeling, says Kenneth, was mutual. Yet, "I can surely look back on my first church with satisfaction and peace in my…
Kenneth tells of a letter he received from a member of a church he pastored in Cambridge City, Indiana. Kenneth has had only two small churches in the US, one in Columbus, New Jersey, and one in Cambridge City, Indiana, while he was the head of the…
In Columbus, NJ, Kenneth found a room to stay, at the house of Mrs. Townsend. He talks about how he managed to go from a small to a large room in Mrs. Townsend's house.
Kenneth recalls an argument with Mr. Rigg, his head elder, who invited him to attend a church service given specially for the Masonic Lodge. Kenneth refused what was an implicit invitation to join the Lodge, and Rigg didn't like this refusal a bit.
Kenneth reads a journal entry about a Sunday school play he participated in. He comments on Wiley Young, a dramatic and powerful preacher who came to the church the summer before, competing with Kenneth for the position of pastor of the church.…
Kenneth's first funeral at the Deacons' was a big one, with crowds of people coming from all over Pennsylvania. It was all new to him, but he made no mistakes, even at the grave.
Kenneth attracted some thirty new young people who came to listen on Sunday at the church. The usual older folks in the church couldn't believe it. Some of the young people who came were females, and Kenneth tells about the challenges this creates…
Kenneth spoke at a funeral and was invited to speak at several of them from that day. One day he asked why people so often wanted him to speak at funerals, and the answer came, "Well, you're always so cheerful."
Kenneth tells about his Easter Sunday at the Columbus church, his morning preparation and teaching, his sermon on the resurrection and its impact on the congregation. He commented how the church was willing to get him a car.
Kenneth recalls his first day at the church in Columbus, NJ. He describes the church building and its people. He comments on the order of service on this first day. He went in the evening for service at another church.
Kenneth recalls his April 5 tryout sermon at the church in Columbus, NJ. He always summarized a sermon in one sentence, and if he couldn't, he would feel he didn't know what he was talking about.