Bethel Christian School revival circa 1975

I have firsthand experience of how an emotionally worked-up crowd can be manipulated by circumstances and the energy of those around it. Not maliciously, mind you, just powerfully.

This was in 8th grade at Bethel Christian School (which was at that time at 737 E. 26th Street in Erie, PA - map >).

Every Thursday morning (as I recall), we had chapel in the sanctuary, sort of a mini-church service in which we sang a hymn and received a lesson. The speaker was normally the principal or a teacher, but occasionally a guest.[1]

At one particular chapel service, a prayer request (which was often public) turned into an emotional plea for the soul of an older brother (it happened to be Jenny Beers asking for prayer for the eldest Beers boy, who was out of school and working at the family bakery).

That prompted another emotional plea from someone else, only this wasn’t for the soul of a loved one, but for the forgiveness of a friend, which opened the door to immediate pains we all carry with us almost every day but don’t voice.

Soon nearly the entire secondary student body was in tears, including myself, even though I didn’t stand and speak.

It was a healthy and good thing, as repentance and forgiveness usually are.

 

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[1]

These are all the teachers and speakers I can remember from Bethel Christian School circa 1975:

• Mr Meeker, principle and history teacher

• Miss Emerson (later Blystone), English teacher

• Mr Blystone, science and math teacher

• Mrs Rhodes, music teacher

• Miss Wakely, art teacher

• Mrs Andrus, bible teacher

• Mr Pikai (sp?), Russian teacher

• George Alquist, special speaker

He made an indelible impression on me when, during an Easter lesson, he hammered spikes into a 4x4 on the platform at the front of the sanctuary, then said: “That’s what Jesus heard when they were nailing him to the cross.” My nerves are still jangling.

George Alquist is now pastor at Grace of Calvary Baptist Church in Erie, PA. He was ordained by Bethel’s Pastor Andrus, IIRC. His brand of Christianity is, in my opinion, unnecessarily severe and suspicious if the recent Halloween message streamed from their website is any indication. That doesn’t change the jarring success of his demonstration all those years ago, but it’s unfortunate that he can't get past some benign symbols and children’s merrymaking.

If objects are to be avoided because of their previous association, there is nothing we can enjoy at all, from Christmas trees to calendars.

• Mr ?, classical French horn player, special speaker

I can’t recall Mr ?’s name (something like Ott or Ort; it’s been so long, I just don’t know). Mr ? was a Christian and highly respected and professional orchestral French horn player. He travelled with a musical podium and sound system from which he introduced new musical genres.

I recall well when he played a brief piece of a Negro spiritual which included the lyrics “little brown baby,” and all of us lily-white kids laughed. He remarked very calmly and authoritatively that our laughter was only evidence of our immaturity; we all were ashamed, stopped laughing and began listening, and learning.

[2013-12-12]

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