Communion With God in the Vesper Hour

'The true vesper hour is a prayer service. It is a short hour when the seeking heart comes in search of God. It feeds the hungry soul and strengthens the discouraged one. It is comfort to the sorrowing and gently leads the erring. It can do all these things, because it leads men to quietly lean on God, to depend on Him for all things. For the primary purpose of the ves­per hour is to make our people God conscious in their own thinking and in their own hearts. Vespers emphasize the individual's personal relation with a personal and living God.

The first vesper service was held in a garden, on that first Sabbath in the dawn of a new world, new from the hand of the Creator. The sound of the wind's moving in the trees formed the orchestral accompaniment for the choral music—the evening songs of the birds as they settled for rest. In this quiet and restful place, the Scriptures tell us, God walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. They enjoyed open communion, or face to face com­munion, with their Maker. They talked with God, and God talked with them. But after their sin they could no longer commune directly with God. Then God spoke to them through Christ and the angels.

Centuries later this direct communion with God was re-established by Christ at His bap­tism, as He prayed His Father to accept hu­manity in Him. The angels had never before listened to such a prayer. (See The Desire of Ages, p. 112.) They were anxious to bring^.the answer to Jesus, but that prayer was answered by God Himself. That prayer and its answer on the banks of the Jordan that day were the most important moments in history, since the fall of man. At that moment direct communion was reestablished between God and man. That mo­ment "tells us of the power of prayer,—how the human voice may reach the ear of God, and our petitions find acceptance in the courts of heaven."—Ibid., p. 113. This is the purpose of the vesper hour—to teach God's people that He will answer all their questionings if they will but learn to hear His voice.

To develop the right atmosphere for this service, use various agencies. God speaks to the mind through the eye, through the ear, and through the Holy Spirit. First, the church in­terior must be conducive to quiet and worship. It need not be elaborate or costly, but it must be clean and neat. The tabernacle in the wil­derness and Solomon's Temple were patterns of beauty. Our God, who made all things beau­tiful, surely desires a place of worship worthy of Him. I think of a small chapel created out of one of our usual meeting places by a young man now in the interior of Africa. I'm very sure that if all he has in which to worship is a native hut, that hut will be worthy.

The church in which we worship must help create the atmosphere of worship. Perhaps the greatest handicap to true worship is confusion, and we find too much of it in our churches. Too many of our churches resemble a social club on Sabbath morning rather than a meeting place with God. One small church, seeking this at­mosphere of quiet which is so essential in wor­ship, placed this sign where all could see: "If you must whisper, whisper a prayer." If our members could be taught that they come to church to visit God and to learn of Him, our services would be revolutionized. Vespers can do much in teaching our people reverence in the house of God.

God speaks to His people through the ear in beautiful music and inspirational poetry. In times past many of our smaller churches were hampered in attempting vesper services, in that they did not have an organ or a stringed instru­ment group, or were lacking in musical talent. The only source of music in many churches is a piano, not too well tuned, and the voices of the people. Today, through the record player the best in religious music is open to our small groups. In this way our people can learn good music, and through careful listening to that which is beautiful develop a sense of quietness in the house of God. In training the ear to ap­preciate good music, start with the simple hymns which are familiar, and which speak to the heart. Through this method any young min­ister can bring good music into his vesper serv­ice and greatly improve the order in all his services.

Through poetry God speaks to the mind and heart, for poetry is music in words. It says the things we would, if we could. It touches the heart when a sermon fails. Who among us does not have a favorite bit of poetry, which speaks an experience in his life? Who among us has not found solace in poetry, whether it be the psalms of the Bible or other verse, which met his need at some time?

There is a present-day poet who has brought great blessing to millions through her poetry. Her spiritual perception has grown out of years of dependence upon God in times of great need. Her poems have a wide appeal because she "touches the common things and common hopes with a new beauty and with the love of God." Her name is Grace Noll Crowell; her publishers, Harper and Brothers. The price of most of the volumes is one dollar, with a new book every year. There are many volumes of reli­gious poetry, of the world's great religious verse, but one of your best sources will be the people themselves. Encourage them to bring you their favorite poems, and you will soon have a collection of heartthrobs.