Jeremiah 6.16 "Thus saith the Lord, Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, there walk in it. "
Today, Wednesday, July 12, 2005, I rode with my old home church, Youmans Chapel. Seeing the church has brought many good memories.
The year was 1959 and I was in second grade. Members of Youmans Chapel Baptist Church called my father, the late Rev. AJ Rozier, to be their pastor. This small country church was in a farming community and the congregation was made up of some guys to the ground. We sang hymns from the old hymn ... I still hear the song leader said: "Get your song book and turn to page 57 and let's all sing Amazing Grace as we mean it." Some of the other songs that still ring in my ears are "On the road to Jericho," "Camping in Canaanland", "Just a little 'talk with Jesus" and "I'll Fly Away." Many of the congregation could really sing and pianist sure could rattle keys. Back in those days, we did not have nurseries and the like, so the children and all children sit with their parents. Dad was a bi-vocational preacher ... also sold furniture. He knew that God had called him to preach and pastor at Youmans Chapel. I see him now, standing behind that wooden pulpit, offering a message to the congregation hungry ... a message directly from the throne of God
We had some small Sunday school rooms, but we had no social hall. The sanctuary was air conditioned, so we used those cardboard hand-held fans to remove heat from the hot Georgia summer. We made two gas heaters for the cold of winter. After all revival week, we spead Sunday dinner on tables set under towering pines. Man, there was certainly a good home cooked food and deserts to those eatings Sunday! After dinner, we returned to church and sang special. I enjoyed immensely listening to those good old gospel songs, even though I was a baby. Daddy preached at Youmans Chapel until mid-1965, and has been called to another church. The Lord has called home .. Daddy was 40 in 1966.
Some of the families who participated Youmans Chapel were related to each other, and Mr. Youmans, who donated the land for the church. I remember with affection the Carter Youmans, Eatons, Godwins, Howells, Pittmans, Bowens, Moores, strips, Dowlings, Harpers and Bryants. All these people occupy a special place in my heart. Sister Margaret Bacon played the piano, and her husband, Gene, was an intimate friend of my dad. These two could really sing, and had beautiful children. Brother Gene and my dad are now singing around the throne.
I helped David Pittman, whose father was a deacon SL, with his farm. David grew tobacco, corn, soybeans, pecans and raised pigs. We worked hard but had fun working and we always ate good dinners. David's wife, Ruby, her mother. Mrs. Pittman, and his mother-in-law, Mrs. Harper took turns cooking for us. We ate like kings! When Wednesday rolled around, we always beat out early so you can go to prayer meeting. Were well attended and the Lord answered many a prayer put into these meetings.
When I was 19, I joined the army and remained for several years. Every time I came home on leave, I visit with my old friends at Youmans Chapel. In 1987, I was discharged from the army and went home. My three children and I (I was a single parent), began attending Youmans Chapel. I taught Sunday School and sometimes preaches ... behind that same pulpit where my dad had once stood. The pastor, the Rev. Lowell Lee was a man full of God's spirit, and very encouraged me to preach the word of God Later, his brother Lee, retired, and then the Lord has moved elsewhere. I have not attended Youmans Chapel, but I would go there on occasion. The last time I preached from that pulpit old New Year's Eve, 1993, in a watch night service. There were few of us there, but the Lord's presence was very special that night.
Now the sanctuary of the old church is used primarily for youth. A great new building, including several Sunday school rooms, a large social hall, pastor office, reception and sits more on some of the farm land where I was helping David. Most of the farms in that community are no more. Hectares of fields where crops once grew is subdivisions. Youmans Chapel community has quickly filled with people and I hope that the church is still a light that shines on the small hill. Things change, people come and go, but the Lord does not change. Sometimes I feel like change is not for the better ... As the old expression: "If it is not broke, do not fix it".
Yes, as I drove by the church, I remembered my childhood, that little sanctuary full of people of all ages, raising their voices to the sky singing about Jesus times were less complicated and therefore, in my humble opinion, the churches were, too.
"Oh, I'd go back to that country church, to hear their songs of praise ... I'm redeemed by love divine, glory, glory, Christ is my all to Him I resign, I have been redeemed. In the sweet by and by, We shall meet on that beautiful beach. "
Isaiah 46.9 "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is no other, I am God, and there is none like me"
Copyright 2005 Irvin L. Rozier
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