Cookstove Apostasy

The early church prayed in the upper room, the twentieth century church cooks in the supper room. Today, the supper room has taken place of the upper room, play has taken the place of prayer, and feasting the place of fasting. There are more full stomachs than there are bended knees and broken hearts. There is more fire in the range in the kitchen than there is in the pulpit. When you build a fire in the church kitchen, it often puts out the fire in the pulpit. Ice cream chills the fervor of spiritual life.

The early Christians were not cooking in the supper room the day the Holy Spirit came, they were praying in the upper room; they were not waiting on tables, they were waiting on God; they were not waiting for the fire from the stove, but for the fire from above. They were detained by the command of God and not entertained by the cunning of men. They were filled with the Holy Ghost, not stuffed with stew and roast.

Oh, I would like the cooking squad put out and the praying band let in; less ham and shame, and more heaven; less pie and more piety; less use for the cook book, and more use for the Old Book. Put out the fire in the kitchen and build up the fire in the pulpit. (Gospel Advocate - May 30, 1935)

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