Tent Meetings




Tent Meetings as a Gospel Outreach

     Tent Meetings were a regular gospel outreach for the Chapel.  As we have seen, the first tent meetings held in Lombard, August 1927, resulted in the start of the Chapel. There is no indication that a tent meeting was held during the summer of 1928.  The Fardon's were away in Europe for four months and no mention of meetings can be found.  However, during the next six years (1929_1934) there were Tent Meetings every year except 1932.  The reason that 1932 was skipped may have been due to the depression.


     On July 18,1929, the following was written in the Spectator:
     "A campaign of tent meetings under the direction of the Chapel is being arranged during the month of August. These meetings will be held in Villa Park the first two weeks in August and in South Lombard the last two weeks. Complete and definite details will be given next week.


Two weeks later: Thursday, August 1,1929 -- Lombard Spectator
Lombard Gospel Chapel
East Ash St.

     On next Sunday evening, August 4th, a two weeks' Gospel tent campaign will open in Villa Park on St. Charles road near Ardmore Avenue on the grounds where the carnival was held. (Presently the Jewel parking lot)
     These services will be conducted by the Lombard Gospel Chapel every evening except Saturdays and Mr. A. H. Fardon will bring an interesting Gospel message each night.
     There will be good singing; meetings will last one hour, from 8:00 o'clock until 9:00, and no collections or subscriptions will be taken.
     You are invited to attend these meetings every night or as often as possible.      During the tent campaign both the Friday evening prayer meeting and the Sunday evening gospel services will be discontinued.
      "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world."



Thursday, July 9,1931 -- Lombard Spectator
Gospel Chapel Opens Series Tent Services

     The Lombard Gospel Chapel opened a series of tent services Thursday night of this week at South Main and Harding road, with Rev. A. H. Fardon in charge assisted by William Kerr superintendent of the Sunday School, and the staff of Sunday School teachers.
     A daily vacation Bible School will be conducted each morning, except Saturday and Sunday, between 9:30 and 11:30, and the main services of each evening will start at 7:45. No service will be held Saturday. All are invited to either of the meetings.
     This Friday night there is to be the added feature of lantern picture entitled "How We Got the English Bible." No collections are taken.


____________________________________________________________________

July 16,1931 --  Lombard Spectator
Local Gospel Chapel Tent Meetings Grow

     While there is the natural falling off of attendance during the summer months, due to the vacation period, the various services are being well supported.  There is no shutdown in any of the services at the Chapel during the summer.  However, there is a change in the Sunday evening service during July.
     On July 9, a large tent seating about 150 was erected on south Main street and Harding road.  Not only is there a gospel service every evening except Saturday but a children's meeting is held each morning, except Saturday and Sunday, from 9:30 to 11:30.  This might better be referred to as a daily vacation bible school.
  The meeting is in charge of Mrs. A. H. Fardon and her helpers and the two hours is spent in bible study, games, songs, etc., a mixed program which is not tiresome to the children.  The opening meeting brought out some 25 children and it has steadily grown until there is now an average attendance of nearly 70.
     The evening services are also well attended and on one or two occasions the tent was practically filled.  Mr. Fardon gave his series of talks accompanied by lantern slides on how we got the Bible.  All are invited to these services every evening during weeknights at 8:00 o'clock and at 7:45 on Sunday evening.




Lombard Spectator, Thursday, September 6,1934
Evangelist Talks at Gospel Tent Meeting

     Tent meetings, sponsored by the Lombard Gospel Chapel, began last week in South Main street, on the Lilac pageant grounds where they were held last year, (1933) and are being well attended. For the coming week, beginning Sunday, the announced speaker is Dr. J. E. Conant, evangelist and Bible teacher. Who has arranged the following program:
     Sunday at 3 p.m. – "The Great Puzzle of History." Why did God create man?
                  At 7:30 – "The first Great Rebellion." Where did Satan come from?  

                     Week Nights at 8 o'clock:
     Monday _ "The Ruin Wrought by Adam." – Are we punished for Adam's sin?
     Tuesday _ "The Remedy Promised by God."  Are Adam and Eve in Heaven?
     Wednesday – "The Origin of Human Government." Is Democracy realty safe for the world?
     Thursday – "The Nation that can't be Destroyed." Will the Jews ever rule the world?
     Friday – "The Law that Men can not Obey."  Were the Ten Commandments given to keep or to break?
     Sunday, Sept.16 – 3 p.m. "The Grace Men Refuse to Accept." Why do the Lost reject salvation?
      Everyone is welcome at these meetings. Come and bring your friends. There is room for all.

(The Lilac pageant grounds were across the street from the Brust funeral home)

     This is the last mention of tent meetings sponsored by the Chapel.  It is possible that there were others, but not likely. Mr. Fardon was the main impetus for this endeavor, but by November 1934 he was no longer a part of the Chapel.


_________________________________________________________________________________________________
     Intro to LGC History   |   Birth of the Chapel   |   Ash Street   |   The Early Years 1928-1930   |   Tent Meetings   |   Rapid Growth   |   First Four Years   |   Adam Ferguson   |   Sunday School Picnics   |   1930 to 1933   |   1934 - The Year of Changes   |   Young People's Activities   |   After 1935   |   The 1940's