Give me that Old Time Religion

      I recently heard the song by Tennessee Ernie Ford, Give me that old time Religion, and it brought up some memories, but first I will give you the lyrics in the short form. "Give me that old time religion,  it's good enough for me.....It was good for our mothers, and it's good enough for me....It has served our fathers, and it's good enough for me....Makes me love everybody,  and it's good enough for me....It will take us all to Heaven,  and its good enough for me. I love so many of the newer hymns but I sure do like those classics that I remember my grandparents and great grandparents singing.
     When I think of going to the Old Lampe church or other churches in the area, it was a lot of fun. Most of the time they didn't have a youth group or a children's group with music and video games. There was hard wooden seats so you didn't fall to sleep, and you listen to Gods word with a lots of amen's and praising, it was just so fun. Most of all the old churches was a community center as well as a place of worship. In the time, everyone showed up to build it all by hand and everyone in the community came on Sunday and it didn't matter what your religious background was, you just listened to the word, and praised God with song. "Song" that reminds me, if you was lucky there might be a piano or organ and it might not be in tune. But that didn't matter because everyone sang out loud and we was not in tune either, lol but it was fun and as God heard it, the tune was perfect because it was praise. If you wanted to sing a solo, no problem, you didn't have to try out or be approved,  you just asked and got up and sing your heart no matter what it sounded like.                 

     So I talked with Glen Jones about the Old Lampe church, he is the pastor there and has been for a long time. He said that the land that it sets on was purchased by his sister Goldie who is still alive and well in Oklahoma. She had some pigs die for no reason,  her father told her that God wasn't blessing her because she wasn't tithing. So she sold some of her pigs and purchased the property from the Lampe family for $50.00 cash. She donated the property to the community so they could have a community building and church. Glen said he was just a young boy in the early 1900's when everyone showed up to pour the foundation and erect the building using hand tools and hard work. Goldie was a pastor there along with others over the years, but over the years she and her husband helped out many churches and families all over. The Jones family has always been a pillar of the community. They also had the Jones Trading Post just south of town where people could buy food and supplies. Glenn is the one that baptized all three of my beautiful daughter's in the Kings River and I am very thankful for that.

     My uncle said that he remembers going to the church while growing up here and in the summer time they would open all the windows during church and there would be as many people outside as there was inside. He also said that most everyone came regardless of their religion, it was a community gathering. He said it was fun and outside sometimes the young boy's would get into a wrestling match trying to impress the girls while the old timers would spit and whittle and tell stories. You knew your neighbor's and community and they all came together there, and that results in a strong foundation.   

      Also I was told a story that I thought was funny and it goes to show that everyone was welcome. One time during a evening service at a little church, a man came in that was known to drink a lot. Well he came in and set in the back row for awhile, then he got up and walked to the front, and everyone thought that he is going up to repent for his sins. When he got to the front he turned around and said, "Turn off the lights people this party is over and I am going home". The best part is that it didn't make people mad, they just said a prayer for him and went on with the service. That's how Jesus did it, he loves us all the same.

     As I write this on a touch screen tablet I can't help it to think of how well we have it now, compared to our ancestor's, or do we? They didn't get to see the age that we have, with all the modern science, pc's, cell's that do everything, but we don't know what it was like for them. No indoor plumbing,  no electricity, they depended on their crops and animals for food. Hard work and homemade meals that included family time every day, and looking forward to going to that little old church that they helped build every time the doors was open. They probably had it better than us.

     I put some pictures below of the Old Lampe church that still has it's doors open every sunday, so go by and visit, you will be welcomed with open arm's. Glenn will tell you some great word's from the good book and maybe some fishing or hunting stories, but one thing for sure, you will enjoy it. I also included some pictures from the old church at Silver Dollar City and some other old churches that I found. God, family, country, may God bless us.