The Philadelphia Pastorate—the Field and the Force

Chapter 10, 1883-1889

“The Ideal Church” usually exists only in the mind of man or in the plan of God. Arthur T. Pierson had before his mind and heart such a church—ideal not in its attainment but in spirit and purpose. He set as a standard four characteristics:

1. Evangelical in faith; one that accepts and adopts the Bible teachings as the rule of life.
2. Evangelistic; one that seeks to obey the command of Christ to carry the Gospel to every creature.
3. Educative; one that aims to reform and instruct the individual so as to benefit the family, the commonwealth, the nation and the world.
4. One that will not tolerate the spirit of caste, and in which the seats are free to all who will come.

Dr. Pierson had heard of Bethany Church and of its founder, John Wanamaker, and was prejudiced against both. He had been given an idea that the Sunday School was entirely too unconventional. That sometimes it was like a school, at other times like a Salvation Army meeting, and at others more like a circus. He had thought that the superintendent was an ambitious, adventurous young man who did things, but did them in his own fearful and wonderful way, as though with wind, water and steam all at once. Some of these impressions had been corrected before the first