Evening Meetings by D. T. Bourdeau

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 7, 1866

Evening Meetings.

By D. T. Bourdeau

WHEN duty requires to hold evening meetings, they should be held sufficiently early to give all who attend them an opportunity to get that amount of rest that nature requires to replenish her wasted energies. Nature demands a certain amount of sleep during the night, in order to renew the strength expended in wakefulness, and lay up a fresh store of energy for future uses. And unless this demand of nature can be satisfied, she must break down sooner or later, according to the amount of vitality that she possesses.

But notwithstanding this physiological law, which is as fixed and irrevocable as the laws that govern the material universe, it is astonishing to see with what stupid indifference and seeming impunity professed Christians will deprive themselves of the rest they need, by holding late evening meetings, and thereby abuse their health and shorten their lives. In conscientiously endeavoring to heed the injunction of the apostle, to not forsake the assembling of yourselves together, they violate a law of their being which is as important in its place as the injunction of the apostle; for without the energies derived from sleep, the best of meetings cannot be appreciated and enjoyed.

This is by no means necessary. God does not want us to violate his laws to heed the above injunction, or any other duty enjoined in his word. If on certain uncommon occasions God will add to our vitality, that we may perform important duties without overdoing and violating physical law, we have no reason to expect that on common occasions we can presumptuously disregard the laws of our being, without incurring guilt, and reaping the penalty consequent on disobedience.

Many and great are the evils resulting from these late evening meetings. Many weak persons have been made sick, and many healthy persons have lost their health in attending such meetings. And they are thereby not only unqualified to enjoy the meetings, but they are also unfitted to attend to important duties outside of the meetings.

But especially do preachers have to suffer in consequence of these meetings. While the congregation can rest at their pleasant homes at the close of the meetings, the preacher must go on in the same manner to another place, and then to another, losing rest at every place, and suffering the inconvenience of changing beds, and feeling that, perhaps, his hearers may be dissatisfied with his feeble efforts in presenting the truth. Besides this, at the close of the meeting it is natural for good brethren living at a distance to invite the preacher from his resting place, or to want to have a good talk with the preacher, who has, perhaps, nearly talked his life away, while his hearers have only had to listen, and back up his discourse by giving in a short testimony. And if it is at a general gathering, it is not uncommon for the brethren to crowd in where the preacher is; and unless the preacher is decided, he perhaps will linger until after midnight to not hurt the feelings of his good brethren; and what is he good for the next day?

Brethren, there is evidently a lack among us here, and the need of a thorough and immediate reform. A reform on this point can be easily effected. Let the meetings be appointed early, and let the people be on hand at the time appointed. Then the preacher will have time to do his subject justice, and the discourse can be backed up by good testimonies from the brethren and sisters; the objects of the meeting will be gained; and the preacher and people will retire with that calmness and satisfaction that greatly enhance sleep. They will, other things being favorable, enjoy refreshing sleep, and in the morning will arise with the sun, feeling invigorated, and, like giants, will be prepared to run their race, and perform the duties of the day. D. T. BOURDEAU.