THE FAILURE OF UNION James Sherman Rowland Once White Oak Creek was in a sad plight No preacher or church to lead them a-right. But the people were honest, faithful and good And they talked the matter over at home and abroad. SO the Baptist a sect both lowly and meek Began building a church near the mouth of the creek And tho they mixed not with other denominations They were not averse to receiving donations From any one be he a Jew or a Greek A Presbyterian or a Methodist meek. Now I am a man who is liberal to all The learned theologist, the great and the small But I hesitated to give to this sect For no invitation could I expect To be given any preacher either weak or strong Who did not to this order belong. So I gave to them sparingly and went on my way And it came to pass at no distant day Another church building was joyfully planned And to all preparations I gave the glad hand For this was a church to be built by the people It was to be theirs from foundation to steeple. It was to be free for all orders and creeds For all preachers who go about doing good deeds Any one desiring to have a meeting Would be given a welcome and Christian greeting The only qualities we were demanding Were that the preacher be in good standing. So I gave to them with a liberal hand And when it was finished a joyful band Met to celebrate the dedication Of the union of all denominations And White Oak at whom many sneers were hurled Began to hold up its head and face the world. And our Sunday School too, was the joy of the place We were not ashamed to look any one in the face We had our conventions and children’s day too And the boys began bidding their vices adieu Morality over us our banner unfurled And we called White Oak the garden spot of the world. Now I loved these good preachers and fed them quite oft And laid them to rest on my feather bed soft I entertained Riley, Lewis and Ball In fact I endeavored to feed them all And at the annual and quarterly meeting I gave all the preachers a Christian greeting. Now thus far I had invited no preacher TO come to this church as a gospel teacher But deciding one day that I had such a right I began at once to have hopes clear and bright Of a wonderful meeting, a fight against sin And the people would bless me for bringing it in. So I began to look for a preacher worth while With a heart full of love and a heavenly smile As the scripture says he should rule his house well With his wife and children must peacefully dwell Long and earnestly I did search For a man to preach in the Union Church. At last while traveling over the county I stopped with a friend, partook of his bounty And as I was resting, for the day was quite fine I saw approaching an old pupil of mine His face was youthful tho his hair was quite gray He greeted me gladly and passed on his way. His step was firm and buoyant with joy I remembered when he was a penniless boy. When he was a youth and came to my school He always practiced the golden rule He was always thoughtful and kind to others And took special care of his little brothers. I told my host I was once that man’s teacher And he said to me, “He’s a pretty good preacher.” I then asked about his family and home He said they made everyone glad they had come He said peace and love in their home did abound And they are the most pious in the country around. As I rode on with my thots holding communion I said “That’s my preacher, I’ll ask him to Union.” So the next time I saw him I asked him to come And I also invited him to visit my home I published the appointment both far and wide And began to look toward this meeting with pride. But alas! I had reckoned unwisely it seemed Complications arose of which I’d not dreamed The trustees met in solemn convocation The result of the meeting was this ultimatum That this minister of whom they had heard before Should not preach in their house nor enter that door. Ah woe is me! that I should bring this disgrace on this poor humble man who is full of God’s grace Oh people of Union what have I done? Am I the most wicked man under the sun? You have trusted me often to be your teacher But alas! you will not receive my preacher. Your handsome church is well lighted and warm Mine is blown by the winds and swept by the storm My preacher’s white hair is blown by the breeze Our lights are lanterns hung in the trees We kneel on the ground, to offer our thanks Our seats are composed of rough boards and planks. I’ve led your children in Sunday School, been their teacher there But alas! my preacher you cannot bear I can shelter him well from sunset to sunrise But my pulpit is made of railroad ties I can feed him and rest him in the warmth of my home But the roof of my church is the starry dome. I met brother Hale a few days ago He’s one of the trustees of Union, you know He’s building a church on Buck Creek he said And to this dear brother five dollars I paid It was to be a Union Church also he claimed But I fear that it will be sadly misnamed. If I give him more help as I promised I would For I’m for all causes upbuilding and good I want him to promise me faithful and true For whatever his promise I know he will do That he’ll place this inscription right over the door “For me and my wife, son John and his wife, Us four and no more.” For the name of Union would be mis-applied When some denominations are shut outside So I’ll give no more money to the Union claim For the name of Union has been put to shame Let’s have a separate church be it strong or weak The Union won’t do for White Oak Creek. There is a time coming one day before long When we’ll all join together in one glad new song The sheep will be gathered together in one field Not one of them will be left out in the cold And when all are gathered beside the crystal sea I hope there’ll be room for my preacher and me. Now I want all Christians wherever they meet To bear me in prayer to the mercy seat And ask the Lord to reform my wicked ways That I may so live the rest of my days That no preacher for my sake be rejected again When he’s pointing the way to the Savior of man.