1940 – Open Membership
By 1940, the Woodland Christian Church had gained a reputation as an “open membership” church. This was not due to any official policy, but rather because of Rev. Hayes Farish’s liberal reputation and penchant for innovation. His practice was to accept into Christian fellowship, anyone who had been baptized in any other church, by any means, and who walked down the aisle in response to the invitation.
Hayes’ colleagues in the Christian Church Convention hailed him as an idealist who was always ahead of his time. His colleague, Christian minister Tipton Carroll, noted that “In conversation he’d be advocating something and everyone would say, ‘What’s he talking about?’” About five years later the convention adopted the open membership policy – and congratulated themselves for having thought of it. If the convention wanted to experiment with any innovation, they’d always choose Woodland to test it out. Farish had them so that they were willing to try anything new.
His publication titled On Becoming and Continuing a Christian was one of a number of inspirational and informational pieces he wrote to encourage those he saw in church each week, as well as people with whom he corresponded. He provided advice on a range of topics including, religion, repentance, confession, baptism, prayer, worship, service, financial sharing, Christian graces, group relationships, and history.
He was also a prolific poet, including his poems in the Echoes, his annual Christmas letter to the congregation, his sermons, and a number of other publications including On Becoming and Continuing a Christian which contained an untitled Easter poem.
Here is an excerpt:
...The grave holds now no darksome fear,
Thru it there comes the Light
That’s kindled in Eternity
To burn away our night.
Ah Easter! Glad and glorious day!
We hail thy dawning bright!
Against the night of Calvary
We see thy gleaming light!
O Burdened souls rise up today!
Dismiss thy grief and pain!
For death has lost its victory
Thru Christ’s eternal reign!
Disciple art historian and author Cynthia Pearl Maus included two of his Christmas poems in her work The World’s Great Madonnas, published by Harper and Bros in 1947.
Trader, 70-72.
Hayes’ colleagues in the Christian Church Convention hailed him as an idealist who was always ahead of his time. His colleague, Christian minister Tipton Carroll, noted that “In conversation he’d be advocating something and everyone would say, ‘What’s he talking about?’” About five years later the convention adopted the open membership policy – and congratulated themselves for having thought of it. If the convention wanted to experiment with any innovation, they’d always choose Woodland to test it out. Farish had them so that they were willing to try anything new.
His publication titled On Becoming and Continuing a Christian was one of a number of inspirational and informational pieces he wrote to encourage those he saw in church each week, as well as people with whom he corresponded. He provided advice on a range of topics including, religion, repentance, confession, baptism, prayer, worship, service, financial sharing, Christian graces, group relationships, and history.
He was also a prolific poet, including his poems in the Echoes, his annual Christmas letter to the congregation, his sermons, and a number of other publications including On Becoming and Continuing a Christian which contained an untitled Easter poem.
Here is an excerpt:
...The grave holds now no darksome fear,
Thru it there comes the Light
That’s kindled in Eternity
To burn away our night.
Ah Easter! Glad and glorious day!
We hail thy dawning bright!
Against the night of Calvary
We see thy gleaming light!
O Burdened souls rise up today!
Dismiss thy grief and pain!
For death has lost its victory
Thru Christ’s eternal reign!
Disciple art historian and author Cynthia Pearl Maus included two of his Christmas poems in her work The World’s Great Madonnas, published by Harper and Bros in 1947.
Trader, 70-72.