The Upper Room

Church History: The Upper Room Celebrating 75 years - 1935– 2010

The Upper Room grew out of the depths of the Great Depression as a way to encourage believers to turn to God daily in trying times. The seeds for the devotional were planted by Mrs. Frances Craig, a San Antonio woman who was a member of Travis Park Church. Committed to the practice of daily prayer and Bible reading, Mrs. Craig served on the denomination’s Committee on Devotional Literature, and her work resulted in this motion being made at a December 1934 meeting in Nashville:

“…To publish a quarterly devotional booklet to be sold in the local church through the Missionary Committee … as an experiment for one quarter.”

Mrs. Craig returned to San Antonio and enlisted her 100-member Philathea Sunday school class at Travis Park Church to pray for the devotional idea. Meanwhile, Dr. Grover Emmons, the director of what would be today a division of the denomination’s General Board of Discipleship, was directed to begin work on it. He established the format for the magazine’s entries—a scripture verse, a suggested scripture reading, comments, a prayer, and a closing thought—that is used to this day. From the start, the magazine was intended to reach beyond the Methodist church, focusing on what Christians hold in common rather than on their differences.

When the first issue of the devotional guide was ready to print in early 1935, it still had no name. But then Dr. Emmons was inspired by a sermon extolling the power of God that descended on Jesus’ disciples as they prayed in an “upper room” (Mark 14:15 KJV). In an amazing show of faith, Dr. Emmons ordered a printing of 100,000 copies. The issue sold out.

Interest in “the little book” soon soared as readers embraced the daily habit. From the start, everyday people submitted meditations they had written. At first The Upper Room editors chose not to include them in the magazine. But then, in 1938, they recognized the importance of diverse voices and opened submissions to all. Within the next year, the magazine was translated into three additional languages and circulation reached an astounding one million copies. This year, the one billionth copy of The Upper Room rolls off the press.

Source: www.upperroom.org

A devotional from the first issue of The Upper Room, Spring 1945

“Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?” Ps. 85:6

PRAYER is the best possible preparation for a revival. It is “the deeply hidden talent,” “the forgotten secret of the church.” Our prayer to God should be not for changed conditions, but for changed lives; not for the removal of hard times and the coming of good times, but for the manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power, transforming bad . . . into good. Any genuine revival must begin in the hearts and lives of God’s people.

Our prayer should come from a deep sense of our great need. Oh, how we need God today! Away with our attitude of self-sufficiency. Our help must come from God. Gracious revivals have come in the past when God’s people have waited before Him in humility, confession, submission, and earnest supplication.

Read Acts 1:1-14.

PRAYER

Out of the depths of our need, O God, we cry unto Thee. Revive Thy people; revive Thy work. Hear our united, earnest supplication. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I must be more earnest and persevering in my prayer for a revival: in my own heart, in my local church, throughout the nation and the world.

Foster K. Gamble

Church History: The Philathea Class - “We Do Things”

The class motto was “We do things” based on Philippians 4:13 - “I can do all things through God who strengthens me.” The word “Philathea” means “lover of truth” and the class platform was “young women at work for young women.” The first Philathea Class for young women and its parallel Baraca Bible Class for young men, began in 1898 in Syracuse NY. The Philathea and Baraca Classes at Travis Park began in 1907. They met in the balcony of the sanctuary at first and soon raised money to remodel rooms in the basement, where they moved in 1908.

In 1909 the Philathea Class opened a “Girls’ Rest and Lunch Room” in the basement for “business girls.” They took turns preparing lunches for 15¢. The lunch room became so popular that it was necessary to hire a cook to help. In 1910, “the ladies of the city,” seeing the success of the lunch room, asked that it be turned over to them so they could use it as a nucleus for starting a YWCA, which the class did. The San Antonio YWCA is celebrating their 100th Anniversary this year.

From the very beginning, the class members devoted themselves to social service. In 1910 the class began a sewing school for little girls in the “slums” of the West Side. Enrollment quickly grew to 100 students. The class became part of a community center called Wesley Community House, where a free kindergarten was started. During World War I, they worked to welcome and support the soldiers stationed in San Antonio. In the 1920s, they worked in the Methodist orphanage and the Mission Home and Training School. Over the years, they worked at the State Hospital, TB Hospital, and made cancer dressings for the American Cancer Society. The class’s interest in education was ongoing and they provided many college scholarships.

One of the reasons for the strength and close spirit of the Philathea Class was the way they kept in touch with their members through visits, telephone calls and cards. Their aim was to make each member feel that it is their class and not the property of the teacher.

The original organizer, leader, teacher and guiding spirit was Mrs. Ella Goodwyn Carter, and the class was eventually named for her. Mrs. Frances Craig was the teacher of the class in the 1930s and she lead effort to produce the first Upper Room devotional guide.

Source: “History of the Ella Goodwyn Carter Philathea Class” written in 1985.