Object ID:
2007.026.005
Scope & Content:
History of the Chapel Car 5 Messenger of Peace. Created by a woman who worked as switchboard operator at the Everett Daily Herald.
The first chapel car was the realization of a dream of Rev. Boston W. Smith. In a new Minnesota town one of the railroads sidetracked a passenger coach every Saturday night during the 1880's. A Baptist Sunday school which later grew into a flourishing Baptist church, was organized in the coach. "There are always cars enough to carry liquor to new railroad towns," the minister reflected, "Why should not a gospel car be placed upon the tracks?" The chapel car, Evangel, was dedicated and later 6 more coaches including the MESSENGER OF PEACE was also dedicated.
The chapel car was all that its name implied– a regular church and parsonage combined, and was as well equipped as any Pullman, with every convenience for the missionary and his wife. The chapel was furnished with a fine, handsome brass lectern and Estey organ, and accommodated a congregation of from 90 to 125 people. Hymn book racks were in the pews, and there were boxes under a number of the pews for holding supplies of books. Under the car there were boxes for coal, ice, wood, etc. Some cars at one time carried their own tents so that in the summer outdoor meetings could be held.
A car like this going into a new town for a religious campaign solved many problems. When an "outsider" minister visits a town, the first question is Who will entertain him, where will he hold his meetings or who is going to play the organ, who will do the janitor work? and so on. On the chapel car the missionary and his wife took car of these problems. Rev and Mrs. Neil were in Kansas City with the chapel car, MESSENGER OF PEACE, when the Moody campaign opened. In that campaign Mr. Moody was taken sick. At the close of the last meeting of the great evangelist the chapel car took Mr. moody from Kansas City to St. Louis on his last trip to Northfield where he died a few days later. What a rededication and what a service for one of our churches on wheels.
Another time when the MESSENGER OF PEACE enroute from St. Louis to Kansas City over the Wabash railroad, was sidetracked for a few hours at Carrollton, Mo., in order to let another train pass. At once a crowd began to gather. A tall, strapping fellow, unshaven and awkward, wearing a broad–brimmed hat and high–water trousers, stepped up and read the name on the car. "Now, what sort of car do you reckon that is?" "That's is a church car" said a bystander. He explained a few things about it and the tall Missourian looked for a moment at the car in genuine astonishment and cut loose. "Well, I swan! I've seen a cattle car, a hog car, a coal car, a lumber car, a furniture car, a refrigerator car, a smoking car, a baggage car, a passenger car, and a sleeping car, but I'll be blessed if I ever saw a car like that; if that don't beat the devil!"
The last to be retired was the MESSENGER OF PEACE. It stood on a siding at Everett, Washington for several months and finally purchased by Stanley Noland, 5609 Colby and moved to a lovely location overlooking the Snohomish Valley where it was completely renovated and now serves as a cafe.
The first chapel car was the realization of a dream of Rev. Boston W. Smith. In a new Minnesota town one of the railroads sidetracked a passenger coach every Saturday night during the 1880's. A Baptist Sunday school which later grew into a flourishing Baptist church, was organized in the coach. "There are always cars enough to carry liquor to new railroad towns," the minister reflected, "Why should not a gospel car be placed upon the tracks?" The chapel car, Evangel, was dedicated and later 6 more coaches including the MESSENGER OF PEACE was also dedicated.
The chapel car was all that its name implied– a regular church and parsonage combined, and was as well equipped as any Pullman, with every convenience for the missionary and his wife. The chapel was furnished with a fine, handsome brass lectern and Estey organ, and accommodated a congregation of from 90 to 125 people. Hymn book racks were in the pews, and there were boxes under a number of the pews for holding supplies of books. Under the car there were boxes for coal, ice, wood, etc. Some cars at one time carried their own tents so that in the summer outdoor meetings could be held.
A car like this going into a new town for a religious campaign solved many problems. When an "outsider" minister visits a town, the first question is Who will entertain him, where will he hold his meetings or who is going to play the organ, who will do the janitor work? and so on. On the chapel car the missionary and his wife took car of these problems. Rev and Mrs. Neil were in Kansas City with the chapel car, MESSENGER OF PEACE, when the Moody campaign opened. In that campaign Mr. Moody was taken sick. At the close of the last meeting of the great evangelist the chapel car took Mr. moody from Kansas City to St. Louis on his last trip to Northfield where he died a few days later. What a rededication and what a service for one of our churches on wheels.
Another time when the MESSENGER OF PEACE enroute from St. Louis to Kansas City over the Wabash railroad, was sidetracked for a few hours at Carrollton, Mo., in order to let another train pass. At once a crowd began to gather. A tall, strapping fellow, unshaven and awkward, wearing a broad–brimmed hat and high–water trousers, stepped up and read the name on the car. "Now, what sort of car do you reckon that is?" "That's is a church car" said a bystander. He explained a few things about it and the tall Missourian looked for a moment at the car in genuine astonishment and cut loose. "Well, I swan! I've seen a cattle car, a hog car, a coal car, a lumber car, a furniture car, a refrigerator car, a smoking car, a baggage car, a passenger car, and a sleeping car, but I'll be blessed if I ever saw a car like that; if that don't beat the devil!"
The last to be retired was the MESSENGER OF PEACE. It stood on a siding at Everett, Washington for several months and finally purchased by Stanley Noland, 5609 Colby and moved to a lovely location overlooking the Snohomish Valley where it was completely renovated and now serves as a cafe.
Search Terms:
Chapel Car 5
Chapel Cars
Chapel Cars
Date:
c 1950s
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