Revive the Feast of Tabernacles

By Dwaine E. Dunning

     One of the yearly religious festivals of ancient Israel was the Feast of Tabernacles, in which the people left their homes to live in tents, recalling their national history at the time of the Exodus. It was a time of spiritual refreshment and without doubt it was great fun as well, with fathers neglecting to trim their beards, children running and shouting, young people doing a bit of flirting, and mothers trying to be cheerful at keeping house in a leaky tent.

     During the past summer this writer, his wife and young son had the privilege of attending a unique and rather wonderful summer camp which, in some respects, was hauntingly reminiscent of the Feast of Tabernacles of Israel. It was fun and it had the pleasant echoes of the past glory of the spiritual Israel of which those who read these lines have their heritage of faith.

     Out on the Saskatchewan prairies, near the village of Macrorie, are the extensive wheat farms of the Bantings-Wilbur and his son Elgin. Some years ago the Bantings purchased some land and decided to develop a ravine or coulee, pleasantly shaded and cool, as a summer Bible camp. Attendance at the Macrorie Bible Camp has grown steadily over the years, making it necessary for the Bantings and their neighbors and fellow-Christians, the Tweedies, to clear out additional wooded alcoves in the coulee for an increasing number of tents and camping trailers.

     The program is the usual one for a summer Bible Camp, with an important and meaningful exception. Campers and faculty represent a cross-section of philosophies within the overall present structure of the Restoration Movement.

     The camp begins with preaching and the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week, with preaching in the afternoon and evening of each day thereafter. Mornings and afternoons are devoted to classes, good long class periods with plenty of time for discussion. There is plenty of time for fun with volleyball and baseball the favorite games.

     After a few minor adjustments, mainly in the area of differing pronunciations between Canadians and Americans (for example, Elgin Banting's first name is pronounced with a hard g, "not like that watch you chaps make in the States"), the camp settles down to a degree of unity and harmony which is equal to that of any representative group of people from the same religious or philosophical

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point of view. Two things are kept in mind.

     First, classes and sermons are designed to enrich the personal spiritual life of each one in attendance. Teachers and preachers, inspired by the character of the camp, work very hard both in preparation and in presentation.

     Second, the great unities upon which all conservative Christians of "restorationist" convictions are united are emphasized, intentionally and effectively. It is a source of wonder and joy to those present to find much agreement where, frankly, discord might "reasonably" be expected. When a subject of known controversial potential is introduced, it is done in irreproachable spirit. Subjects of this nature are not prohibited but the atmosphere of the camp does inhibit any display of narrowmindedness or vindictiveness. The results are an enrichment of personal fellowship and a beneficial humility. It is good to be instructed by one whose views, known in advance to be different from your own and therefore suspect, prove to be extremely worthwhile.

     Someone has said that in order to move a mountain it is necessary to begin by lifting some rocks. Jesus said, "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much." It seems to this writer that some of the "unity conferences" which are held by leaders of the various groups within the Restoration Movement are working at the wrong level. When leaders of recognizable groups get together, the very fact of their meeting on the basis of their qualification to speak for groups strikes directly at the Restoration concept. While all such efforts should be encouraged, and others in addition, it may be observed that the "unity conference" idea has been worked hard for some years, with little result other than the personal enrichment of those who attend. These are too few, too restricted, and intensive rather than extensive. It is a case of trying to be "faithful in much" without first being "faithful in that which is least." As a people, we have perhaps been far too conscious of the intellectual contribution of Alexander Campbell to our history, and not enough of the spiritual contributions of Barton W. Stone and the Cane Ridge Revival. Some church historians credit the Cane Ridge Revival with stemming the tide of atheism, inspired by the French Revolution, which was overwhelming America spiritually.

     Perhaps, many other things having been tried and the problem actually growing rather than diminishing, it is time to revive a Feast of Tabernacles, among those who honor the Restoration principle. Let it be, as the Biblical festival, a time of memory and of joy. Above all, let it be as the Cane Ridge revival, a time of deep and profound spiritual conviction. It might be a force which could oppose and overwhelm atheism once again.

     It is axiomatic that "people who pray together stay together." But how to get them to pray together? Merging groups, even on the congregational level, presents all kinds of problems. So why not get people to play together? In most areas, camps already exist. Most of them have family weeks. All that would be needed to have a Cane Ridge Revival, Feast of Tabernacles for Unity, Macrorie-style, is to enlarge the mailing lists of such camps. As the idea grows, as it should, there may be a new Cane Ridge Revival, a joyous feast of tabernacles, involving not only the people of the present divided Restoration Movement, but hosts of others who are only waiting for decisive direction to forsake slavery and be free in Christ.

     This may sound much too simple. So, too, was the wheel when first proposed!

     Editor's Note. Dwaine E. Dunning is a professor in Platte Valley Bible College, Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Having taught in the Macrorie Camp, I think that one factor which contributes to its success in breaking down barriers is that it is held out in the woods. I doubt the Cane Ridge Revival could have started in any of the meetinghouses of the sects represented. We are trapped in our own architecture, which all of us regard as a fortress to defend. We are so enveloped by cement we cannot become concrete. Maybe we will do better if we "take to the woods!"