Document text
Federal Writers, Project
Room 36, Federal Building
Greensboro, North Carolina
January 17, 1939
Reverend Thurman F. Bowers (white)
P.O. Box 93
Greensboro, North Carolina
Pastor, Central Church of the Nazarene
Albert North, writer
reviser
arunRaD TH...-AIN FA Y.14
One notices Therin Bayer. itogardloss
of the place or the six() of the gathering, ons
notices him. Although handsoms and standing six-
foot -two, well proportioned with his two -hundred
twelve pounds, it is the peaceful repose seen in
his countenance which most attracts one and holds
one's gases This sorenity seems to reach out and
take hold of one and a soothing relaxation is felt
and the gaze is not a stare but a peaceful contem-
plation. There is something suggestive akin to a
swallow who has found a summ4r.
Imbued with the depth of this striking
and restful personality one senses the groat
strength of character but fails utterly to grasp
any of the strain of struggle, privation of rest
in study and of unending visits of charity, cheer
-and consolation, not only among his own congrega-
tion but among all the needful.
The work of pastoring, holding revivals,
mission work and constant going day and night has
extolled its penalty heavily upon his health --but
not in his soulful composure.
As one beholds him one realizes some..
thing of the great depth of his sincerity, but
are not prepared to grasp the burning intensity
of his passion for souls. An intensity of pas-
sion born only in the full belief that a soul
lost is not only missing the beat of this life
but is also doomed to an everlasting hell firs.
That they will miss the peace and joy of an eter-
nity in that beautiful mansion that Christ has
gone to prepare. 'ten one is brought face to
face with the full intensity of this passion in
his sermons and in his prayers as mighty sobs
mot his body and cause his voice to break, one
is left aghast with a fueling of sapped strength
and wordless awe.
His sermons stir memories of things
read about Jonathan dwards; yet mostly they are
freighted with the beauty of Divine Love and Abun-
dant Grace.
He does not despise this life any more
than Charming Pollock does, but to him heaven
doJs matter above all things. He is not only con-
cerned about heaven for his own 840,40 but for every..
one's sake.
His prayers, long and earnst, include
those in hospitals, jails, orphanages; the con-
.3.
fined, the underprivileged, and "Lord we pray for
those wno have no ono to pray for them. Lord we
pray that thou will be a friend to the friendless."
He prays for those in authority, he prays for those
under authority. Es prays for people in the miS-
sion fields. HQ prays definitely for people and
above all; "Save the people" --and not just beauti-
ful phraseology, or to be long. Many requests for
prayers are sent in by people who are not members
of the church and a largelcome in from people who
have never attended his church.
iiev. Bayer does not favor referring to
the church as "his" church —as he says it is "God's"
church. he is serious in his attitude in this re-
spect.
He believes and preaches a crucified and
resurrected Savior, and that if He be lifted up
men shall be drawn to him and shall ue saved.
111114****1011*******#
The McAdoo uuilding where Rev. Bayer
had an office -study and sleeping couch was being
vacated by all occupants for its complete over-
hauling.
i found him busy packing when I entered
at his invitation. This he was doing in a patient,
methodical vepner. The stress of the ordeal had
left him unruffled and he greeted uw warmly with
that winning smile of his.
Among his many books ready to paok I
noticed a set of some lb or more volumes, entitled,
"A Handful of Purpose".
First he asked after my health and then
inquired about my mother —with a word of sweet
praise for her. Than he said, without apology,
something about my finding things in a mess.
"Are you taking another office close by?"
I asked, "and will you have the same telephone nume.
bail"
"No, I'm giving up mnhone here and I'm
going to try living in my little house in the come
try."
"That will be fine," I answered, thinking
that it would be good for him and afford him more
rest.
"I'll feel freer in my prayer life there,
than I do here; people are so apt to misunderstand."
"Yes," I said, thinking of the way I new
he prayed and of those thin office walls. "Soma
people may think you are trying to emulate Daniel."
"Yes," he agreed, "and it will be quieter
for my studies."
"Reverend Bayer", I said coming to the
cause of my visit without further delay after hav-
ing decided upon a policy of frankness, "I am writ-
ing some life histories, and I would like very much
to include yours among them. Would you object to
answering some questions for me, some personal ques..
tions?"
"I'll be glad to do what I can for you,"
he said. "How soon do you have to have this infor-
mation?"
He looked gravely concerned, torn between
the desire to grant me the time then and there, and
the need of attending to his moving.
"If you could write out what you want,"
he said, "I could take it and work on it tonitiht
and have it for you tomorrow about noon."
"That ia fine," I answered. "I have al-
ready prepareu a list of questions because 1 know
how busy you are and thought that this would be the
only way in which we could manage it."
True to his promise and as I had expected,
next day about noon he had left for me the infori.
mation at the place agreed upon.
"What is the size of your parent's family?"
had asked. "Will you tall me something of your
ancestry and their occupational background.. And
where you were born?"
"I, am the only son of the late mr. and
Mrs. T. C. Bayer of Winston-6alem, N. C. There
were five children, one boy and four girls. Two
of these girls died in their infancy. My other
two uist%irs are still living. Both are married
but the eldest sisters' husband is dead. This sis-
ter has a daughter fourteen years of age. I am
single.
"Both of my parents were reared in early
childhood on the farm but later moved to the city
and there made their home, never to return to the
farm.
"The place of my birth is High Points
North Carolina. We are the descendants of Ger..
man stock. Our ancestors came over from Germany
perhaps around 1700, and landed in South Carolina,
then settled in Davidson County of North Carolina."
"1 am interested in your attitude toward
education, Mr. Bayer," I said, "and the extent of
your school attendance."
"1 attended public scnools in Fish Point,
North Carolina until I was fifteen and half years
of age, than went with my parents to New Castle,
Indiana. I entered there upon the work that I chose
to follow until I was twenty-five.
"1 am in favor of formal education and
think it is a forward step in the direction of
happiness for the human race, I think everyone
should endeavor to obtain at least a high school
education in these days of opportunity to obtain
such. We should as younger erations appreciate
and appropriate the blessins that education offer,
remembering that these blessings have come to us
through the labors of men and women of ilk spirits
as that of Horace Mann."
"ht do you think about school training
ad economic adv,\Jitge?" I asked.
"5chool training should be an economic
advvatage in that the mo6ern school is endeavor-
ing to teach the child instead of text books. In
doing this the child is taught more of life and
how to live. Pomo building, industry, thrift and
many othr thins are taught that have direct bear-
ing upon the social and economic life of human
.t
;Lind."
"What of individual ambition, ideals
and the idea of better living?" I asked. "And
which do you think comes first awning home or
owning car?"
"very individual should possess the
priceless ambition of development in its fullest
sense," he replied, "educationally and spiritual-
ly. If one is the possessor of these two desires,
then financial security is more than likely to be
theirs.
"The owning of a home should come before
that of or ownership in the majority of cases.
It should be the high and noble ambition of every
couple starting out in life to own their own home."
"What was your age at time of conversion?"
I asked, "and what work waru you engaged in at that
time?"
"I was nearly twenty-two at the time of
my convereion. I was foreman in the finishing de-
partment (painting) of the Hoosier Kitchen Cabinet
Company of New CGatle, Indiana. I had been is
their employ since shortly before entering upon my
sixteenth year."
"flow long after your conversion was it,"
in,Auired, "before you were called to the minia-.
try, and how long before entering the ministry
after being called?"
"I answerud the call to the ministry
three years after my conversion. I had been call-
ed to the pastorate of a little church one and one
half years after my conversion but declined the of-
fer, entering a year and a half later."
"Will you tell me of the denomination
and what special preparation you made for duties
as a minister?"
"my denomination is the Church of' the
Nazarene. The Church of the Nazarene requires
a special course of four years, in one of our eight
colleges, or it can be taicen by diligent study un-
der a board of district examiners, of either of
our forty-four district boards. However, the under
graduate must tA4e examinations under the direction
and supervision of the district board of which he
or she is a =mbar* This course includes complete
survey of the Bible, divided in four years. Theo-
logy, American history, American anc .Aiglish litera-
ture, church history, psychology, principles of
argumentation, composition, et_petera. Twenty-five
examinations in all with twenty-five outside read..
-10
in g books with a written synopsis on each.
"Not havinz zone beyond th,.: eizhth
grade, I was not exempt on a single subject in
our course, so found it nece.isary to take them
all without an exception being granted me.
"If a person has had a full four years
high school education, that person is exempted
on elementary English and American history."
"I would like to hear about your first
p-storata," I said, "and those following up until
your present charge."
"y first pastorate," he replied, was
in Yeztiaflvile, Indiana. Y.ndallville vdr.s 4 small
city with only 6,000 population at the time. It
was z newly organized church with fourteen (14)
members. I was their firvt paztor. "e worshipped
for throe years in a rented upstairs h11. Then
we built a beautiful little brick church in down-
town Kendallville.
"The work is progressing nicely at this
time and they have a nice membership
"I worked my trade in the factory
while pastoring this church. I re@ilive4 $10.00
per week for the entire pastorate. Fover, the
people were nice to me, making many splendid gifts
of love and appreciation. I worked in the factory
to supplement my salary so we could got on and put
our money in the church. For a wtiil during this
pastorate, 4. also had a church under my aupervis-
ion at Goshen, Indiana.
"I than -went to South Bend, Indiana to
pastor the Church of the Nazarene (Firat Church)
of that city. Here I devoted my entire time to the
work of the ministry. My pastorate hare was of
short duration. I was appointed by the General
Superintendent to supply the unexpired term of a
retiring pastor. I was recalled without a dissent-
ing vote to remain as their pastor, but I had felt
an inner urge by the Holy Spirit to come South.
This urge had been experienced since the beginning
of my ministry. Being born in the South, i felt
I should make this my field of minieterial endew.
var.',
"You then came 3outh and entered upon
your present work," I said. "How ions ago has
that been?"
"I have pastored the entral Church of
the Nazarene in Greensboro, North Carolina for the
past seven years. I am the first and only pastor
of this present organization. de had thirty-eight
people tha first unday when we started revival
services. rqe worshipped in a rented building,
which had been used for a tin shop. Yowever, this
building was built originally for religious sera
vices, by the Friends. Hebrews used it later for
a synaogue. _After its use as a tine shop and a
period 3f lying, iGle, a few faithful, loyal and
uevoted followers of Jesus Christ rented, cleaned,
painted and refUrnished the place ready for ser-
vices wheL arrived on the field."
"You started with thirty-eight members,"
observed. "'lhat is the present membership? And
will you give me a brief history of this church and
1,ell ma of ita present work and outlook?"
"At the present 144 have a mAmtuarship of
200 church memoers. The church ia progressing
necely. 7e have moved out of the rented building
and purchased the First Moravian Church building
within one square of our original location. We
have also, in recent months, purchased a large
brick resid,A,Ice kf-aiab adjoins or church building
property. This buildimj was purchased for YJ10,00
and is paid for in monthly instplments. e plan
to use this buildinz for a Christian ducational
center.
"The depression affected us as it did
others, but but they paid the pastor every cent of his
salary (though the salary was small); every cent
of rent was ;Aid, along with home and foreign mis-
sionary budgets. However at times, salary and rent
were in arrears.
"Our finances are much better now. How..
ever we have received a steady (not phenomenal)
stream of new members into the church, but our ob-
ligations have also increased. we have some $12,000
church property obligations. Ye are meeting the eb-
ligations on the house by the month and on the church
building every six months. All financial obligations
are paid up to date.
"'le have twelve classes in our 3unday School,
with others to be orkanised soon. There are around
JUO on roll, with an attendance of 2W and over each
f3unday,"
"qould you tell me of the main policy and
beliefs of church," i asked.
"Muin policy and belief is Lat. Jesus
Christ died to eave all men and that every man
should be given the privilege of hearing the Gos-
pel in hia own native tongue. The doctrines as
taught bd John '7esley and the early kethodiata are
earnestly taught and advocated."
"Would you mind giving your personal at..
-14-
titude toward your work", I asked', "and tell some-
thing of your experiences during recent y-ars.
You spoke very favorably of education, and i
lieve you have sought to augment yours under dif-
ficult handicaps."
"Fereonally, I taxa great pride in the
work to which I have given myself. Ae for educetion, since coming to tireensboro, I have gone
for four years to Wake Forest College and Elon
College where I obtained the A.B. degree. I comm.
plated this work in a little over four years driv-
ing to and fro each day moA of the time. I took
care of the work of the church in connection with
my school work.
"There were three of us (young ministers)
from Greensboro, who were admitted to the Divinity
3chool of Duke University this year but due to ill-
ness. I had to drop this work. One of my friends
had to do likewise
"I do not takti personal pride but ia4 glad
to say that the good Lord and the kindly influences
of good Christian people in and outside of my de-
nomination have ma0e me what i am today. E:xcept
for these outside influences I no doubt would be
back in the factory today and also in sin. Now I
do not mean to say that there would be anything
wrong with my working in the factory again. I
lived a contented, happy life while working there,
and preached the Gospel while doing it. I may go
back to it someday, but if I do, I want to still
preach the blessed Gospel."
"Reverend Bayer, your work in kreaching,
holding revivals, weekly broadcasting over the
radio, marriages, funerals, constant calls upon
the dietreased and sic49 in addition to your
studies in college has had some toll upon your
health, has it not?"
"Yes, my work has been etrenuoue. It
should be obvious that this is true. lorking in
factory, helping build new churches, all the many
things attendant to the ministry and studying hard,
my health, no doubt has been impaired. Another big
strain upon my health, I think, has been irregular
eating hours in so many different eating places.
This has been going on for years. You know how it
is without a home life, and going day and night.
But I think my health is much better than it would
have been had I continued in sin. God is good.
I try every day to exemplify this in my attitude
toward Him and His subjects of moray, human kink
-1.6-
"lin you give a p4rsonal plitical ex-
pression?"
"Of course. I am liberal in my politics.
I always vote for the man instead of the party."
"Is it urged, stressed, or encouraged,
as a denominational plicy for the members of the
church to exercise their rights at the polls as
Christian citizens? To what extent do you think
the members of the church you pastor, exercise
their privilege in voting. If they are urged as
a church to cast their ballots, is it upon issues
instead of parties? If so, what issues?"
"It is a denominational policy and is
stressed by the denomination that each member of
voting age exercise their rights at
It is deemed by the denomination as
obligation to vote on issues rather
political carty.
"The temperance issue is on at the main
issues considered by the denomination. The great
democratic principals of equality and fair play
are issues by which the majority of our constitu-
ency can be depended to stand by.
"I think that the membershik of the
local church can be depended on, to a largo ex
the polls.
a Christian's
than for the
tent, to exercise their privilege in voting, yet
I um not satisfied until all see the Christian
obligation of such and carry such obligation out
to its fullest extent."
Therin Bayer deals frankly and honestly
with one and with life. itecently he was placed in
a dilemma by being given as reference by a young
man who had changed jobs suite often and of wham
he knew very little. He wanted to help the young
man but be would not mislead in ayway the prospec-
tive emplopir who had written him regarding the
applicant, so Rev. Bayer took it upon himself to
go out and try to find all the good ha could in
behalf of the young man. I am uure that whatever
his reply contained was the facts as the had learn-
ed them.
His life is motivated by saving the
souls of men as he goes about doing good. It's
never a case of "thumbs down!" with him. I've known
him to help and be friendly with the "fallen"
(when their own family had kicked them out) inspite
of people cautioning him not to and in the face of
criticism. There are people today who have found
themselvee through his undying concern and Christ
like love, and who are now happy, when once life
had closed in on them and society was ready to
trample them beneath its self-righteous feet.
Pew. Bayer lives earnestly, simply
and without affecefon. If you ever meet hut,
A
you will learn to love him, and the memory of
him will never leave you.
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