Brief Description.
Collection 270 [November 16, 2005]
Schulenburg, Ray Harvey; 1909-2003
Interview; 1984
Audio tape
Restrictions
There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.
Biography
Ray Harvey Schulenburg was born in the Humboldt Park district of Chicago. He was converted
to Christianity at an early age and, as a youth and young man, regularly attended the Chicago
Gospel Tabernacle, where he was deeply influenced by pastor Paul Rader. Schulenburg
eventually became a minister himself and was ordained in the Evangelical Free Church.
Scope and Content
Rev. Schulenburg was interviewed by Robert Shuster, on March 29, 1984 at the offices of the Billy Graham Center. He spoke mainly about his memories of Paul Rader in the 1920s and 1930s. Time elapsed in minutes and seconds is recorded to the left of the topics discussed in the interview. The index is keyed to the cassette copy and not to the reel-to-reel original.
T1 - side 1 (read transcript)
00:00 Start of the tape
00:15 Introduction
00:30 Family background; conversion experiences of parents
02:45 Attendance of the family at the Humboldt Park Gospel Tabernacle
03:30 Attending Moody Memorial Church to hear Paul Rader; effect of Rader's preaching on
the congregation; good churches in Chicago
05:15 Description of Rader's preaching style
06:45 Rader's ability to command attention for long periods of time; response to his sermons
09:15 Rader's anecdote about his conversion
11:15 Attending both Humboldt and Chicago Tabernacles; staff at the Chicago Gospel
Tabernacle. Typical service at the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle
13:00 J. O. Webster brought Rader to Chicago for the first time
14:15 Reasons for Rader leaving Moody Church; involvement of the Christian and Missionary
Alliance
15:15 Rader's vision. R. R. Grown(?) radio program
16:00 William Hale Thompson's invitation to Rader to broadcast over radio station WHT;
move to WJBT; program schedule at the Tabernacle. The Back Home Hour. Rader's
telling of Bible stories over the radio
21:00 Rader's involvement in the life of Chicago
22:30 Weekly Sunday evening band concert
23:30 Composition of the congregation of the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle
25:00 Tabernacle on evangelistic center, not a church
26:00 Attendance of blacks at the Tabernacle
27:15 Lance B. Lathan; the origins of the Vacation Bible School
29:45 Albert Johnson
30:00 Christian Eicher
30:45 Doctrines emphasized by Rader; the hymn Only Believe; other hymns by Rader
33:45 The young people's service on Sunday
35:00 Richard Oliver; his music
36:00 "Rader left an impression on everyone who heard him"
36:45 Henrietta Mears. Torrey Johnson
37:30 Influence of Rader on Torrey Johnson
38:45 Utter abandonment in Rader's preaching; Torrey Johnson as an evangelist
41:15 Rader's effectiveness over the radio
41:30 The Chicago Gospel Mission; Russell McNamara
45:00 End of side 1
T1 - side 2
00:00 Start of side 2
00:05 The Chicago Gospel Mission; Russell McNamara
03:30 Rader's possible influence on Youth for Christ; evangelistic fervor in YFC
07:30 Summer conference grounds at Cedar Lake; Richard Oliver and Lance Latham; Sunday
afternoon broadcasts
11:45 Howard Ferrin, Oswald J. Smith, Clarence Jones, Howard Jones
13:15 Rader's involvement in the Christian and Missionary Alliance. World Wide Christian
Couriers
14:15 Rader's concern about missions; his trips to mission fields
14:45 Missionaries supported by Rader; effect of the depression on Rader's missionary work;
Rader's heart condition
16:45 Memories of the early days of YFC
17:30 Missionary conventions at the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle; structure of the Tabernacle
19:00 Rader's sermons during offering time at missionary conventions; involvement of young
people
20:30 Rader's influence on the next generation
21:30 Stan Belnd
22:30 Distribution of food and clothing during the depression to anyone with need
24:30 Paul Rader's Pantry; opposition to Rader
25:45 Schulenburg's conversion as a child; a child's Bible class
34:00 Schulenburg's entry into the ministry
35:30 Street evangelism in Kentucky; an outdoor tabernacle
39:00 Giving up a job to go into Christian work
40:45 Rader's leaving of the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle; Tabernacle debts
43:45 Replacement of Rader by Clarence Ericksen
45:00 End of side 2
T1 - side 3
00:00 Start of tape
00:10 Giving up a job to go into Christian work
01:45 Rader's leaving of the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle; Tabernacle debts
04:45 Replacement of Rader by Clarence Ericksen
05:45 Musical activity at the Tabernacle; Rader's habit of building strong leadership; Jimmie
Nielson
08:30 No public address system at the Tabernacle
09:30 The Pioneer Chorus
10:15 The World Wide Christian Courier magazine; Lance Latham's part in the Tabernacle
11:15 Schulenburg's work at the Board of Trade; Lake Harbor campgrounds
12:45 The preaching of Paul Rader; lack of power today in preaching; Harry Ironside, Ford
Philpott, W. A. Criswell.
17:45 Emphases in Paul Rader's preaching; Rader and Pentecostalism
19:45 Prayer in Rader's life
20:30 End of tape
Provenance
This tape was given to the Center in March 1984.
Accession 84-45
August 30, 1985
Robert Shuster
J. Nasgowitz
LOCATION RECORD
Accession 84-45
Type of material: Audio Tapes
The following items are located in the AUDIO TAPE FILE:
T1 - Reel-to-reel, 3-3/4 ips, approximately 100 minutes on one side only. Oral history
interview of Rev. Ray Schulenburg by Robert Shuster, recorded March 29, 1984.
Schulenburg talks mainly about his memories of Paul Rader and the Chicago Gospel
Tabernacle. He also describes his conversion and involvement in Christian work, the early days
of Youth for Christ, evangelistic preaching, and city missions.