Religious Ephemera

"Looking unto Jesus. Heb. XII.2."

"Search me O God and know my heart. Ps. CXXXIX.23."

"Diligence. The hand of the diligent maketh rich. Prov. X. 4." Stamped on the back of the card: "Union S.S., Churchville, Penn'a." Handwritten name on the back: "Kate." Kate evidently received this small Sunday school card as a reward for her attendance (or perhaps for some activity like reciting a Bible verse) at the Union Sunday School in the appropriately named town of Churchville, Pennsylvania.

"Children, obey your parents in all things. Col. III.20. Marcus Ward & Co." For another Bible verse card by Marcus Ward, see Be Sober, Be Vigilant .

"Be sober, be vigilant. I Peter V.8. Marcus Ward & Co. Ent. Sta. Hall." For another Bible verse card by Marcus Ward, see Children, Obey Your Parents .

"Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 16.24." Compare this with the advertising trade card for J. G. Lutkenhoff, Dealer in Dry Goods and Notions, Covington, Kentucky :

"The Lord will raise us up. Blessed be the name of God. Deliver my feet from falling. Turn unto Him with all thy heart. My times are in Thy hand. Depart from iniquity. Enjoy Christ's s service. In God I have put my trust." A block of eight uncut Victorian-era Sunday school cards (or rewards of merit) featuring birds, flowers, and snow-covered landscapes. See also Rewards of Merit with Birds and Flowers (below).

Handwritten on the back of the card: "Etta M. Smith."

"At last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. Prov. 23-32." The verses that proceed this one in the Book of Proverbs place this quoted Bible verse in context and make it clear that this colorful Victorian-era card was intended as a temperance message: "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder." (Proverbs 23:29-32.) At the same time, the handwritten notation on the back of the card (see below) reveals that it also served as an attendance reward for a student who only missed a few days of instruction during the 1893-1894 school year. Handwritten on the back of this card: Katie Whitmyer, Mar. 22, 1894. School Opened - 120 Days Attended - 115½ Days Missed - 4½ L. S. Sahm, teacher

For a National Temperance Society pledge card that urges abstinence from alcohol and profanity as well as tobacco, see Touch Not, Taste Not, Handle Not . Anti-Cigarette Pledge For the sake of strength and purity, I promise, with the help of God, never to use tobacco in any form, and to help others to abstain from its use. Name: Bessie G. Gilstrap. Date: Apr. 22, 1916. "If sinners entire thee, consent thou not." Prov. 1:10. Missionary Volunteer Pledge Series, No. 8.

Compare this pledge card with a Lincoln-Lee Legion Pledge Card, 1903 , and an Anti-Cigarette Pledge, 1916 . "Touch not. Taste not. Handle not. Pledge. I hereby promise, by the help of God, to abstain from the use of all intoxicating liquors, including wine, beer, and cider, as a beverage; from the use of tobacco in any form, and from all profanity. National Temperance Society, 58 Reade Street, New York."

"New Chevrolet, sold by Cunningham-Joyce Motor Co., 706 Dewey Ave., St. Nicholas' Church Festival, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, June 19, 20, 21, 1930."

"One out of our Sunday-school class last Sunday. Was that somebody you? Listen to our pleading: Don't let that happen again! We want every member present every Sunday. A. B. C. No. 25. Copyright, 1912, the Standard Publishing Co., Cincinnati, O." With an illustration of a kid who looks like a young Alfred E. Neuman , this postcard admonishes its recipient not to be absent from Sunday school. Although its punning statement about "one out" (one kid out of class last Sunday, and one tooth out of young Alfred's mouth) is seemingly humorous, the rest of the message is rather threatening ("Was that somebody you?" and "Don't let that happen again!"). For other don't-forget-to-attend-Sunday-school postcards, see Hello! Who Is This? You're the One We're After and Sorry You Were Sick Last Sunday .

"Hello! Who is this? You're the one we're after. Missed you last Sunday. Come to Sunday school next Sunday sure! A. B. C. No. 56. Copyright, 1917, the Standard Publishing Co., Cincinnati, O." For other don't-forget-to-attend-Sunday-school postcards, see One Out of Our Sunday-School Class Last Sunday and Sorry You Were Sick Last Sunday .

"Sorry you were sick last Sunday. Want to assure you of my sincere sympathy . Hope you will soon be well and able to meet with our class. A. B. C. No. 41. Copyright, 1913, the Standard Publishing Co., Cincinnati, O." For other don't-forget-to-attend-Sunday-school postcards, see One Out of Our Sunday-School Class Last Sunday and Hello! Who Is This? You're the One We're After .

The Rev. John William Hamilton was founding pastor of the People's Church in Boston, where he served from 1875 to 1884. He was later elected as a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. This fundraising card provides evidence of the ambitious building program that took place during Hamilton's tenure at the church. According to The Centennial of New England Methodism (Boston, Mass: Crawford Brothers, 1891), ed. George A. Crawford, the construction of the People's Church took about seven years. "The corner-stone of the chapel and parsonage was laid May 27, 1877.... The corner-stone of the church-building itself was not laid until July 3, 1882, and the building was not opened for worship until Sunday, February 10, 1884" (pp. 508-9). The Owner of This Card Has Purchased One Brick in the People's Church Cor. of Columbus Avenue and Berkely St., Boston. The Rev. J. W. Hamilton, pastor. The edifice combines three buildings in one: the church, parsonage, and chapel. The main auditorium will seat 3000 people; the chapel opens into it, greatly increasing its capacity. No expensive tower or costly ornaments, and the church will be free. The Rev. D. W. Couch, financial agent. D. E. Poland, pres. and treas. board of trustees. "The rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all." [Proverbs 22:2.]

"Lincoln-Lee Legion. Love, sacrifice, service. Abstinence Department of the the Anti-Saloon League. I hereby enroll with the Lincoln-Lee Legion and promise with God's help to keep the following pledge." "Whereas the use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage is productive of pauperism. degradation, and crime, and believing it is our duty to discourage that which produces more evil than good, we therefore pledge ourselves to abstain from the use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage." "A sober nation and a safe highway."