In 1927 we came into possession of a beautiful Mack bus which we called the "Evangel." It was a 21-passenger coach, remodeled with built-in cooking and sleeping quarters for a party of eight workers. It was also equipped with a public-address system. The crew aboard this missionary car included ministers, the Morning star male quartet, and other Christian workers. The "Evangel" was literally a church on wheels.
Trips were made up and down the coast, over into Idaho and up into northern Washington. Letters of recommendation had been given us from the mayor of the city of Portland, and other officials. This aided greatly in our receiving a hearty welcome in different large cities. Immense crowds gathered where meetings were conducted. Sometimes they were held in halls, other times outdoors, and also from the bus through loud-speaker.
We would stop in small communities off the main course of travel where God seemingly was left out of the thoughts of the people. In one place we were told that we never should have come there, that no one would be out to hear us; but the first night almost the whole community turned out. In many of these places we had real revivals. When this Gospel bus had served its purpose and other methods began to take preeminence, the Evangel was sold.
The Medford branch church, some years later, obtained a similar bus known as a "Drive-in Church," which was so completely equipped that workers could travel and hold services in any part of the surrounding country. The missionary-minded minister in charge of the southern Oregon work lost no opportunity in using this bus for evangelizing purposes. Meetings were held in mountain areas in southern Oregon and on down into California. Many were saved and every effort put forth was rewarding in spiritual values, leading numbers of men and women into the Gospel who have become strong pillars of the faith.
Evangelism on wheels has not ceased, although it is accompanied with other modern means and methods. The branch churches carry the Message of Salvation out into the byways in their own localities; and here in Portland, dedicated workers are kept busy fulfilling the calls daily presented to them. Besides cars carrying workers to institutions and to outdoor services, there is a fleet of seven large buses which go out to bring in Sunday school children on Sundays and at times are also used to transport merchant seamen from their ships to the church services.