Not only does the church work in a hundred ways through its regular organizations to advance the spiritual life of its members and the community, but once every year, organization fences are taken down and as a whole and united body, it marches forward to a great fair.  The Temple fairs are famous.  They form an important feature of church life, and an important date in the church calendar.

“The true object of a church fair should be to strengthen the church, to propagate the Gospel, and to bring the world nearer to its God.”  That is Dr. Conwell’s idea of the purpose of a church fair and the basic principle on which The Temple fairs are built.  They always open on Thanksgiving Day, the anniversary of Dr. Conwell’s coming to the church and continue for ten days or two weeks thereafter.  These fairs are most carefully planned.  The membership, of course, know that a fair is to be held; but before any definite information of the special fair coming, is given them, a strong foundation of systematic, careful preparation is laid.  In the early summer, before Dr. Conwell leaves for his two months’ rest at his old home in the Berkshires, he and the deaconess of the church go over the ground, decide on the executive committee and call it together.  Officers are elected, Dr. Conwell always being appointed president and the deaconess, as a rule, secretary.  The whole church membership is then carefully studied, and every member put at work upon some committee, a chairman for the committee being appointed at the same time.  A notice of their appointment, the list of their fellow workers, and a letter from the pastor relative to the fair are then sent to each.  Usually these lists are prepared and forwarded from Dr. Conwell’s summer home.  The chief purpose of the fair, that of saving souls, is ever kept in view.  The pastor in his letter to each member always lays special stress on it.  Quoting from one such letter, he says: 

“The religious purpose is to consolidate our church by a more extensive and intimate acquaintance with each other, and to enlarge the circle of social influence over those who have not accepted Christ.

“This enterprise being undertaken for the service of Christ, each church member is urged to enter it with earnest prayer, and to use every opportunity to direct the attention of workers and visitors to spiritual things.

“Each committee should have its prayer circle or a special season set apart for devotional services.  This carnival being undertaken for the spiritual good of the church, intimate friends and those who have hitherto worked together are especially requested to separate on this occasion and work with new members, forming a new circle of acquaintances.

“Do not seek for a different place unless it is clear that you can do much more in another position, for they honor God most who take up His work right where they are and do faithfully the duty nearest to them.