The Rev. Mervin C. Helfrich served the North Branch Association congregations (Athens, Sheshequin, Standing Stone, and Towanda) from 1949 to 1951.  I recently came across his ironic “Litany for a Self-Satisfied Church,” which was published in the Christian Century magazine in 1958.  The litany was noticed by syndicated religion columnist Dr. Charles L. Allen and was quote in its entirety in Allen’s column in several newspapers in 1960.  Allen wrote that the litany’s “message” had “a razor-edge sharpness.”

“We rejoice in the goodly life of this congregation, for we have met perfectly every obligation developing upon us as members of the body of Christ, having paid all our bills and owing not any man.

“For this we give thanks and we congratulate ourselves.

“We rejoice, too, in the fellowship of this church exemplified by those who have known each other for years and who, rather than forego their rich fellowship by greeting strangers after church, always talk busily of their own lives and affairs to each other.  This strong fellowship we preserve with dedicated zeal by refusing to spread it too far, and by not running after those who are merely prospects, to the neglect of those we already know.

“For this we congratulate ourselves.

“We take seriously our ministry to the community, for we preach no disturbing doctrines, feeling it best to assert what others believe and to do what is considered by society proper and commendable.  We do not incite men to break barriers of race or clan, and we do not create trouble by opposing slums or unpleasant conditions at city halls.

“For this we congratulate ourselves.

“We extend to all who take the trouble to attend services the spirit of religion.  And we respect the choice of those who stay away by refusing to take the gospel to them, either by visiting them or by communicating with them through the mails or by telephone.

“For this we congratulate ourselves.

“In all things we uphold the dignity of the church.  By keeping our services in the best of taste, by choosing for our board of trustees and committees only those of highest reputation and attainment, by refusing to advertise the faith through newspapers, radio and television, we ensure a church proper in every sense of the word.

“For this we congratulate ourselves.

“To this dignity we here pledge our loyalty and undivided devotion.  With dedicated hearts we shall without ceasing continue to preserve our propriety, and we shall ensure ourselves against all degrading influences through adherence to the sacred policies just stated.  On these policies we stake our lives, religiously speaking, and our personal honor, avowing that we would rather close our church and suffer the pain of losing so dear an institution than to adopt any other way.

“For our devotion, then, and our matchless loyalty to our ideals, we congratulate ourselves.”

Although written over sixty years ago, Helfrich’s words are still relevant today as a caution against “self-satisfaction” in our congregation.