The Twenties opened with an era of prosperity. The war was over, everyone relaxed, and, since most people had money to spend, a great deal of time was spent in wild living with the result that this decade soon earned the appellation of "The Roaring Twenties". The Volstead Act, which went into effect in 1920, was doomed to failure. Illegal alcohol flowed like water as the citizenry seemed to want to defy the authorities, and many drank because it was the "in" thing to do. Once again the government had tried to do, by legislation, what should have been done by education. Churches now had a new and formidable enemy to combat.

One piece of legislation which had been a long time coming was passed on January 26, 1920... We had finally recognized women's right to vote, and lo and behold, contrary to what some men thought, the country did not fall apart.

Many things were happening! Lindbergh flew non-stop to Paris in May 1927. Many great buildings were built, Bethany's new church at 111ath Place and Perry, Fenger High, Calumet High, Brenan Grammar schools and others. Construction was booming. Electric street lamps replaced gas lamps, the age of the little old man on his bicycle, who once came around in the evening to light the gas lamps, was over. Street paving began in Roseland and our area began to look like part of a big city. A tremendous change in the appearance of our younger people took place as the Flapper era began. Girls wore bangs and short skirts while the young men wore straw hats loud striped blazers with bell bottom trousers. Camel hair coats were all the rage.

But what about Bethany all this time?

We were still growing. Rev. John LaMar died January 15, 1923 and was replaced January 31, 1924 by Rev. John Mulder. Rev. Mulder was primarily a teacher and under his ministry the edification of many of the congregation took place. With the size of the congregation what it was, a teacher was just what we needed.

See how the Lord had provided...

First Hekhuis to get started, then Steunenberg to get things organized, then LaMar to teach us, by example, how to love one another, then Mulder to teach us about God and His Word. Everything we needed and in proper order too.

In 1927 Daily Vacation Bible School was started using Roseland Presbyterian as a model. They had started one two years before.

The Emmanuel Church of Roseland had built a new ediface at 102nd and State Street. The building was dedicated May 16, 1927 with Rev. Hoffs as pastor. We were still very much interested, it had grown from humble beginnings, much as we had, and we praised the Lord for it.

In 1922 plans were made to organize Kensington Mission as a church. In 1924 a building was acquired and the church was organized first as the Roseland Italian Mission. Later in 1929 it became Trinity Reformed. A succession of pastors, Reverends Malta, Pape, Febrile and others served this church well. Since we had participated in its beginnings we followed its rise with more than a little interest. Some of Trinity's former members, the Bastianelli's and their families, worship with us today.

In 1928 Rev. Mulder, returning to his first love, teaching, accepted a call to Western Seminary and Rev. Hager was called December 13, 1928. He was installed in May 1929, the services being held in our new church building at 111th Place and Perry Avenue which had just been dedicated on September 19, 1926.

Rev. Hager, who became Dr. Hager several years later, was an excellent preacher who was evangelistically minded, and as a result of his evangelism and the many others who were to conduct campaigns at Bethany, a church which could seat 900 people had frequently to provide the lower auditorium for overflow. Many converts joined the church. Times were good. Was everybody happy? You bet!

But.....God had more to impart and as the saying goes, "He dropped the other shoe".

Along came "Black Friday", in December 1929 when the stock market crashed and many fortunes were wiped out overnight as stocks dropped to one fourth of their value in a single day.

The Monday following they dropped even more.

The Great Depression did not begin at once. Up til now only the very rich had been affected but the average person would feel it in the years to come.

In pursuit of his own pleasures, man had again discounted the power of God. If he hadn't learned anything from World War One, perhaps he would now.