A “Memorial Church” in Nashville, Tennessee
By Geo. I. Butler.
Our brethren in Washington adopted a happy phrase when they designated the church they purchased by the help of our people as the Memorial church of Washington. Perhaps it would be hardly consistent for us here at the center of the Southern work in Nashville to appropriate their title. Nashville has been set before our people as in many respects the most favorable for the center of our work of any city in the South. That is why our publishing house is established here. The leading papers of some of the large cities of the South make fun of Nashville as being slow and very conservative, and not up with the times. Possibly there may be a modicum of truth in this. But the city has a steady, constant growth, and many important improvements are constantly in progress. Many of the old, most respectable families have lived here ever since the war. There seems to be less friction here than in most Southern cities, over questions growing out of the “color-line.” The colored people have a bank of their own, whose officers are colored men. There are many wealthy colored people living here. One of the largest publishing houses of the city is the colored Baptist Publication Society. They employ a large force, all colored men and women. Indeed, the two races seem to get along very peaceably in this city. Nashville is a quiet, nice city to live in. The people are very friendly and kind. After a residence here of about three years, the writer can heartily express the opinion that no mistake was made in heeding the Testimonies and locating the center of our work in Nashville. Its citizens have uniformly favored us, and have treated us kindly. We have sought to be peaceable, quiet, well-behaved citizens, careful to disturb nobody, treating everybody well, paying our debts, and being courteous to all. We have greatly needed a church in the city, suitable for large meetings, where we could invite the citizens to come and hear our reasons for believing as we do. We have had no such place for the three or four years we have been here. Our little chapel, on the second floor of our office building, opening out on a back street, and in the rear of our office building, is not at all suitable for such gatherings. It is absolutely essential that we have a good church in Nashville. It would be utterly wrong for us19to be without such a place, while carrying on our work so prominently as we are doing in this city. Some of us have felt very badly over this matter, and prayed much concerning it. We believe the Lord has heard our prayers. Very recently our attention has been drawn to the fact that our Baptist friends were desirous of selling their comfortable church on Fatherland Street, having increased in numbers so much that they could not all meet in it. They want a larger building, and desire to build the present year. Their old church cost them, with all its appurtenances, nearly twenty thousand dollars. The auditorium will seat from three hundred and fifty to four hundred persons. *A vestry below, all seated, will accommodate two thirds as many. Sabbath-school, church-school, or weekly meetings can be convened there through a side entrance. The building, though occupied for years, is in good preservation. The officer appointed as city inspector has examined it, and pronounced it perfectly safe. It needs papering and painting inside and out, and some minor repairs to put it in first-class condition. It has a pipe-organ, built into a space back of the pulpit, costing two thousand dollars; which it would be quite difficult to remove. A five-hundred-dollar carpet was put in two years ago, which is in good condition. It has a baptistery also. The seats are nicely cushioned, and very comfortable. With proper repairs, it will make us a very suitable church for anniversary and other meetings. They offer it to us for five thousand dollars, one thousand down, and the rest by the first of October. They will occupy it for Sunday meetings till the latter date, while we may hold our Sabbath meetings in it through the summer. Meantime they will be building their larger church, for occupancy in the late fall and winter. The church is located on a corner lot, and has a nice little grassy plot around it. The street-cars run past the church. From every part of the city one fare of five cents will bring any one to the church. Our congregation in Nashville is largely composed of sisters. Some have husbands not in the faith. Others work for weekly wages. We have no wealthy people in this city. Our church-membership is not large. It would be out of the question to secure this building without help from the other parts of the field. Sister White, when made acquainted with this offer of the Baptist church, was deeply interested that it should be secured by the help of our brethren at once. We hope she will write something to encourage our brethren and sisters to give liberally for it. Among the recommendations of the General Conference Committee for the Southern work since the close of the General Conference is the following:—
“That we encourage the Nashville church to purchase the Baptist meeting-house, now offered for five thousand dollars, and that calls be issued in the REVIEW, Watchman, and Signs for gifts to assist in payment for the same.” We feel very thankful to the committee for this recommendation. Knowing the liberality of our people so well, we believe they will generously respond. The one thousand dollars loaned by the General Conference Committee with which to make the first payment is already here, and the deed is made out. It remains for our people to help raise the money to pay back this sum and the four thousand dollars to pay the remaining amount, and the church building will be ours. The offer of this nice church, considering its value, is the most advantageous we have ever known. Donations may be sent to the General Conference treasurer, Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C., or to the Southern Publishing Association, 1025 Jefferson St., Nashville, Tenn.