Tent-Meeting in Nashville, Tenn.
By GEO. I. BUTLER.
POSSIBLY the readers of the REVIEW have would like to hear from a series of tent-meetings which has been in progress for about four weeks in Nashville. For two years or more the Testimonies have urged very strongly that the large cities in the South be entered, and efforts be made to reach the people. The writer has been exceedingly anxious to see this instruction carried out. As long ago as the Oakland General Conference this purpose was constantly before us. We had no large and suitable tent, but in an appeal made to the California Conference, then in session in Oakland, after the close of the General Conference, our brethren, with great liberality, raised $604, and with it purchased a sixty-foot tent, with two twenty-foot strips that could be put in the middle, making a tent of sixty by one hundred feet, and shipped it to us at their own expense. This was a very generous and noble act on the part of our California brethren. The summer was nearly gone before the tent reached us, and we were so busy with our own camp-meetings that we could not well pitch it that season. Last year we made a great effort to find a suitable place in Nashville to begin the meetings we had desired so much to hold in the city. Nearly two months were employed in hunting for a place. We found many lots, but we could not get them. Some said they were perfectly willing we should pitch the tent on their lots, and would ask us nothing, but when some of the neighbors complained that they did not want the tent there, such was the regard for their feelings that the owners of the lots would not then let us have them. Brother Haskell and his wife were here with workers, and it was a very great disappointment, one of the worst we have had since I came into this field. This year we began early, secured an eligible lot, got a written contract from the agent, and the permission of the proprietor, who was in Washington, that we should use it. After we returned from the General Conference, we began to put up our tent on it, and were informed that a person had a lease that had been running for several years, and that we could not have it. Then we spent another week, and finally the owner of a lot, a skeptic, gave us the one where our tent is now pitched. We can not express the great sadness we have felt in not being able to get to work in the city before. The tent was pitched in a suitable place, about a block from the meeting-house we have bought. Much good taste has been exercised by our sisters in putting it into nice shape, so as to be an inviting place for meetings. We have been holding seven meetings each week ever since. We do not have any on Saturday night, but two on Sunday. We have not had what we might call a large or rousing interest. We have had about two hundred two or three times. A very few times we have had as low as forty or fifty, but generally from seventy-five to one hundred and twenty-five. Quite a number of these are our own members, who attend quite well. We have good music. Elder Haskell and the writer have done the preaching. The truth has been plainly and forcibly presented, and the meetings have been characterized by the best of order. We have been treated respectfully and courteously by the people, but have been quite disappointed because the attendance was no larger. So far as we have been able to learn, the meetings have had an uplifting and beneficial influence in the city. We have heard of no unkind or invidious remarks concerning them. There have been in connection with the meetings some very regular attendants, some of them people of influence and wealth. They are there almost every night, and pay excellent attention. Our effort is not by any means finished. The camp-meeting of the Tennessee River Conference begins here the seventeenth, on one of the leading car lines. Next week we shall take down our tent and move it over to the camp-ground. After the camp-meeting we shall probably bring it back, and hold meetings three or four weeks longer. So we can not by any means foretell the results; but we have been encouraged. A week or two ago we learned of four who had begun to keep the Sabbath, and recently we have heard of several others. Our Bible workers find them at their homes keeping the Sabbath. I think all of these are women. It seems very evident to the writer that there is a restraining influence upon the people, to keep them from generally attending the meetings. In these great cities, of course, there is constant pleasure seeking; this makes it difficult to reach the people, but we hope for good results. We have been happily surprised, with the amount of labor and the present progress of the meetings, to find that seven or eight have already begun to keep the Sabbath. We think it is a good omen. We shall continue to hope for a goodly number more. We are not discouraged, by any means, but see many tokens of benefit to be derived from this tent effort. Our meetings on the Sabbath have been held in the meeting-house that has been purchased, which is to be paid for the first of October, one thousand dollars having been paid at the time the bargain was made. The members are very happy for the privilege of using this house. I think the congregations of mostly our own people, are nearly double what they used to be in the little chapel. Last Sabbath (August 12) was a precious day. Our dear Brother A. J. Haysmer, who has been laboring in the West Indies for twelve years past, with much success, stopped here to see his sister, Mrs. Wilson, on his way to his field of labor in Alabama. He gave us an excellent discourse, just what was needed, on the importance of our being earnest workers in spreading abroad the precious light of truth. All enjoyed it very much. There were quite a number of our Baptist friends present. Some of them are being drawn very near us. Their eyes were moistened under the spiritual influences present, and they seemed greatly blessed. As we were about to dismiss the meeting, a man arose, well advanced in years, and asked the privilege of making a few remarks. Years ago he had been pastor of this church for several years; he is a man highly respected, but is not now stationed as a pastor probably on account of his age. He spoke of his gratification at being present at this meeting. He said he was happily surprised. He had not expected to see so many of our people in attendance. It seemed to him like a nation born in a day. He expressed his warm sympathy and interest in us and our work. He hoped that we would make many converts. He gave us a warm welcome to the church wherein he had formerly presided, said that the baptistery in the house had several times been used by our people in years past. He spoke of the neighborhood as giving us a hearty welcome, as being pleased with our earnest efforts to carry our work forward in their midst, and wished us the best of success. He invited us to come when he should preach the next day. Some did attend. In all my experiences of the past I have never seen a minister of any other denomination manifest such cordiality and kindness and appreciation for our work. The meetings are increasing our influence in the city, and are doing good; it would be impossible to tell how much as yet, but we trust that they will be the means of leading many souls to accept the truth. The Southern people move slowly, but they are generally quite firm when they take their stand. We thank God and take courage, hoping we shall yet see a large work done in this needy field.