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Dedication of Nashville Church

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 27, 1907

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 84, No. 26.

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Dedication of Nashville Church

By J. S. WASHBURN

ON Sabbath and Sunday, April 27 and 28, the dedicatory services were held for the Memorial church in Nashville. This church was built by the Baptists, and was purchased by our people in 1905. The Baptists, however, under an arrangement with our people, continued to use the building for some time, while they were building their new church. For this reason, we have not felt free to dedicate the church formally to our own work until recently.
The church was purchased with part of the surplus of the $100,000 fund. The cost to us was five thousand dollars, and at that price it is a wonderful bargain. It is situated in one of the most pleasant parts of Nashville, and is built of brick, with an excellent stone foundation. Underneath the auditorium is a large school-room, and also smaller rooms for Sabbath-school,prayer-meetings, etc. It has a good baptistry, and is quite comfortably furnished. An excellent organ is built into the church.
The brethren have repainted the building within and without, and have fitted it up plainly, yet comfortably, for our work. The buying of this church by our people, and the fact that there is no debt upon it, has raised the credit of our work in Nashville very much. In fact, our people are well regarded in this city. The impression made upon the public is something as it is in the city of Washington, where the Lord has certainly given us the favor of men in high positions, and of the people in general.
On Sabbath, April 27, Elder George I. Butler preached the dedicatory sermon. In an impressive manner he brought out from the Scriptures the great fact that the presence of God, wherever it may be specially manifested, makes that place a solemn and sacred one. Moses at the burning bush, the sanctuary, the temple of Solomon, and the later temple built in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, were cited as examples of the real presence of the Spirit of God in places dedicated to his worship. There was a large attendance of our people resident in Nashville, and of friends from other places.
On Sunday night, the writer gave a brief history of the origin and progress of the work of Seventh-day Adventists, especially in regard to their mission work throughout all the world. A goodly number of friends from the city were present at this service.
Appropriate music was rendered on these occasions, and the services were very pleasant, and we believe profitable. Since that time, Sunday night services have been held in the church. The attendance, which has not been very large, is increasing, and there are evidences of a genuine interest. A strong effort will be made during the next few months to interest the people in every part of the city in this church, and plans are being laid whereby it is confidently believed that the church may be filled with attentive and interested hearers.
The papers are very friendly, one of the leading dailies of Nashville giving us regularly quite extended reports. Besides the writer, Elders R. W. Parmele and J. E. White have spoken on Sunday evenings.
From recent Testimonies it is evident that a great and definite work is yet to be accomplished in this city, the headquarters of the work of Seventh-day Adventists for the Southern Union Conference. J. S. WASHBURN.