Nashville as the Center of Our Work in the South
By George I. Butler
Desiring that all our people outside of our own peculiar field should be intelligent in reference to it in every important respect, I have thought it duty to call the attention of the readers of the REVIEW to the reasons why Nashville has been chosen as the city above all others in the South, for the center of our work there. Here our Southern publishing house has been located. Here other institutions no doubt will be founded, not in any sense to interfere with those already established elsewhere, but as sister institutions to help do the same kind of work in this great, central city. In establishing our work in any country, some center must of necessity be chosen. Due consideration must be given to the subject, as much depends upon the proper solution of this question. It can hardly be denied that more or less prestige attaches to the cause, in the eyes of many, because of the importance of the city from which our literature is issued. For example, London in Great Britain, Christiania in the Scandinavian countries, Melbourne in Australia, and Oakland on the Pacific slope are all most reputable centers from which to issue our literature to the peoples inhabiting the surrounding countries. Educational centers present many advantages which should be considered in the establishment of a center for our work in any country. Our work is educational. And it is very important that our publishing houses be established in close connection with such centers. In the nature of things, our work is designed especially to seek out the promising young people who are seeking to improve their minds. To such we should especially address ourselves, and seek earnestly to interest them. Such as these are the hope of our cause for future laborers. We cannot make too earnest an effort to reach them. Nashville, Tenn., is perhaps the greatest educational center in the South. It is stated on what seems to be good authority that there are over a dozen large colored schools in this city, among which is the great Fiske University, an institution of national if not world-wide reputation. Its famous jubilee singers who traveled largely over the world are everywhere remembered. The large number of institutions of learning for the white population, the famous Vanderbilt University, are well known to any person of intelligence in the South. Many of the different denominations are represented by literary institutions in this great educational center. There is one feature of special interest to our people in connection with this point that we should never forget: it relates to the color question. God has committed to us the most solemn message ever given to man. This warning message is to every people, nation, and tongue in all the world. White, black, copper-colored, brown, and yellow men all have souls to save, and souls to be lost. The message must go to all the world. The world is to be enlightened with its glory just before Christ is revealed in the clouds of heaven. Hence this message must be preached to white and black in the South. It is well known that in some localities in the South there is a greater degree of prejudice and bitterness between the races than in others. In a few places some of our laborers have been ordered out of the community. It must be evident to any fair-minded person that the best interests of the cause will be subserved by our confining our labors quite largely, at first, to those localities where less prejudice exists, and the least opposition has to be met. Why?—Because where great bitterness prevails, various evil reports will be scattered, so injuring our reputation among those who know us not that many will become too prejudiced to listen to us. Whereas, where the people are more intelligent and less prejudice prevails, where many colored schools have long been established, their influence for good is well recognized, and they are not only tolerated, but highly respected. Because their elevating tendency and beneficial influence have broken down prejudice, no trouble over this question exists. This is largely true in Nashville. I have never learned of any race riots or mobs in Nashville. Possibly some troubles may have occurred in the past, but I have never heard of any. Noble, benevolent people in the North and in the South gave largely of their means to establish these elevating institutions before we could occupy this important field. Their work and ours are of the same character,—to make men and women more useful and noble in this life, and prepare them for a higher life in eternity. As a people we should highly honor those noble souls not of our faith for their philanthropic work, and earnestly seek to imitate their example. This is one of the great reasons why God has selected Nashville for the center of our work in the South. I firmly believe that, on the whole, Nashville presents the best conditions for the successful fostering of our cause of any Southern city. Atlanta is a noble city, beautiful for situation, and is a center of great interest. Our work was partially established there, yet I doubt if all the conditions there are as favorable as in Nashville. The Sunday laws of Georgia are the most unfavorable of any State in the union, and I think the color question is more pronounced than in Nashville. The latter is really more central. We must endeavor to make our influence felt in both these cities in the immediate future, as well as in many other of the great cities of the South. Another question relating to the choice of Nashville is that it is a very important political center. It is the capital of the great State of Tennessee, where the laws18are made, and the political influences center. Do any ask, What has this to do with the matter?—Very much. Where our publishing work is established, and other institutions are founded, we must make our influence felt in all parts of the city. We must let the people know of the nature and importance of our work, of its noble and elevating character. Our benevolent operations must reach out. Our missionary enterprises must be felt everywhere. Able, Southern-born laborers, rather than Northern men, who are less acceptable to many Southern people, should be employed to speak the truths of the message to the best classes of Southern people under the most favorable circumstances. Southern physicians, whether men or women, could also do great good. By these and other agencies our work will be generally known in Nashville, and through leading men there it will be known in all parts of the State. If these opinions are favorable to our work, and they probably will be if our work is properly represented, it will be a great help to us in many ways. It will tend to prevent persecution for Sunday work. There are many noble men who would frown down the spirit of persecution if the nature of our work was known. Our friends will not forget how noble men in high position, like the Honorable Mr. Porter, came where our brethren were being persecuted, and offered to defend them free of charge, because they hated such evidences of malice. The work of our publishing house and sanitarium in Nashville is a matter of no mean importance. This article would not be complete without extracts from recent Testimonies bearing directly on this subject. Under the heading of “Nashville as a Center,” Sister White says: “Many asked the question, Why did J. E. White and his associates select Nashville as a center for work? I answer, Because the Lord in his wisdom directed them to this place. It is his purpose that light shall shine forth from the memorials established for him in and near Nashville. There is no place in the South better suited than Nashville for the carrying forward of the publishing work. It is the best place in which to do the work that has been started there. There is not in Nashville the bitter opposition to the work for the uplifting of the colored race that exists in many other cities of the South. Much work is being done there to uplift the colored people; and the sentiment in favor of these efforts will be a security to our people in their work. “There are in Nashville large educational institutions for the colored people, in which most excellent work has been done and is being done for them. The teachers and students in these institutions are to hear the message of present truth. It is for this reason that God has directed that different institutions be established in Nashville. . . . “It was in accordance with God’s purpose that the publishing work was started in Nashville. In his providence he has brought together in this place a company of workers who are to act their respective parts in the publishing house, standing as representatives of Christianity. This institution is to give character to our work in the South. It will be instrumental in establishing the faith of many in Bible truth.” The extracts just quoted are certainly clear and emphatic, and must settle the minds of all who have faith in the Testimonies. Much more might be added. Believing in the wisdom of the selection of Nashville for the location of our publishing house, the writer will venture to urge our people everywhere in America to help the weak, struggling cause here in putting the publishing house, now greatly crippled for lack of means, in a condition of efficiency to do the important work the spirit of prophecy says it was created to do.