USA > Tennessee > Davidson County > Nashville > The First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tennessee : the addresses delivered in connection with the observance of the one hundredth anniversary, November 8-15, l9l4 > Part 7
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I. I think it will be in order first to give some of the facts taken from my private register. While your pastor I delivered 1,920 sermons, lectures and addresses ; the ses- sion received 1,130 members; I performed 336 baptisms, officiated at 453 marriages and held 387 funerals. During that time the church expended an estimated amount of $175,000. I sincerely hope that more was accomplished than is indicated by these figures. They seem small as we - look at them, but by the time a pastor wades through the work involving the amount of service indicated by these figures he, at least, is conscious of having been reasonably busy all the while.
2. I think you will be interested in some comments on the special epochs in the religious work of the congrega- tion and of the city during this time.
The greatest event that happened during my experience here was the Student Volunteer Convention. At this time 4,188 delegates from the 700 schools, colleges and universi- ties of the United States and Canada met in their first great convention in the South. I served as Chairman of the Ministers' Committee and also as Chairman of the Ladies' Entertainment Committee. I worked as best I knew how for more than three months preparatory to this conven- tion. The city of Nashville has a right to be proud of its accomplishments during this time. We were asked to en- tertain, on the Harvard plan, 3,000 delegates. Five days before the convention we were able to wire the New York office that we had homes requested for the 3,000. They did us the compliment of immediately wiring us to secure homes for 1,000 more. It was no little task to get this city to see and realize the vision and entertain the 4,188 delegates as indicated above. It took a combination of every sort of plan to attain this end. For example, the woman's com- mittee would meet, with myself as Chairman and Mr. Southam, the Executive Secretary from the New York
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office, present. The roll would be called and reports given as to the progress being made in securing homes. The name of some church would be called, and a timid little woman would rise and say, "Dr. Anderson, you asked our church to entertain twenty-five, and we have been able to secure homes for only nineteen." I would then say, "All you ladies turn and look at this lady. Don't you think she could get twenty-five homes if she would try?" They would all say they thought so, and I would then ask her if she didn't think it best to try again, and she would answer, "I'll do my best again." This scene was repeated many, many times, with the successful results, as above stated. One lady of the McKendree Church met me on the street and said, "Dr. Anderson, is your committee crazy? The idea of asking our church to entertain 250!" I answered, "My dear friend, be very humble and patient or we may ask you to entertain 350." This First Presbyterian Church actually entertained more than 400 delegates. That con- vention was a sight worth seeing. Frequently during its sessions I have seen this entire Fifth Avenue crowded from fence to fence with eager young people, hurrying from Church Street to the Ryman Auditorium. Just before the convention I secured from the Chief of Police the privilege of saying to the different squads of policemen. as opportunity offered, a few words as to what they could do to help make the convention a success. I tried to in- spire them by telling them of the courtesy and full informa- tion given by the London police. And after the convention was closed and the delegates gone, a number of the police- men commented to me favorably upon the high character of the delegates and their good humor and the uniform good order.
Another special epoch was the Torrey-Alexander meet- ing, which continued for a month. The Pastors' Associa- tion of the city appointed a committee of nine, naming
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myself as Chairman, to interview Dr. Torrey, then in Atlanta, regarding his coming. I went down and told my beloved friend, Mr. John W. Thomas, Jr., of our appoint- ment, and that I, with authority, had named him also a member of the committee, and that I desired that he take his private car and convey the committee to Atlanta and ac- complish the purpose of its appointment. He laughingly declined the appointment, but touched a button that brought in Mr. Robert Saunders, his chief clerk, and said, "Bob, - give Dr. Anderson anything he wants." I received a round-trip pass for the entire committee to Atlanta and return. Dr. Torrey and his helpers came and a great work was acomplished. Many of you will remember how Dr. Torrey spoke to great crowds of men every day at noon for two weeks at this church with marked effect.
When Dr. George W. Truett, of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, held a meeting in this city, he spoke every day at noon in this church. Great crowds of men came to hear him and were deeply moved by his earnest eloquence. Dr. John Balcom Shaw, then of Chicago, now of Los Angeles, held a meeting in East Nashville and spoke with tremendous power to great congregations of men at the noon hour in this church.
3. I can hope to give only a few of my experiences while here. During that time I formed some of the warm- est friendships of my life, which will continue into eternity. While here I performed many happy marriages and was always glad to make happy people happier by this event. Many times I was greatly saddened by the death of beloved friends. Out of the 387 funerals which I held. 84 were past 70 years of age; of this number 30 were past 80 years of age; of these 2 were past 90 years of age.
My experience with relation to my officers was right remarkable. When I came I found 16 elders and 14 dea- cons in active service. During my stay 5 additional elders
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and 12 additional deacons were elected. Of this number only two died during my pastorate-Deacons John Hill Eakin and John C. Kennedy. Both were very valuable and efficient men.
While here I conducted many services of many different kinds. On one Sunday I took part in eight services, but I do not care to repeat that experience, as I was a little tired that night. I sought to render all sorts of service to reach and influence the various forces of this city and draw some of them to attend our church, with what effect some of you will remember.
When I came here the St. Andrews Church for the colored people was worshiping in a little rented room on the corner of Gay and Spruce Streets. Mrs. Sarah Brad- ford, the mother of the Hon. J. C. Bradford, was deeply interested in this work. and although I was not on the Committee of the Colored Evangelism, she kept me going until the present property of the church was the outcome. Many of you will remember the noble work of the Woman's Guild of this church, how it conducted many "garbage sales" and used any and every legitimate device to get money to help this congregation. My heart was deeply interested in Rev. Spencer Jackson, who has nobly worked among the colored people of this city.
I had many very interesting experiences in personal work which I would like to relate to you, but they are too sacred to be mentioned. If I should tell much about them some of you, at least, would recognize who they are. I have used them with marked effect at other places when recounting my experiences.
While here I purposed to preach the whole gospel and endeavored to present the great doctrines of our church, clothed in the form of practical evangelism. I did not try to hold up before you a skeleton showing only the bones, but life's actual ideals of truth as revealed in the life and teachings of Christ.
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4. My most marked experience during my stay in Nash- ville was my dreadful illness, which occurred December 21, 1907. Some of you will doubtless remember it. It was the greatest sorrow that ever came to my family and the greatest blessing that ever came into my life. My devoted mother and wife looked, as they thought, for the last time on my face alive, but through the providence of God and the help of Drs. Buckner, Bailey, Witherspoon and Wood, the help of the nurses and the prayers of more friends than I thought I ever had, my life was spared and I am still at work. Permit me to outline two events that happened at that time. Through your kindness my wife and I were sent to Florida for an indefinite stay. After three weeks she returned and I remained two months. Shortly after my return one day on the street a Jewish lady stopped me and took my hand and said, "Oh, Dr. Anderson, I am so glad to see you back and yourself again. If ever we Jews prayed for anybody, we prayed for you." A little later when the State Fair of the colored people was being started, I called Mr. Joseph H. Thompson and suggested that he and I go out and visit the fair to encourage its promoters. We went and were most graciously received. When we were shown through the various departments and came to the woman's building, the colored woman who had charge of it recog- nized us both and called our names, and then said to me, "Oh, Dr. Anderson, I am so glad you are well again! If ever we colored people prayed for anybody, we prayed for you." These two experiences greatly humbled and at the same time encouraged me. A few weeks ago in Dallas a traveling man came up and said, "I want to shake your hand, for the last time that I was in your church at Nash- ville was the Sunday that they thought you were dying, and the service seemed like a funeral." I want to bear testimony tonight to my gratitude to God for this expe- rience.
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There are some peculiar incidents connected with my pastorate here that will be worth while to note. It was my second time to succeed Dr. Jere Witherspoon, with one man coming between us. When he left Jackson, Tenn., Dr. Nall followed him for seven years, and then I was called. When he left this church Dr. Vance followed him for five years, and then I was called.
When I came to be your pastor I was pleased to find here as one of your deacons Dr. William Bailey, a college friend. I had received courtesies from some of your offi- cers, Mr. Throne, Mr. Raymond, Dr. Blanton and Dr. Plunket and others, and had been associated most pleasantly in Y. M. C. A. conventions with Mr. Harry A. Myers.
I was glad to become the pastor of my greatly admired friend, Mrs. Gates P. Thruston, and hear her sing. As a college boy I sat in the back seat of this auditorium one night when every seat was taken and heard her sing "Only an Armor Bearer," at a great Y. M. C. A. rally. Being a lover of music I enjoyed her singing, which seemed a re- producing of Neilson's great voice.
When I accepted your call I was accepting my third call to Nashville. When I finished my course of study I was asked to take charge of the Second Church. Later on I was called and thought I was going to be pastor of the Woodland Street Church, but Presbytery declined to let me come.
One especially attractive anticipated pleasure was my being associated again with my beloved friends, Dr. and Mrs. J. H. McNeilly. He had been my mother's pastor when I was 5 years old, and I was in her Sunday school class. At that early age her sweet smile left an indelible impress on my memory and I greatly enjoyed the intimacy of our association during my work here, and I lament to- night, with thousands of her friends in this city, our loss, but rejoice in her gain, in her entrance to her heavenly home.
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REV. R. F. BUNTING, D.D., Pastor 1865-1868.
I recognized that in the student bodies of Ward Semi- nary and Belmont College there were great opportunities for service. I greatly enjoyed preaching Sunday after Sunday to the splendid body of students that came from these two and other institutions.
5. This resume of experiences would not be complete if I did not recount some of the humorous incidents that hap- pened. You will remember we had a Chinese Sunday school. You will remember one of them, Lee Bow, cut off. his cue, let his hair grow and dressed like an American, and was a sort of leader among them. Mrs. Clare was for many years a devoted member of this church, also de- voted to her pastor, whoever he might be. One day she met Lee Bow on the street and said, "Lee Bow, do you know our new minister?" "Yes-Yes-Yes." "Do you ever see him?" "Yes-Yes-Yes." "Does he ever come to your Sunday school?" "Yes-Yes-Yes, he come to the Sunny Skul, and b-e-a-t on de pee-anner and h-o-1-1-e-r."
One day the house was very full, the services had begun, I had just announced the first hymn, the choir had risen to sing, when an old lady cloaked in black, whom I had never seen before, and have not seen since, rose from this right hand block of pews and approached the pulpit and beckoned to me, and I came to the edge of the platform. She whispered in loud tones, "You don't preach long, do you?" I said, "No, not very long." "Never over an hour, is it?" I said, "Never over an hour, madam." And she went back and sat down.
One Sunday I saw a well-dressed woman, whom I had met elsewhere. and whom I knew to be eccentric, enter the church and sit on a chair away back by the door. I always invite strangers to come and meet me, and that morning she came and said, "I want to ask you one question. Why is this old Presbyterian Church worshiping in an Egyptian temple?" I said, "Madam, you have answered your own
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question. It is a Presbyterian church and not an Egyptian temple." "It is." "It isn't." "It is." "It isn't." I said. "Madam, it was not conceived by an Egyptian architect, it was not builded by an Egyptian contractor, it is not in Egypt, it has no Egyptian members, I am not an Egyptian ; therefore, it is not an Egyptian temple." She said, "Did you build it?" I said, "Oh, no, madam, it was built before I was born, and possibly before you were born." At this she became very angry, turned and hurried away.
One of the older devoted members of the church one day said to me, "We have been very fortunate in this church ; we have had an unbroken line of great men as pastors. Dr. Edgar was, perhaps, the greatest man we ever had. He was a great preacher, a profound theologian and a powerful philosopher, but since he died they have been getting worse and worse," and I am not the last.
Shortly after I became pastor frequently I was greeted with this remark, "You remind us so much of Dr. Wither- spoon." When Dr. and Mrs. Witherspoon came back on a visit the ladies of the church gave them a beautiful largely attended reception. Many of the older ladies kissed him in their joy at seeing their beloved ex-pastor. I approached a company of young matrons and said, "They say I remind them of Dr. Witherspoon, but they do not kiss me." One of the young matrons replied, "Please step out in the hall a moment."
6. I cannot close this already too extended talk without acknowledging my gratitude and appreciation for your kindness and goodness to me and mine while we were among you. You gave me a trip to Europe, and the benefit and experiences of that trip I would not part with for any amount of money. You gave me two trips to Florida for rest and recreation. Twice while I was with you you raised my salary, and you gave innumerable tokens of love to me and mine which we can never forget. I sin-
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cerely thank you as a congregation for your help with my beloved boys. Many of you, in ways that you do not realize, contributed to their development in character. My oldest son, now a pastor in the same city where I minister, says that his work with the Christian Endeavor Society of this church did more to help him to learn to think and speak on his feet than any other single external element that came into his life. I especially desire to thank you for your great kindness to my beloved mother. She was an affectionate nature and greatly appreciated every evidence of your thoughtfulness and affection. It is so easy for those ad- vanced in years to be forgotten, and their channels of joy cut off. And this congregation seemed never to forget my mother. And if you had never done anything else for me and mine during my stay, I would be under an everlasting debt of gratitude for your kindness to her.
I humbly apologize for consuming so much of your time, and I regret to have wearied you with so much detail, but I could talk to you for hours along these lines. I thank you most sincerely for your attention.
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CHAPTER VII.
THE CHURCH OFFICERS AND THEIR WORK.
By JAMES D. PLUNKET, M.D.
To put into narrative form the personnel and work of the officers of the First Presbyterian Church of Nashville for the one hundred years ending November 14, 1914, nec- essarily involves much painstaking and discriminating effort in collecting, weighing, digesting and systematically ar- ranging a large, varied and tangled mass of data and detail from many sources, and determining as to what should and what should not be embraced in the story.
The occasion which calls for this review and the object sought in its preparation alike place special emphasis upon plainness of speech, as "an honest tale speeds best being plainly told," and upon that good old English word, "brev- ity"; therefore, the writer shall strive to heed both sugges- tions and be thus guided in what is to follow.
The Bunting Manual of 1868 and the historical memo- randa to be found in the Church Manual for 1911, pages 23-33, we shall regard as authentic, for no doubt much that is there stated, particularly that portion that refers to events in the church's history prior to 1832, when all the church records were destroyed, was obtained from those having personal cognizance of the facts and who were living at the time ( 1865) when these memoranda were made.
We shall, therefore, so deal with these statements, using them both liberally in the preparation of this review.
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BEFORE CHURCH ORGANIZATION.
That we may have a suitable background-a foundation, as it were, upon which to base properly what is to follow -- it is deemed best that a glance be taken backward at some of the religious and social conditions existing in this locality just prior to the organization of our own church. At irreg- ular times, for twenty-five or thirty years, religious services had been held in the Cumberland settlements in and near Nashville, or "Nashboro," as for a time it was called; the earliest record goes back to 1785. To the eastward, how- ever, in the more settled portions of the State, Heiskell says, "as early as 1790 a cordon of Presbyterians stretched from Watauga to Nashville, and by 1797 there were twenty-five Presbyterian congregations in Tennessee."1
At this period the struggling little borough of Nashville was still well out on the frontier, having but few people, and but little communication with the outer world; Fulton's steamboat had just begun to claim attention down East; the railroad, the telegraph and the telephone, not to speak of the aeroplane, were still undreamed of; and even the mails -if such they can be called-were irregular and uncertain, a week or more often intervening between the arrival and the departure of a single mail. This isolation, however, proved in some ways beneficial, as the individuals of the community were thereby drawn closer together, all being made to feel an interdependence and to recognize the under- lying fact that, at least for the time being, their several in- terests, general welfare and even personal safety were bound up together.
Therefore, the most conspicuous tenet in the creed of the little community naturally was, "Trust in God and keep your powder dry."
As Nashville grew through immigration and material prosperity, the mental horizon of its inhabitants enlarged,
1Pioneer Presbyterianism in Tennessee, p. 21.
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their faith increased and a religious spirit developed among them; and when, in the fullness of time, the hour arrived for the religious elements to assume a more definite form than had existed in the settlements up to this time, it is gratifying to note that the Presbyterians among them promptly stepped out and took position as such.
CHURCH ORGANIZED.
It was on Monday morning, and after the hour when all the household duties of the forenoon had been completed, that here and there an individual, mostly women, could be seen coming from the different sections of the village and wending their way toward the courthouse (located on the Square), where by appointment the meeting was to be held. It was a notable gathering this, and while all seemed serious and determined, not one of them realized in any measure the importance of the step they were about to take-its influence upon Presbyterianism in Nashville, Middle Ten- nessee, and, indeed, truthfully may be added. the South, particularly the Southwest, and its effects upon unborn gen- erations throughout this immediate section. Truly, "they builded better than they knew."
After an earnest prayer by Rev. Mr. Gideon Blackburn, the meeting was called to order and its object stated, and upon roll call the following answered "present": Mrs. Andrew Ewing, Mrs. Mary McNairy (wife of Frank Mc- Nairy, Sr.), Mrs. Josiah Nichol, Mrs. Tom Talbot and her daughter, Mrs. Sophia Hall ( wife of Elihu S. Hall), Mrs. Margaret L. Anderson (wife of Col. Patton Anderson, United States Army), and Mr. Robert Smiley (whom they at once elected ruling elder)-six women and one man, in toto.
After discussing for an hour or more and agreeing upon all the necessary and usual features of such a pro- ceeding, the Rev. Dr. Robert Henderson, who was also present and assisting, offered a closing prayer, when the
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little company adjourned and went forth, having thus fully organized the Nashville Presbyterian Church on Novem- ber 14, 1814.
Subsequently, as the denomination increased in num- bers and strength, and other Presbyterian churches became necessary and were organized in the community, it was called "The First Presbyterian Church of Nashville," and it is now so designated, officially, in its charter.
About this time there began a tide of emigration from the States of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia toward the West, particularly toward the Cumberland Set- tlements, and Nashville, as a consequence, increased some in population. Several writers have estimated that the village about this period had from nine hundred to thir- teen hundred inhabitants. Up to this time the religious people of the community were compelled to hold their pub- lic services in the courthouse, which at best was small in floor space and otherwise illy suited for public religious gatherings, but when the weather would permit the woods adjacent to the Square were used, and especially was this the case on Sundays, when the congregations were largest.
The subject had been before suggested and discussed in no enthusiastic way, but now it was more pointedly agi- tated and urged that a meeting house be constructed for general religious uses. After a time the matter took definite shape, when a committee, appointed for the purpose, made a successful nondenominational canvass of the people and received subscriptions sufficient to justify proceeding at once with the building. These subscriptions were taken with the distinct understanding that, while the building, when completed, was to be placed under the control of the Pres- byterians. it was to be open to all denominations when not used by the Presbyterians.
FIRST CHURCH BUILDING.
The subscriptions above alluded to were made in the
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spring, but the work on the church building was not actually begun until late in the fall of 1811 or early in 1812, two years before the organization of the Presby- terian Church of Nashville. A very disastrous fire, how- ever, occurred a short time after this beginning was made, and came near becoming the despair of the community. The fire destroyed the entire business center of the town, burning all the storehouses on each side of Market Street from the Square south to the first alley, where was then located what was later called "The St. Charles Hotel," one of the leading hostelries of the place.1 As a consequence, business depression prevailed, money became close, and the subscriptions made for the purpose of building the church were paid slowly, or not at all in some cases; the work of construction came to a standstill-indeed, for a time the effort seemed on the point of being wholly abandoned.
Two years had now passed and the people of the com- munity had largely adjusted themselves to the trying con- ditions occasioned by the fire; the town had quieted down and was gradually assuming its normal, the Nashville Presbyterian Church had just been organized and was ex- pecting to become the chief beneficiary when the proposed church building was completed. From this time on Ruling Elder Robert Smiley gave the matter his close personal attention, and, with great tact, energy and pertinacity of purpose, did succeed, after a time, in rekindling public interest and effort. The construction was resumed, and by the fall of 1816 the edifice was sufficiently advanced for the congregation to move to it from the courthouse (where up to this time, as before stated, the services had been held). and henceforward they held all their religious exercises in the new house. The structure was a substantial brick building of plain but neat design, 45 by 80 feet, with no basement, and had a seating capacity of four hundred.
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