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NASHVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH
By R. B. C. Howell, 1838
      Much interest exists, and we are glad to perceive it, not only in the city, but throughout the state generally, in relation to the house of worship, now in progress, for the Baptist Church and congregation in Nashville. We are often asked, by friends and correspondents such questions as these - How are you succeeding with your meeting-house? Is it handsome? When will you have it completed? Will you be able to pay for it without difficulty? We have thought it would not be unacceptible to say a few words, in reply, in The Baptist.

      To those familiar with the appearance of our city we need not say that Nashville is remarkable for the elegance of its buildings, and the skill and taste displayed in ornamenting the grounds about them, which are often comparatively large; with walks, trees, shrubbery, vines, and flowers. But the most prominent feature, that which strikes the casual observer, with the greatest force, is the spaciousness, and architectural beauty, of her public edifices, especially her Churches. In these she has given evidence of unsurpassed liberality. All this is what might naturally be expected in a community like ours, distinguished for wealth, intellectual polish, refinement, of manners, and unaffected religion. Public sentiment, therefore, required us, and enlightened piety, in our judgement [sic], approved, and urged the measure, to make our arrangements for building in accordance wilh the general appearance and taste of the metropolis of our State. Our house, consequently, will, when completed, be a handsome structure.

     We are aware that, in this last particular, we subject ourselves, with some good and pious brethren, to the imputation of vanity, and an unwise expenditure of means which


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would be better appropriated to relieve the wants, spiritual and temporal, of the destitute poor. Will such friends hear us, "of their clemency," a few words on this point? Who are those who give most liberally to objects of benevolence? Those who give sparingly to build churches? On the contrary, the same men who build the churches, pay most liberally to sustain the good cause in every other department. Those who retain their means, hoard them perpetually. We need not be told that humility, and a desire to benefit others with the surplus amount, reconcile professors of religion to an unsightly church, inconvenient in its location, and uncomfortable in its accommodations. This is never true in our cities, to say the least. If it were, the brethren, who profess to act on this principle, would extend it to their family arrangements. But go to their residences, and what do you see? Elegant apartments, paintings, mahogany chairs, tables, sofas, Turkey carpets - in a word, a scene as unlike the house of God as can well be imagined. Jehovah once upbraided Israel with living in "ceiled houses" themselves, while the house of God "lay waste." Those, christians, then, who object to a good house of worship, with easy seats, cushions and carpets, lest pride should be pampered, and the means of aiding the destitute absorbed, prove their insincerity by giving to the poor no more than others, and worldly indulgences at home, and we are afraid that the spirit of parsimony has too much to do in this matter, although it hides itself, even, perhaps, from the knowledge of the objector, under the robe of a holy benevolence.

     It may be set down as a rule that the moral and religious character of a city, or of any particular denomination in that city, is infallibly read in their places of religious worship. We have seen what is true of Nashville, but in some other towns where the public mind is sordid, morals degraded, and the hoarding of wealth regarded as "the chief good," the sacred temples are mean, poorly furnished and thinly attended. We ask our friends to consider this subject maturely, and we think they will perceive the truth of these remarks, and agree with us in our opinions.

     Our rule, and we believe it both, scriptural, and universally applicable, is, that the house of God should be, in every way, as good, and as well furnished as our own dwellings. It must, of course, be much larger, and being a public


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building should have some pretensions to beauty of form; especially as a handsome form is, if the builders have taste and judgment, as easily adopted, and will cost no more than any other. As to arrangements, and convenience, it should be as well ventilated in summer, and warmed in winter, it should be kept as neat, and clean, and the seats should be as easy, and the floor as well carpetted, as our own dwellings. Piety, it appears to us, can require no less, and we beg indulgence if we feel ourselves obliged to say that he who will not pay a decent respect to the house of God, such as he pays to his own, or the house of his friend, must be deficient in reverance for him who dwells in the Sanctuary.

     These opinions are fully adopted by Christians in Nashville; and we have acted upon them in the erection of our meeting house, which we commenced more than a year ago, and which already attracts so much attention in this region. The building is in the ancient Gothic style of architecture. The walls are up, and covered in, except a small space left through which to elevate some stone, which is yet to be placed on the summits of the towers, and the points of the buttresses. The floors are now being laid down. We hope the whole will rapidly proceed to completion. It is true the number of our communicants is yet small, only about a hundred and seventy-five. We commenced but about half a dozen years ago with FIVE members, and have ever since worshiped in a private room. Our pecuniary power is not, therefore, very great; but the pious and public spirited in the city and neighborhood, of all classes and denominations, have not looked without interest and sympathy upon our struggle. They have come up to our aid like friends and brethren. With their assistance we have already paid for the lot and house, about ten thousand dollars, and we believe they will continue to stand by us, with the same spirit of benificence, until the work is completed, and the Church placed, by the blessing of God, in circumstances worthy of the cause she advocates, and the great denomination of which she is an humble member.

     To illustrate the deep interest felt in this holy enterprise by all classes of the congregation, and to encourage similar exertions elsewhere, we have asked, and obtained leave to publish the following receipt. The society mentioned in the document is formed of a few benevolent Ladies, eight or


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ten of whom meet every Monday, make little articles, such as pincushions, cups, handkerchiefs, &c., and sell them, the proceeds of which they devote to the advancement of this noble undertaking.
_______

          "REV. R. B. C. Howell:
     Dear Sir, - The Building Committee of the Baptist Church have the pleasure of acknowleding the receipt, thro' your hands, of one hundred and fifty dollars, from the "Ladies' Working Society," earned by them since the first of January. This sum, when added to the one hundred and fifty dollars, paid a few weeks ago, received from the "Ladies' Subscription Book," places us in funds to the amount of three hundred dollars, from the same spirited and benevolent source; being nearly one third of the one thousand dollars that they are making efforts to furnish us during the present year; and is truly encouraging and cheering to us to persevere in our arduous efforts to finish the Church in a style worthy of the city of Nashville, and of the congregation who will worship in it.
     With very high regard I remain your ob't serv't.
          C. C. TRABUE.
     Chairman of the Building Committee
     And ex-officio Treasurer
."
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[From R. B. C. Howell, editor, The Baptist newspaper, May, 1838, pp. 129-132. Document from Google Books. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]



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