There are many accounts of Seventh-day "Adventurers", as they were sometimes called, who sought to build a ministry in the Southland. They came from all quarters and met with varying degrees of success.

D.T. Shireman of Iowa, literally cut out the rural town of Hildebran, NC, from the wilderness and planted a school, an orphanage and a church. Later the place would gain considerable acreage and Peidmont Sanitarium was built only to be destroyed by fire. As many of the buildings owned in the South in those days were uninsured, the loss was complete and as monies couldn't be raised to rebuild, the land was sold and debts paid.

Another effort occurred in 1903 when the Mississippi Lumber Company donated 160 acres of wild land to the church. The N.W. Pierces pitched their tent on the property and went to work, cultivating 16 acres in one year in which they set out 230 peach trees and 600 grapevines, plus fig trees and other small fruits. In very short time a school was built. A Mr. and Mrs. Parker Atwood joined the group to help the small institution.

In 1902 an intermediate school started in Hazel, Kentucky. Charles L. Stone and his wife applied their administrative skills to this place and through much hard work and prayer the school became established as the Hazel Industrial Intermediate School and provided many fine years of service to the church.

All of these efforts were sorely needed in the South and as more and more attention was directed southward, Adventists came to establish strong and vibrant educational and health ministries. Yet the work proceeded painfully slow in relation to the rest of the country. Even Florida was being worked before Adventists could gain a foothold in the Southland.

One of the main reasons why the Advent message was slow in taking root in the South can be directly attributable to one of the saddest and most remarkable periods of this country's history - the Civil War. That war had left the South painfully crippled. How she had fallen!

Previous to the war, the South contained nearly half of the nation's wealth. She took great pride in her British ancestry and set in place the aristocratic pattern of Europe with large plantation owners commanding great respect. Her houses, lands, highways and byways were filled with fabulous luxury and splendor and one could easily understand how she became a self-contained land of her own. She would not bow down readily to an integrated Union.

The Civil War dramatically changed the Southland. From a powerful slave economy living in the cradle of wealth she fell, leaving an aftermath of indescribable horror. Both the North and the South had their share of devastation, the North losing 360,000 men and the South 258,000.

Against such a backdrop, how would the Southland react towards reform movements coming from the North? Would not the brows of suspicion and anger be raised? Humiliated and defeated, brooding from the effects of "Reconstruction", the people of the South seemed uninterested in so called "new truths", especially in the areas of religion and education.

Yet a foothold was gained through the fragmented approaches of concerned family members who were moved by the Holy Spirit to act. God's strength is best revealed through man's weakness. Denominational literature was sent here and there. Over time the seeds planted began to grow. And as minds were convicted there arose small groups or "companies" of folk who fell in love with the Advent message.

One such company began to meet a few miles north of Nashville at a place called "Edgefield Junction." Here, amidst canisters of paint and the smell of thinners, they met to share their deepening faith in Jesus Christ. As their conviction grew, more people joined and eventually Elbert B. Lane of Indiana began his ministry for the group in 1871.

Another account of this small band of believers reads that in the space of a few weeks, the group had to move to the train station's baggage room and then to an outside platform. Two to three hundred people started to come to hear the Advent message - the very first time Adventists held public meetings in the Southland.

Unfortunately, Pastor Lane could only stay a few weeks as he was called back to his own state to organize the Indiana Conference. But he didn't forget that little train station and in 1873, he came back and organized the small company into a church of 13 members.

Perhaps herein lies a timeless lesson for God's people. Can you imagine the concern of Elder Lane as he baptized the group? Can you hear the conversations of the church members as they eagerly sought God in prayer to console them? From such a large showing of interest, they were left with but 13 members. Were they really being lead by God? Fully convicted, they decided to press on.

Many of the brave souls answering the call to ministry weren't educated or even ordained. They were volunteers - lay people who were seeking to fulfill God's mission in their own lives. These people reached out and touched others and rather than sent forth from institutions, pursued their work earnestly through the unction of the Holy Spirit.

As I read the varying accounts of this time my mind couldn't help but imagine how our Lord operates for the good of His people. At a time of maximum need, He impressed workers to come to the area. Through the support of the church leadership, Nashville became a successful staging ground for the Advent work in the South.

With your imagination listen to the conversations that took place between Edson White, the Hansens and Elder Lane. Each one was diverted from their mission and landed at Nashville. Each were a part of that early congregation at Edgefield Junction. Each had hit bottom until setting up shop in Nashville.

Now, even though through no small effort, they simply couldn't believe how wondrously God had poured out His blessings upon them! Here, they knew instinctively that their work finally found a sure anchor. Here in Nashville their separate agendas united with the will of God and the work was moving forward!

I can envision them coming together in praise and thanksgiving to our dear God! Can't you? Three separate missions, three separate agendas, now intrinsically related - converging - to fulfill God's purpose in the Southland.

How tightly would they weave their purposes? In 1901 Edson White moved his printing business into a two story brick building on 10^th or 12^th and Jefferson Street and donated a large room on the second floor where the growing company of believers, lead by Elder Lane, held their Sabbath services. The Hansens, whose medical ministry was gaining prominence in Nashville were part of this early congregation.

As growth came to that little flock, they began to feel the need to be recognized as a regular denomination. In order to secure this it was important that they build or buy a church. And, as always in the cause of God, an unusual twist or turn of events found that the Baptist Church on 5^th and Fatherland Street was being offered for sale for the asking price of $5,000.

Again, we can tune into the conversations of that early congregation. 'How are we to afford this large sum of money? Should we not be content with our current situation? How are we to afford the maintenance for such a large building?'

Chief among the opposition to buy the Baptist church was Edson White. His reasoning appeared well founded for faced with a similar situation in Oakland, California, a congregation decided to buy and created a debt which burdened them for years. With the publishing house firmly established in Oakland the workers would receive good pay and this in turn would provide the core financial support necessary to buy or build a new church, Mr. White reasoned.

The congregation was challenged enough by having to pay six dollars a month for renting its current place of worship. This didn't include the ongoing costs the publishing house had sustained for insurance, lighting and maintenance. How would they raise the $1,000 down payment to secure the Fatherland church? How would they be able to afford a $4000 mortgage and ongoing operational costs of $30 per month on top of that?

One can imagine that such lively debates were commonplace as the Advent church multiplied in the area. Perhaps these are the same arguments that are made as Adventist communities continue to grow at a remarkable rate throughout the world.

Today, each day, over 2000 souls join the Adventist church around the globe. More than 10 million souls have embraced and hold close to their heart the Advent message. In each community there are those who grasp in fervent prayer the financial issues which need to be addressed to sustain the growing body of believers.

I can imagine that this small group spent many moments of intense prayer in seeking its next steps. Finally, they decided to dispatch Elder S.N. Haskell to the 1905 General Conference session meeting in Washington, DC, to plead for assistance. While the small company firmly fixed their objective on the Fatherland Baptist Church there was substance to the reasoning put forth not to load the congregation with debt as Mr. White carefully pointed out.

During hard times its difficult to see the hand of our Master. But looking back it all becomes so crystal clear. Mrs. Ellen G. White pulled Elder S.N. Haskell aside and shared with him a vision which was later recorded in the Review and Herald on September 7, 1905:

Elder Haskell tell us that Mrs. White told him, "Have faith in God. You will carry $5000 from this meeting." Indeed, back in 1903 the General Conference Committee voted to raise $100,000 for the establishment of worldwide headquarters. The monies had been pouring in for two years and it appeared that there would be several extra thousands to disperse.

The church leadership decided to provide the first $15,000 in excess funds towards the Review and Herald Publishing Association for the development of a suitable printing plant. However these plans were put aside when Mrs. White wrote a letter in July:

Now bear in mind that this "Washington Fund", as it came to be called, was being promoted for two full years - in 1904 and 1905, prior to the present needs of the church in Nashville. The Review and Herald Publishing Association was anxiously awaiting its share and to support this objective ran columns listing the donations in each of its issues. Yet, it "was in the providence of God that our brethren obtained possession of this house of worship in Nashville," according to Mrs. E.G. White, and the publishing house was left to find other means.

Such were the events which converged to plant and nourish the new congregation in Nashville. How interwoven was our early church to the affairs of the church at large! In faith they prayed for a suitable place of worship. And through faith God surely answered their prayers far beyond any expectation. No outlay of congregational cash was required to secure the new building.

As is always the case, the Lord was already orchestrating the development of His work. Looking backward in time it is remarkable to see Him in action. S.N Haskell and his wife had come to Nashville from New York City to conduct a Bible worker's school and they intended to join Elder Butler in a city wide tent effort. For two years they had prayed not only for the funds to purchase a tent but for a place to put it.

They're efforts were blocked time and time again. They couldn't seem to "land" a place for the tent. The leaders of the 1903 General Conference Session at Oakland, California had raised both the money to purchase the tent and the freight costs required to get it to Nashville. The Haskells had in their possession a tent sixty by one hundred feet.

Each time the land was sought to house the tent the deal fell through. Neighbors complained that they didn't want the tent near them, landlords refused to lease land for a tent and so forth. Then one day the "tent without a home" story was relayed to a prominent women who had been treated by the Lanes. She owned a rather large business concern in Nashville and after hearing of the matter, quickly offered a lot she owned, adding "and no one's objections will make any difference." The lot was precisely one block from the recently purchased Fatherland church!

And so the tent went up. And the people came. Attendance averaged 125 souls each night and many nights found up to 200 at that old evangelistic tent meeting. What wondrous and rich blessings pour forth from our dear Lord! In His divine providence he saw that although the tent was procured two years earlier the timing for the work in Nashville was not right until it could go on right beside the new church!

A better spot could not be found in all of downtown Nashville! The new Fatherland Street Church, just one block down the road, provided instant credibility to the campaign and the newspapers broadcast the message that the Seventh-day Adventist denomination had arrived in Nashville. From 1905 to 1954 that small band of thirteen believers grew into a large congregation, worshipping Lord in the Fatherland Street Memorial Seventh-day Adventist church.

It was around the fall of 1943, according to a document produced by C. P. Harris who served as Certified Public Accountant for the church, that another city wide evangelistic effort was conducted by Jay M. Hoffman. This resulted in the addition of over 140 new members and necessitated the building of a balcony at the church. By the way, the budget to build the balcony was $5,300.

However, according to notes provided by Shirley Eldrigde, the balcony could only hold 60 people. And once again, the congregation found they were in need of a larger structure. The members approached the President of the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference and began to examine options. But it wasn't until August of 1946 when Elder W. E. Strickland was called away from being Pastor of the Fatherland Street Church to President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists that the effort to enlarge or relocate the church really began to take form.

Elder E. L. Pingenot was called from the church at Battle Creek, Michigan to take charge of the flourishing church. He had a reputation for building churches and true to his calling, he arrived in Nashville and began to forge a new vision - a new house of worship.

By the spring of 1952 over $50,000 had been raised for a new building. Imagine this! From a poor flock who couldn't raise $5000 to a growing membership who gladly accepted the call to pledge funds for a new church home.

A Building Committee was selected to manage the program as follows: Elder E. L. Pingenot, Chairman; James Atwood, Building Supervisor; R. M. Eldridge; A. J. Frank; R. E. Finney; James Fry; J. W. Freeze; C. P. Harris, G. B. Kathka; Frank Kurzynake; N. C. Nelsen. A John J. Parmalee was selected as Architect and on May 18, 1952 the first shovel full of dirt was turned on a lot purchased at the corner of Blair Boulevard and Natchez Trace, the site of our current church facility.

The spirit with which Elder Pingenot touched the congregation was so acutely felt that the building never had to stop due to lack of funds. Each week the expenses were paid and in March, 1953, Elder W. B. Ochs from the General Conference laid the corner stone. Of this time, James Atwood writes:

Finally, on May 1, 1954, a dedication service for the First Nashville SDA Church was held. Officiating on behalf of the General Conference was Elder W. P. Bradley. Others taking part in the program were Elders V.G. Anderson, W. E. Strickland, E. L. Pingenot and J. O. Marsh. The honorable Frank G. Clement, governor of Tennessee, attended the service and much publication was given of the event.

Music furnished during the dedication service was performed by Frances Harris Osborne as soloist, a quartet from Southern Missionary College comprised of Duane Stier, Art Butterfield, Johnny Harris and Jim McClintock, and a trio, R. M. Eldridge, Don F. Haynes and S. C. Eldridge. Miss Lavanne Hazelton was organist and Newell Niswonger, Chorister, was supported by the Church Chior.

Yes, our First Nashville SDA Church had finally arrived. All according to God's wondrous plan for evangelizing the South. Can you see how His hand made this all possible? Yet so much lies far removed from the big headlines. And somewhere tucked behind the scenes there were countless sacrifices which often are forgotten. In this context, Mr. Atwood's notes paint an important literary portrait of a godly black man named Reverend Morgan Fryerson.