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TIUM9T.IL TOU'R
TA&ERNACLE TENTH ANNIVERSARY
Followed by Opening of Great Hible Conference —Feb. Stuart Holden, of London, Is Fngland 9 s Contribution
S eb er al Old-Time Faborites Here.
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- _—
the opening of the Sunday school hour to the close
of the night service when thousands thronged to
hear the famous and beloved pastor speak on ‘ ‘ The
Ups and Downs of Our Tabernacle Work,” the tenth
anniversary celebration was a magnificent success —
in other words, it was “a Tabernacle Success.” That
tedls the story to all who know the Tabernacle, its
work and its ways, better than any other word or
combination of words could tell it.
An Annual Feasting.
The Tabernaiele Bible Conference, which is unde
nominational in its list of speakei-s, but vital and
gloriously orthodox on the “eternal verities,” is
looked forward to as a great annual feast
< ing for the people of Atlanta, but people of all names
gather from all sections of the Sou till and North.
SUNDAY NIGHT’S SERMON.
Dr. L. G. Broughton.
Text:— “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” —1
Sam. 7:12.
As many of you know, today is the tenth anni
versary of our Tabernacle work, and in thinking over
the goodness of God to us during this time, I have
felt it proper to celebrate the day by giving a re
view of some of our ups and downs during this time.
It was eleven years ago today that I came to this
city, as pastor of what was known as the Third Bap
tist church, on Jones avenue, now the Jones Avenue
Baptist church. My coming was a little peculiar.
I had previous to this conducted a three
weeks’ evangelistic meeting under the auspices of
the Baptist churches of this city. The meet
ings were held first in the Second Baptist church,
with Dr. Henry McDonald as pastor, and
then the First Baptist church, with Dr. W. W. Lan
drum as pastor. During that meeting I fell greatly
in love with Atlanta. I saw its prospects; that it
was destined to 'be the metropolis of the Southern
States. And, having in mind certain fixed concep
tions about church-work and methods, and desiring
an opportunity where these conceptions could best
bear fruit, I decided that, if ever the way opened
for me to come to Atlanta, I was coming.
Not a great while after this, the Third Baptist
church pastorate was vacant, and I received a call
to become the pastor. At the time of the call I
was engaged in evangelistic meetings in Memphis,
Tenn. lat once informed the church that I would
Fre?Scholarship Proposition: WRITE US RIGHT NOW
T is eminently fitting that the celebra
tion of the first decade of the Taberna
cle life and victories in Atlanta should
be immediately followed by the great
annual Bible Conference which Dr.
L. G. Broughton organized soon after the
organization of the Tabernacle Baptist
church. Last Sunday was “Anniversa
ry Day” at the Tabernacle, and from
ATLANTA, GA., MARCH 11, 1909.
come by Atlanta on my way to Roanoke, Va., where
I was pastor of the Calvary Baptist church, and
have a conference with the representatives of the
dhurch relative to this call.
The conference was held in a room at the Kimball
house, and a dozen or more men seleted by the
church met me, and we talked over the whole situa
tion. My proposition to them was that I would con
sider their 'call, provided they would agree that so
soon as the location of the dhurch proved inadequate
to the line of work that I had in mind, they would
go with me near the center of the city land build a
tabernacle of sufficient size and character to do the
work. This was agreed to, and the first Sunday in
January, 1898, with my church in Roanoke pressing
me to remain, and a committee from the First Bap
tist church, Wilmington, N. C., in my house, urging
me to accept the call from itheir church at three
times the salary that the church here offered me, I
sent to the Third Baptist dhurch in this city this
telegram: “I accept your call with the conditions
agreed upon, and will begin my pastorate the first
Sunday in March.”
THE WORK BEGUN.
From the very first service held in the old church
to the last it proved inadequate to accommodate the
crowds of people that gathered. .Oftentimes we
were forced to turn away a great many more than
we could accommodate; this, too, in spite of the
fact that the building was one of the largest in the
city. Besides, it was soon realized that the location
was inadequate for the work that we had in mind.
Consequently in about six months we began the con
sideration of the question of moving. The present
site of the tabernacle was the best that we could
then see, and we decided to purchase it and begin
work at once upon the new tabernacle. The church
at that time was very poor in this world’s goods.
Some of us will never forget the awful rainy day
that we tramped around trying to get up sufficient
money with which to make the first payment on the
ground. Most of us had to borrow what we sub
scribed, as we did not have that much money at our
command.
About this time an opposition movement sprang
up in the church. About half of the old membership
opposing the movement, decided to remain in the old
quarters under the name of the Jones Avenue Bap
tist church. But we were not deterred from our un
dertaking, believing that it was of God.
When the contract for the new tabernacle was let
there was not one penny in sight with which to make
the payments, and only a small amount had been
paid upon the ground. Think of that undertaking!
A-small band of about 350 men and women, without
much experience, and practically no money, coming
near the heart of the city and projecting such an
enterprise; erecting a building that would seat three
thousand people, ami not a penny in sight. As I
look back over it today I am amazed at our daring.
THE TABERNACLE BUILT.
The first Sunday in March we entered the ne\l
Tabernacle, and having failed to secure the mail
agreed upon to preach the opening sermon, 1 preach!
ed it myself. I remember very well the strenuous
ness of the occasion. Our pennanent seats had not
arrived, and we had to rent chairs to seal the build
ing, and many of us worked practically all Saturday
night to get the building in order. Sunday morning
at 9 o’clock, the first Sunday school service was held.
We had present 135, including officers, teachers and
scholars. It looked almost like child’s play to see
such a small band in such a large building. At 11
o’clock, when the first sermon was preached, the
house was full, and 1. preached from the text: “And
I, if I be lifted up from tine earth, will draw all
men unto Me,” a sermon 1 had never preached be
fore, and have never preached since. The occasion
has, somehow, never presented itself when I could
again deal with that text. I shall never forget the
feeling that I had that morning. Some of you will
recall my reference to it. 1 felt that we were wholly
in the hand of God to do His bidding, and that we
would necessarily have to pass through great trials
and tribulations; that the work that we had set
out to do was, to a great extent, new and novel in
this community. But I felt sure of success, because
the little band associated with me was so faithful.
1 do not believe that their superior in this respect
has ever been found, and, too, I believed that the
conception that we had for the Chris'tian dhurch was
of God, and, therefore, bound Io succeed.
My .prophecy that morning has been realized, at
least in some respects. Surely no people ever passed
through greater trial than we have had. The com
munity understood our financial condition and our
lack of experience in promoting such an enterprise
and many prophesies were made of failure. Some
prophesied that it would not be six months before
the building would be used as a livery stable; others
thought it perhaps would be bought for a skating
rink or a dance hall. Very few, if any, outside of
our own little optimistic band gave us a word of
encouragement, but we pressed ahead, sacrificing at
every point, many doing without the necessities of
life, until today, by the blessing of God, we are what
we are.
THE ONWARD MARCH.
From the day that we entered the building until
the present there has been an onward march. Twice
we have enlarged and otherwise improved the Tab
ernacle property. Through the generous gift of Dr.
J. 11. Low, who had become a member of our church,
and who is now in the glory, we were enabled to
build our Sunday school annex.
During these ten years we have received into the
TWO DOLLARS A
11VT CENTS A COTT.
