In early 1917, with his son, William, already fighting with the Canadian Corps in France, Nash was approached by the pastor of the First Universalist Church in Cincinnati, and asked to fill in as preacher on a Sunday upcoming—the pastor stating he would select the subject for Nash's sermon. Having himself been challenged by Nash regarding Christianity's role in what Nash called, "the frightful carnage going on in Europe", the pastor asked Nash to go and talk to his people about what, in Nash's opinion, was the matter with Christianity. Just as he was preparing for his verbal "assault" on the Christian faith, Nash received word that William had been seriously wounded in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. When Nash's youngest son, Ralph, heard that his brother was, "hanging between life and death in a hospital in England", he immediately joined up with the Marines. His factory unequipped to handle government contracts, Nash became so discouraged that he almost closed up shop, spending most of his time selling Liberty bonds, and other war work. By the time the Armistice was signed, he had all but suspended business operations.