The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-05-29


it were matter of mere local interest between
Richmond and Nashville, we would say let Rich
mond have it; for there is not people on the
earth that love and reverence Richmond, and
Richmond Presbyterians, more highly than the
people Of Nashville. We are bound to them by
the very tenderest ties, By our common enjoyment
OF the ministry OF one whose name is a sweet per-
tune 70 US all. | know that the Presbytery OF
Nashville desires the interests of the whole Churen
70 be subSeryed in this Assembly. We shall not
IN any way abae our contributions our zeal or our
activity, if this Assembly choose to differ from US,
as to the propriety Of this move. There are some
questions about which man may very we'll hight
TO the end. Where it is question of principle be
ought to fight till be dies; but where 1t is Ques
ton Of expedieney, he ought to fight as earnestly
as possible tor what he deems best, and when be
can not get It, to work Just as hard for the next
best thing. We are Ike the lrlshman at the be-
ginning Of the late war, who saw on banner,
Victory OF death, and who said if it were " VIC
tory or get crippled, he would go it. 1t IS our
desire to secure the interests of the whole Church
Let me briefly present to you the claims which
Nashville has as point for publishing our itera
ture as distinct from a book concern. We ought
TO have some one Of the influential institutions OF
our Church in the Southwest. 1t is not sec
honal question. We have no objection to your
gathering all the Committees to your point if the
best interests Of the Church can be served by it.
We have nOtthe remotest fear of Capitalization; but
We do believe, that local influence goes forth from
the location, and spreading in every direction
very much ike 1t was in planting churches in the
apostolic times. We think that if we had one
Of these Institutions in our midst it would exer
else an influence Tor Presbyterlanism. which moth
Ing else could We think we could make 1t
great missionary agency. One Of our difficulties
Is the idea that Publication Is something different
nom missions. Publication Is miSslOnaT5 agency
to disseminate the gospel byliterature and needs
% be in that region where our missionary work
vii most largely be done.
I've have aspeea need for one of these institu-
tons, because religious opinion is not so settled
there as 1t Is here They are reading people, and
the press has large influence upon them. Our
newspapers are thoroughly alive on every question,
and equal to any in their appearance. Religion
there Is as it we're in formative state; distine-
tons are not we'll marked; and our people pass
far more readily than others from one denOmina-
ton to another. Therefore we need an institution.
which shall exercise an influence through the press
upon this people.
Again there Is bOundless activity in the South
West upon this very question. The MethOdSts are
turning every wheel TO establish a great South
West University. The BaptiSts are trying to get
one Of their great institutions right at Nashville.
They feel that if they are to occupy that territory
it must be by means of some great literary or edu-
cational institution.
Now, l want to call attention to Nashville as a
publishing point. 10 the details of the publish
ing business, | am not Of course au fat But
there are some general facts which have obtained
from those that are at home in this business, and
which / desire to present. In Nashville We have
facilities for printing binding, and all the publish
ing work, by which 1t can be done eheaply as Ia
New York OF Philadelphia. We have great ad-
vantages as manufacturing city. We are In the
midst Of an unbOunded coal supply Manufacture
ing establishments are springlng up very rapidly
We have a cotton establishment, which when I'm
ished, viii be the largest in the Southern States
and viii cost three-Quarers of million of dollars.
Coal is delivered at twelve cents bushe or about
three dollars a ton and the price will soon be re-
duced to two dollars and half. Labor also is as
cheap and abundant there as elsewhere Ii Is evil
dent then that this work can be done there as
cheaply as in other places.
Another point is, the actual success Of the pub
fishing houses there. One of them employs ten
presses and a hundred hands, and is putting up
new building ll6 feet front By 2l5 in depth, which
viii be one Of the finest publishing houses in the
United States. The Cumberland Presbyterian
publishing house is established there, after long
and unsuccessful wandering. AT Nashville it Is
growing rapidly into great success. l have been
told BY their Secretary Of Publication, that when
they were about to publish the second volume Of
Boards Theology, an octave volume OF five or six
hundred pages, they sent the manuscript, with a
copy Of the first volume, to houses in New Ork,
PhIadelpbia, Cincinnati, Boston, and Nashville,
fpt6posals to print and bind thousand copies,
81 stye equal to the first volume, which had been
published before the war. The Nashville house
bid at nineteen and half dollars less per thousand
copies than any other house, and hundred and
thirty-six dollars cheaper than the Philadelphia
offer. These are facts which demand eOnsidera-
ton. We DO not propose to bind the Committee
10 have their work done IN Nashville; but we say
we have the facilities of doing 1t as cheaply or more
so.
Again. It is a fact admitted by all publishers,
that where establishments Of the same character
are together, they help one another We have two
religious establishments, the Cumberland Presby
terrain and the Methodist. It is true that attempts
have been made again and again to remove both OF
them but after earnest elaboration, In their Con
ferences aud Assemblies, they have determined
that Nashville as publishing point is the best.
As to freghts, Nashville Is a great railroad cen
ire, a point of competition. Objection has been
made that the Committee having but little capital
can turn il over with more advantage at Richmond
than at Nashville. To answer 10 that l can say
that al through the Southwestern country books
can be obtained from Nashville great deal more
cheaply than from Richmond.
/ would now call your attention to Nashville as a
distributing point have been on very intimate
terms with the managers of the Nashville Meth
odist Book Concern aud they have told me all
about the work Ii is true that their ministers,
as cOlporteurs, very effective m disseminating
their literature lou will find the Methodist pub
locations in every house. In every church you will
find Methodist and Cumberland Presbyterian
hymn-b0oks, but none Of our church. The people
have learned thoroughly the vernacular OF Metho-
dism. All this is largely owing to the fact OF their
having a publishing house there, where they can
look over the whole field and disseminate their lit
erature in every direction. Nashville being raul
road centre, the burden Of transportation will be
A. ~. D. 49,
obliged 10 pay higher transportation. L asked the
Methodist brethren at Nashville if they attributed
their success to the fact that Nashville was central
70 their Church They Immediately replied that
they did These are men in whom l have conf
dence, and whose Judgment | trust There is the
fact Of their success IL Is no experiment.
Again, Nashville is the centre of large and
growing wholesale trade. Last year it amounted
to twenty I'VE millions OF dollars. 1t Is not con-
fined to one or two States, but goods are sent
away out to the centre Of Texas aud Kansas. This
trade is largely in the hands of Presbyterians. Our
Church there is the most influential These are
facts which | hone this Assembly viii earnestly
consider. / am satisfied that our endowment fund
ought to enlarged. The Secretary ought to be
authorised to raise it to 500 600. The removal
of the Publication House TO sSashvillo w0uldibe
great helm TO u.s. and believe that to raise aIen-
doWment Of 100000 there viii be far mOre easy
than any where else. We will heartily concur in
the decision of the Assembly We will still con
cur in the recommendation Of the Secretary that
Publishing House is a necessity. Ii is the very
next step in the advancement Of our work. The
people of Richmond are stirring themselves up TO
DO something in the matter, and l earnestly hope
that it We do not get it, they will build Publish
ing House here. IL they do [ think the Presby
terry of Nashville ought to be credited with the
contributions. We made them do it. If this mat
ter is In the same condition next year that it Is
now, and this house is not built we expect to come
-. IL unhi.h viii no rnnrn nnEnito