The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1913-07-04
N. B. P. HOUSE
STILL RISING
DREAMS COMING TRUE
YEARS OF PROSPERITY
Genius At Head Of Plant En-
plOyment Given To A Host
ONWARD MARCH OF THE MA
TlONAL BAPTIST PUBLISHING
HOUSE.

HOUSE.
Dreaming of the greatness of
people or dreaming Of the greatness
of an individual has perhaps been in
dulged in by countless millions. Over
rating institutions, corporations and
individuals has been the mistake of
every generation But. in the city of
Nashville there is established an in
stitution, religious in its purpose .
charitably inclined and yet business |
like to the core that cannot be put .
down with the idle dream of brag-
CART, neither has it been overdrawn /
by ardent admirers, nor underrated by
any of the skeptlcal critics, many OF
whom have doubted its existence. |
Particular reference is made to the
National Baptist Publishing House.
religious plant, occupying an impos-
ing site in this city. This institution,
that is under the direction of Board
belonging to the Missionary Baptists
and operated in the interest of what
is known as the National Baptist Con-
vention, has proven to be stern re-
ality and a largo factor in the COM
mercial life of Nashville It's infiu-
ence upon the citizenship has been
felt and regarded far more than the
casual observer is perhaps willing toI
admit. While the plant really origi-
mated in the brain of an ex-slave who
is said to have cherished it for near
ly quarter of a century before at
tempting to carry out his plan, it can
/ not be denied it is operated on a most
modern and upto-date business-like
basis However, unlike most busi-
ness institutions there is an era of
good feeling and sort of family-like
affection between employer and en-
ployee, each at all times looking after
the interest of the other. The alb
sence of organized labor unions or
such movements that have caused So
much disturbance among the people,
! is SAID to be responsible, in a large
measure, for the fifteen years Of pros
perity, success and tranquility of this
institution, established by a man
whose name is practically a house
/ hold word throughout the nation, and
whose efforts have not been confined
/ to the narrow margin of his own de-
nomination. In Nashville, the Secre-
tary and Manager Of the National
Baptist Publishing Board who is also
| President of the National Baptist
! Church Supply Company, the National
negro Doll Company, and President
of the One Cent Savings Bank, is
! looked upon as benefactor in the
truest sense The Baptist Publishing
/ House. as it is known throughout the
city, furnishes more constant, regular
and remunerative employment to
Young men and young women OF the
race than any other two religious
plants or business institutions owned
by the Negroes of the country. This
is done in face of the fact that it has
never been the recipient of one dollar
through philanthropic efforts. In
! recent conversation with the genius,
the brain Of the institution, the one
man in whose head the entire plant
appears to revOlve, who knows 1t from
stem to stern, said that the plant had
built itself up without a dollar or
single dime contributed for its main
tenance or establishment from any
source, and that wherever money had
been given in any way, it had been
reverted into the missionary channels,
as he is also secretary Of the Home
Mission Board of his convention,
W ich Boa.d is operating or prose-
cutting an extensive missionary work
on home fields which includes
Panama.
One day this week while group OF
visitors were inspecting the Baptist
Publishing Pl2nt a large bell rang,
every wheel suddenly stopped, and
the employees from the ccven build
ings began with one accord to look
and go in the same direction, towards
what is known ac their chapel One
member of the party asked what 1t
meant. He was Informed that it was
the hour of prayer" and that Dr.
Boyd was giving each day his contrl-
button, his obcisGnco, his reverence
and His unstinted devotion to the God
of his salvation by setting aside thlr-
ty minutes for prayer services, where
the employees might mingle ind com
mingle with one another religlously,
thus throwing around them a relig-
ious atmosphere that can hardly be
enjoyed in any other plant now being
operated in the country. The work
of TIE Publishing House IS such ap-
pears to have never been confined TO
more writing and sending out of the
Sunday-school quarterlies, it has de-
veloped many features Of improved
racial as we'll as donomin2tional ideas.
It is looked upon aC setting high
standard for the race to which it be-
longs. 1t was in the Publishing House
that the idea of Negro Dolls for Ne
gro Children originated 1t was in
this same Publishing House that the
idea. was born in the mind of at least
one that Negroes could be converted
into skilled mechanics that could
make anything for the church from
collection plate to the finest grade
Of church pews, or from a postcard to