The following is an account of the details leading up to the first services and constitution of Radnor Primitive Baptist Church. This account was printed in folder form titled "Concept of a Church in Faith" and was given out at the first services held in this building on February 18-19 and 20th, 1966. The following is an exact copy (only slightly condensed).
CONCEPT OF A CHURCH IN FAITH
On the first Sunday night in December 1965 the writer resigned as pastor of Blakemore Primitive Baptist Church at 2411 Blakemore Avenue. This was perhaps the most difficult decision that I had ever faced in the work of the ministry. This climaxed almost two years of laboring among and with this wonderful group of the Lord's people. They had been so kind to my youthful efforts and so charitable in my many mistakes and shortcomings. To bring my personal feelings for each of them into subjection to what we felt to be the leading of the Spirit of God was a most difficult task. After several weeks of prayerful deliberation over this matter the burden became so great that we bid them farewell as pastor, wishing them every Godspeed which we also continue to do.
During the eight weeks of waiting upon the Lord that were to follow, little did I know of how dark and gloomy they would become. My doubts and fears seemed to build more and more with each passing week. At times our burden became so great that often we pondered, could we go on, or has the Lord surely cast us off? During this time we felt to be without any leading of mind in any direction, and to be as one wandering helplessly lost in a wilderness. We had no choice, but to do just as the children of Israel, when confronted with the Red Sea in front and Pharaoh's host behind them, Just to stand still and wait upon the salvation of the Lord.
On the night of February 3, I came home very tired, and was in bed asleep by 8:00. After having slept only two hours I awoke and got out of bed, being disturbed greatly in mind, as I had so often been the last few weeks. My good wife had put all the children to bed and was sitting by the fireplace. I drew up a chair and we began to talk.
The possibility of other churches of the Primitive Baptist Faith being established in sections of Metropolitan Nashville had loomed in the minds of many of our people as a coming reality. Some very zealous people among us have, during the past year expressed keen interest and much faith in the establishment of a church in the Radnor-Woodbine area. Some expressions had been made that possibly by Summer of this year, that some steps might be taken to exert effort to that end. The writer, while being exposed to conversation about this issue on several occasions, could see the possible reality in due time, yet at those occasions I remained void of any leading of the mind or strong inward persuasion, such as one must feel to exert such a step of faith.
Ellen and I had not talked long until I began to pose some questions to her. What would you think about this? Or that? and in just a few minutes I had a clear and concise picture in my mind of a church building in Woodbine and just the way and manner to go about it. This heavy burden that I had carried for so long, just seemed to roll away, and I was truly happy for the first time in several months. I felt as one that had found a highway in the wilderness, wide, smooth, and straight as an arrow.
Ellen went to bed shortly, but I was too happy to sleep. I just sat there by the fire, meditation and feasting until almost five hours had slipped by. There had to be an empty church building somewhere on Nolensville road within a ten block area. I already knew of one vacant church building, but it did not fit at all into the picture that I had seen. I was floating on air, and knew that I would not sleep anyway, so I dressed and left Ellen a note and went looking for this church building at 3:00 in the morning. In about an hour I had found it. There was no doubt in my mind, that this building is the one. Everything seemed to fall into place so well, that I was suddenly caught up in fright.
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I went to a truck stop cafe nearby, and had some coffee, and began to inquire as to the owner of the property. At 5:15 I was at brother Joe Tripp's house, who lives four blocks from the church. In a few minutes sister Frances had some coffee made and the whole family was up around the table, bright eyed, listening to me relate the happenings of the last several hours. At 8:45 I was able to contact Mr. Dickens, the real estate broker who had sold the property. In a few minutes brother Joe and I were in his office. After telling Mr. Dickens what I had in mind, he told me that the owners had already refused a business offer for far more money per month than any small group of people could possibly offset. We had surely hit a snag and the outlook was now very dark. Mr. Dickens said however, that he would contact the owners and see if they were interested in lowering the rent to a token amount. By all rules of good business, we just did not have a chance.
The next day being Saturday, brother Norbert Ward and I rode most of the afternoon looking for another suitable place of worship. I had felt so strongly about it that I just knew there had to be place out there. We visited several possible locations, but I failed to have any feelings about any of them other than the first place that I had found. The writer being short on patience, went home very low in the valley of despair. Yes, I have just been misled and mistaken about the whole thing. I was in a worse condition now than I was before. My spiritual and mental poverty continued until Tuesday morning. I received a call from the real estate broker that the owners had greatly reduced the rent (not quite as low as I had hoped), but it was now feasable. I think I now know a little about how doubting Thomas must have felt when he stroked the nailprints in the palm of our Lord.
I requested the council of a few brethren to examine with me the business transaction and to determine the maximum weekly overhead that the church would have to offset. The sum of about $40.00 per week for rent and utilities was tabulated. The brethren agreed that this sum was reasonable even to a small group of members. The property was leased for 12 months, with a 30 day cancellation clause. The Lord surely opened all doors, and everything has fallen into place so well.
As this strong persuasion began to become a reality, I have earnestly begged the Lord to let me press forward with full assurace of faith. Although this church has not yet been constituted, we have named it "Radnor Primitive Baptist Church." By His grace, we have come believing, doubting nothing.
We are thankful to our brethren and sisters who have given of their time and labor to prepare this building for the sacred worship of the Most High God. The only form of making known these services has been the news media. there have been no church announcements, no personal contacts, no questions asked, no committments required. It has been our strong conviction from the beginning, that the only way a church could be constituted and receive sanction from God, is from a principle of love, and a strong inward desire of faith to hold up a beacon light by the doctrine of God's Soverign Grace, that His exhalted name might be worshipped in Spirit and Truth, in regions where Amazing Grace has not been sung. If peradventure it please the Lord to plant a vine at this place, these things we greatly desire of Bethel church, Blakemore Church, Richland Church and the Lord's people everywhere; to have your prayers--your fellowship--your every wish of God speed. We surely feel at this time, just as the children of Israel, as they stood yearly at the tabernacle, while the High Priest entered into the Holiest of Holy to make an offering for himself and for the people. They surely stood in great fear until they could hear the tinkling of the bells on the High Priest's garment signifying that their offering was acceptable in the sight of God.
This endeavor by men is just an offering before God, only He can bless it. We therefore commend this offering to the grace of God, prayerfully waiting to hear the tinkling of the bells.
"Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city the watchman waketh but in vain." Psalms 127:1
Elder Earl Bates