DR. LEN G.
BROUGHTON.
The subject of this sketch is a native of
the grand old State of North Carolina. As he
grew up he chose medicine for his
profession. But while a medical student in
Louisville he was not inactive in Christian
work. Dr. Broadus told him that he would
become a preacher. It did not take many
years to verify this prediction. Those who
heard him in his lecture will recall his
mention of his medical studies in New York,
and will also recall his indirect testimony
to the helpfulness of the study of medicine
in his pastoral work.
In 1893 Dr. Broughton took charge of the
Calvary Baptist church in the growing city
of Roanoke, Va. The splendid energy and
leadership of the man soon made the church
one of the greatest factors in the life of
the city. Here he labored
for four years with remarkable success, when
he received a call to
Atlanta. Responding to this
call, he entered with ardor upon his present
pastorate. It soon became
evident that a larger and more commodious
building was needed. Thus the present plant
came into existence. This
was built, not for display, but as a hive
for busy workers. A bare mention of the work
of this church is
inspiring. The colony
following him in this new building
enterprise numbers about 250, mostly younger
members, and with no wealth ahead. The
tabernacle seats 37,000 persons. Here the
pastor is leader in the regular services,
but it requires an assistant and a secretary
to keep the work up. The
church also employs a general missionary and
a lady missionary. There
are two missions under the fostering care of
the church. At these
Sunday-school and preaching services are
maintained. Besides the regular preaching
services may be mentioned the home
Sunday-school, Church Prayer Meeting, Young
People's Union, Teachers' Training Class for
the study of the lesson, Men's City Mission
and Bible Society, Ladies' Aid and Bible
Society, Dorcas Society for aiding in city
missions, Young Girls' Flower Mission, Song
Practice by choir and orchestra, Sunbeam
Class, etc.
Besides these the church has an infirmary
with a full medical and surgical staff, in
addition to a resident physician,
superintendent, and superintendent of
nurses. Nurses are
furnished for service outside of the
infirmary when required.
The
infirmary is thoroughly equipped with all
modern appliances. The prices are moderate,
and there is a free ward for those unable to
pay the regular fees. Religious services are
held regularly.
There
is also a dormitory for young ladies where
cheap but excellent accommodations are
provided for from 35 to 50. The missionary
of the church lives at the dormitory and
conducts Bible readings at the daily prayer
services. All are required to attend these
services. The missionary also conducts a
Bible class for nurses at the infirmary.
There has been added recently a school of
cookery, where for a moderate charge the
useful art is well taught. The Tabernacle
Bible Conference and School of Methods has
become an annual feature not only in the
church but also in the
city. I may give only the
names and addresses of the speakers at the
last conference: Rev. F. B.
Meyer, London, England; Rev. C. J. Scofield,
Dallas, Texas; Rev. S. D. Cordon, Cleveland,
0.; Rev. A. C. Dixon, Boston, Mass.; Rev, J.
H. McConkey, Pennsylvania; Maj. J. H. Cole,
Adrian, Mich.; Mrs. and Miss Cole, Rev. W.
E. Blackstone, Chicago, Ill.; Mr. W. P.
Moody, East Northfield, Mass.; Rev. J. W.
McCollum, Japan.
Dr. Broughton also delivers a great many
addresses on the lecture platform. His
sermon in London last summer, where he
supplied for Rev. G. Campbell Morgan, made a
profound impression on the world's
metropolis.
Dr. Broughton is the author of the following
books: "Old Wine in New Bottles," "The
Representative Women of the Bible and the
Representative Women of To-day," "The Second
Coming of Christ," "Seed Time and Harvest,
"The Revival of a Dead Church," "American
Idolatry," "God's Will and My Life," "The
Soul-winning Church."
I forgot to mention the Baraca Bible Class
and the Elocution Class.
For some time the church issued a weekly
bulletin containing a sermon by the pastor
and church news. Later this was enlarged and
made a monthly, without the sermon, but a
weekly sermon is published in The Religious
Forum, of which Dr. Broughton is an
associate editor.
All this work calls for a great deal of
money, and the members are not
rich. But they are expected
and trained to give
regularly. This they do,
and liberally, too. The
Treasurer's report for 1904 shows that the
total amount of $35,249.57 was
raised. But this sketch is
full long now.
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