Jesus and the Ryman Auditorium
Before railroads, before planes, before Interstates, America’s network of rivers provided the means for rapid, long distance travel. Riverboats became common modes of transportation in the early 1800s. Even into the early 1900s, Tennessee’s rivers were vital links for many people in small towns and rural areas.
The Cumberland River was a major travel route for Middle Tennessee. The river begins in southeastern Kentucky and flows into Tennessee, connecting large and small towns such as our town of Gainesboro, historic Granville, Carthage (home of Al Gore’s father Albert Gore Sr.), Nashville (the largest city on the Cumberland), Ashland City (my hometown), Clarksville (where my brother lives), and Dover. The Cumberland then reenters Kentucky and flows into the Ohio River near Paducah. The Ohio River flows into the Mississippi River, which flows to New Orleans. Riverboats once carried people and goods from Middle Tennessee to New Orleans.
When we first moved to Gainesboro, we became friends with Jack Meadows who has since passed away. His father worked on a riverboat which carried goods from Gainesboro to New Orleans. Jack used to dress up as a riverboat captain to portray his father and tell his stories at historic events.
Tom Ryman was a well-known riverboat captain in Nashville. Captain Ryman owned several riverboats that traveled the Cumberland River.
Sam Jones was one of the South’s best-known evangelists in the late 1800s. He first preached in Nashville in 1885. Jones condemned the liquor businesses in the city. During one of Jones’ sermons in Nashville, Tom Ryman had a complete change of heart and became a devout follower of Jesus. The change in his life was dramatic and genuine. Riverboats were known for their alcohol and gambling. Ryman decided that he never wanted to be the source of temptation for those riding his riverboats.
Tom Ryman began a mission for steamboat workers next door to his office near the river. He hired a minister to preach there every night. He also began a night school for steamboat workers and their families. He built a “Gospel Wagon” to carry the gospel to Nashville neighborhoods that did not have churches.
Ryman began raising money for a Union Gospel Tabernacle in downtown Nashville and oversaw its construction. It could hold 4,000 people. Sam Jones held revival meetings at the Union Gospel Tabernacle even before it was completed. Ryman also wanted the building to house events that would promote morality and “elevation of humanity to a higher plane and more usefulness.” In addition to evangelists, the building hosted world famous musicians and speakers. Ryman insisted that those who spoke and performed there be people who respected God.
Here are two photos of the front of the Ryman. It’s hard to get a good photo today because the area is so crowded.
The Ryman Auditorium
The Ryman Auditorium
Courtesy of Carol M. Highsmith’s America,
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
During the last years of Ryman’s life, business leaders in Nashville suggested changing the name of the building to Ryman Auditorium. Ryman always opposed the idea.
Statue of Captain Ryman at the Ryman’s modern entrance
After a long illness, Ryman became extremely sick in December of 1904. Newspapers across Tennessee had stories about his condition on their front pages. Ryman passed away on December 23. The Union Gospel Tabernacle was packed when Sam Jones preached Ryman’s funeral on Christmas Day. Jones called Ryman a “gentle man of child-like faith.” He said: “A purer, stronger, nobler man, truer to God than he, I have never met.” Jones asked the attendees to vote on renaming the tabernacle the Ryman Auditorium. All 4,000 people in the audience rose to vote yes.
By 1943 the Grand Ole Opry radio show had outgrown four other venues and began being performed at the Ryman. In 1974 the Grand Ole Opry moved from the Ryman Auditorium to a new Grand Ole Opry House. My aunt Emily, just 18 months older than I, were in the audience for the last performance of the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman on March 15, 1974. That was two weeks after Ray and I had our first date. On March 16, the Opry held its first performance in their new building. Among the performers was President Richard Nixon. He played the piano and sang “Happy Birthday” to the first lady. This was almost five months before he resigned as president.
The Ryman sat mostly empty for almost two decades. Finally in 1992, a beautiful restoration began and the Ryman Auditorium had a grand reopening in 1994. Tickets to events at the Ryman give attendees a numbered spot on the original pews.
After a performance of the Fisk Jubilee Singers in 2021
An announcer for WSM 650 radio, which has hosted the Grand Ole Opry since its beginning in 1924, spoke before the Dailey and Vincent performance last week. He told a brief history of the Ryman beginning with the story of Tom Ryman’s turning to Jesus. I’m thankful that that large audience heard his story and the story of his beautiful Union Gospel Tabernacle. Today not every show promotes morality and “elevation of humanity to a higher plane and more usefulness” as Tom Ryman envisioned, but the one we saw that night certainly did.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel,
for it is the power of God for salvation
to everyone who believes,
to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
For in it the righteousness of God
is revealed from faith to faith;
as it is written,
“But the righteous man
shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:16-17