Abstract
ABSTRACT In June 1849, James K. Polk died from cholera in Nashville, less than four months removed from the presidency. Seizing on a sensational column in the New York Herald, the editor of the Tennessee Baptist, J. R. Graves, used Polk’s hasty deathbed conversion to educate southerners about the inherent dangers they embraced when they joined Methodist and Presbyterian congregations. The ensuing debate offers a window into the sectarian edge of Nashville’s religious weeklies, revealing that far from fearing greed or secularization, they embraced competition from other Protestant denominations in a race to build a modern, denominational press that could evangelize the region.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call