I'm afraid the little bit of history that I can contribute with regard to the church will not be worth very much, as it is already well known to most of the present members. However, I do feel that special emphasis should be given to Brother Henry Davis Coffey, because without his devout leadership the original building of this church never would have been erected, and following the tornado of October 29, 1917, the church here might never have been restored. Brother Coffey was a unique individual who took God as his "partner" early in life, and there is every evidence that he remained steadfast throughout his life. His sincerity could be seen, felt and admired even by people who were not professed Christians. He "launched out on the promises of God, backed by the Bank of Heaven." It was this quality of devoutness and deep faith that drew masses to his revival meetings, and to work on the building of churches under his leadership.
The gentleman who became by step-father in 1926 never united with a church, but he did believe, and I have heard him tell about the pleasure of "helping to build" the church in one day and having food carried out to feed the workers. Brother Coffey, whenever holding a revival in Gretna, would walk the three miles to our home often spending the night, to proclaim the Word to my step-father. I'm not sure when was the last time he was in Gretna, but I do recall that he showed the infirmities of advanced age. He was born November 16, 1861. It was in 1928 that I became personally acquainted with him, although I had heard my mother expound on his genuine piety and the excellence of his ministries. She would tell of how she and my father walked from Piney Fork to Gretna, carrying a one year old baby (the third of their six children) to attend the revival which preceded the building of the Gretna Christian Church.
Brother Coffey was very strong in his teaching about the evils of intoxicating liquors. For many years when he would hold revivals here, he would bring a projector and slides depicting a little boy in a saloon begging his father to come home, where he was badly needed and the father rejecting his son's pleas. Of course, these were not moving pictures, and instead of background music, Brother Coffey would sing "Oh Father, Dear Father, Come Home With Me Now." It was very touching! I'm sure I can't recall all the words, but it went something like this:
Oh Father, dear Father, come home with me now,
The clock in the steeple strikes one.
You said you were coming straight home from the shop,
As soon as your day's work was done.
Our fire's gone out, and our house is all dark,
And Mama's been watching since tea,
With poor little Benny so sick in her arms,
And no one to help her but me.
Chorus: Come home, come home, please Father, dear Father come home.
O Father, dear Father come home with me now,
The clock in the steeple strikes two.
Poor Benny is worse, and he has been calling for you.
Ma says he will die, perhaps before morning shall dawn,
And this is the message she sends me to bring,
Come quickly or he will be gone.
O Father, dear Father, come home with me now.
The clock in the steeple strikes three
Poor Benny is dead, and gone with the angels of light,
And these are the very last words that he said,
"I want to kiss Papa goodnight."
The revival held in late August or early September of 1928 is my first memory of Gretna Christian Church. Brother Coffey conducted this revival and had a large number of additions to the church. I was one among them, and he baptized us in the baptistery at First Baptist Church. He took a special interest in the children. He had us line up down our church aisle and passed out candy to us. And he gave all the coverts New Testaments.
Nell Bolling
Ms. Nell Bolling a long time member of Gretna Christian wrote this article for their 1996 Memories Book.
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