Orville Nave
Encyclopedia
Orville James Nave was an American
Methodist
theologian and chaplain
in the United States Army
. He is best known for compiling Nave's Topical Bible
, an index of topics addressed in the Christian
Bible
.
on April 30, 1841. He was the son of Solomon P. and Jane Ann (Johnson) Nave. On August 14, 1862, he enlisted as a private in the 111th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment for service in the Civil War
. He continued his service until June 6, 1865.
In 1870, Nave earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree from Ohio Wesleyan University
. On September 6 of that year, he married Anna Eliza Semans of Delaware, Ohio
. The couple had one son, Frederick Solomon Nave, in 1873. Orville Nave continued his studies at Ohio Wesleyan, earning a Master of Arts
degree in 1873.
. During this time, he advocated for reforms in the chaplaincy. His insistence that Christian denominations become more involved in the process of selecting chaplains led to the formation of the interdenominational United Christian Commission in 1890. At Nave's recommendation, the Methodist Episcopal Church
's 1892 General Conference
appointed a three-member board to recommend Methodist clergymen for the chaplaincy. The Conference asked the federal government not to approve any Methodist clergymen as chaplains unless they were approved by this board. Nave's penchant for skipping the chain of command and writing straight to politicians angered his supervisors. Some in the military also charged that his advocacy for greater focus on morality in the armed forces defamed the troops by implying that they were immoral.
Nave earned a Doctor of Divinity
degree in 1895 and a Doctor of Law
degree in 1897, both from Nebraska Wesleyan University
. In 1897, he published his best-known work, Nave's Topical Bible.
During the Spanish–American War, Nave and his wife set up a kitchen to provide for the special dietary needs of sick soldiers at an encampment in Tennessee
. He continued his service as an army chaplain and was assigned to the 3rd infantry division in 1901. He retired from the army on April 30, 1905.
. On June 24, 1917, Nave died from injuries sustained when he was struck by a street car
outside his home in Los Angeles, California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
theologian and chaplain
Military chaplain
A military chaplain is a chaplain who ministers to soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and other members of the military. In many countries, chaplains also minister to the family members of military personnel, to civilian noncombatants working for military organizations and to civilians within the...
in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He is best known for compiling Nave's Topical Bible
Nave's Topical Bible
Nave's Topical Bible is a book written by Orville James Nave and published by Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nave was a chaplain in the United States Army and referred to his work as "the result of fourteen years of delight and untiring study of the Word of God." It is a topical concordance of the...
, an index of topics addressed in the Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
.
Early life
Orville Nave was born in Galion, OhioGalion, Ohio
Settlers arrived in the area as early as 1817. The location was at the crossroads of a north-south road from Columbus to Portland , and the east-west route that later became the Lincoln Highway and subsequently the Harding Highway....
on April 30, 1841. He was the son of Solomon P. and Jane Ann (Johnson) Nave. On August 14, 1862, he enlisted as a private in the 111th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment for service in the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He continued his service until June 6, 1865.
In 1870, Nave earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
. On September 6 of that year, he married Anna Eliza Semans of Delaware, Ohio
Delaware, Ohio
The City of Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County in the United States state of Ohio. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area...
. The couple had one son, Frederick Solomon Nave, in 1873. Orville Nave continued his studies at Ohio Wesleyan, earning a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in 1873.
Army chaplain
On July 27, 1882, Nave became a chaplain in the U.S. Army. From 1888 to 1894, he served as correspondence secretary of the Corps of Army ChaplainsChaplain Corps (United States Army)
The Chaplain Corps of the United States Army consists of ordained clergy who are commissioned Army officers as well as enlisted soldiers who serve as assistants. Their purpose is to offer religious services, counseling, and moral support to the armed forces, whether in peacetime or at war.-Army...
. During this time, he advocated for reforms in the chaplaincy. His insistence that Christian denominations become more involved in the process of selecting chaplains led to the formation of the interdenominational United Christian Commission in 1890. At Nave's recommendation, the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
's 1892 General Conference
General conference (United Methodist Church)
The General Conference of The United Methodist Church is the denomination's top legislative body for all matters affecting the United Methodist connection...
appointed a three-member board to recommend Methodist clergymen for the chaplaincy. The Conference asked the federal government not to approve any Methodist clergymen as chaplains unless they were approved by this board. Nave's penchant for skipping the chain of command and writing straight to politicians angered his supervisors. Some in the military also charged that his advocacy for greater focus on morality in the armed forces defamed the troops by implying that they were immoral.
Nave earned a Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
degree in 1895 and a Doctor of Law
Doctor of law
Doctor of Law or Doctor of Laws is a doctoral degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country, and includes degrees such as the LL.D., Ph.D., J.D., J.S.D., and Dr. iur.-Argentina:...
degree in 1897, both from Nebraska Wesleyan University
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Nebraska Wesleyan University is a private, coeducational university located in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was founded in 1887 by Nebraska Methodists. As of 2007, it has 1,600 full-time students and 300 faculty and staff. The school teaches in the tradition of a liberal arts college education....
. In 1897, he published his best-known work, Nave's Topical Bible.
During the Spanish–American War, Nave and his wife set up a kitchen to provide for the special dietary needs of sick soldiers at an encampment in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. He continued his service as an army chaplain and was assigned to the 3rd infantry division in 1901. He retired from the army on April 30, 1905.
Later life
In addition to Nave's Topical Bible, Nave also published the Student's Bible in 1907, as well as several Bible textbooks. In 1914 and 1915, he served as chaplain in chief of the Grand Army of the RepublicGrand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
. On June 24, 1917, Nave died from injuries sustained when he was struck by a street car
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
outside his home in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.