USA > Texas > History of Methodism in Texas > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14
66
.
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
[CHAP. III.
On the 23d of December, 1841, the Conference met for its second session in the Masonic Hall, San Augustine- Bishop Morris in the chair, Mr. Summers, secretary. Appointments for 1842: San Augustine district: F. Wil- son, P. E .; San Augustine, George West, S. A Williams, supernumerary ; Harrison to be supplied; Panola, Jacob Crawford ; Jasper to be supplied; Liberty, Jos. P. Sneed ; Crockett, N. Shook, Jas. H. Collard. Galveston district : R. Alexander, P. E .; Galveston and Houston, T. O. Sum- mers; Brazoria, Jesse Hord; Montgomery, Daniel N. V. Sullivan ; Huntsville, H. D. Palmer; Nashville to be sup- plied ; Franklin, James G. Johnson. Rutersville district : Jno. Clark, P. E .; Austin, J. W. Whipple; Washington, Orcenith Fisher ; Matagorda, Robert Crawford ; Victoria, Daniel Carl. Rutersville College: C. Richardson, Pres- ident, C. W. Thomas, Professor, L. Fowler and John Haynie, Agents.
Orcenith Fisher joined the Missouri Conference in 1824. He was now transferred to Texas from Illinois. George West came from the same Conference. William Craig had been admitted on trial in Tennessee in 1831; he had been local in Texas since 1839; he was re-admitted this year. C. W. Thomas, Jacob Crawford, and James G. John- son, were just admitted on trial. After the adjournment of the Conference, Bishop Morris, in company with Messrs. Clark, Summers, and Whipple, travelled westward. At Washington they lingered an hour over the grave of Ruter. Mr. Clark and his family stopped at Rutersville. Bishop Morris accompanied Mr. Whipple to Austin. After visit- ing various points in western Texas, the Bishop went to Galveston, where he met Rev. E. W. Sehon, agent of the American Bible Society, and the two returned together to
67
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
SEC. II.]
Cincinnati. Bishop Morris published a series of letters descriptive of Texas, which were extensively copied and published in book form. Nearly every bishop who has visited Texas has given the public valuable information about our great country, its inexhaustible resources and delightful climate. These Episcopal letters, running through a series of thirty years, have done a great deal to bring Texas into favorable notice, and swell the tide of immigration constantly flowing in this direction.
SECTION II.
Texas in 1842-Recruits from Ohio-Conference at Bastrop, December, 1842-Appointments for 1843-Swimming Creeks, etc.
THE Summer and Fall of 1842 were the gloomiest Texas had passed through since the battle of San Jacinto. San Antonio had been captured by the Mexicans under General Wall. The Texas expedition, sent to the Rio Grande under General Sommervell, accomplished nothing. The Indians were hostile along the whole frontier. Mexico threatened our coast with blockade. President Houston had left Austin and summoned Congress to meet in Washington, leaving the frontier exposed. Texas money was almost worthless. The whole country was flooded with water. Cotton sold for from three to five cents a pound in Houston, the chief commercial city. But amid these discourage- ments the ministers prosecuted their work, and were encouraged to see a good degree of success attend their labors.
There was still a demand for more preachers in Texas. To secure volunteers Mr. Fowler attended some of the Northern Conferences. Among others he visited the Ohio
.
68
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
[CHAP. III.
Conference, held by Bishop Morris in Hamilton, Ohio, September 28, 1842. Before Mr. Fowler arrived at Hamil- ton, H. S. Thrall, who had just been elected to deacon's orders, had applied for a transfer to Texas. Dr. Ruter's letters, published in the "Advocate," in New York, in 1837, had influenced Mr. Thrall to select Texas as his ultimate field of ministerial labor.
Mr. Fowler made a speech and called for volunteers for Texas. J. B. Finley and Z. Connell took a vacant seat in front of the speaker, as though they were ready to go. These venerable men were crowded off by some younger brethren, who persisted in taking their places. Something was said about the best route to Texas, when Daniel Poe arose and gave some valuable information. Mr. Poe had lost a brother, Major G. W. Poe, of the Texas army, in Texas, and had visited the republic. Mr. Finley, the old chief, moved that the Conference send Mr. Poe to take charge of the boys. This was agreed to at once. Some one asked Mr. Poe if Mrs. Poe would be willing ? He replied that the first time he saw his wife, she was teaching among the Indians at the head of Lake Superior, and she would go wherever the authorities of the Church thought it best to send her husband. The Minutes of the Ohio Confer- ence for that year show that Daniel Poe, Homer S. Thrall, John W. De Vilbliss, William O'Conner, Richard Walker, and Wilbur J. Thurbur were sent as missionaries to Texas. Mr. Poe called the Texans to meet in Cincinnati. They were here joined by Isaac M. Williams, from the North Ohio Conference. This company entered Texas via Red River, and Mr. Poe was the only one who reached Conference at Bastrop.
Mr. Thrall left a little in advance of the others and
69
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
SEC. II.]
arrived in Galveston on Sunday morning, Nov. 21st. He preached that night at Judge J. B. Jones's, and at the request of some friends the new church erected by Dr. Summers, who was absent, was opened, and he preached in it on Tuesday night. At Houston Mr. Thrall was fortunate in meeting Mr. David Ayers, who had come in his carriage to take Bishop Roberts to Bastrop. On his way into the interior Mr. Thrall attended one of Mr. Alexander's Quar- terly Meetings at Mr. Wade's, on the Brazos. At this meeting there were some conversions and twenty additions to the church. The people not having the money to pay their presiding elder, agreed to pay him in cattle, to be delivered in the Spring. Bishop Roberts was to have met the Texas Conference at Bastrop, December 22, but owing to feeble health he was compelled to abandon his Texas trip, and after the adjournment of the Arkansas Confer- ence at Helena, the venerable Bishop returned to his home in Indiana, where he died March 26, 1843. R. Alexander was elected president of the Conference, and Thomas 0. Summers, secretary. There were about twenty-five preachers in attendance. The sessions were held in the back room of a storehouse, some ten by twelve feet, which enjoyed the luxury of a fireplace. Temporary seats were fixed in another vacant storeroom, in which religious ser- vices were regularly held. A revival spirit prevailed. A number of conversions took place, and some fifteen united with the church during Conference.
J. T. P. Irvine, John C. Woolam, Robert B. Wells, Preston W. Hobbs, and William C. Lewis, were admitted on trial, and John W. Kinney re-admitted. To protect the church in Texas, the Conference passed a resolution unani- mously that no preacher who had been expelled from the
+
70
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
[CHAP. III.
church elsewhere should have his ministerial character recognized here until his credentials were restored by a vote of the Conference that had previously taken action in his case. After completing the minute business, Conference adjourned to the room where public preaching had been held. Rev. Mr. Summers administered the holy com- munion. Mr. Alexander, the President, read out the appointments for 1843, as follows :
San Augustine district : F. Wilson, P. E .; San Augustine station, Isaac M. Williams; San Augustine circuit, Daniel Poe, S. A. Williams, supernumerary ; Jasper, N. Shook; Liberty, George West and W. J. Thurbur; Trinity mis- sion, R. B. Wells; Crockett, James H. Collard ; Nacog- doches, William Craig. Lake Soda district: L. Fowler, P. E .; Shelbyville, J. T. P. Irvine; Harrison, William O'Conner; Sherman mission, P. W. Hobbs; Lamar mis- sion, John C. Woolam. Galveston district : R. Alexander, P. E .; Galveston, R. Walker ; Houston, T. O. Summers ; Brazos, J. W. Kinney; Montgomery, Daniel Carl; Hunts- ville, James G. Johnson; Franklin, William C. Lewis, Jacob Crawford ; Nashville, D. N. V. Sullivan. Rutersville district: John Clark, P. E .; Bastrop, J. W. Whipple ; Rutersville, John Haynie; Washington, O. Fisher, J. P. Sneed ; Brazoria, H. S. Thrall; Egypt, Henderson D. Palmer and John W. De Vilbiss ; Victoria mission, R. Crawford ; Brazoria colored mission, Jesse Hord ; Rutersville College, C. Richardson, President; C. W. Thomas, Professor.
As the Conference adjourned in the middle of the day, a number of the preachers were enabled to start for their work, staying that night with families living on Hill's Prairie, fifteen miles below Bastrop. During the night
.
71
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
SEC. II.]
a heavy rain fell. About three o'clock the next day the preachers reached the bank of Rabb's Creek, and found it ten feet deep and running with great rapidity. In spite of the remonstrances of the younger brethren, Brother Frank Wilson plunged in. His horse sank, and horse and rider disappeared under water. Brother Wilson came to the surface, his head bleeding from a blow received from his horse. He and his horse finally reached the opposite shore safely. Mr. Sneed, who had navigated the swamps and bayous of Louisiana, was then selected to construct a raft. He did so. It was launched, and whirled down-stream like a kite. Those on it, among whom was the writer, were glad enough to get on terra firma on the same side we started from, thoroughly drenched with water. A coun- cil was called, and it was determined that we must wait until the creek run down. Mr. Poe, however, declared that he would cross over and accompany Mr. Wilson. In crossing, Mr. Poe was thrown from his horse and had to swim ashore. The horse did the same, but lost saddle and boots and Mr. Poe's outer-clothing that had been tied to the saddle. It was now drawing near sundown, and Mr. Poe, bareback, had to ride, with nothing but under-clothing, ten miles to Rutersville.
As for the rest, they concluded to camp for the night at an empty cabin Mr. Sneed had found a little off from the road. Mr. Hord rode to Rabb's Prairie, and got a bushel of sweet potatoes to roast. Mr. Fisher improvised a prayer- meeting, assisted by Messrs. Fowler, Johnson, Lewis, Palmer, and Shook. When they bivouacked for the night upon their blankets, the winds, sighing amid the grand old pines on the bank of Rabb's Creek, lulled to sleep men who have left a profound impression upon society in Texas, and
72
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
[CHAP. III.
one of whom, at least, has left evangelical footsteps on the occidental shores of our great country. Would the reader believe it? one of that company, "just green from the States," in spite of rushing waters, sighing pines, and roasted potatoes (suggestive of Marion and his men), was so unromantic as to mount his horse and ride several miles back and form a most agreeable acquaintance with a Chris- tian family, and find hospitable entertainment. That acquaintance has often since been renewed, and he hopes it will be renewed and perpetuated in eternity.
We give another instance of crossing a swollen stream. A preacher in the West had occasion to cross the Neueces when it was up. Mr. S. could not swim, and was thrown from his horse. He thought he was drowning, and while under water, and, as he supposed, in his death-struggles, the following stanza ran through his mind :
" When ends life's transient dream, When death's cold sullen stream Shall o'er me roll, Blest Saviour, then, in love, Fear and distress remove ; Oh, bear me safe above, A ransomed soul."*
The drowning man was perfectly calm and peaceful, but, providentially, in his struggles he caught his horse's tail and was borne safely to the shore.
* Hymn 75 in Select Melodies : "My faith looks up to Thee." It was written by Rev. R. Palmer, New York City, in 1830. Dr. Mason composed a special tune for it, " Olivet," one of the prettiest tunes that bears the name of Mason.
73
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
SEC. III.]
SECTION III.
Camp-Meetings in 1843, in the West-Cedar Creek Meeting-A Camp- meeting Tour in the East-A Midnight Scene- Frank Wilson's Sermon to Stock-men.
THE year 1843 was distinguished for the large number of camp-meetings held, and the success attending these meetings. Early in the spring, a meeting was appointed at the Spanish Springs, below Egypt, but could not be held, owing to the excessive rains. Later in the summer, a meeting was held there, at which there were between forty and fifty conversions. A shed was erected, and extensive preparations made for a camp-meeting on Walker's Creek, in Grimes County, but, owing to excessive rains, the meet- ing was not very successful. Meetings were held at Bas- trop, Rutersville, and the Waugh camp-grounds. The neighborhood of Cedar Creek (near Chappell Hill) was rapidly rising into importance. Among the first settlers the Messrs. Stevenson, Hubert, the Chappells, Hargrove, Kesee, Reavill, King, and others, were Methodists. A camp- meeting commenced at Cedar Creek on the 19th of October. There were eleven preachers present. Of these Messrs. Clark (P. E.), Kinney, Richardson, and Haynie have passed away. Messrs. Alexander, Fisher, Whipple, De Vilbliss, and the author, among the travelling preachers, are still living. The preaching was of a very superior order ; indeed, we never heard it excelled. The church received an im- petus at this meeting, which soon placed Chappell Hill among the foremost appointments in Texas. At this period, when our population was comparatively sparse and our meeting-houses small, camp-meetings were a necessity. These occasions brought out the entire population for
74
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
[CHAP. III.
many, many miles around, and the circumstances were well calculated to produce a profound impression upon the assembled multitudes. Preachers and people were engaged in singing, praying, exhorting, and close personal religious conversation, until the whole atmosphere became pervaded with a devotional spirit. Scenes witnessed on such occa- sions produced impressions never to be forgotten. We recollect one of these meetings held in one of the beautiful valleys of the Colorado. Throughout the holy Sabbath the services had been of an unusually serious and solemn char- acter ; toward sunset, groups of men and women had re- tired to the woods assigned to each for secret prayer; the woods surrounding the encampment were resonant with the songs of Zion. As the services commenced at the stand after nightfall, the writer and a brother walked some distance from the camp, and partially forgot themselves amid the enchanting scenes. When we retraced our steps the sermon was over. As we drew near, the light from the pine-knots glared strongly in the faces of the people, reveal- ing apparently their inmost thoughts. A solemnity like that of the grave sat upon every countenance, and every eye was directed toward the venerable form of the minister occupying the stand. They were singing. The entire con- gregation was singing, " And must I be to judgment brought," to the chorus, "We are passing away to the great judgment day." Occasionally, above the song, could be heard the trumpet voice of Father Haynie, calling upon sinners to give themselves to Christ. The move of the unconverted toward the altar seemed all but universal. The current of religious feeling ran deeper and wider. Convic- tions were pungent and powerful, conversions sudden and numerous, and Christians were wonderfully blessed that
75
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
SEC. III. ]
night. Such scenes were not uncommon : multitudes in Texas have been recruited into the church through the in- fluence or' camp-meetings.
There were equally successful meetings in the east. In the San Augustine district, Mr. Wilson held eight camp- meetings in succession, in one round on his district. The first of these meetings was held near Crockett, the second on Wolf Creek, in Polk County, the third in Corn Street neighborhood, Jefferson County, the fourth on Little Cow Creek, Newton County, the fifth near San Augustine, the sixth at Milam, the seventh at the Box camp-ground on the Neches, and the last at Fort Houston, Anderson County. All these meetings witnessed a larger or smaller number of conversions. At the Milam meeting there were eighty accessions to the church, and among them an old gentle- man and his wife, over seventy years of age. Brother Frank Wilson was then in his prime. He travelled through rain, swam creeks, slept on the ground, and endured all as un- complainingly as the most robust of the noble band of young men who accompanied him. A correspondent of ours, then on Mr. Wilson's district, gives an incident of the Cow Creek meeting. After the close of services Sunday night, the lights had gone out, the people retired, and every- thing was quiet upon the ground. At midnight Mr. Wilson had the lights rekindled, and the trumpet sounded long and loud. The people came rushing out to see what was the matter, when the elder entered the stand in a flowing robe, his whitened locks falling down upon his shoulders. With an unusual solemnity, which the scene was well cal- culated to inspire, he announced his text, “ And at mid- night there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him." The announcement of such a text
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
[CHAP. III.
at this time, awed the audience into profound and respect- ful attention. As the preacher proceeded, the excitement became intense, and sobs and sighs were frequent in the audience. "He," says our correspondent, " drew a picture of the second coming of Christ, the first intimation of which, he said, would be felt by men in the withdrawal of the influence of the spirit from every unconverted heart, impressing them with the fact that human probation had closed. Jesus leaves his place as mediator, and ascends the throne of judgment. An angel is seen to sweep across the heavens, and blow out the sun, enveloping all in midnight darkness. The graves open; the living are changed; the dead arise. Suddenly there is seen in the East a light brighter than a thousand suns. All exclaim, He comes ! He comes to judgment! The angels crowd around, and the wicked are heard in fruitless appeals to the rocks and mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the face of Him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb." At this point in the discourse the scene
became indescribable and almost insupportable. The screams of the people drowned the preacher's voice, and hundreds fell as though they had been shot. Many of these when they arose were rejoicing in the consciousness of the Saviour's love.
We will give our readers another illustration of Brother Frank Wilson's style of preaching, which we find in an old copy of the "Texas Christian Advocate." He had an ap- pointment to preach to stock-men in a neighborhood where, in the language of the wits, " the calves sucked the wrong cows;" in other words, the brands on the cows and calves did not correspond. The preacher's theme was repentance and restitution. To illustrate its necessity he related an
SEC. III.]
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
anecdote. He said that, while preaching in Kentucky in the days of his youth, a man stole a bell from his neigh- bor's cow. He was in such a hurry he cut the collar. Some weeks after, the thief became convicted of sin and began to seek forgiveness; but wherever he went, and especially when he knelt down to pray, he would hear that bell sounding in his ears. (Here the old gentleman would swing his hand as if ringing a bell, and in a deep twang- ing voice cry dong, dong, dong, in the utmost seriousness, not a muscle of his face moving.) At last the penitent, with bell in hand and collar mended, appeared at the gate of the owner of the cow, and called out, "Here, neighbor, is your bell that I stole; and I have brought it back, for I shall never get forgiveness if I keep it." When the preacher repeated this confession there was such a tone of serious penitence and grief and shame, that, instead of a titter, the people were moved with sympathy for the penitent thief. The preacher then paused, and deliberately looked over the audience as though he would see the effect of his illustra- tion. Then, elevating his voice, he said with great pathos, " If the spirit of awakening was to fall upon this people, and many of you were to commence a life of reform, how many ears would be stunned with the bleating of calves, and how many noses filled with the smoke of burnt cow-hide ?"
The flushed cheeks, the side looks, and startled glances in his audience, showed plainly that this raking fire had not missed its aim. He paused another moment and then said, in a loud whisper, "Don't dodge if you are not hit," and then quietly proceeded with his sermon. Our readers can well imagine the effect of such home thrusts upon an audience.
78
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
[CHAP. 111.
SECTION IV.
Conference in the Fall of 1843-Dream of a London boy-Appoint- ments for 1844-John Clark-Appointments for the two Texas Conferences for 1845.
EXCESSIVE rains fell in Texas during the Fall of 1843. When Bishop Andrew reached Houston, on his way to the seat of the conference at Robinson's Settlement, Mont- gomery (now Walker County), he was assured that it would be all but impossible to proceed. The bishop's reply was, that it was time for a Methodist preacher to stop when he could go no further. Bishop Andrew, in com- pany with Mr. Summers, started, and by virtue of flat- boats, rafts, tall wading, and some swimming, reached Robinson's Settlement in time to open the session, Decem- ber 13th. Notwithstanding the excessive rains and bad condition of the roads, there was a full attendance of preachers. Twelve preachers were received either on trial or by transfer from other conferences. For a list of the preachers, see Appendix A. It would swell the size of our volume too much to give a personal sketch of each one of these recruits, even if we had the data, which we have not. It may not, however, be uninteresting to note an incident or two in the life of one of these young preachers.
James M. Wesson was born in the city of London. While yet a boy, and when he had never been out of the city, he dreamed one night that he was in a strange coun- try, and preaching to a large congregation in the woods. The dream made a vivid impression upon his mind. While yet a lad, James went to sea, and made several voyages. At a time when his ship was in New York, he determined to abandon a sea-faring life, and learn a trade.
79
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
SEC. IV.]
He made his way to Rochester, N. Y., where he was converted, and joined the Church. His great anxiety now was to obtain an education. Baffled in all his plans, he finds his way to Texas, as a soldier, in 1841. At Austin he formed the acquaintance of David Thomas and John Haynie, who gave him great encouragement. In 1842, Mr. Wesson walked forty miles to attend a camp-meeting at Bastrop. He was appointed class-leader at Moore's Fort, by Mr. Haynie, and walked regularly, to hold his class-meetings, a distance of fourteen miles. During the first year of Mr. Wesson's itinerancy, he was invited to a camp-meeting at the old Waugh Camp-Ground. He paid no attention to the appearance of the place until he was in the pulpit to commence services, when, in an instant, the whole scene, with its surroundings, seemed perfectly familiar to him. It was the same he had seen in his dream while a boy in London. For a moment he was almost overpowered, but he rallied, and proceeded with the ser- vices. From that time, Mr. Wesson has never had a doubt of his call to the ministry. He is still in the front rank of Texas itinerants. The following are the appointments for 1844 :
San Augustine District, F. Wilson, P. E .- San Augus- tine and Wesley College, L. Janes ; San Augustine Circuit, Daniel Poe, C. H. Wright; Jasper, J. T. P. Irvine: Lib- erty, James W. Baldridge; Trinity, J. H. Collard; Crock- ett, Milton H. Jones, F. M. Stovall.
Lake Soda District, L. Fowler, P. E .- Shelbyville, Na- than Shook, Jacob H. Crawford; Harrison, Wm. Craig, John C. Woolam ; Henderson, Orin Hatch; Lake Soda, P. W. Hobbs; Nacogdoches, S. A. Williams, H. D. Palmer.
80
METHODISM IN TEXAS.
[CHAP. III
Galveston District, R. Alexander, P. E .- Galveston, John Clark; Houston, Josiah W. Whipple; Brazos, D. N. V. Sullivan ; Montgomery, Isaac Tabor; Huntsville, Wm. C. Lewis, James G. Johnson; Franklin, W. K. Wilson, James M. Wesson ; Nashville, Robert Crawford.
Rutersville District, C. Richardson, P. E .- Bastrop, Daniel Carl; Rutersville, Joseph P. Sneed; Washington, John W. Kinney, Robert B. Wells; Brazoria, O. Fisher; Egypt, H. S. Thrall, W. S. Hamilton; Matagorda, Isaac M. Williams; Gonzales, John W. De Vilbliss.
An admirable pastoral address was sent forth by this conference, written by Mr. Richardson. It earnestly commended stability in religious profession, and an ad- herence to the principles of Methodism, it enjoined the observance of the Sabbath, the regular exercises of family worship, enjoined the instruction of children, and en- forced the duty of yielding a proper support to the Gospel ministry.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.