This Week in Texas Methodist History  September 8

C. L. Ballard Provides Ammunition Against “Evangelistic Marauders,” September 10, 1903

As last week’s column noted, the turn of the 20^th century was probably the high tide of revivalism in Methodism.  Some Methodists thought it unfair that members of other denominations snatched recent converts into their churches after being saved at Methodist meetings.  

It may have been true that persons converted in the emotional atmosphere of a revival may have been theologically naïve and subject to persuasion by other denominational arguments and must have presented tempting targets to stalwarts of other denominations. 

C. L. Ballard of Sherman thought that recent converts could be kept in the Methodist church if they had proper instruction in the tenets of Methodism.  Accordingly he wrote and self-published a series of books to help the recent convert see the truth of Methodist doctrine.
He placed the following advertisement in the Texas Christian Advocate, September 10, 1903.

You will need . . .to drive away the ecclesiastical marauders who hang around our protracted meetings to proselytize our young converts and church members.   Half our converts are lost to us because they are not taught our doctrine.  This stealing should be stopped.  There is but one way to do it.  Indoctrinate our young people and shoot the thief.  We furnish the guns and ammunition at a small cost and those who have tried these guns say that they work.

Methodist Dynamite; or Immersion Exploded

Wrecks by the Way; or Apostasy Proven

The Polity of the Church Vindicated; or The Itinerancy Contrasted with Congregationalism

Sledge Hammer on Baptist Succession; or The Unbroken Chain Broken.

All available for $1.30 post paid to C. L. Ballard, Sherman, Texas.