This Week in Texas Methodist History May 1

Tri-Weekly Telegram Calls on Methodists to Take Better Care of Their Houston Cemetery, May 2, 1866

The Civil War years were not kind to Methodist church buildings in Texas and the rest of the South.  As one reads contemporary accounts, one encounters accounts of church buildings in disrepair and congregations unable to repair them.  Less often do we find reports of cemetery conditions.  On May 2, 1866, the editor of the Houston Tri-Weekly Telegram reported on a recent visit to the Episcopal and Methodist cemeteries. 

Here is the report

Our city cemeteries are in a most wretched and dilapidated condition.  We have lately paid a visit to all of them, and find every one of them badly in need of immediate attention.  The palings intended to preserve the beauty of the pemises, are nearly all down, permitting cattle to roam through them, destroying the flowers, the trees, and frequently the tombstones themselves.  This is the case, to a greater or lesser extent, with all the cemeteries, but is particularly so with the Episcopal and Methodist.  The grounds of these latter are exceedingly beautiful by nature, and it is a pity that they are not attended to with more care. If those to whose duty it belongs to give them their supervision, will only enclose them with strong durable palings, little adornment from art will be necessary to render them so beautiful as to make one when contemplating the end, almost, “in love with death.”