This Week in Texas Methodist History  Dec. 2

Texas Conference Meets Jacksonville, Accepts Ordination Credential from Other Branches of Methodism, December 1-5, 1909

Bishop Joseph Key presided over the seventieth session of the Texas Conference of the MECS when it met at Jacksonville, December 1-5, 1909.   Among the business items was a resolution honoring Bishop Seth Ward after his death in Japan.  Ward had been a member of the conference and the first native born Texas to achieve the office of bishop.

It granted deacon and elder orders to a several candidates for ministry. It also accepted transfers from a large number of other MECS conferences (Pacific (2), Los Angeles, Montana (2), Missouri, Louisiana (2), Alabama, North Texas,  St. Louis, Mexican Border, North West Texas, West Texas, New Mexico). 

In another action which was common then but fairly uncommon now, it accepted ordination credential from J. F. Henderson of the Free Methodist Church, and E. W. Bostick and S. B. Cherry of the Congregational church.

What is going on?  How could the Texas Conference absorb so many new preachers.  For those of you unfamiliar with the system, conference membership ensures an appointment (except under very special circumstances.)   

Part of the reason is that the portion of Texas embraced by the Texas Conference did experience significant population growth during the first decade of the 20^th century.   The discovery of petroleum deposits at Spindletop in Jefferson County led to a flurry of exploration in the coastal regions of Texas and Louisiana which shared the same salt dome geology of Spindletop.  In addition to the petroleum activity, the coastal plain was also being developed agriculturally.  Early settlers had avoided the poorly drained malarial lands, but in the 20^th century mechanization allowed the construction of drainage systems.   The coastal plains blossomed.  

The other part of the Texas Conference contained the heart of the Texas timber industry, and it shared the boom times as the petroleum industry provided a huge market for lumber.  The derricks were wooden, and some oil fields were so marshy that plank roads were necessary.  Appointments for 1909 show dozens of “sawmill” circuits with as many as 6 little churches serving that number of company sawmill towns throughout the timber belt. 

Some of the transfers were preachers who had followed the westward migration to California and now were returning to their Texas roots. 

How about the three men whose ordinations by other branches of Methodist were accepted?   A preacher from another denomination could become a MECS preacher fairly easily.  He would meet with a Presiding Elder who would interview him about his theology.   If he could sign the following, “I agree with the teachings and government of the MECS,” his request to join the conference could go to the annual conference for a vote.    

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