This Week in Texas Methodist History March 22

Methodists Participate in City Wide   “Go to Church Campaign” in Teague, March 1920

There is more than $60,000 invested in church buildings and property in Teague, and at least $8,000 per year paid to ministers of the gospel, and yet---get this---the average attendance at the ser vices of these churches is less than 250 people.  Think of this!  It at once becomes deplorable.

So wrote the editor of the Teague Chronicle in the March 26, 1920 issue.  The solution was a Go-to-Church movement which was formed by the cooperation of five of the churches in Teague. 

Much has been made of denominational rivalry, but by the early 20^th century more and more interdenominational associations were forming among Protestant churches.  To be sure the “mainline” churches remained hostile to Roman Catholics, Adventists, and Pentecostal groups but Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians often worked together. 

Part of reason was that the denominations had often cooperated in the Prohibition effort.  They had worked together to stamp out Demon Rum, and found friendships across church lines. 

Ministerial associations actually date to the Republic of Texas era when Protestant ministers of Houston banded together.  There were so many con artists posing as preachers coming to the newly created city of Houston that the legitimate preachers needed to protect the integrity of the profession.

As circuits morphed into stations and Methodist pastors began staying more than one year in an appointment, preachers were more likely to become more community minded, form friendships with other pastors and work together.

The Go-to-Church campaign in Teague consisted of the pastors of First Methodist (MEC), First Baptist, First Christian, First Presbyterian, and the Methodist Protestant churches.   The MECS pastor was F. D. Dawson (Ferd) the first of a multi-generational preacher family with that name. 

The Campaign was typical of the era in that friendly competition would drive the event.  Members of all five churches were arbitrarily dived into Red and Blue teams –the “Hustlers” and the “Rustlers”  with a general chair of each team.  A lay woman and lay man from each of the five churches would be named captain to organize evangelistic visits to every house in town.  The team that brought in the most improved attendance would win a prize---the honor of hosting a picnic for all at the end of the campaign. 

The Chronicle editor made sure to point out that the campaign was strictly local and had nothing to do with the Interchurch Movement.  (see previous posts for Interchurch Movement)