This Week in Texas Methodist History September 20

 

 

Paul Quillian, Pastor of First Methodist Houston, Honored at Rice Hotel with Banquet of 1200 Attendees, September 20, 1948.

 

Reverend Paul Quillian of First Methodist Houston, was honored on the occasion of his 12 years at First Methodist with a banquet in the Rice Hotel.  There were 1200 attendees.  The program included both Bishop A. Frank Smith and Bishop W. C. Martin, and the presidents of both SMU and Southwester University, Umphrey Lee and J. N. R. Score.

 

Quillian was born in Georgia in 1895.  He graduated from Emory at age 18 and entered the business world.  At age 28 he responded to the call to enter the ministry and enrolled for seminary studies at SMU.  He served churches in Camden and Little Rock, Arkansas, and then was appointed to St. Luke’s Oklahoma City.  In 1936 he came to First Methodist Houston. 

 

Under his leadership the membership grew to 7848 making First Methodist the largest Methodist church in the world.  His sermons were broadcast on radio and he became one of the leading voices of Methodism in Texas.  He was a General Conference delegate in 1934, 1938, 1940, 1944, and 1948. 

 

Quillian was very involved in ecumenical affairs, and in 1947 attended the Methodist Ecumenical Conference in Springfield, Massachusetts, and the organizational meeting of the World Council of Churches in Amsterdam. 

 

While in Amsterdam, Quillian suffered a heart attack.  Although he returned to the pulpit in the fall of 1948, he realized his physical condition called for a less strenuous life.  He therefore accepted a position at Perkins School of Theology to teach young preachers how to preach.  The appointment was to begin January 1, 1950. 

 

He did not live that long.  On March 28 he died in Houston at age 53.  Bishops Smith and Martin once again honored him, this time at his funeral.  On March 29 the Official Board of First Houston began the Paul Quillian Memorial Building Fund.  Almost the entire goal of $100,000 was pledged that night.  The memorial building fund eventually resulted in the construction of Quillian Center in far west Houston.