This Week in Texas Methodist History  Nov. 15

 

A. J. Weeks Promotes Phelan’s Second Volume,  November 1936

 

Thee are are few standard reference works most Texas Methodist historians consult regularly.  Homer Thrall published the first history of Texas Methodism in the 19^th century.  That work was relied upon both documentary sources and his personal recollections.  Thrall transferred from Ohio to the Republic of Texas and cultivated friendships with many of the leaders of the Republic and early statehood periods. 

 

The next author to write a comprehensive history was Macum Phelan.  His History of Methodism in Texas `1817-1866 was published in 1924.   It relied heavily upon Thrall and the various annual conference journals. 

 

Macum Phelan enjoyed good health enough to begin work on a second volume and hoped to have it published in time for the Texas Centennial in 1936.  Unfortunately the Centennial occurred during the Great Depression, and the Publishing House would not publish volume II until it had enough pre-sold enough copies to break even.  Although Texas history is a fascinating topic, the Publishing House assumed that the book would not have universal appeal. 

 

The manuscript was prepared in time for the fall 1936 annual conferences which were held jointly in Houston so attendees could tour the San Jacinto Battlefield.  Alas, not enough copies had been pre-ordered.  A. J. Weeks, editor of the Southwestern Advocate, attended all the conferences in his reportorial capacity and took it upon himself to moonlight as a book salesman. 

 

He took order blanks to the conferences and solicited sales.  Volume II, The Expansion of Methodism in Texas 1867-1902. did not have the sales appeal as volume I, and Weeks returned to Dallas with only about ¼ the necessary pre-sales.  The price was $4.00. 

 

He then pushed the volume in the pages of the Advocate until the Publishing House was satisfied.  Volume II came out in 1937.

 

Thrall and the two Phelan volumes stood as the main comprehensive works on the subject until The Methodist Excitement in Texas was published in 1984.  Financing for Excitement was accomplished by each conference agreeing to buy in quantity and then resell them.  There are still unopened boxes of Excitement in the Texas Conference Archives.