This Week in Texas Methodist History  February 7

 

Texas Methodists Hold Events in Anticipation of Aldersgate Bicentennial   February 1938

 

Texas Methodists of previous eras have delighted in celebrating centennials and bicentennials.  In 1884 a grand celebration was held in Baltimore to celebrate the Christmas Conference of 1784 at which the MEC was founded.  In 1919 the Centenary Campaign conducted a massive fund raising effort to celebrate the centennial of the first officially appointed missionary.  In 1934 Texas Methodists met in San Antonio to celebrate the centennial of their perceived centennial of Texas Methodism in 1834.    Just two years later, the conferences met jointly in Houston to celebrate the Texas Centennial and tour the San Jacinto Battleground.  Just 2 years after that Texans participated in the denominational celebration of the bicentennial of John Wesley’s Aldersgate experience in 1738. 

The evening when Wesley’s heart was “strangely warmed” was seen as the real beginning of the Methodist movement even though formal organization took place decades later.

 

In early 1938, as soon as Advent observances were concluded, Methodist congregations began looking forward to the actual bicentennial which would occur in May.  Regional rallies were planned for Fort Worth on Feb. 23, Houston on Feb. 24, San Antonio Feb. 25, El Paso March 1, Amarillo March 3, Oklahoma City March 3m and Dallas March 4.   Although each was conference-wide, this was just the opening act for the big show that would occur in May. 

 

The Jacksonville District of the Texas Conference held an all day Aldersgate Rally in Palestine on January 27.  About a month later on Feb. 22, all the pastors in the district met at Jacksonville to report on what Aldersgate celebration plans were underway. 

 

Local churches also planned special events.  At Pasadena, Rev. Marvin Vance conducted a class meeting.  Class meetings had once been a requirement for Methodist membership, but had long since been discarded.  Participants of class meetings were instructed to consider the state of their soul and share publicly in the interest of seeping their spiritual life. 

 

At Kountze Rev. W. B. Moon packed up some of his laity on the last Sunday in January and held 5 services in one day in five of the circuit churches.  West Nona at 10:00;  Honey Island at 11:00; Warren at 2:30, Village Mills at 4:00; and back to Kountze at 7:45. 

 

Students at Methodist schools took part in the effort.  At Southwestern University the mandatory chapel services began programs on the life of John Wesley.  At Texas Wesleyan pre-ministerial students went to area churches including Arlington Heights, Boulevard, Riverside, and Forest Hill.  At the University of San Antonio, Marshall Steel of Highland Park in Dallas, came to preach tor Religious Emphasis Week.

 

The celebrations of 1934, 1936, and 1938 brought Methodists together across conference lines and helped create a since of common identity.  One expression of that identity was the Texas Methodist Foundation.