This Week in Texas Methodist History  February 14

 

Southwestern Christian Advocate Reports on Lon Morris REW  February 16, 1939

 

Methodist colleges in Texas held annual Religious Emphasis Week as part of the regular program of the institution.  They were sometimes scholarly and consisted of lectures, but they were often revivals by a different name. 

 

The February 16 1939 issue of the Southwestern Christian Advocate contained two articles about the event recently held at Lon Morris College.  One article was by the revival preacher, Walter Rabb Willis of Fairfield.  He wrote about the warm reception he received upon his arrival on campus and noted that one “fine young man” consecrated himself to the call of the ministry.  Willis preached at both morning and afternoon services Monday through Friday and also talked to classes and social clubs.

 

The other Advocate article was written by a 17 year old freshman from Arp, John Wesley Hardt, my father.  This is the earliest published item I know of from my father’s career.  He also included the officers who had just been elected for the Spring semester.  He was president, and the Secretary was Martha Carson of Malakoff.  Four years later they would marry. 

 

Willis did not name the “fine young man” who made public his decision to enter the ministry, but family lore provides the name.  It was Burney Cope of Buffalo.  Burney later married Martha’s older sister, Sara Alice, so he was my uncle.  I wrote a tribute to him upon his death which may be found at

https://txmethhistory.blogspot.com/search?q=cope