This Week in Texas Methodist History January 28

Orceneth Fisher Asks Holland McTyeire for Help Against "Shavers"  1851

Did you ever wonder how Methodists supported their missions?  There was no national banking system.  There were no peer-to-peer apps on cell phones.   Checking Accounts?  Still not in common use.    Money usually consisted as coin--including British and Spanish coin.  Many Texans relied on a system of barter and IOU's, Methodists were often quite generous in supporting missionaries, but how to get the money from the donor to the missionary was always a problem.  One should remember that until annexation, donations to Texas Missions meant an international transaction. 

The usual solution was to send a draft to the missionary.  The draft would say something like "this draft may be presented in New York and redeemed for $100.  Imagine yourself as a merchant in some small Texas city like Liberty or San Augustine.  A man you don't know walks into your store and asks for provisions and offers to pay you with a draft payable in New York countersigned by a bishop who lived in Ohio Naturally you would be suspicious--and rightly so.  Even if you sold the goods, you would certainly not accept the draft at face value.  You would demand a discount.   The Texas merchant would then send the draft to his "factor" in New Orleans.  The factor acted in the business interests on behalf to the merchant, and he would also demand a discount from the face value.  

In 1851 Orceneth Fisher, Presiding Elder of the San Austine District of the East Texas Conference of the MECS wrote Holland McTyeire of New Orleans asking him to find merchants in New Orleans who would accept the drafts at face value.  (called "par").   He reported being under considerable embarrassment because of the shaving of the drafts by New Orleans merchants.  He complained about the 1% discount he had to endure.  His arguments to McTyeire were that the Missionary Society had never repudiated its debt.  Its drafts were as good as currency.  (Fisher didn't say it but Missionary Society drafts were actually better than most bank drafts of the era.)  He also appealed to the spirit of Christian charity that at least a few New Orleans factors should embrace. 

Fisher also complained about the poverty of the preachers in his district which ran from Jefferson to Beaumont.   The harvests had been bad.  The preachers were always paid last, and if a preacher complained about not getting his salary he was criticized as being "mercenary".  

Both Fisher and McTyeire went on to greater prominence.  Fisher became one of the pioneer preachers of Pacific Coast.  McTyeire was elected bishop in1866.  His wife was the cousin of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt.  That was the connection that sparked the donation that created Vanderbilt University.  McTyeire charied the Board of Trustees.