Echoes from the Past

Brochure of historical information and stories about the Presbyterian church in the southern United States, presented at the 1936 Spring meeting of the Presbytery of Brazos in old First Church, Galveston.

Transcribed text

_The following text was extracted via OCR from the digitized scan held by The Portal to Texas History (UNT Libraries). OCR can introduce errors, especially on handwritten material; the canonical record links to the original scan._

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Echoes from he Pas A Brochure of Brief Historical Sketches connected with Presby terianism in the South, and its God-given work in the world. Presented to the Presbytery of Brazos, April 14-16, 1936, by the Hostess Churches: VALDESE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Rev. Arturo D'Albergo, Pastor WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Rev. Burton Riddle, Pastor FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Rev. Wil R. Johnson, D. D., Pastor "What hath God wrought." Num. 23:23

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Patrons' Tage The success and blessing of this Spring Meeting of Brazos Presbytery, in First Presbyterian Church, April 14-16, 1936, has been made possible by the hearty co-operation and practical interest of the following firms and individuals, revealed in their contributions to its need:

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IN PRESENTING this brochure, as a memento of the 1936 Spring meeting of the Presbytery of Brazos, in old First Church, Galveston, we do so with a deep sense of its limitations, and our own unfitness for the role of historian. From all who may find room for criticism, and we are conscious that plenty such exists, we plead for mercy, on the grounds that we did the best we knew how, with the time, talents and material at our disposal. Inaccuracies will be found to abound, in matters of detail especially. For these we crave indulgence. Our only defence is that we have quoted from others, able to speak with far greater author- ity than we. The production of even such a limited work as this would not have been possible without the willing-hearted and efficient help of many, among whom were Dr. S. M. Tenney, Revs. A. W. McGuire, Malcolm Purcell, and those whose names are ap- pended to the various historical sketches. Others giving invaluable help were those named on the Patrons' Page, and the local com- mittee appointed to gather historical data: Mesdames J. D. Knox (Chairman), C. D. Adriance, John Hanna, J. E. Mitchell, and In such a spirit of thanksgiving and humility, we send forth this booklet, with the earnest prayer that it may glorify the Great Head of the Church, by quickening the interest of many and bringing blessing to some, as they are reminded of the heritage to which they have fallen heir.

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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Galveston, Texas

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Brief History of Galveston G ALVESTON is one of the oldest cities in Texas, and in serving under six flags, the performances of her citizens have enriched the pages of Texas La Salle discovered the island in 1666 and named it San Luis in honor of his French Sovereign, but it remained unoccupied except by roving bands of Indians known as the Caronkaways. Early in the Eighteenth Century all -of Mexico, Texas included, passed into possession of Spain and, in 1777, the island was occupied temporarily by troops of Count Bernardo de Galvez, Governor General of the Spanish possessions in America, known as the Pro- vince of Louisiana. In honor of the Spanish nobleman, the island was given the name Galvez, being changed in later years to Galveston. Jean Lafitte, the notorious pirate chief, claimed Galveston for his headquarters in 1816 and made it a rendezvous for his ships and men until his depredations on the Spanish main embarrassed the Government of the United States to such an extent that he was prevailed upon in 1 821 to remove his base of operations to a point fur- ther southward. No sooner had the ships of Lafitte cleared from the harbor than American pioneers began to arrive upon the island and 'by 1830 a fair sized settlement had been established. The city of Galveston was founded by Colonel Michael B. Menard, a Canadian, who came south at the age of twenty-five to seek a fortune. Menard

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exerted a strange power over the Indian tribes. By bringing this influence to bear during the Texas war of independence from Mexico, he was able to aid the Texas armies in many instances. At the conclusion of the war (April 21, 1 836) Menard purchased from the new republic one league of land, comprising the eastern end of Galveston Island; he then organized the Galveston City Company of which he became president and, after platting the townsite and laying out the streets, he set aside suitable sites for schools, hospitals, parks and public buildings. Menard was a civil engineer by trade and Galveston's wide streets show unmistakable evidence of his skill and remarkable vision. According to old records the earliest movement of traffic through the port took place in 1832, by which time a small settlement comprising about 300 people existed on the island. Sailing ships from the north Atlantic coast brought in foodstuffs and manufactured goods and departed with parcels of hides, pelts, wool, mohair, cattle and other farm products. Many such shipments were barged down to the island via rivers and bayous, while others were transported to Galveston bayshore by ox carts and transferred to the island by rafts and row boats. Thus, Galveston originally was a trading post, from which it was later transformed into a port and an important distributing center. Gail Borden, of canned milk fame, and a prominent figure in Galveston's early history, served as first customs collector of the port, relinquishing the position at the end of nine years, in order to devote all of his time to a milk condensing process. The real economic development of Galveston was slow in coming and it was not until 1889 that the claims of the port received Federal recognition. This came as a result of demands on the part of the Southwest producers who were in need of an outlet nearer the fields of production. Once started, the work was carried on as rapidly as possible and in 1896 the first work was completed. In the latter part of 1837 Galveston had been made a port of entry. In 1 83 8 the first wharf was constructed between 10th and 11 th streets. Since this early venture the port has grown to be known throughout the world as one of the most important ports on the Gulf Coast and the city has become na- tionally famous as a commercial center and resort city. During the Civil War, Galveston was the most important city in the state; it was the port of entry through which flowed a constant stream of sup- plies and was the great market for cotton and other farm products. In 1859 the Federal Government planned to fortify Pelican Spit just across the channel from the city and by the time Texas seceded, had built three houses to serve as a garrison. No fortifications had been constructed, but when the Confederacy took charge, earthworks were thrown up and several guns mounted. The lo- cation was manned by Confederate troops as well as the east end of the city, which was also fortified. At the foot of 17th Street and on the Gulf near Tre- mont Street, small protective works were provided. The southern forces impro- vised warships from the sidewheeler General Rusk, a ship of the Morgan Line fleet and the schooner Royal Yacht, and these two craft operated in and out of Galveston for some time. The island fortifications were fired upon by the Federal warship South Carolina. On October 5, 1862, a federal fleet appeared off the island and after firing on the city moved into the harbor. Confederate

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forces were withdrawn to Virginia Point and Galveston was captured. A greater part of the civilian population had moved to points of the interior and business except that in connection with the armies was at an absolute stand- still. The city remained in the hands of the U. S. Navy for nearly three months and then General J. B. Magruder of the Confederate armies, in a combined rail and water attack, recaptured the city on January 1, 1863. Today, Galveston is amply protected from foreign invasion by three large government fortifications. Following the disastrous storm of 1900, Galveston originated the Com- mission Form of Government which has been widely adopted by cities through- out the United States. The next step in the development of the city was the building of a gi- gantic seawall 7 / miles long fronting the city, a causeway 2 miles long connecting the island with the mainland, and the grade raising plan. The present population of Galveston is 55,000, and, in every respect, it is a modern American city, with the usual paved streets, beautiful tropical foli- age, modern schools, churches, residences and commercial establishments. The city is forging ahead in every department. The port is well established and growing in importance every year. Industrial plants of national fame have headquarters here and the praises of the resort are being sung in all parts of the nation. GA.VESTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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Rev. P. H. Fullenwider

Rev. John McCullough

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Galvegton Presbyterianism The preparation of this history has been prompted by several events of more than ordinary historical interest. This is the only excuse for attempting to do again what has already been several times better done by men far more qualified to speak with authority than the present writer. 1936 is the year, long anticipated, and destined to be long remembered, of Texas independence. Every loyal Texan is interested and helping. "History- mindedness" is today a universal Texas experience-and Galveston is a very historical spot. 1936 is the Diamond Jubilee of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. All through the Southland hundreds of congregations and hundreds of thousands of church members are concentrating their spiritual and temporal resources upon the challenge of a fitting celebration of 75 years of sacrificial and successful service for Christ, at home and abroad. This church has no wish. nor will to be one whit behind any in this laudable effort. 1936, according to very credible tradition, is also the Centennial of the beginning of Presbyterianism in Texas-and it began in this city by the sea. 1936 is also the occasion of the spring meeting of Brazos Presbytery, on April 14, in First Presbyterian Church, Galveston, upon the invitation of First, Westminster and Valdese Presbyterian Churches. This meeting has special his- torical significance because it is the first regular meeting of the united Brazos and East Texas Presbyteries. This union was decided upon by the said presbyteries last year, and confirmed by Synod, meeting at San Angelo, Texas, in the fall of 1935. This church has entertained Synod twice, November 4, 1886, and No- vember 11, 19111, fifty and twenty-five years ago. Presbytery has also met here a number of times. But never has any church court met with us under such auspicious circumstances as this. Brief histories of these various features have been prepared, and it is hoped that all will contribute to the interest centered in this church, and our sister churches, at this time. rAccording to generally accepted tradition, the first Protestant sermon was preached in Galveston, in 1836, probably soon after the declaration of independence. Prior to that time any but Roman Catholic services were prohibited. The tradition has its root in several more or less authentic sources, and seems to have been extant as early as 1 83 8. There is no reason to doubt its truth. The preacher was Rev. Henry Reid, "a member of Hopewell Presbytery, Georgia. He had been located at Augusta, Ga., and was still a member of this presbytery 'without charge' in 1836," ac- cording to Dr. S. M. Tenney, Curator of the Presbyterian Historical Founda- tion. The service was held near the .old Navy Yard, located on the flats, at the foot of 24th Street. Whether Mr. Reid preached more than once, we are not in- formed, but it is probable that he did, inasmuch as he was in the vicinity for several years. Doubtless he met, and knew more or less intimately, an earlier

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pioneer, Fullenwider, who came to Texas as early as 183 1, but apparently did not engage in any specially active public ministry, owing to the legal restrictions of the period. Concerning the tradition of the first sermon in Galveston, Dr. Tenney has this to say: "We have given considerable time to this subject, consulting 25 or more authorities. We tried our best to definitely trace Mr. Reid to Galveston for the year 18 3 6, but failed. We have no clear record of where he spent 18 3 5, 1836 or 1838. Howe, in his history of the Presbyterian Church of S. C., speaks of him as a wandering character. I make it all out about this way. Reid went to Texas first some time about 1835. Possibly his family went with him, for they got there. Then he returned to Mississippi, and was received into Tom- beckbee presbytery in the fall of 1837, and given permission to serve a Church. He was still a member of that presbytery in 1839." That he returned to Texas in the latter part of 1837 seems likely. If this reasoning is correct, as it appears to be, the tradition that he preached his first sermon in Galveston in 1836 is worthy of trust. Mr. Reid, according to Dr. Howe, was a man of strong feelings, and an original thinker. But because of his obstinate prejudices and satirical powers was a bitter controversialist. His life in Texas was truly a sad one. When the Presbytery of Brazos was organized he wrote his desire to be a member. But he was not admitted at that time, and we have no record that he ever renewed his application. He occupied his time in preaching and teaching as opportunity of- fered. In the Spring of 1842 he opened in Houston the first public school in Texas. On Christmas Day, 1841, his son, John R. Reid, a prominent attorney in Houston, and an active Christian, died. In less than a year, his only daughter, Mrs. L. H. S. Ewing, followed her brother. On April 8, 1844 his wife died also. After this last bereavement the following lines were written by the grief stricken man and published in the newspapers: "Forbear, my friends, forbear! And ask no more When all my cheerful airs are fled. Why will ye make me talk my torments o'er? My wife, my children, all are dead." Later he returned to South Carolina. the land of his early days. In Howe's history this is said of the wandering preacher's last years: Mr. Reid had preached at Hopewell, S. C., in his best days, and had been a successful teacher of youth. Now, after many wanderings, and having buried all his family in Texas, he returned here to die in this little obscure church of his old age in 1852. Thus he quietly closed a life of more than sixty years, most of which was spent in "journeyings often" in his labors for Christ. Dr. R. P. Bunting read a short history of First Presbyterian Church to his congregation at the evening service February 24, 1889, upon the occasion of the dedication of the present Church building. From this old manuscript we quote: "The second Presbyterian sermon preached in Galveston, was by the Rev. W. Y. Allen of the Presbytery of South Alabama. He landed during the last week in March, 1838. He was chaplain to the House of Representatives of the Republic, at Houston, until the adjournment in May. During the summer, he repeatedly visited the island and preached whenever an opportunity presented.

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Services were usually held in the Old Navy Yard or aboard the brig Potomac. From June to October of 1838 he was the only minister within 100 miles of the coast. Returning to Alabama early in the fall of the year he was ordained as an evangelist. On his way back to the Republic he met Rev. John McCul- lough, of the Presbytery of Newton, in New Orleans, and they came in com- pany to Galveston. Both proceeded directly to Houston, where Mr. McCullough was chaplain to the Senate, and Mr. Allen to the House." (This suggests to us something of the intimate association between Presbyterianism and Texas in the days of its early history.) On adjournment in the spring of 1839, Mr. McCullough came to Galveston, and began to preach wherever he found a convenient place, until the City Company erected a house on the northwest corner of Church and 19th Streets. This was used for offices on the ground floor, the upper room being secured for preaching. It was known as "The Academy,'' and sometimes as the Galveston University. Mr. Allen visited him several times, and they labored together. Mr. McCullough faithfully preached and visited among the people, in the fall passing through a severe yellow fever epidemic and standing heroically at his post. First Presbyterian Church: Galveston at this time had a popula- tion of about 3,000, and growing rapidly. Without suitable place for public worship, a meeting of citizens (not a congregational meeting) was held December 1, 1839, for the purpose of meet- ing the need. This meeting appears to have had its inspiration largely in a spirit of gratitude to Mr. McCullough for his self-sacrificing service during the yellow fever epidemic. A sermon was preached by Rev. John McCullough. The meeting was called to order, with Mr. McCullough in the chair. Mr. Gail Borden was appointed secretary. At this time it was decided to proceed with the erection of a Presbyterian Church toward which some $3000 had been subscribed. Nine trustees were chosen. to contract for the building, and superintend its erection. viz: Levi Jones, Wm. H. McCullough, J. C. Shaw, Amasa Turner, Alex Haw- thorn, J. P. Burger, B. A. Sheppard, Stephen Kirkland, and Gail Borden, Jr. The result of that meeting was the beginning of immediate operations for the building of a Church, which was somewhat delayed. The first service was not held until the early part of 1 843. From this event, several interesting features may be noted. Of the $3000 subscribed, Rev. John McCullough secured $ 1000 from "the States." The fact that a Presbyterian Church was decided upon by the citizens is explained, not alone by the presence of a minister of that persuasion being the only one on the ground, but by the following: In a letter written to his father, in Wilmington, N. C., in 1839, Mr. John Jones says: "Our meeting place is found to be so small as not to accommodate one half who desire to go to Church, and therefore we are about to erect a Church. The Presbyterians are about three-fourths of the community of those who go to Church, and I might say six-eighths. What do you think of that?" (Our instinctive reply to this echo from the hoary past is "Times have changed, so has Galveston, and tell it not in Gath, Presbyterians also, we fear.") Some dispute has arisen from time to time as to the oldest Church in Galveston. The foregoing data gives the honor to the First Presby- terian not only as being the first Protestant Church, but the first of any kind.

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A letter from Mrs. Joshua Clark Shaw to her mother, Mrs. Jane Weston. of Eastport, Maine, March 1, 1840, is interesting not only because it goes into detail about Church affairs, but also for this piece of information: "The Pres- byterian meeting house is commenced within a faw rods of our house. Clark is one of the building committee. The Catholics, too, are building a Church." The Presbyterian Church was completed in 1843, the Catholic in 1847. The site of the "Presbyterian meeting house" was the same as that now occupied. On this spot it stood for forty years, like a beacon light to the lost and the Pursuant to public notice, a meeting was convened in the Academy on January 1, 1840, of persons desirous of, and friendly to organizing a Presby- terian Church in Galveston. Rev. John McCullough was appointed to the chair, and Mr. Carroll M. Gahagan secretary. Having definitely decided to adopt the doctrines and usages of the Presbyterian Church, action was taken as follows: We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, do agree to associate ourselves to- gether as a Christian church, to be called "The First Presbyterian Church," in the city of Galveston: Carroll M. Gahagan. Eliza M. Gahagan, from the North- west Dutch Reform Church, New York; Jacob Wyatt Noyes, Fifth Presby- terian Church, Philadelphia: J. Elliott Lillie, First Presbyterian Church, New Orleans; John Kennedy, Second Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia; William Tannahill, North Carolina: Sarah B. Perry, Congregational Church, Provi- dence,- Rhode Island; Henrietta G. Day, Presbyterian Church, New York; Edw. L. Banard, Monroe, Michigan; Jane Trimble, and Elizabeth Walkup. Eighth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia: Alexander Hawthorn, Vicksburg, Miss.; Lucy B. Jones, Henderson, Ky.; Mary B. Crittendon, Lexington, Ky. On January 12, 1840. in a congregational meeting called for the purpose. Carroll M. Gahagan and Edward L. Banard were elected and ordained as ruling elders of the Church. On January 26, Rev. John McCullough was elected pastor for six months. The vote was unanimous, but the time was short. Messrs. H. N. Potter, Gail Borden, Jr., Samuel Slater, W. A Sheppard, and Capt. Perry were appointed to solicit subscriptions to pay the minister. About a month later, Saturday, February 23, 1840, a union sacramental service was held (the first ever held) with about 75 Presbyterian, Methodist and Episcopalian communicants. Several new members were received, some on confession, and others by transfer. At this service, Rev. Daniel Baker preached the sermon, Rev. Wm. L. McCalla administered the sacrament, and Rev. John McCullough presided at the reception of members. Dr. McCalla had but recently come to Texas. He became the founder of what was known as the Galveston University, for which he was given a grant of 20 acres by the City Company. In an old letter, written 1840 to relatives "back east," this mention is made of him: "We have one of the most highly educated, pious and excellent men of the United States, who has come, as he told the people at a meeting, to cast his lot with theirs, to devote to their service what time and talents God had given him, to labor with and among them for their temporal and eternal welfare, and to pour out for them. should it be necessary, his very heart's blood. You have heard of him, no doubt, Rev. William L. McCalla, of Philadelphia. A member

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of his church told an acquaintance of ours that he has the largest and wealthiest church in Philadephia; that he lives in absolute splendor there, and when he first told his people he was coming to Texas, they thought his brain was At the time of the organization of Brazos Presbytery, at Chriesman's School House, near Independence, Washington County, on April 3, 1840, Mr. McCullough reported the organization on January 1, 1840, of First Presby- terian Church, Galveston, with "sixteen members, two ruling elders, six ad- ditions since, and house of worship commenced." At the pastor's request, it was taken under the care of presbytery, being fifth in order of enrollment. Mr. McCullough faithfully discharged the duties of pastor for about fifteen months, leaving the field in July, 1840. The congregation was without preaching for some six months. Then Rev. Isaac J. Henderson, of the Presby- tery of Arkansas, arrived on his way to Washington County. Mr. McCullough being in Galveston, urged Mr. Henderson to go no further, and he remained for two Sundays ministering so acceptably that the congregation unanimously urged him to remain. Consenting, he was elected pastor. At the fall meeting of presby- tery he was received by letter, but the call of the church was not put in his hands until March 6, 1848. This rather strange procedure is apparently ex- plained by the fact that Mr. Henderson soon after made a tour of the States collecting funds for the church building, and the failure of presbytery to secure a quorum at subsequent meetings. About a year after his installation, Mr. Henderson's health failed and he resigned, after an actual pastorate of about eight years, and an official pastorate of one year. For some time following, the church had difficulty in securing a permanent pastor. Dr. Daniel Baker served for six months and asked to be released. His son, Rev. Wm. M. Baker, preached for six months and was offered the pastorate, but declined. Rev. J. S. Heacock filled the pulpit until spring, some seven months. Then Rev. I. J. Henderson was recalled but declined. Rev. W. C. Sommerville began to preach January 1st, 1852, and in June was elected pastor, but declined. Rev. Evander McNair, of Fayetteville, N. C., was then called and the rather discouraging search for a pastor ended, for he accepted, and remained for three years, when impaired health compelled his resignation. Rev. W. W. Sharp filled the pulpit for four months. On February 28, 1855, Rev. Daniel McNair, of Natchez, Miss., was called, accepted, came, and stayed for thirteen years-the longest pastorate up to that time, and surpassed by but two others to date. Dr. R. F. Bunting, the "Fighting Parson," of First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tenn., was called, and arrived with his family on Novem- ber 25, 1868. He resigned Oct. 15, 1879, and the pastoral relationship was dissolved November 15, 1880. No one seemed in a hurry in those "good old days." During this pastorate, the present splendid Church auditorium was commenced, as a result of the pastor's vision of Galveston's future. It was some sixteen years in the building, and before its final dedication, there was great question as to the wisdom of the undertaking. But at last it was completed in triumph, and Dr. Bunting had the joy of being invited to preach the dedicatory sermon February 24, 1889, and "Bunting's Folly" became a splendid monu- ment to his faith and vision.

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Dr. Bunting's successor, Dr. Neander M. Woods, of Norfolk, Va., re- mained only a year. Dr. Wm. N. Scott, of Richmond, Va., followed, the call being put in his hands. at Navasota, April 21, 1882. Probably the best loved of all the pastors of the Church, his ministry continued for nearly 20 years, and the Church enjoyed a long period of peace and prosperity. It was during the pastorate of this able and godly man that the present Church building was completed, and dedicated in February, 1889. "The first move in this direction," quoting from the Galveston News of that date, "was lifting of a debt of $15,- 000 in 1883. In 1886 the ladies undertook to complete the outside of the building. In October, 1887, the work of finishing the interior and preparing everything for occupancy began, and an active canvass in the congregation soon secured the funds needed." The building committee responsible for this splendid piece of work was H. M. Trueheart (chrm) and Messrs. James Sorley, J. E. Wallis, J. M. Heiskell, Dr. West, W. H. Willis, and H. Lee Sellers. Mrs. George Ball was the most generous contributor to this work, and continued her liberality to the end of her life. The pipe organ was built at a cost of $7,000, and the unusually fine memorial windows were also installed at con- siderable cost. Quoting again from the News, they are ''wonderful works of art, surpassed by few windows in the world.' Continuing the narrative of the dedicatory services, the News says, "It has taken a long time, and has cost an immense amount of money, but one can scarcely regret the expenditure of either time or money when seeing the results that have been wrought." The completed work cost about $90,000. One feature of the building which attracted consid- erable attention at the time, was a room fitted up as a mortuary, where bodies could be placed after funeral services, and held until it was convenient for friends or relatives to arrange for burial. That room was where the pastor's study now is. One striking feature of the dedication of the Church was a union communion service at 3 o'clock in the afternoon (similar to that which marked the organization of the Church in 1840). It was the 49th anniversary of that first communion ever held on the island by Protestants, and Christians of every name and denomination were invited. Drs. Scott and Bunting officiated, and distributed the elements to a great congregation of communicants. The old Church building, which had been in constant service for 40 years, was sold eventually to a colored congregation. moved to the western part of the city, and some years later destroyed by fire. Many interesting incidents have been connected with the present building throughout the years. In December 1885, before its completion, the auditorium, was offered to the School Board for use, to meet the emergency caused by the loss of the K school in the great fire which swept forty city blocks, but spared the Church, which is practically fire proof. Partitions were installed, and classes were conducted, until other quarters could be provided. Mrs. V. E. Austin, teacher of the Ida Austin Bible Class, was one of the teachers at that time. The second great trial that came to Galveston, the storm of 1900, did not cause a great deal of damage to the Church property, though this did not pass unscathed by any means. Quite a number of Presbyterians, however, of First and Trueheart Churches, were numbered among the more than 6000 who lost their lives in that tragic happening. Dr. Scott says: ''Twenty-two members of

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First Church were lost. How many Sunday School attendants we do not know." Among the many unusual pieces of work done by the members of the Church, perhaps the most unique was a Chinese Sunday School, held every Sun- day afternoon in the Sunday School auditorium, for a term of several years. There was an enrollment of about 50, and as a result of this work, quite a few united with the Church. Messrs. C. W. Felt and 'M. S. Beard were superin- tendents, and the following taught classes from time to time: Mr. Charlie Allen, Mesdames R. P. Allen, McCullough, M. W. Warren, Chas. Allen, Mag- gie M. Aiken, C. W. Felt, Jessie S. Atchison, W. S. Andrews, and Misses Anna Batts, Callie Allen, Lou McCullough, Flora Reading, Elizabeth Sears, and Sarah Root. After the resignation of Dr. Scott, difficulties arose that very much dis- turbed the Church for some time, and had their culmination during the pas- torate of Rev. Charles E. Sullivan, who remained as pastor for one year. Upon his resignation he organized another Presbyterian Church which operated for some time and then became defunct. The majority of its members eventually came into fellowship with First Church, as also did the members of Fourth Presbyterian Church, of the U. S. A. Assembly, which was having its troubles about the same time. This is a period that the Church is glad to remember dimly, if at all, even as the city makes no effort to keep green the memories of 1900. There are some memories that benefit no one, so "it's a pretty good plan to forget them." Dr. R. M. Hall accepted the call to the pastorate of the Church in 1904, and remained for thirteen years, doing splendid service for Christ and the Church. He is the only surviving member of those who served as Christ's am- bassadors in past years of the Church's history. Dr. Jerome P. Robertson suc- ceeded him, and gave four years of service. This able man was called to his reward early this year. The present pastorate began October, 1922, in response to a call from the Church issued September 24th of that year. Dr. Wil R. Johnson came from Moore Memorial Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tenn. Many changes have been instituted during the fourteen years of the; present pastorate. Materially, the Church building has been almost entirely renovated, from roof to foundation. The old manse was sold and a new one bought. Despite the depression, operation has been possible without making special drives for money. Benevolences have been kept ever before the people, with noted results. This was one of the few Churches of Texas, that accepted the challenge of the Ministers' Annuity Fund, and subscribed its quota. Admini- stratively, marked changes have been quietly brought about. One of the most beneficial, perhaps, is the adoption of the rotary system of officership, not only in the Church, but in the Sunday School. The result has been noticeable in the increasing number of comparatively young men who are leaders in the Church. Spiritually, the results have been far below our hopes, but doubtless according to the measure of our faith and prayers. An average of about 50 new members have been added to the rolls each year, nearly equally divided between those received on profession of faith, and those by letter. The present spiritual out- look is in some respects better, and the signs more encouraging, than for many a year. With a loyal membership of somewhat over 500, and a Session and

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Diaconate of 12 splendid men each, we have the faith to ask great things from God, and attempt great things for Him. TheO of First Presbyterian Church have a history all bOtheir own, and to each will be given brief notice. The Sunday School comes first. It really precedes the Church in point of age. A letter written September 29, 1839, says: "They have a very pretty Sabbath School and a temperance society, which is patronized by most of the respectable men on the island. The Sabbath School has a nice library, and indeed everything seems to be going on well, far better than we should expect in so new a city." The first superintendent was a Mr. Evans, who was succeded in later years by two others of the same name. Mr. H. M. Trueheart was superintendent for many years, longer than any other has served, or can serve, under the rotary system of officership now in operation, which limits the term to two years. Several missionaries and .ministers have come out of its classes. The present en- rollment is about 400. The Ida Austin Bible Class occupies a unique place in the Sun- day School, and deserves special men- 'tion. This class had its birth in - 1884, with a family of four little girls and five small boys. In 1909 there was a general movement throughout the United States to or- - _-ganize Sunday school classes and this was the first organized class in Gal- -,-veston, and at the same time it was christened "The Ida Austin Bible Class" by the suggestion of Dr. John S. Green. Our roster shows that there has been a total membership of over eighteen hundred and from its ranks have gone out three ministers of the Gospel, the sainted Rev. Geo. Ida Austin Bible Class Room Hudson, deceased, missionary to China. Rev. E. Randall Horton, and Rev. Henry Austin, also Miss Anna Lou Greer, registered nurse, to Korea (now Mrs. G. M. Walker). As a result of Mrs. Austin's indefatigable work of labor and love these members have gone from the Bible class well trained and grounded in the Faith of Our Fathers to spread the Gospel message and win souls for Christ. The class motto is "With God everything, without God nothing." On December 28, 1912, the class moved from the auditorium of the church into a beautiful class room which was built and furnished at a cost of about four thousand dollars by one of the cherished members, Mrs. L. Josephine English, in memory of her husband, Mr. T. Wm. English. The architect who planned and supervised the construction of the building without cost was Mr. Donald N. McKenzie, a class member. The cornerstone bears the name "Ida Austin Bible Class, 1884-1912." This room completely furnished was dedicated with most impressive services

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witnessed by a large gathering of God's people. Two of the original members, Miss Ruby Curry, of Rosenberg School Faculty, and Mr. S. Gary Burnett, an elder in the Presbyterian Church of Beaumont, were present. During the World War there went from the class forty-four persons to the service, air, land, and sea. Three Y. M. C. A. men and one trained nurse served in France. The roster contains one gold star in memory of Lieut. Guyton Smith and the first memo- rial tree ever planted in the State of Texas is now growing beautifully in his memory on our classroom lawn. One of the remarkable things about the class is the amount of money that passes through the treasury, the variety of objects for which this money is used, and the way in which it is obtained, by straight- out giving. There is no way of knowing how many of the members are tithers, but it must be true of many. Thousands of dollars have been contributed to missions. In November, 1932, the class was given a charter by the State of Texas, the first to be issued to any Bible Class. The class has been in existence during the ministry of Drs. Bunting, Woods, Scott, Sullivan, Hall, Robertson, and Wil R. Johnson, the present pastor. Jupils are to be found in almost every state in the Union and in various foreign countries. This class has never had but one teacher, Mrs. (V. E. Austin) Ida Lewis Smith Austin. "Truly her mission has been to minister rather than be ministered unto." Another remarkable Sunday School class is one of young women. In 1909 ten young girls were promoted from the class of Mrs. A. F. DeLoach to that of Mr. W. W. Peters, who organized the Philatheas. Mr. Peters was later made pastor of old Trueheart Church, and several teachers followed each other rather too rapidly in the class. At last Mrs. W. C. Rose took command, and under her leadership things began to happen. Among other things the annual rummage sale (the only thing of its kind in connection with our Church) was started, raising as much as $400 in one year for our orphanage at Files Valley, to which the proceeds always go. Another fine piece of work begun was the teaching of the children at Sealy Hospital, which has been carried on continuously under various teachers since 1914. It was begun by a medical student, Sidney Venable, and was taken over by the Philatheas upon the graduation of Mr. Venable and his brother. Miss Mary Sims is now the teacher. Special treats are also provided for these children on special occasions. Mrs. C. D. Adriance taught the class for a short time after the departure of Mrs. Rose in 1922, and was succeeded by Mrs. Ben Reading. Under the latter the class has grown from a membership of 25 to an enrollment of 70. Additional responsibilities have been assumed, such as contributions to home and foreign missions, ministerial. relief, a scholarship in Moody Bible Institute, and the provision of flowers for the Church each Among other classes worthy of mention is a splendid men's class taught for many years by Mr. R. L. Wheat, Assistant Passenger Agent of the Santa Fe Railroad. With an enrollment of about 50 men, it stands by loyally. From this class has come more Church leaders and Sunday School teachers than from any other source. The Women's Work in First Church, as in most churches, has always filled an important place on the program. The first organization of which there is any record was a Ladies' Society, organized in 1869 by Mrs. Bunting, wife of Dr.

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Bunting, at that time pastor, in the little wooden church. It seems to have been purely a devotional and social body. The Ladies' Aid Society was formed by Mrs. Geo. Ball, and probably grew out of the original society, as Mrs. Ball was a charter member of the for- mer. There are no records from 1869 to 1889. Some of the early presidents, were Mesdames Bunting, Ball, Root, Sorley, Joseph, Thomas and Griffin. In 1890 Mrs. McCullough was elected president and held office till 1897. The records from thence on were lost, but were taken up again after the 1900 storm, Mrs. McCullough still being president, and con- tinued as such till 19111. She died in December of that year. Mrs. Griffin was appointed president pro tem. Mrs. H. C. Briscoe was elected in April, 1912. On her resignation in December of the same year, Mrs. P. C. Venable, vice- president, filled the office, and presided till 1914 when Mrs. Sears succeeded her, and was re-elected to office year by year till 1923, when the Society was merged into the Women's Auxiliary as the Ladies' Aid Circle, with Mrs. Alvey as The activities of the Ladies' Aid Society throughout the year show a veritable bee hive of spiritual and charitable endeavor. Among things of special interest we find them deeply concerned in the matter of building a manse in 1896. On February 25, 1901, the church carpet was selected, and bought at a cost of $900. Mr. Riddell advanced the money without interest. The Society had paid for the carpet in full by October 9, 1902. They also furnished a room in the Theological Seminary at Austin, for $25. Through the sale of the Eliza dolls many hundreds of dollars were earned. Many receptions were given, one of which was to Dr. Wm. N. Scott, on a visit to the church just before his death, May 23, 1901. The Women's Missionary Society was organized November 5, 1912, with 35 members. Mrs. N. L. Davis was the first president. The meetings were held once a month for a year, then twice a month. Splendid work was done throughout the years. Clothing and supplies were sent to various mission fields, and at least one scholarship, $100 in the Tex.-Mex. Industrial School at Kingsville, was taken. In .1919 the women of the Missionary Society decided to change the name of the organization, to comply with the wishes of the General Assembly, and call it the Women's Auxiliary. At this time Mrs. C. A. Glenn was elected president and Mrs. John Hanna, vice-president. Since then there has been marked growth in interest, members, knowledge and love for the work. Miss Alvina Tschumy was the first secretary, and Mrs. Geo. B. Ketchum, treasurer of the Auxiliary. Miss Lottie Stavenhagen is the present President of the Aux- iliary. The enrollment is 200 and the budget $1250. The origin of the Young People's work is wrapped in more or less ob- scurity. A clear record can only be traced for about 20 years. During the month of September, 1918, at a regular prayer meeting of what was at that time the Westminster League of the First Presbyterian Church, it was decided to change the name of the Society to that of Young People's Society of Chris- tian Endeavor. There was some discussion as to the feasibility of this, chiefly because Westminster is an old Presbyterian name. HQwever, because Christian

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Endeavor had come to mean so much to the world, it was finally decided to change, and with the old officers still in power, Constitution and By-Laws were drafted, based on the old Westminster Constitution and By-Laws. There were at that time thirty-three members enrolled. With little change this form of organization continued to operate until January 12, 1923, when at the suggestion of Wil. R. Johnson, our new pastor, they completely reorganized, with the signing or re-signing of the pledge by each member. The members present at that meeting all signed the pledge, and were considered Charter mem- bers. They totaled 30. The Standard of Efficiency for Christian Endeavor was adopted as the Society Standard, officers and committee chairmen elected, com- mittee members appointed, and with a committee appointed to draft a new Constitution and By-Laws the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor launched out anew, and under the leadership of Miss Anita Waters did a re- markable piece of work. The membership increased considerably and an im- petus given the whole work which has continued to this day. There are now three thriving groups, senior, intermediate, and junior, with a total enrollment Other organizations of the Church worthy of mention are a fine Boy Scout Troop, under the mastership of Mr. T. McAlister, two splendid Choirs, adult and young people, and an inspiring quarterly meeting of the Men of the Wetminter Presbyterian Church Rev. Burton Riddle, Pastor Westminster Church began in 1874 as a mission Sunday School of the First Presbyterian Church. It met for a number of years in the Avenue "L" school building. Colonel R. R. Lowther was the first superintendent. He was soon succeeded by Mr. H. M. Trueheart, for many years superintendent of the school, which numbered at times nearly 100 pupils, many of whom were led into the membership of the church as the result of faithful instruction. One of the remarkable features of the school was the presence and active cooperation of a lady nearly 80 years of age, "Mother Trueheart." Later interest lagged, but in the spring of 1889 upon the suggestion of the pastor, Dr. W. N. Scott, a committee was appointed by the session to or- ganize a Sabbath School and weekly prayer meeting for the 'West End. A residence was rented on Thirty-sixth Street between I and Broadway. The Sun- day School was organized with 52 members, with Elder A. B. Tuller superin- tendent and Fayette Winston assistant. Mr. Tuller left his impression in the West End mission, scarcely missing a Sunday School session or prayer meeting during all these years, and in a large measure bringing about the organization of this church. A number of members of the First Presbyterian Church rendered efficient service in the work. Soon after the organization of the Sunday School Mr. H. M. Trueheart donated a valuable lot on Broadway near Thirty-sixth Street upon which to erect a suitable house of worship, and in about three years

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a chapel costing about $4,000 was built and named "Memorial Chapel" in honor of "Mother Trueheart." At the fall meeting of the Presbytery of Brazos at Rosenberg. Texas, September 26, 1895, a petition was received, signed by 44 persons, residents of the city of Galveston and associated with the Memorial Chapel, requesting their organization into a church. The request was granted and a commission was ap- pointed to perfect the organization and ordain a pastor. On the evening of October 10, 1895, the Commission accepted six persons on profession of faith and thirty-three by certificate, and organized the Second Presbyterian Church of Galveston. Mr. H. V. Duden was elected, ordained, and installed as ruling elder, and Mr. E. S. Taylor was inducted into the diaconate. Licentiate Henry Austin, Jr., was called as pastor. On October 17, 1895, at a meeting of the congregation the name of the church was changed to "Broadway Memorial Church." Some years later it be- came "The Anne Trueheart Memorial Presbyterian Church." At a congrega- tional meeting on October 28, 1928, by permission of Brazos Presbytery the name was changed to "The Westminster Presbyterian Church." The change of location from the original site to 37th and Q'V2 was made about ten years ago. The following men have served as pastors: Rev. Henry Austin, Jr., Rev. Geo. E. Clothier, Rev. Chas. W. Sydman, Mr. W. W. Peters, Rev. J. C. Gray, D. D., Rev. W. Butler, Rev. M. M. Calloway, Rev. N. G. Nunn, Rev. Bert G. Jones, Rev. M. L. Lathan, Rev. Wm. H. Foster, D. D., Rev. J. T. Davis, Rev. W. A. Nisbet, D. D.. and Rev. Burton Riddle. The Sunday School is well organized. H. D. Meyer is Superintendent and W. G. Denyer Assistant. The Young People of the Church are organized on the "Kingdom Highways" Plan. Miss Helen Fischer is their President. The Intermediates of the Church have their own organization, with William Borden as President. Mrs. W. G. Denyer is President of the Woman's Auxiliary. The President of the Men of the Church is C. A. Anderson. Ruling Elders are T. F. Fischer, Sr., L. L. Mansfield, and T. J. Smith. Sr. The Board of Deacons consists of W. M. Labuzan, Chairman, W. G. Denyer, and T. F. Fischer, Jr. Valdese Presbyterian Church Arturo D'Albergo, Pastor This is the adopted daughter of the First Presbyterian Church. It is a mission for the Italian-speaking Protestants of Galveston, sponsored 'by the General Assembly's Committee of Home Missions, the Presbytery -of Brazos, and First Presbyterian Church. We call this Mission the adopted daughter because she was not born at home, but came from. Italy some forty years ago. and has identified herself as a branch of the Waldensian Church. Although in ;a strange land and handicapped by difference in language, the people kept the Protestant faith. worshipping under the guidance of the

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late Mrs. Marchesi. Feeling clearly led of the Holy Spirit, the present pastor came to Galveston in September of 1 927. He is now entering upon his 27th year as a Presbyterian pastor. In May, 1929, the Valdese Presbyterian Church was organized in this Presbytery. At present the membership is forty-two. On Sunday afternoon and Thursday evening we assemble in the Bible Class Room, where we enjoy the privilege of fellowship under the influence of the Great Comforter and our Lord Jesus Christ. Our services are bi-lingual. The adults need the use of the Italian tongue, while the young people and children share the privileges of worship with the American congregation in Sunday School and Church. In our judgment, this is the most effective method of Christian work among immigrant peoples. In doctrine we are strictly Presbyterian. Twenty-two of us have enrolled in the Bible reading campaign. We praise the Lord for His blessings, and are grateful to the Presbyterian brethren and First Church for their assistance. Old First Church, Galveston, when Dr. Bunting was pastor

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Members, Valdese Presbyterian Church, Galveston, Texas

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Docket for Spring Meeting The Presbytery of Brazos First Presbyterian Church, Galveston TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 14, 1936 10:30 Call to order Fifteen minutes devotional........ Rev. Burton Riddle Roll call Election of officers Report of Program Committee 12:15 Lunch at Church TUESDAY AFTERNOON Announcement of Standing Committees Reports of Commissions Reports of Executive Committees Reports of Permanent Committees 5:30 Picnic Dinner on Beach (weather permitting) TUESDAY EVENING 8:00 Moderator's Sermon Union Sacramental Service

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Docket for Spring Meeting The Presbytery of Brazos First Presbyterian Church, Galveston WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL 15, 1936 9:00 Devotional. . .Rev. J. C. Johnson, Palestine 9:15 Reports of Permanent Committees (continued) Report of Stated Clerk Election of Commissioners to General Assembly Selection of next place of meeting 11:00 Doctrinal Sermon: Sin and Forgiveness Rev. E. F. Deutsch 12:15 Lunch at Church Afternoon Recreation WEDNESDAY EVENING 6:00 Banquet. . . ..... Hon. J. Lutcher Stark, Speaker 8:00 Inspirational Meeting .......... Historical Committee Dr. C. L. King will speak on "Presbyterianism." THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL 16, 1936 9:00 Devotional .....Rev. J. H. Boyce, Gregg Street Mission 9:15 Reports of Standing Committees 11:00 Sermon on Evangelism. . Rev. F. W. Langham, Palestine 12:15 Lunch at Church THURSDAY AFTERNOON 1:30 Unfinished Business

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Churches of Yesteryear Any history of Galveston Presbyterianism would be incomplete without reference to those Churches which were born on the island, lived their day, served their generation and passed into the deepening mists of history. Of these there were three. St. Paul's German Presbyterian Church was organized in April 1857, of German colonists in Texas who came here under the leadership of Prince Solm. Rev. Henry Young was the moving spirit in this new development of Galveston's religious life. He preached his first sermon in the open air to about 1,000 people, near the bayshore, at 15th Street, January 28, 1846. He labored at various other points as well as Galveston, until the organization of the local Church. He became its pastor and continued until his death, in 1901, at the age of 84. He spent 55 years of sacrificial and fruitful ministry in Texas. The Church and parochial school built under his direction was located on the south side of Ave. H, between 17th and 18th Streets. The Church building was twice destroyed, once in the fire of 1885 and again in the storm of 1900. St. Paul's was one of the three Presbyterian Churches in Texas that continued with the Presbyterian Church, U. S. A., at the time of the great wartime di- vision of various denominations. It was dissolved April 5, 1909, some time after the death of Rev. Mr. Young. This dissolution came as the result of the passing away of most of the older members, and the preference of their de- scendants for the American services. Most of the surviving members united with and became loyal supporters of First Church. Names such as Angerhoffer, Rhode, Seidenstricker, and others are still honored among us. Central Presbyterian Church was organized after the dissolution of the pastoral relations between Rev. Charles E. Sullivan and First Church, in 1903. The church was located between 21st and 22nd on J. Mr. Sullivan remained as pastor for about a year, and was succeeded by Rev. John Black Hudson, whose pastorate lasted about two years, Upon his call to Victoria (where he min- istered until his death) Central Church was dissolved, and the membership generally united with First Church. The Fourth Presbyterian Church, U. S. A., (in its later years known as Central Church) was organized January 24, 1897. In March 1898 the prop- erty at 2120 Ave. G, known as the Arion Hall, was purchased and extensively remodeled. One of the outstanding features of the religious life of the city during most of the years of the Church's existence was a Thanksgiving morning sunrise service conducted by the Christian Endeavor Society. This was parti- cipated in by the Young People's Societies of the other Churches of the City. After an active existence of a quarter of a century, a combination of circum- stances caused it to be thought best to close the work. The organization was therefore dissolved September 13, 1922. The property was sold to the Knights of Pythias, by whom it is now occupied. Practically all of its resident members united with First Church. Some of our most active members trace the beginning of their Christian life to the ministry of Fourth Church. Dr. J. L. Dickens, now of Brazos Presbytery, was one of its latest pastors.

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"Dead-Yet Speaking" Rev. W. Y. Allen, whose name and ministry are an integral part of the early history of Presbyterianism in Texas, and who first preached in Galveston the last week in March 1 8 3 8 (the second presbyterian sermon preached on the island) and held services a number of times during the next year, has left many precious mementos of his ministry. One of these, the manuscript of the first sacramental service ever administered by him, and the first in Houston, w:th the newly formed church of ten members, is herewith published. It was preached, on April 14. 1839, at 4 p. m. The sermon, without a text, (unless Matt. 26:26-30, Luke 22:14-20 and I Cor. 11:23-30, quoted in the course of its deliverance, be so designated) follows. May it be both interesting and a bless- ing to all: It has already been announced that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was to be celebrated today. Several circumstances combine to make it an oc- casion of peculiar interest to those who may participate, as well as those who may be but spectators of the service. One circumstance of this kind is, that it is the first time that this solem- nity will have been observed in this community. The war dance of the savage may, for ought we know, have been held on this ground. The orgies of Bacchus, we know, have been often witnessed, and the anniversaries of great national events have been observed, with the design of keeping upa vivid remem- brance of those events, and of the great names so intimately associated with them. But never has the event, of all other single events the most deeply in- teresting to our world and to each of us individually-an event, combining more sublimity, benevolence, true heroism, and umparalleled self-denial, the death of the Savior of the world-been publicly celebrated on this ground. Another circumstance is calculated to throw around this occasion a feeling of peculiar interest. It is that perhaps not more than two of us have ever been permitted to participate in this solemn service around the same table. Here we are gathered from distant places and from different circles, about to testify our respect for our Savior's dying command, "Do this in remembrance of Me." Our thoughts will doubtless recur to the scenes of other days and other similar solemnities; but we should be careful to let them run back and cluster about that affecting scene in the large "upper room" where the last Passover was kept by the Savior and His disciples, before He suffered; and if they wander thence let it be to Gethsemane and Calvary, to the tomb of Joseph, and especially let them fix upon that everlasting love for our perishing guilty world, that prompted our Savior to submit to those awful sufferings which we are called upon this day to remember. And to many of those who intend to be mere spectators, this will doubt- less be an occasion of recalling many interesting, perhaps tender associations. Your mind's eye will wander back to the scenes of home, to the church where your fathers worshipped, to the communion table where you have often seen a tender mother and affectionate sister and cherished friends gather to receive from the hands of the minister the emblems of the broken body and the shed

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blood-that minister whom you were taught to revere, whose instructions you were taught to prize, and by whom you were consecrated to the God of your fathers in holy baptism. May you think of the vows of God that were upon you and of your obligation to redeem them, assumed as they were, in the tenderness of parental solicitude for your present and eternal welfare-obliga- tions, perhaps, enforced by the dying injunctions of some sainted parent or friend, when about to bid adieu to the trials of earth, and the privileges and ordinances of this state of probation, and to go "to be for ever with the Lord." Is it asked now by your children, or by those who are merely here to see or hear of the solemnity we are called upon to observe today, "What mean ye by this service?" It may be answered- First, it is a "simple" and significant memorial of one who has loved us. (1 Cor. 11:23-30). It is "simple" because the familiar elements of bread and wine are alone employed in the service. There is no physical change in these common and familiar substances, no mystery in the !mere acts of eating bread and drinking wine associating with those simple acts the command of the Savior, "Do this in remembrance of Me." In remembrance of His love, of the proofs He gave of that love, of His humiliation from His original inherent and exalted quality with God, to the condition of weakness and degradation, and suffering of guilty and condemned sinners. In such remembrance there is much to exhibit the love of Christ and the odious and ruinous nature of sin. If it cost a being of so much dignity and excellence and innocence as the Lord Jesus Christ, so much humiliation and re- proach and degradation and bodily and mental suffering, as is indicated by the history of his birth, and life and labors, and persecution and agony and death, (considering His two natures) in order to expiate the guilt of those whose sins He bore, and whose sorrows He assumed, then truly that was love, such as only a God could manifest, and that was guilt which only a God could appreciate or expiate. And hence it is said, "Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends" etc. "God commended His love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Of such love, then, is this our service, a memorial-and a significant memorial, because the broken bread fitly represents his bruised and lacerated body, and the wine poured out, the blood which He shed for the life of the While we eat the bread and drink the wine as emblems of His body and blood, we may well remember Him whom we have pierced, and mourn-and at the same time say "My flesh is meat indeed and My blood is drink indeed." Therefore, eat and live and rejoice forever. It is, second, a thanksgiving service. It is sometimes denominated "The Eucharist," from a word used by our Savior in the institution of the rite; "and He took bread and gave thanks," etc. Matt 26:26. The feast of the Passover. which in many respects this resembles, was a feast of thanksgiving. By the observation of the Passover the mighty works of power and goodness wrought for their fathers in Egypt were kept in remembrance through succeeding gen- erations, and by it, especially by the wine used at the close of the feast, were they reminded of their obligations to everlasting gratitude to the God of their

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fathers for the mighty deliverance He had wrought, as well as for the covenant blessings He had conferred upon them as a nation. And when should our grati- tude be more intense than when especially reminded of the amazing goodness of God in the gift of His Son and of the love of the Savior, by a "service" which represents Him "evidently set forth crucified" before our minds for our sins, which represents Him as loving us with a love stronger than death? "For as often as ye eat this bread and drink" etc. It is, third, a sacramental service, from a word which signifies an oath or covenant, or vow, derived from a practice in the Roman armies in which ac- companied with a peculiar ceremony, the soldier bound himself by an oath to preserve an unalterable fidelity to his leader. The oath and ceremony were called the soldier's sacramentum; and so in this service "is implied a pledge of constant fidelity to the great Captain of our salvation"--"As often as ye eat, ye do show forth His death until He come." It is a time to bring before the mind not only the death of the Savior, but what we expect from His death, and also what may be justly expected from us in the way of faith and remembrance and prayer and effort for our personal sanctification, as well as for the advancement of our Redeemer's glory. For we are called unto holiness of purpose of feeling and life, and now should be a favored time to seek for strength to form and keep our resolutions to be holy- now while we hold converse with the Savior, and hear Him say, "Whatever ye shall ask in my name that will I do." It is, fourth, a communion service, intended to be a communion between Christians and their Savior and with one another. "The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" but "ye (i.e. Christians) are the body of Christ. Ye are members of His body. He is the head and ye are members in particular, Christ and His members forming one glorious unity, for "He is head over all things to the Church which is His body." It is a communion of sentiment, of opinion, of feeling, among those who may otherwise think and feel so different. We all here find the same Savior, the same love, the same purpose, the same sufferings, cross, design, the same motives for gratitude, for faith, for love on our part to God, and for charity. Here, as in one family circle, heart should beat in unison with heart, wish should respond to wish for each other's interest. Here, all holy feelings should be cherished and all resentment should be buried, the bonds of social affection should be strengthened; from this point we should set out in our search for the harmony of Christian principle as the Savior prays. and that at a time when the impressions of this scene were most vivid upon the minds of the apostles, "That they may be one, Holy Father, as we are." But, in order to a worthy and profitable performance of this service, something is required of those who render it. We say, worthy, not in the sense of personal merit, or worthiness in our- selves to receive the blessings represented by these symbols, but of a state of mind on our part, that will constitute us suitable subjects of these blessings. "Let a man examine himself and so let him eat," etc. Self examination, then, is a duty specially enjoined previous to an acceptable approach to the table of the Lord. This self examination is intended to discover to us-

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1. What we are-fallen, guilty, helpless, ruined, condemned, unhappy sinners. With the light of God's.Word and exercise of our candid judgment, should this examination be, conducted. If we have never felt anything of the evil of sin and of our own hopeless condition without help from on high, we have nothing to seek at this table. Christ, by His humiliation and obedience and sufferings, "came to seek and to save that which was lost." If, therefore, we do not feel ourselves LOST, we feel no need of such a Savior, and of course, have nothing for which to remember him, more than any good man. It is intended 2. Our wants. Our wants of a Savior, of a holy character, of the favor of God forfeited by our sin, of a Mediator to introduce us to God the source of all real good, of an efficient agency to holiness, of a removal of guilt and con- demnation, of a title to Heaven, of grace and strength to overcome the love of sin, the fear of death, the power of Satan, the temptations of the world. It is intended to discover- 3. The source of help. God in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, Christ dying to save the chief of sinners, the Holy Spirit sent to convince, to convert, to sanctify, all revealed in the Gospel. Is, then, sin deplored? God's favor desired? Christ's mediation embraced? The Holy Spirit sought? The Bible loved because it tells of all these things? To such Christ, is precious-His Church is precious-His work is pre- cious-His death is precious-The hope of salvation is precious. To such this ordinance is precious as a memorial. Welcome to it.

Rev. Daniel Baker, D. D.

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The Presbyterian Church in the United States Rev. S. M. Tenney, D. D., Curator, Historical Foundation Philadelphia Presbytery, the first Presbytery in the U. S., was organized in 1706; the first Synod, that of Philadelphia and New York, was organized in 17 17 ; and the first General Assembly was set up in 1789. The General As- sembly consisted of 4 Synods, viz., Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey, Virginia, and The Carolinas. From these last two sprang the entire Church in the South and Southwest, almost all of it through the Synod of The Caro- linas, which was divided into the Synod of North Carolina, and the Synod of South Carolina and Georgia, in 1813. In 1801 a "plan of union" was agreed upon by which the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches cooperated in their efforts to evangelize our own and other countries. Growing out of friction because of this policy, a difference in doctrine, with some influence of the slavery question, not only was the "plan of union" abrogated, but the Presbyterian Church divided in 1837, the one division called the New School Presbyterians continuing for a time to cooperate with the Congregationalists, the other division was known as the Old School Presbyterian. The New School Church which had a comparatively small fol- lowing in the South divided over the slavery issue in 1857. The Old School Church continued to hold together until 1861. December 20, 1860, South Carolina seceded from the Union, and in rapid succession the other States throughout the South followed. The Con- federate Government was set up. The Civil War began. It was in this, an at- mosphere of war that the Old School Presbyterian General Assembly met May 16, 1861, in Philadelphia. The total attendance of ministers was 153 and of elders 112; of these 65 ministers were from the States of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, 108 from the Northern States East of the Mississippi, only 19 from the Northwest, and only 26 from the South and Southwest. Of the elders 60 were from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, 96 from the Northern States East of the Mississippi, only 8 from the great Northwest, and 8 from the entire South and Southwest. In other words, of the 265 at- tendants 204 were from the hot bed of anti-slavery agitation, and only 27 from the Southern States. Immediately upon the organization of the General Assembly, it was evident that any movement to oppose slavery or line up the Presbyterian Church with the Federal Government in its war would be carried by almost ten to one. Texas was represented by only 2 ministers, Rev. Daniel McNair, of Galveston, representing Brazos Presbytery, and Rev. William M. Baker, Austin, representing Central Texas Presbytery. Dr. Baker was not at all in sympathy with the secession. Virginia had only 2 representatives, and 5 Southern Synods had no representation. During the sitting of this Assembly (1861) a resolution was offered by Rev. Gardiner Spring, a great preacher of New York City: "Gratefully acknowledging ...... this General Assembly adopts the following resolutions:

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"2. That this General Assembly, in the spirit of Christian pa- triotism which the Scriptures enjoin, and which has always charac- terized this church, do hereby acknowledge and declare our obligation to promote and perpetuate, so far as in us lies, the integrity of these United States, and to strengthen, uphold, and encourage the Federal Government in the exercise of all its functions under our noble Constitution, in all its provisions, requirements, and principles, we profess our unabated loyalty. And to avoid all misconceptions, the Assembly declare that by the 'Federal Government', as here used, is not meant any particular adminstration, or the peculiar opinions of any particular party, but that central administration which, being at any time appointed and inaugurated according to the form pre- scribed in the Constitution of the United States, is the visible repre- sentation of our national existence." This paper was adopted by a vote of 126 yeas to 66 nays. The astounding thing is there should have been so large a vote against the measure from the Northern members of the Assembly. This resolution has been known in history as the "Spring resolution." In this resolution the Church thrust a civil ques- tion clear through its body and divided it in twain. Those of the South now residing in the Confederate States refused to be separated in citizenship from their own peoples, and protested against making a civil question or relation a test of loyalty to the Church. No doubt slavery had brought about the estab- lishment of the Confederacy. Slavery, the bare naked question, had torn the Methodist Church apart in 1844, the Baptist in 1845, and the New School Presbyterian in 1857. But slavery, though indirectly influencing, was not the real issue dividing the Old School Presbyterian Church in 1861. It was pure politics in the Church. No sooner was the adoption of the "Spring resolution" made known than the leaders of the Church in the Confederate States got in touch with each other. Within ninety days after the General Assembly of Philadelphia had adjourned a convention was called at Atlanta, Ga., August 15, 1861. This convention called on all Presbyteries throughout the Confederacy that had not done so to renounce the jurisdiction of the old Assembly, to agree to erect a General Assembly in the Confederate States and to elect representatives to such an Assembly to convene in Augusta, Ga., December 4, 1861. The meeting was held in the First Church, Augusta; according to custom the oldest minister present, Rev. Francis McFarland, Staunton, Va., presided until the Assembly was organized. Dr. B. M. Palmer, New Orleans, was selected to preach the opening sermon, and was thereafter elected first moderator. Dr. J. N. Waddell was elected the first stated clerk, and Dr. J. R. Wilson the first permanent clerk. Dr. J. H. Thornwell introduced a measure: "That the style and title of this church shall be THE PRESBY- TERIAN CHURCH IN THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA." This continued to be the name of the Church until after the Civil War when it was changed in 1865 to: "THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES," its present official name. The new General As-

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sembly declared its loyalty to the standards of the Church as hitherto existing save for the name. Dr. J. H. Thornwell drew up the "ADDRESS to all the churches of Jesus Christ throughout the earth," stating the reasons for the setting up a General Assembly and declaring the issues of the new Church. This famous document in the handwriting of Dr. Thornwell with all its signatures, the "Daily Reporter" published by the Assembly, during its sittings, the "broad- side" printed the first day giving the organization of the Assembly, its officers, and Committees, and the Charter of the first trustees, are all in the "Historical Foundation of the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches," Montreat, N. C. The Texas commissioners who attended this General Assembly and signed its document were: Brazos Presbytery, Rev. R. W. Bailey, D. D., professor in Austin College, Huntsville; Central Texas Presbytery, Rev. Levi Tenney; Eastern Texas Presbytery, Rev. Hillery Moseley, Palestine; and Western Texas Presbytery, Rev. R. F. Bunting, San Antonio. Provision was made for prosecuting all the work of the Church, by set- ting up four Executive Committees, viz.: Foreign Missions, Domestic Missions, Publication, and Education. In 1812 there began a following under one Rev. W. C. Davis of South Carolina which was called THE INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. This grew slowly in sections of South Carolina, Western North Carolina, and Eastern Tennessee. It united with the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States, in 1863. That portion of the New School Presbyterian Church in the South which had severed its relations with the extreme anti-slavery advocates of the North and organized themselves into what is known popularly as the United Synod of the South now finding itself in accord with the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States united with them in 1864. The following statistics show the growth and development of the Church now set up: Year Synods Presbyteries Ministers Churches Communicants From this table it appears that the Church has increased in number of communicants 100% each twenty-five years for the first fifty year periods and the last twenty-five years 67%. If the communicants in the foreign fields (69,956) be added, about 100% the last quarter-centennial. The financial statistics also speak favorably:

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missionaries in Africa, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, and Mexico. And these native Christians, members of our Church, 69,956, paid toward the expense of their work $327,564.00. During the last twenty-five years the Church has launched five most suc- cessful enterprises of constructive character: (1) Work among the Mountain- eers, transferred by Dr. E. O. Guerrant in 19 11 ; (2) the Texas-Mexican Industrial School (1912) and its companion at Taft for the Mexican women (1924) ; (3) the Woman's Work (1912) ; (4) the General Assembly's Training School, Richmond, Va. (1914) ; (5) and the Historical Foundation of the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches, Montreat, N. C. (1926), which had its birth in the bounds of Brazos Presbytery and is regarded by the highest authorities as the "best collection of Presbyterian and Reformed materials in

REV. WIL R. JOHNSON, D. D. Pastor, First Presbyterian Church Galveston, Texas

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The Synod of Texas, Presbyterian Church, U. S. Rev. W. A. McLeod, D. D., Cuero The victory at San Jacinto smashed the bars of religious exclusiveness and opened the way for Presbyterianism to enter Texas. But long before this glorious event, here and there among the Anglo- American colonists, were a few devout Presbyterians quietly awaiting the hour of freedom. Of such was our first Presbyterian arrival, Mary Evelyne McKenzie Bell, wife of Austin's friend and confidant, Josiah Hughes Bell. Mary McKenzie came of no mean stock. The blood of the Scottish no- bility was in her veins. Daughter and oldest child of Andrew McKenzie, a ruling elder in old "Fourth Creek Congregation," now the First Presbyterian Church of Statesville, North Carolina, she had for maternal grandfather Will- iam Stevenson, also an elder in "Fourth Creek," a man so mighty in prayer that his neighbors called him, ''Little Gabriel," progenitor of a clan now widely spread, one of whom, also a Presbyterian elder, Adlai E. Stevenson, rode to the high position of Vice-president of the United States. When Mary McKenzie was still a girl, the family moved to Kentucky, and here, in Christian county, she became the wife of Josiah Hughes Bell, a native of South Carolina, and with him went forthwith to a new home at Nachitoches, Louisiana, then the main gateway into Texas. Prior to his mar- riage, Bell had been for a time in Southeastern Missouri, and there had come to know and trust the Austins, who were soon to launch their great Texas scheme. En route to and from Texas, Moses Austin called as he passed Nachitoches upon his old friend Bell, and disclosed to him something of the colonization plan, and then passed on to die. Bell immediately set out for Texas, and was here to greet Stephen F. Austin upon his arrival to take up his father's work. In time, the Bell family settled on the Brazos, and founded the town of Christianity in Europe began in the home of a woman, Lydia. The first Presbyterian home builder in Texas was a woman, Mary Evelyne McKenzie Bell. the peer in every way of any who has come after her. Here in a remote corner of a newly forming civilization. this noble woman founded a Christian home, and made it a refuge for all who had a need or a sorrow. Upon such a foundation, and others like it, with such a person, and others like her, our earliest Presbyterian missionaries laid the foundation of the church of our fathers. Rev. Hugh Wilson. son of the manse from Mary McKenzie Bell's old home church. "Fourth Creek.' was the first of these. organizing at San Augus- tine on June 2, 1838. the first Presbyterian church in the new Republic. Working with Mr. Wilson was a band of equally devoted missioners, Rev. Messrs. W. Y. Allen, John McCullough, W. C. Blair, and, for a time. the noted Dr. Daniel Baker. It was this group that on April 3, 1840, at Chries- man's school house. in Washington county, close to Wilson's home, formed the first Texas presbytery, which they named Brazos. This little pioneer organiza- tion, first as an independent body, and then in connection with the Synod of Mississippi, over a period of eleven years had jurisdiction over this imperial area.

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Brazos was divided in 18 51 into three presbyteries, Brazos, Eastern and Western Texas, and these were the same year formed into the Synod of Texas, which on October 30, 185 1, met in Austin and perfected its organization. The charter members of this far-western Synod in no way came behind their breth- ren of like bodies in the east. The first Moderator, Dr. Daniel Baker, was long before this famous as a pastor-evangelist. The new ''Stated Clerk," Rev. James W. Miller, had been the first installed pastor in the Synod, serving the Houston church. "Temporary Clerk," Joel T. Case, was a man of wide and varied experiences-graduate of Yale, soldier of fortune, member of the disastrous "Santa Fe Expedition," now an humble, yet effective minister and teacher. Texas is still a "land of magnificent distances." What was it in days be- fore there were roads or fast conveyances' Little wonder some of the early meetings of Synod failed to materialize, like those of 1852, '53, '61, '63, and '64. But at the meeting of 1854, Central Texas presbytery was formed out of the territory of Brazos. And at the meeting of 1862, Synod severed all official connection with the mother General Assembly U. S. A., a rather belated action, seeing that the presbyteries had done so over a year before this. War and Reconstruction days were a period of struggle, leaving Synod numerically weaker in 1867 than it was in 1860. But an era of progress set in about the close of the '8Os, as may be seen by the formation of new presbyteries: Dallas, 1878; Paris, 1879; Indian, 1892: Fort Worth, 1895; Brownwood, 1899; Durant, 1903; El Paso, 1905: Mangum, 1908; Texas-Mexican, 1908. About these last named dates, Synod organized the presbyteries of Panhandle, Sherman and Cisco, but the arrangement did not prove satisfactory, and they were dissolved. Any good history of the Presbyterian church will give account of that unhappy division of the General Assembly of 1838 into two rival bodies, each claiming right to the name and succession of the Presbyterian Church. These came to be known popularly as "Old School" and "New School." This oc- curred almost on the very day that Hugh Wilson was organizing the San Augustine church. The Old School was the dominant body in the South, and the activities here described were by men of that party. However, in 1851, the year Synod was formed, there arrived from Versailles, Kentucky, two men who were later to mean much to the united church in Texas, Rev. William King, and young son, Samuel A., a youth then preparing for the ministry. They were soon joined by others of their associates, Rev. Messrs. D. C. Henderson, W. C. Dunlap, and J. H. Zively, who with them formed the Presbytery of Texas, New School, a body which in 1865 was merged into the Synod of Texas, adding immeasurably to Synod's strength and efficiency. In fact, S. A. King, Dunlap and Zively spent most of their lives in the work of the united The two major interests of this Synod as such have always been education and home missions, the latter now confined to work among the large Mexican population in the state. In furtherance of these Synodical enterprises, Austin College was founded by Brazos presbytery in 1849; located at Huntsville till 1876, at Sherman since then; made co-educational in 1918. In 1902, Synod opened at Milford, Texas Presbyterian College for Women, and maintained it

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as such until it was merged with Austin College in 1930. Daniel Baker College at Brownwood was adopted by Synod in 1907, and retained this relation until it became independent in 1930. In 1884, Reverend Doctors R. K. Smoot and R. L. Dabney opened a School of Theology in Austin, which eventually be- came the property of Synod and continues as Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. In 1906, the Southwestern Home and School for Orphans was opened at Files Valley, the joint responsibility of the Synods of Texas, Ar- kansas, and later, Oklahoma. The youngest of Synod's educational children, but by no means the least vigorous, is Schreiner Institute, a Junior College, located at Kerrville, and made possible by the generosity of the late Captain Charles Schreiner and his sons. The present Westminster Encampment at Kerrville, now our most im- portant agency for religious education, was started by Western Texas Presby- tery in 1906, but since 1914 has been the property of the Synod. In recent years, great encouragement has come to reward Synod's mission work among the Mexican people. This enterprise began in a small way fifty years ago, through the agency of a few of our American ministers, chief of whom was Walter S. Scott, who had vision to see and consecration to pursue its possibilities. The Texas-Mexican presbytery, the "Advance Field," the two vigorous Mexican schools, Tex. -Mex. at Kingsville, and Pres. -Mex. at Taft, are the fruitage of these years of prayer and toil. As we close, let us compare, so far as figures are able to do, the situation then with what is disclosed now: Gifts, Home Missions $12..................................$62,962 Gifts, Foreign Missions $128................................$43,649 "Faith of our fathers! Holy faith' We will be true to thee till death."

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The Presbytery of Eastern Texas The beginning of the history of the Presbyterian Church in Texas was the organization, on June 2, 1838, of the Bethel Church, in Goodlaw School- house, near San Augustine. This Church, with twenty-two members, was established by the Rev. Hugh Wilson, a Home Missionary sent out under the authority of the Synod of Mississippi. In 1840, a Presbytery, called Brazos, was formed with three ministers, John McCullough, Hugh Wilson and W. Y. Allen, and two Ruling Elders. On January 28, 1851, Brazos Presbytery was divided, forming Brazos, East- ern Texas and Western Texas Presbyteries. This took place at Marshall, Texas. Eastern Texas Presbytery was bounded on the West by Trinity River and a line running due North to Red River. The first Moderator of this Presbytery was the Rev. P. W. Warriner. In September, 1852, Presbytery met at Bethel Church. Dr. J. D. Sharp a charter member of this Church, and one of its first Elders, was ordained at this meeting. He was the first licentiate of the Presby- terian Church in Texas, and the first Minister to be ordained by Eastern Texas Presbytery. Also at this time, Presbytery petitioned the General Assembly to form the three Presbyteries into the Synod of Texas. This was effected at Aus- tin, a few months later. The first Commissioners to the General Assembly, which met in 1852, at St. Louis, were Rev. John M. Becton and Ruling Elder J. N. Bradshaw. On December 4, 1861, the Presbytery of Eastern Texas joined with the other Presbyteries of the South, in forming, at Augusta Georgia, the General Assembly, U. S. In November, 1878, Synod divided the Presbytery of Eastern Texas to form the new Presbytery of Dallas; and in 1879, the Presbytery was again divided and formed the Presbytery of Paris. The original churches of the Pres- bytery still existing are San Augustine Memorial (Bethel), Marshall, Henderson and Palestine. From 1861 to 1868, little progress was made in the work. But from that time forward, new life marked its activities. During this dark period, the first church had dwindled until there was only one member left-the sainted Mrs. Polly Nicholson-who for eighteen years tenaciously clung to the records and preserved the identity of the organiza- tion. Her faith was rewarded by the revival of the church at the coming, in 1877, of Evangelist J. D. Porter, and in 1880, the visit of Rev. S. F. Tenney and the beginning of the pastorate of Rev. D. A. McRae. Through Mr. McRae's untiring efforts, during a ministry of forty years, several churches were organized, and houses of worship built, in San Augustine and adjoining counties. Among the outstanding men of vision and apostolic labors in the history of the Presbytery was Rev. Stephen F. Tenney, who for fifty-four years was pastor of our church at Crockett. It was he, who, traveling on horse-back from Beaumont to Crockett, discovered the Alabama Indians.

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A monumental work has been done among the Coushatta tribe of Ala- bama Indians by the venerable C. W. Chambers and his noble wife, through a period of more than thirty years. During that long term of service, Dr. Chambers has been pastor, teacher, nurse, counsellor and friend to these people. In 1934 the Presbyteries of Brazos and Eastern Texas jointly overtured Synod to form a merger of the two bodies. The request was granted by Synod at its meeting in San Angelo. October 21-23, 1935, and the union was con- summated on November 18, 1935, in the First Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas, under the name of Brazos Presbytery. Into this union the Presbytery of Eastern Texas brought 25 churches, 15 ministers, 5 candidates and 1 licentiate. During the more recent years the work of the Presbytery of Eastern Texas has been prosecuted with earnestness and encouraging results. But for the handi- cap of the lack of means, far greater progress would have been realized under the leadership of our far-sighted, indefatigable Home Mission Superintendent, the Rev. W. A. Zeigler. Historical Statement (Prepared by order of Presbytery upon the occasion of the Union of Brazos and Eastern Texas Presbyteries) The events culminating in the union of Brazos and Eastern Texas Presby- teries began with a recommendation of Synod's Home Mission Committee, in 1933, to the effect that Synod appoint an ad interim committee to study the question of possible re-alignment of Presbyterial boundaries. The Committee reported next year, suggesting several possible changes in Presbyterial lines. Among the suggested changes, the union of Brazos and Eastern Texas Presby- teries was named as a possibility. The Synod took no action, beyond re-committing the report of the Com- mittee for further study. However, Synod said that it would consider favorably any plan which individual Presbyteries might present. The fall meetings of Brazos and Eastern Texas Presbyteries (1934) found each of these bodies appointing a committee to confer with the other Presbytery, on the question of uniting the two. Neither Presbytery was aware of the action of the other Presbytery until after adjournment. A year's conver- sation between the two bodies resulted in the action consummated November 18, 1935, whereby the new and enlarged Presbytery of Brazos began its organ- ized existence. The motives actuating this change were (1) a belief that the territory comprising the two old Presbyteries could be more economically and efficiently administered as one unit, and (2) the inspiration which the larger fellowship would afford. The question of naming the new body found practically a unanimous sentiment in favor of preserving the historic name of the first presbytery in Texas. Thus the new "Presbytery of Brazos" takes its place in the family of the Synod of Texas.

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Brazos Presbytery Rev. George F. Gillespie Before proceeding to give, as briefly as possible, a historical sketch of Brazos Presbytery, there are three things to be said. All the older countries were acquired and re-acquired by conquest. America was not conquered by an advancing army of professional warriors. It was developed by the gradual in- filtration of immigrants. And the next thing to be noticed is the place of woman in carving a nation out of a wilderness. Men and women together endured struggle and privation and loneliness to make a home for themselves and their children. "The woman could do and she did do anything that a man could do in gaining a foothold of liberty on a new continent, and thus she entered into her birthright." This was the place of woman in the pioneering days of Texas. Her place and work in the Southern Presbyterian Church of today will be mentioned later. The next thing I wish to say is that the men and women of these early days were men and women of one Book-the Bible. There were few books and no daily papers in those days. Paul said to the youthful Timothy: "Take thou thy share of hardship along with me as a good soldier of Jesus Christ," These men and women could look beyond the hardship because they lived "in the light of eternity." The Bible gives direction and vision and strength to life and they knew how to find power and peace-even in the midst of privation and difficulty-in fellowship with God through Jesus Christ. The Episcopal Church was the first Protestant church in Texas, establish- ing a church in the town of Matagorda between 1820 and 1825. The Meth- odists came as early as 1828, and the Baptists followed shortly. The Presbytery of Brazos was organized April 3, 1840, at Chrisman's School House in Washington county, not far from the present site of Prospect Church. (The latter is the most historic place in Brazos Presbytery.) The original churches had a membership of something like one hundred, and a ter- ritory embracing all of the State then settled, about a third of its present area, in which were from 8000 to 12000 settlers. The name of the Ruling Elder deserves to be held in remembrance-John McFarland, a relative of the Black and Lang families, kinsmen of G. H. Lang of Kerrville. Dr. Daniel Baker was present,'and the meeting lasted five days. The distinction of being the pioneer Presbyterian minister to locate, and permanently reside, in the state, belongs to the Rev. Hugh Wilson, a native of Iredell county, North Carolina, who arrived in the summer of 1838, at San Augustine, where on June 2, 1838, he organized the first Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Texas. This old church is still flourishing. It was the same Hugh Wilson who organized a church at Independence, Febrauary 1839, con- sisting of twelve members and three elders. It was here that the Presbytery of Brazos was organized April 3, 1840, as mentioned above. The Rev. W. Y. Allen, from the Presbytery of South Alabama, reported the organization of a church at Houston, April, 1839. According to a very in- teresting booklet published in connection with the Brazos Presbyterial of this

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year, entitled "A Century of Progress-Gleanings from Pioneer Days of Pres- byterianism in Texas," and prepared by Mrs. H. L. Herron assisted by Mrs. R. V. Thomas, the church at Houston when organized in 1839 had thirteen members, was located in a thick forest, and the howling of wolves could often be heard. General Sam Houston and his wife often attended this church. In connection with the work at Prospect Church to which the Rev. James Weston Miller moved, the above booklet has this to say: "His work was hard for his charge was a large one. He travelled long distances to preach and carry on his work. He once said in his travels he had learned how hard it could rain, how dry creeks yesterday could today become swollen torrents of water which you could not see across." Another pioneer preacher was the Rev. John McCullough, who, in Jan- uary, 1840, organized the First Presbyterian Church of Galveston with sixteen members and two ruling elders. Rev. Wil R. Johnson has been pastor of this church for fourteen years. Here the united presbyteries hold their first meeting or. April 14, 1936, a historic occasion. The Rev. Daniel Baker, D. D., was one of the outstanding evangelists of these days. He covered much of the territory that is now occupied by Western Texas Presbytery, and helped establish Austin College at Huntsville. It was difficult at first to hold meetings of Presbytery because of the long distances, sometimes the weather, and trouble with Indians and Mexicans. Pass- ing over a number of meetings of Presbytery, the meeting held at Victoria in 1845 reported thirteen churches, eight ministers, and one licentiate. The total membership of the churches was then 200. The Rev. John McCullough attended a meeting of Mississippi Synod, which at that time included Louisiana and extended indefinitely westwards, to ask that his presbytery be divided into three presbyteries. This was done in 18 5 0, when all that part of Texas east of Trinity river was set apart as Eastern Texas Presbytery; all west of the Colorado as Western Texas Presbytery; and all the territory between was left as the original Biazos Presbytery. The Synod of Texas met for the first time in Austin on the 30th of October, 1851, for the purpose of perfecting the organization. Dr. Daniel Baker was chosen the first moderator. Some time between 1865 and 1870 new churches were organized at Navasota and Bryan. I do not think it is within my province, nor have I the space, to trace the growth of the presbytery within the past fifty years. Each church has its own records, and perhaps some day a booklet will be compiled giving name and date of the organization of each, and other particulars of interest. Before the merger of Brazos Presbytery with Eastern Texas Presbytery, the former had 46 churches with a membership of about 7000. Ten of these are listed as being in Houston, one a church for colored people. During 'the sixteen years I have been a member of Presbytery elders have not taken a sufficient part in its deliberations, though they do in the General Assembly. I think it is to be regretted that laymen do not take a more promi- nent part in meetings of presbytery. I regret, too, that I have not the names of those who have taken a distinguished part in the life of the church during, say, the past forty years. To single out only a few would not be fair. Perhaps three

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names of ministers ought to be mentioned whose "work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope" in Brazos Presbytery are still held in grateful re- now living in Belfast, Ireland. Dr. Johnson was superintendent of missions for some years and organized a goodly number of churches. Dr. Storey, now retired and living in Bay City, has been "a prince and a great man in Israel." He served in this Presbytery continuously for thirty years until he retired in 19 3 3, and was in active service in the church for fifty-five years. In conversation with Dr. Storey a few days ago I asked him to tell me something about Brazos Presby- tery past and future. He said there had been a steady growth-steady, not rapid but continuous. He was optimistic about the future. The two most striking changes in the life of the church in the past twenty-five years had been the organization of young people's work and the organization of the Woman's Auxiliary. He paid a very high tribute to the splendid work that had been done by the latter. What does the story of the Presbyterian Church in Texas stretching back for more than a hundred years teach? Russell Lowell says: "Endurance is the crowning quality and patience all the passion of great hearts." The story speaks to us of the values of the Christian religion; that life has greatness in fellowship with God through Jesus Christ, that human beings can act out their parts and help to extend the Kingdom of God on earth with endurance-the final test of faith-and patience and vision and heroism. What of the future? What of the part to be played by the new presbytery? How will it acquit itself? The out- standing feature of this era is mass production. The outstanding danger is mass thinking. One of the fundamental principles of Christianity is respect for the individual. Dr. Glover says: "Man is a being of infinite value because for him Christ died." The greatest blessing of secular civilization is freedom in its various forms. The state is made for man, not man for the state. What is reli- gion ? "It is the response of a free soul to a personal God." What does religion do? Bergson says: "It opens the soul of man to the creative impulse of God." As compared with other world religions the genius of Christianity is ethical. The genius of Presbyterianism is not only ethical, it is creative. This has been especially true in Scotland. Preaching deals with the most fascinating thing on earth-human life with its love and struggle and privation and joy and sor- row and defeat and victory and death and eternal life. ''I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me within." What will be the record of this new presbytery, still bearing the old and honored name, in years to come? I close with the following suggestion. At a meeting of Presbytery held in Angleton a few years ago I suggested that ministers pray for each other by name every Saturday evening, and of course for other workers specially at- tached to Presbytery. There is no signing of a covenant. I have done this for many years. Will you?

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Earth's Roughest Hill -A Vision of Calvary Sermon by Wil R. Johnson, D. D., Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Galveston, Texas Text: And when they had come to a place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him. Luke 23:33 Was ever word spoken, so full of the deepest kind of meaning, and throb- bing with the profoundest kind of emotion, as that simple statement? Nothing has ever happened that so tremendously concerned the universe. Heaven with all its glory, earth with all its need, and hell with all its gloom, concentrated all their interest on that awful drama. And that interest has never waned. It in- creases with passing generations, for sooner or later the glorious harvest of what was there sown in deepest humiliation must be reaped. And the time is getting short. Nothing is so worthy of study. Here is found the solution of every important problem of life. Calvary, and its bleeding Victim, cannot be ignored by the thoughtful, if for no other reason than that of the violent contrasts which here reached their climax. Contrasts rivet attention. They make things much sharper to the eye. Black is blacker against white, and vice versa. Contrasts were never sharper, nor more arresting than those that met in the Man of Calvary. He was of the blood royal, yet he lived in a white-washed stone hut. He was an aristocrat, and earned His bread as a carpenter. He left the throne of the universe for a dirty, obscure Oriental village. He came out of the heart of eternity, to a people pitiful in their narrow provincialism. He laid aside a sceptre for a hammer and a saw. He discarded a crown of glory to wear a crown of thorns. The purest of men, He suffered as the vilest of outcasts. With the eternal right to reign over the race. He died on a cross. This is the personal setting of the text. It makes Calvary the spiritual Everest of all peaks known to man-the tallest, steepest, roughest hill earth ever knew' The Place, Calvary. is in the very centre of the geographical thinking of the world. The word itself is used only once in Scripture. It is a synonym for Golgotha. the place of a skull, a term used by all the gospel writers but Luke. Yet Calvary is the common, and Golgotha the rare term in modern speech. The latter is a grim, guttural, forbidding word, with the sug- gestion of an execution in its very syllables. 'Calvary" is full of music, and sings of salvation. The location of the exact spot is quite unknown. which is doubtless well. It would have been so easy to magnify its spiritual importance so greatly as to overshadow the very Christ Himself in the thinking of men. Perhaps the most likely spot is a long, whale backed ridge outside the Damascus gate, now used as a Moslem cemetery, yet scarcely high enough to merit the description of 'Calvary's mournful mountain." To the unitiated it is strange indeed that such a place should exert such a mighty and growing influence on the world. Ruskin says of mountains that

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they are both our schools and our cathedrals. They teach us much; and their solitudes and splendors, which bring God near, should bend us to lowliness and reverence. While Calvary is small to be called a mountain, yet what school or cathedral anywhere can compare with it. Its ground is the holiest, and its message is the deepest that earth knows. Before it we must bow head and heart in awe and wonder. The Picture of Calvary is absolutely unique. No incident of history has so riveted the attention of humankind, stirred the hearts of men, and inspired the genius of writer, orator and artist. But none have yet been able to tell all the story of the crucifixion of the Man who was God. It beg- gars description! It staggers imagination! Crucifixion was as fearful a form of execution as the devil inspired mind of debased humanity has ever been able to conceive. It probably originated with the Phoenicians. The Egyptians tied their victims to the cross. The Car- thaginians and Romans added the torture of the nails. Dean Farrar, in his "Life of Christ," has this to say of the death of our Lord: "The three crosses were laid on the ground-that of Jesus being placed in bitter scorn in the midst ...... Stripped naked, he was laid upon the dreaded implement of torture. His arms were stretched along the cross beams, and at the centre of the open palms the point of a huge iron nail was placed, and by a blow of a mallet was driven home into the wood. Through the feet another great nail tore its way through quivering flesh. To prevent the nails being torn away by the weight of the body, which could rest upon nothing but four great wounds, there was, about the centre of the cross, a wooden pro- jection strong enough to support, at least in part, a human body which soon became a mass of agony." Is it any wonder that torture grew ever more mad- dening and insupportable as time flowed on. The miserable victims lingered in a living death so cruelly intolerable that often they were driven to implore any and all for pity's dear sake, to put an end to anguish too awful for man to bear. Conscious to the last, with tears of abject misery, they besought from their enemies the priceless boon of death. Imagination cannot exaggerate the horror of that day when the supreme drama of all the ages was enacted. Picture it, if you can. Calvary! The crowd! The crosses! The criminal-heir of hell' The convert-heir of heaven! The Christ-Lord of the universe! All eyes are turned upon the Man in the middle. God's Son and the Saviour of men! Suffering not only the tortures of a broken body, but of a breaking heart because of the hideous burden of your sin and mine. What inexpressible misery! What utter loneliness! Where were His friends? Simon Peter? Bartimaeus? Nicodemus? The Gadarene? The lepers? The centurion's servant? Jairus' daughter? The thousands who had been fed, and the other thousands who had been healed, body, soul and spirit? "They all forsook Him and fled." Alone upon a cross He hung, That others He might save; Forsaken then by God and man, Alone His life He gave.

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Forsaken by man-the sinner whose burden He bore! Forsaken by God- because of the sin He bore! Here were the bitterest dregs of the cup He drank- His Father's face was hidden! Here is seen at once the glory and the desolation of Our Lord-for even in this deepest of all gloom must His glory be acknowledged. At midday, when the sun shone in fullest brightness, a black pall fell, and hung unlifted for three long hours. "Either the Diety is suffering, or the mechanism of the world is tumbling into ruin," said a heathen astronomer, when the weird shadow enveloped the obelisk at Heliopolis. God was suffering, at the hands of man, and the sun refused to shine on the crucifixion of its Maker. The Price paid on Calvary for the redemption of sinners is the great mystery of the supreme tragedy. Remembering the identity of the Sufferer, the Only Begotten Son of God, and His character, the only Spotless One, heart and mind is forced to question "Why?" Calvary represented the price that must be paid for human sin. Sin spells death. Life is in the blood. Redemption from sin could only come by blood. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. And only sinless blood, and priceless blood, could atone. On the cross was demonstrated love to the uttermost and wrath to the uttermost-God's love for the the sinner, and His wrath against sin. The sin of the world was nailed to that rugged tree. Death, the wages of sin, was also there. The infinite holiness, purity and right- eousness of God were there expressed in terrible judgment. The eternal love, wisdom and grace of God were there, brooding over lost souls and reaching out for them. And so the wondrous mystery of the atonement was wrought out there, in blood and tears, suffering and death. The question may be asked: How was it possible for Jesus to pay the whole penalty of the sins of the whole world, inasmuch as the wages of sin is death, twice-told, of body and soul, the first and second death? When we speak of death, immediately the flesh trespasses on our thinking. A wasted form, a coffin, a yawning grave, tears and hearts all hurt with grief. Yet death is not primarily a matter of flesh at all. When we think of Calvary, we see a rugged cross, and the suffering Son of God sobbing out His life. But there was more, far more to the crucifixion than that. Put your ear close to that breaking heart, and try to catch the full meaning of the agonizing cry wrung from its depths: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Here is the essence of death. It is the separation of the soul as well as the body from God. Death, in its final analysis, is hell-and Jesus went there in our stead that He might pay the full penalty of our sins. My sin, and the shame of it! Your sin, and the curse of it! The world's sin, and all the damning accumulation of it! Oh, the fearful weight of the cross-the Cyrenian might bear the wood of it, but only Christ could bear the guilt of it. Rabbi Adam Duncan, discoursing to his students on the crucifixion, would rise from his chair, and pace up and down the platform, saying: "Ay, ay, d'ye know what it was-dying on the cross, forsaken by His Father? D'ye know what it was? tI was damnation-and damnation taken Such a price could only be paid by One. "There was no other good

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enough, to pay the price of sin." But thanks be to God there was One. And so the hours when Jesus hung on the cross were the greatest in all time and eter- nity, for us. There God did everything that was necessary to make salvation for any sinner possible. One of England's greatest men, whose goodness transcended his greatness, some time ago thrilled a brilliant company gathered in his honor. The mystery of Christ's redeeming work was under discussion. Many theories were suggested. At last in the midst of a reverent silence this great man arose, and said: "Gentle- men, the manner of Our Lord's redemption is a wonderful thing. In my humble opinion Jesus Christ was the great Master Artist and Chemist of all time. We have heard many strange theories tonight, but this Book tells me that He used a bright red to produce a pure white in a dead black." Then amid a quietness that was as the hush of God, he read again the story of the Crucifixion. The Purchase was worth the price, in the sight of God. I am the pur- chased possession of His shed blood. Oh, that all men could say the same! Jesus loved me! As no one ever did, or could. The florist's selling slogan to the lover is "Say it with flowers." Jesus said it with thorns and spikes! His was the love that stopped at nothing, and counted no cost too great for the sake of the beloved. During the world war, a young Englishman wrote home to his father, saying "Dad, this war had to be, that I might be saved!" Reading the letter to a friend the father said: "Just fancy our George thinking that God would cause or permit all this upheaval in order that he might be saved." "Ah," his friend replied, "God upheaved more than all Europe that George might be saved. Calvary was a greater tragedy than this, and Calvary had to be that I might be saved." So He loved me. He gave Himself for me. A staggering price. And because of it human souls are appraised far higher under Christianity than anywhere else in the word. The cost of salvation makes us the highest-priced values in the universe. So far as we know, God never sent His Son to save a planet slipping from its orbit, or to bring the ruins back and rebuild it. Not even for a planetary system has this ever been done. But for you and me He counted not the cost of redemp- tion too great when we had slipped from our orbit, and crashed to ruin. No wonder hearts as hard as rock break, once they really see that steep, rough hill called Calvary. A student, during his college days, lost his faith and became an infidel. His life was notorious for its wickedness. Once he spoke very lightly of the matter to his old pastor. He named the sins he had committed, and after each one said ''But I don't care about that." His pastor knew it was said in the spirit of levity, and replied, "I wish you would promise me one thing, easy enough to do if you will." The young fellow promised. "Every night, for a week, before you go to bed, say with a bowed head, Oh, Jesus Christ, Thou hast died for my sins, but I don't care about that." That night he tried to keep his promise, but could not say the last sentence. Four times he tried, and at last admitted with white face. "I cannot say it." Who could?

Original record: metapth821421 on the Portal to Texas History.