The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 2, July 1898 - April, 1899 Page: 79
[335] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Old Journal of Littleton Fowler.
eight hundred people, about one hundred of whom were ladies. Two
speeches were delivered, the first by myself, and the second by Gen.
T. J. Rusk, in his clear and convincing style. The event was one
of moral grandeur. This corner-stone is the first one of a Protest-
ant Church west lof the Sa~bine River. * * * This is -only the
beginning, the first step of Protestantism that will some day march
a grand army to the confines of the Republic of Texas."
,During the session of the East Texas Conference, held in Pales-
tine last December (189 7), the old bell from this church was pre-
sented, as an historic relic, to that Conference, by Mr. Columbus
Cartwright, of San Augustine. 'The son of the missionary, Presid-
ing Elder Littleton Morris Fowler, and a grandson, Ellis Smith,
preacher in charge of Jefferson Station, were requested to convey
the bell to the altar, and there ring -out its old voice in memory of
early Methodism in Texas.
IThe presentation speech was made by Presiding Elder Thomas J.
Smith. The son of ,the missionary was requested to give the speaker
historic data relating to the ,old bell, but he deferred to the author
of this sketch. A few days later, great was my amazement to see
the bell presentation written up in the Galveston News, with the
startling assertion that this -old bell was first rung on the day of
the laying of the corner-stone. I met the News correspondent a
few hours later, 'and I told him I was "so glad to learn when the old
bell of the first Methodist Church in Texas was rung for the first
time." All the light I had on the subject was a letter from Judge
W. P. Fowler, of Kentucky--about 1840-saying that the First
Methodist Church of Louisville, which the missionary had served as
pastor, would send him its first bell for his first Texas church. The
News correspondent replied that nobody said when it was rung for
the first time in 'Texas, so he "fixed it up that way." Thus is much
of our history writ.
Again, quotations from the old journal are resumed:
"On the night of the 14th, November, 1837, I preached in a
school house in Washington-on-the-Brazos, 'to a crowded assembly,
with many people standing before 'the door. Here Mr. Gay gave
two lots, 100x120 feet, for a Methodist church. The Baptists have
the frame of a church already up here.
"From Washington I traveled (on horseback) to the capital city
of I-Houston. I arrived Sunday morning, November 19th, and
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 2, July 1898 - April, 1899, periodical, 1898/1899; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101011/m1/83/?rotate=90: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.