The Texas Methodist Historical Quarterly . Vol. I. Published by the Texas Methodist Historical Association. Georgetown, Texas.

The purpose behind the foundation of this quarterly is primarily to assist those who have in charge the preparation of a history of the Methodist church in Texas. Thrall wrote in 1889 a history of Methodism in Texas which is a pioneer work, but a history based upon material both intimate and widely drawn remains yet to be written. By securing the personal reminiscences, diaries, and letters of those who were pioneers in the church, and by encouraging a search for and preservation of old records, the Texas Methodist Historical Association and its quarterly publication are laying the basis for a satisfactory history. This work is of interest and importance to all students of the state's history, for that history has other sides than the mere political with which we have been disproportionally regaled.

The activities of the Methodist church in Texas go back to the period of Mexican rule. Its pulpits, press, and schools have vastly multiplied since then and have been potent forces in the advancement of the state on its unmaterial side. Stevenson, Fowler, Ruter, McKenzie, and Alexander were strong personalities and appealing evangels, and the last three were instrumental in the establishment of some of the earliest institutions of learning in the state. There is something heroic about their lives, and the numbers of the Quarterly constituting Volume I have appropriately devoted considerable space to the biography and autobiography of these pioneers. There is also to be found in these numbers a good deal of reminiscent matter and old correspondence which have interesting accounts of things economic and social as well as ecclesiastical. It is this manysidedness of much of the matter that lends to it an added interest for the student of general history. A history of the Northwest Texas Conference down to 1880 is given in this volume, and it is to be expected that a similarly complete history of the other conferences will be given, for the statistics of membership and of finances contained in the minutes are the concrete tests of progress.

The Quarterly is a welcome addition to the historical publications of the state, and it is to be hoped that it will meet with abundant success.

E. T. M.

How to cite:
"The Texas Methodist Historical Quarterly", Volume 014, Number 1, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, Page 81 - 82. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v014/n1/review_23.html
[Accessed Sun Nov 23 12:35:48 CST 2008]