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Church HistoryThe following was published in 1996 in booklet form by the history committee in celebration of the sanctuary centennial.
©First United Methodist Church Corsicana Early Church History
The earliest published history of First Methodist Church, Corsicana, Texas 1851-1951 is a small cream colored book with a drawing of the first wooden Methodist Church building, dating to 1870. There are still several copies available today and the following church history was taken from this book. This history book divided the church history into three periods up to 1951. We have edited for length while attempting to maintain an historical narrative which is interesting to the casual reader as well as for historical research. The complete wording of deeds and other official documents, however, are not included but are available in the church historical room, Pioneer Village and the Corsicana Public Library.
The first permanent settler was a Methodist preacher, the Rev. Hampton McKinney who brought his family here from Illinois in the preceding year. As other settlers arrived, it is most likely that he began the organization of a Methodist group, or society. People of other denominations followed McKinney very soon and they, also, were interested in starting churches of their own faith. In a small frontier town it was not easy to establish houses of worship with the handful who were interested. And so, in the beginning, there was no strict line drawn between Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist. They worshiped together and each gave his hand in fellowship to the others." DEED RECORDED 1851 When Corsicana was originally surveyed, "a handsome piece of ground *in block 356," was reserved for the First Methodist Church. The deed was recorded and dated September 15, 18 5 1. Actually the land was deeded to the trustees of the Corsicana Chapel, Newell C. Hodges, Jn. J. Hammonds, Win. H. Beeman, David Rose and Hampton McKinney for the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
Col. R. Q. Mills told the story of the church's beginning to Bro. Bishop and the story is related by Mrs. Clifford Tatum in 1951: EARLY BEGINNINGS There were two old, representative families here, the McKinneys and the Kerrs. The McKinneys were Methodists, the Kerrs were Cumberland Presbyterians. For many years they worked together as Christians. For some time after the town was organized, there was no church. Although McKinney was a local preacher, and Kerr was an elder in his church, the town had no regular preaching service. They were both frontiersmen and hard working men. SHOUTING PRAISES These two old heroes kept the weekly prayer meeting for a long time. One night it was raining, there was no moon, and the two men met for prayer meeting, and no one else came. They talked about the condition, and agreed to discontinue the weekly prayer services. They finally concluded that they would have a closing prayer and abandon the custom. While they were on their knees praying they were both overcome with religious emotion. They clasped arms, and after the old style, they shouted their praises to God. A man passing by in the rain heard their shouts, hitched his horse, and went in to see what it was. He was so impressed with their earnestness that he went forward and asked them to pray for him. They did so and he professed conversion. Instead of abandoning the custom, they mutually agreed to have another prayer meeting the next night, when, perhaps it might not be raining. When the next night came, a goodly company attended prayer meeting in the schoolhouse. A great revival sprang out of that meeting. They agreed to send for a preacher. The Methodists sent for David Rose, an Englishman who lived in Hill County, forty miles away, a member of the Texas conference. The Cumberland Presbyterians also secured a preacher. The town became very religious. School adjourned every day at the hour of preaching and all students attended. Out of that meeting grew several churches.
An early circuit rider, James Addison, was also a prolific letter writer. He left behind many stories and narratives. CORSICANA ELEPHANT In 1852, Rev. Addison wrote, "Friday, in the evening, I got to Corsicana, stopped at the tavern, the proprietor of which is a local preacher." (No doubt, he stopped at Hampton McKinney's tavern-boarding house) "found a large crowd of boarders--soon the supper bell rang. It was 'Hurrah Boys'; the first one gets there gets the best chance, no blessing asked, as fast as they struck the seat, so quick would their fork stick in a piece of meat, and they fell eating. Well, we got through supper after a while, all the boarders, or most of them went to see the elephant--which is a ten pin alley over which is the impressive sign, 'Corsicana Elephant'.
After twenty years of worshiping in a communal church, a building committee was appointed in 1866 . The H. and T. C. Railroad had not yet made it to Corsicana so the lumber was hauled by wagon from Groesbeck and Houston. Mr. Carruthers of Groesbeck gave the lumber. The original wooden building was built by Mr. Carrol who received $4,000 at the completion of the church. AMEN CORNERS This first church had "amen corners" in the custom of the day. These were benches to each side of the altar, one side for women and one for men. The elderly were seated here. ORIGINAL BUILDING There was also a spire, 125 feet tall topped by four large brass balls, one on each corner, that glistened in the sun. The landmark could be seen for quite a distance, but according to early history, "it's glory was not to last." A storm blew the steeple off and it was replaced, but not for long. Again a storm came, this time in the day and from the north, laying the steeple low in the preacher's peach orchard. After that it was not replaced. Only the square part which included the four brass balls remained and the little church was shorn of much of it's beauty. The early church was lighted by candles, later replaced by oil lamps and heated by a large wood stove at each end. FLEA CONVENTION This early wooden building was the location of the famous 'Flea Convention` of Texas Democrats. The Convention was held in Corsicana at the Church building because it was the largest auditorium around and the Convention paid $200 per day which retired the debt, after which it could be dedicated. There was no stock law at the time. Town hogs had taken up shelter from hot weather under the building and the resulting fleas which disturbed the delegates gave the Convention its unwelcome name. PROTRACTED MEETINGS AND MOURNER'S BENCH Beside the church each summer, a brush arbor was built for protracted meetings. The sermons were long and sin was forcefully denounced. Many became happy and the 'mourner's bench' was often filled with people, convicted of their sins, and asking forgiveness.
In 1896, the large and current gothic sanctuary was begun. The first service was held in our church on May 2, 1897. The first song sung was PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW The second song was COME THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING. Scripture reading was PSALM 88, read by Rev. M. S. Hotchkiss. The sermon text was from part of the 7TH verse of ISAIAH -FROM MY HOUSE ... The first member received into the church 'in the new sanctuary was S. A. Pace, Jr. SUNDAY SCHOOL CONTEST Through the years there have been many exciting times at First (United) Methodist Church, Corsicana, Texas. In 1921, a Sunday School contest was held. The Sunday School Superintendent at Austin Avenue Methodist Church, Waco, Texas challenged First Methodist Church, Corsicana..."and the fight was on." Austin Avenue's goal was 1200 by Easter Sunday. A great wave of enthusiasm, never before witnessed at First Methodist Church, Corsicana.) swept like magic over the 800 in attendance the first day of the contest. Reports good and bad were announced each Sunday until Easter Sunday finally arrived - with an attendance of 2,351 at First Methodist Church (all attendance records having been broken). Austin Avenue, Waco reported 1,470 in attendance. On the day the contest closed, the Young Men's Class at First Methodist, taught by Mrs. S. M. Roughton, had 13 3 at the Grand Theater. The Business Men's Class, which met at the Palace Theater, reported 650 in attendance. The late Mrs. George E. Jester's class of Young Women (which became the Good Will Class), assembled at the Ideal Theater with an attendance of 600, among whom were the Knight's Templar, who attended in a body. |
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