THE ORGAN STORIES
The first organ purchased for the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in Corsicana, Texas was a subject of great and sometimes bitter controversy The following story is related from Brother Bishop (who also organized the first Sunday School) and was first printed in the First Methodist Church centennial history in 195 1. The date of the events around the first organ is about 1871.
"Soon the perplexing question of an organ arose. The cabinet organ had just been invented, and the music dealer proposed to sell the church an *instrument. You can't imagine the fury it created. Instrumental music in church was unheard of in this part of Texas. It was a common remark that every organ had a devil *in it. The church was divided. Col. Mills, Capt. Halbert, Judge Winkler and their families were very much in favor of the organ. But Uncle Billie Roberts, Marian Fry, the Doolans, were all very much opposed to it. The Doolans were leaders in church song. (A. B. Miller wrote the Doolans sat in the amen corner.)
Grandma McKinney, mother of the church, took no part and said, "What the church wants, I want; I can worship with an organ as well as without one. Don't consider my feelings at all." She was then over seventy years of age.
It was finally decided to leave it to a vote of the church and let a majority decide. Hot words passed both ways. Men roundly asserted that no soul had ever been converted while an organ was playing." "Uncle Billie Roberts told the congregation there had never been a good sound conversion in the church since putting that dern thing in the house." (from A.B. Miller history)
It is funny now, but it was bitter then.
At length, when the ballot was taken, a small majority favored the introduction of the organ. Brother Fry and Uncle Billie submitted, but not gracefully They thought the church was committing a sin.
Sallie whispered to Mrs. Mills and Mrs. Halbert to compromise by letting the organ into the church Sunday School, and leaving it oi~t of public worship. It was a concession, and Brother Fry and Uncle Billie gladly accepted it. The Mills, Winklers, Gamers and Halberts were glad to leave it there.
Sallie taught Mary Fry some Sunday School songs on the organ. The first thing we knew, Brother Fry's daughter was at the organ and he thought her music beautiful. That was the means of getting it into the church, finally"
(As told by Dr. Horace Bishop)
(Editors note: Sallie is probably Sallie Powell Bishop, wife of Dr. Horace Bishop.)
THE FIRST PIPE ORGAN (From HISTORY OF 1981)
"The first pipe organ installed in the new sanctuary of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, Corsicana, (Texas) was built by Estey Organ Company of Alliance, Ohio. The pipes were painted white with a gold Florentine design with the console located in the center of the choir. This instrument was powered by a blower which was run by water pressure from a main located below the choir and organ of the church. Some years later this arrangement was changed and an electric motor was installed to propel the blower. This organ served the church till 1951 when it was sold to a church in San Antonio.
The pipes of the first pipe organ installed in the Methodist Episcopal Church South. An Estey organ, the instrument was run by water pressure from a main located below the choir Later, an electric motor was installed to propel the blower
MOELLER ORGAN
On Sunday, April 20, 1952, the Moefler pipe organ was dedicated to the praise of Almighty God with a special dedication service. It was also dedicated to the memory of the late Texas Governor Beauford Jester. Governor Jester's home is in Corsicana and he died while in office several years earlier. Friends began a memorial fund to be applied to an appropriate memorial. The First Methodist Church provided the remainder of the organ fund.
Gov. Jester's parents, the late Lieut. Gov. and Mrs. George T. Jester were very active in First Methodist Church. Mrs. Jester taught Sunday School for seventy-one years. She was, at the time of the dedication, ninety-one years old.
W P McCammon was chairman of the Organ Committee and the service included Mrs. Elbert Marshall, guest organist who gave a recital on the new organ.
SCHUDI ORGAN
"After approximately twenty-five years of faithful service, the Moeller organ dedicated to the memory of Gov. Beauford Jester became unplayable ... due to deterioration." The Schudi Organ Company built our current organ in 1978 for approximately $45,000. The Schudi organ has 1,417 pipes ranging in length from 16 feet to 1 inch. The organ is classically voiced and is capable of performing organ literature both for liturgical and concert use. Marvin Schudi still services the organ in 1996.
