History of the Southern Baptist churches in Texas: 1822-1845 Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Ray, Ann Smithey, 1916- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 28/09/2021 17:52:15 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/319823 HISTORY OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCHES IN ' ‘ TEXAS: 1822-1845 by Ann Smi they Ray A Thesiiis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements -For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1 9 6 4 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial f u l f i l l ­ ment of requirements for an advanced degree at The Univer­ sity of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the L ibrary. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknow­ ledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judgment the proposed use of the material is in the inter­ ests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. Si gned: APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: Dr. J.A. Beatson Bite / Professor of History ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author is indebted to a number of individuals of Tucson who expressed ah interest in the subject and made their libraries containing valuable materials available for use. Special thanks are due Dr. John Saleman for the use of several books; to Rev. T.P. Lott for the use of a very old book; and to Dr. James.A, Beatson, professor of History, University of Arizona, who first suggested the subject and thereafter served as thesis director. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I . INTRODUCTION.................. 1 /■ BAPTIST BEGINNINGS. _______ 4 CHAPTER I I . SOUTHERN BAPTIST ORGANIZATION IN TH1 . RE.PUBL I C.,.,,., , ,. t. , , ...... 29 CHAPTER I I I . SOUTHERN BAPTIST WORK AMONG THE NEGROES... 56 CHAPTER IV. SOUTHERN BAPTIST AND STATEHOOD, 1 8 4 5 ...... 70 LISt OF REFERENCE'S. .. .....'.. ..... ......... 90 IV ABSTRACT History of the Southern Baptist Churches in Texas; 1822-1845 The history of the Southern Baptist churches is woven into every fiber of the history of the Lone Star State of Texas, Pioneer Baptists came to Texas with Austin’ s fir s t colonists to plant their crops and practice their ideals of religious and political liberty. Baptists, later called Southern Baptists, found abundant opportunity to help lay the foundation in the wilderness for the future commonwealth of Texas, Baptist Christians became the foremost leaders in preaching the gospel, organizing Baptist churches and Sunday schools for whites and Negroes, and building schools for the education of their children. Many Baptists were among the courageous leaders in the movement for Texas’ independence from Mexico, The history of Baptists in Texas is interlaced in the struggle for religious liberty and the separation of church and state. During the early years of the Republic of Texas, Bap­ tis t churches increased and Baptist ministers came to witness in greater numbers. The number of Sunday schools multiplied and there were more Baptist missionaries on the field. Bap­ tist churches organized into Associations, then joined with other Southern Baptist churches In the Southern Baptist con­ vention to promote evangelization on the home field and abroad, in 1848 the Texas Baptist Convention was organized to promote all Baptist work within the state. CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The fir s t half of the nineteenth century saw tremendous struggles throughout the world. The world was in ferment po­ litically, socially, intellectually, and religiously. In the United States these elements of s trife were current„ Westward expansion and the development of new conditions and new p o liti­ cal units intensified these conflicts. Religion is never wholly free from secular influences, and the first half of the century witnessed many religious conflicts. Texas was in the midst of the expansion movement where the farmer sought richer land to grow cotton with slave labor. Texas offered the Christian with a missionary zeal a rich op­ portunity for work. Baptists could be counted among the fir s t three hundred in Stephen F. Austin's colony. Into the region east of the Sabine was the Anglo-Saxon race in 1836 with their new ideas of religious and political liberty. South of the Rio Grande River was the Latin race with their old ideas of religious and political autocracy sanctioned by many years of domination. Into this vast t e r r i­ tory which intervened pressed the determined vanguard of these opposing cultures and civilization s. This vanguard which crossed the Sabine was motivated and impelled largely by individual in itia tiv e and drive. That group which crossed the Rio Grande was sent by the central authority from Mexico City. The decisive struggle of these two opposing forces occurred at San Jacinto where the hired mercenaries went down i n. defeat. The end of this m ilitary conflict was the beginning of the religious conquest of Texas. The Anglo-Americans were now in control of Texas and there began an epoch in the spiri tual history of the race. In the early 18301s a ll kinds of people, free and slave, came to Texas. All the major denom­ inations of Christianity were represented. Among these was a handful of Baptists. Some of them were missionary; others were anti missionary; some were educated; some were uneducated a few had l i t t l e wealth while the most were poor. But these Baptists had one thing in common -- a belief in a spiritual, democratic Christianity instead of the autocratic type. Texas offered an equal opportunity in a new country of immense natural resources and a country blessed with po­ litic a l independence and religious freedom. Here was an op­ portunity for a set of distinctive religious principles to show their power and their worth to the social and religious commonwealth. The working formula of the Baptists has been evangelism, Christian education and missions. The few Bap­ tists in Texas probably numbered less than one hundred in 1836, but today that group makes, up one of the largest evan­ gelical groups in the state and around the world. This 3 Increase In numbers has been accomplished by voluntary efforts on the part of all individuals. In 1836 there were no Baptists native to Texas. All had come from various other areas. With them they brought divergent ideas as to the means of accomplishing the Lord's work. Added to this was the extreme individualism that char­ acterized those Baptists that came to Texas. Other elements in the life of Texas Baptists were their courage and aggres­ siveness. Their doctrine of religious freedom is held only with reference to man. With reference to God, Baptists feel a holy bondage to obey all His w ill to the uttermost parts of the earth. These two convictions combined to create a tre ­ mendous driving power in Texas Baptist a ctivity. The Baptist record is written in the heart and life of Texas history. Baptists helped pave the way for the Anglo- American race to dominate the life of Texas; Baptists came with Stephen F. Austin to settle; Baptists fought and died for the independence of Texas; Baptists played a dominant role in the organization of the Republic of Texas; Baptists continued to play an influencing role in religious, political, social, and intellectual life of the Lone Star Republic, even into her birth into the Union in 1845. BAPTIST BEGINNINGS Baptists had established themselves in the colonies, by the close of the colonial period, and had come to represent one of the largest church organizations in America. Their congregational type of democratic government, their belief:: in separation of church and state, and their belief in religious liberty appealed to the common people and helped establish their prominence in rural America and on the frontier of which Texas was a part. Texas, the drama of our own Baptist story, has a won­ derful history. Everything that conspires to make history striking, thrilling, and fascinating has been recorded in Texas. There were stirring episodes of buccaneering, f i l i ­ bustering, savagery, romance, adventure, tragedy, comedy, heroism, sacrifice, revolution, wars both internal and exter­ nal, great citizenship and statesmanship.^ Baptists' entrance in Texas was under the Spanish government which was a combina­ tion of church and state. It was a government of compulsion, hence missions had both missions and fo rt, both priest and soldi er.^ 1. J.M. Carroll, A History of Texas Baptists, Dallas, 1923, p .2. 5 By the time the Anglo-Americans arrived on the scene in Texas in the opening years of the nineteenth century, the remarkable work of the Franciscans to convert the Indians to the Catholic faith had dwindled to a l i t t l e more than a mem- 2 ory. The beautiful mission buildings around San Antonio alone stand as reminders of the consecrated endeavor.^ Such was the religious background in the region of Texas when the first Baptists made a path in Texas with their religious zeal, Anglo-Americans began crossing the Sabine River into Texas shortly after the purchase of Louisiana from France in.