Site of First Methodist Annual Conference in Texas

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, the story of Rutersville starts with a man of conviction and a long road into new territory. The Reverend Martin Ruter, born in 1785 and gone by 1838, came to Texas as a missionary for the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1837.

He didn't stay long enough to see what would be named for him, but a town and a college, both right here in Fayette County, would carry his name forward. Rutersville. Rutersville College.

That's the stage our story plays out on. Then comes Bishop Beverly Waugh. He arrived in Galveston in early December of 1840, and his mission was clear: visit the Texas Methodists, and pull together the very first annual conference the state had ever seen.

Traveling with him was a man named Thomas O. Summers. Together they made their way to Austin, and on December 20th, Bishop Waugh stood up in the Capitol itself and preached.

Now picture that. The Capitol. Then they pressed on toward Rutersville.

The Bishop rolled in on Christmas Eve. And Christmas morning, 1840, he called the conference into session at Rutersville College. Christmas Day.

There's your moment. Over four days, things got done. Thomas O.

Summers was elected secretary of the conference. Nine preachers were present and heard. Four new preachers were admitted.

Two deacons were ordained. The Texas Missionary Society held its own meeting, and before it was all over, plans were already being laid for a second annual conference, to be held in San Augustine in 1841. Humble beginnings, the marker calls them, and that's fair.

But from that Christmas gathering in a small Texas college, the Texas conference of the Methodist Church grew steadily, until it stretched to include additional annual conferences across the whole state. Not bad for four days in December.

What the marker says

The Rev. Martin Ruter (1785-1838) came to Texas as a missionary for the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1837. A town called Rutersville and Rutersville College, both located here, were named in his honor. Bishop Beverly Waugh arrived in Galveston in early December 1840. His mission was to visit Texas Methodists and to assemble and organize the first annual conference. Accompanied by Thomas O. Summers, Waugh traveled to Austin, where on December 20 he preached in the Capitol. Bishop Waugh arrived in Rutersville on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day he called the conference into session at Rutersville College. During the four day meeting the delegates elected Thomas O. Summers secretary of the conference, heard reports of the nine preachers present, admitted four new preachers, and ordained two deacons. The Texas Missionary Society also met, and plans were made for the second annual conference to be held in San Augustine in 1841. Following its humble beginnings here in 1840, the Texas conference of the Methodist Church grew steadily, eventually to include additional annual conferences within the state.