Temple Hall United Methodist Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of the story the official marker preserves, out there on the Hood County road. Now settle in, because this one goes back a good while. Way back to 1854, when Temple Hall United Methodist Church first took shape, making it one of the earliest institutions Hood County has ever known.

Back in those days, the area around here was taking its first wobbly steps as a community. Folks had gathered into a place they called Center Mill, and like any proper community worth its salt, they needed somewhere to worship. So they did what pioneers do.

They built not one church but two, and this one, this very congregation, started life under the name the Methodist Protestant Church. The land they built it on came from an early settler by the name of Thomas A. Parkinson, who provided the ground and, in doing so, planted something that's still growing today.

Regular services got going in 1855, though regular back then meant something a little different than it does now. A pastor would ride out and hold worship once a month. Once a month, and the congregation gathered outdoors, under a brush arbor, open to the sky and the Texas wind.

And sometimes, they didn't even finish the service. Word would come in that Native Americans had been seen in the area, and services would end early. Just like that.

The singing stopped, the sermon stopped, and folks went home watchful. That's the pioneer life the marker talks about, and it was woven right into the worship itself. Around 1870, the community built something more solid.

A log building rose up on the property, and it had to carry a lot of weight, because it wasn't just a church. It served as a school and as home to the Temple of Honor No. 23 Lodge, all under one roof. Then in 1877, Sam and Elvyria Crum granted the church property over to the lodge.

The building and the land kept serving the community, wearing different hats as the years turned. By 1900, the congregation decided the old log walls had done their duty. Members replaced that building with a frame structure, and at that point the temple transferred ownership of the land back to the church.

That frame building served its time too, until members replaced it again with the structure standing today. Along the way, some notable Hood County names filled these pews. W.

L. Dent, a county judge and county school superintendent, was among the members here. The church grounds themselves have been used by institutions and individuals too many to name.

And through every decade, the congregation has given, time and money both, to local needs and to missions reaching out across the country and around the world. From a brush arbor where services sometimes ended before the final prayer, to a congregation still called a spiritual leader in Hood County today. That's a long road, and Temple Hall United Methodist Church has walked every mile of it.

What the marker says

Organized in 1854, Temple Hall United Methodist Church is one of the earliest institutions in Hood county. During the mid-1800s, residents formed the community of Center Mill. Needing a place of worship, they established two churches, including this one, originally called the Methodist Protestant Church. Thomas A. Parkinson, an early settler, provided this land for the church. Early church services reflected the pioneer life of area residents. Regular services began in 1855, when a pastor would hold worship once a month. Members attended church under a brush arbor and would sometimes end services early because of reports of Native Americans in the area. Around 1870, residents built a log building for use by the church, school and the temple of honor no. 23 lodge. Sam and Elvyria Crum granted the church property to the lodge in 1877. By 1900, members replaced the log building with a frame structure and the temple transferred ownership of land to the church. That building was used until members replaced it with the current structure. Throughout the years, Temple Hall United Methodist Church has played a vital role in and outside the community. Noted Hood county individuals have been members here, including W.l. Dent, a county judge and county school superintendent. Additionally, the church grounds have been used by many institutions and individuals. The church also has a rich history of contributing time and money to local needs as well as to national and global missions. Today, Temple Hall United Methodist Church continues to play a vital role as a spiritual leader in Hood county.