How the EVANGEL Helped
Establish the Church of God in Texas
◆ BY LOUIS F. MORGAN ◆
T
HE Church of God Evangel In 1914, the 29-year-old evangelist The Evangel again served a promi-
was the means by which left Tennessee for Texas and contacted nent role in establishing the Church of
the Church of God was first the Nelson family at Ector. In August, God in Texas when Reverend George
introduced in Texas. In 1914, Priest preached at Union Valley, and E. Asher stopped at a railroad crossing for
E. H. and Massie Nelson of Ector, Texas, H. Nelson reported: “The good seed has a passing train and someone tossed out
attended a Pentecostal camp meeting and been sown and many souls are under a copy of the Evangel. Noticing the word
saw a copy of the Church of God Evangel. conviction. One saved, one reclaimed, “holiness” in the headline, Asher picked
Mrs. Nelson then wrote to the Evangel, some at the altar crying to be sanctified, up the paper, became intrigued with
providing the earliest connection with and some tarrying for the baptism. Broth- the Church of God, and wrote to Gen-
the Church of God in Texas. er Priest gave out the red-hot gospel. This eral Overseer A. J. Tomlinson. Overseer
After reading Nelson’s testimony, J. T. is a needy field. Pray that the Church of Brouayer then contacted Asher, result-
“Tommy” Priest desired to go to Texas. God may be established here.” ing in a revival at the coal-mining town
A Georgia native, Priest spent many years Although an evangelist could not of Lyra and the organization of the first
traveling in search of life’s purpose. His organize churches, Priest faithfully Texas congregation on March 25, 1917.
preached, won
converts to the
Lord, and intro-
duced them to
the Church of
God. Through his
preaching, individ-
uals received the
Holy Spirit baptism
and began telling Soon, other Church of God ministers
their experiences answered the cry of the Texas harvest. In
to others. 1917, five congregations, comprised of
Priest remained 123 members, were organized: Lyra, Clut-
in Texas until ter Schoolhouse (Lannius), Clarks Chapel
the 1916 General (Flats), Gilliams Chapel (Ladonia), and
Assembly, when Paris. Texas would never be the same.
George T. Brouayer More than 95 years after Tommy
was appointed Priest first preached the “red-hot gospel”
state overseer. at Union Valley, the Church of God in
Meanwhile, other Texas has grown to tens of thousands of
Church of God members in hundreds of congregations.
Warren Evans (left) and J. T. Priest (right) atop Umbrella Rock at Lookout Mountain,
members moved And it can be traced back to a couple
Tennessee, while on their way to the Church of God General Assembly in 1919. to Texas, includ- who were interested to know more after
ing the Bishop, reading an early issue of the Church of
jjourney ended in Tennessee, in 1910,d d i T i 191910 FFranklin, Meadows, Proctor, and Work-klkli M d P God Evangel.
when he was converted, sanctified, and man families. Overseer Brouayer held
baptized in the Holy Ghost after hear- meetings where Priest had introduced the Louis F. Morgan serves as
ing A. J. Tomlinson preach in Tennessee. Church of God and where members from assistant professor and librar-
While roaming, Priest had visited Texas other states had relocated. Brouayer was ian for public service and learn-
and encountered much trouble. Now an even jailed once for preaching at Strawn, ing at Lee University. He is also
evangelist, he felt he must return and Texas, in April 1917. Undeterred, the second vice president of the His-
make restitution for earlier wrongs. movement began to advance. torical Society of Church of God Movements.
10 EVANGEL • MAR 2010
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