Visiting Ministry at Manvel Bible Chapel, TX

Manvel Bible Chapel, Pearland, Brazoria Co., Houston metro, TX (OB) +1931-2025+

Itinerants

• Joe Balsan 1959
• Dave Bosworth 2021
• Rich Brown 2021
• Lawrence Darling 1964
• John T. Dickson 1952
• P.C. Doehring 1941
• John Elliott 1954
• George Farber 2021
• Dr. Jack "Doc" Fish 2021
• Jim Fleming 2021
• Phil Guikema 2023
• Warren Henderson 2021
• Dwight Knight +2023-2024
• Oran Lambright 2022
• Scott Leach 2024
• Leonard Lindsted 1956
• Thomas "Tom" R. McCullagh 1951, 1959, 1965
• Edwin Meschkat 1954
• J.B. Nicholson 2021
• Dr. Steve Price 2022
• Raymond M. Zander 1952, 1960, 1968

Ministry Reports

1940's

1941

• • AA 1941-12:

With Christ: P.C. Doehring, Houston, TX: Letter from Mr. T.C. Bush, Waxahachie, Texas:

Know ye not that there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel.

"This scripture at once suggests itself to the mind of one intimate with P.C. Doehring on the occasion of his home going, in the 72nd year. On Thu., Oct. 23rd about 3:30 p.m. our beloved brother succumbed to a heart attack and within a few minutes was with the Lord.

It was the afternoon of the day that the 40th Annual Conference was to start with the prayer meeting in the evening, and, as was his custom for many years he had been busy all of the day, his last day on earth, making the necessary arrangements for the conference. By 5 p.m. the news had spread over the city and so reached those local as well as those who had already gathered for the Conference. To one and all it was a great shock. Being apparently in usual health we could scarce believe he had left us.

Our Brother was saved in Chicago, Ill. about 45 years ago [1896?], and shortly thereafter came to Houston, Texas and engaged in the jewelry business. There he came directly into contact with our beloved brother Joseph Jameson. Quickly he embraced the truths held by our brother as to Christ being the center of gathering for His people and at once associated himself with that pioneer of the faith in a small meeting already begun in the home.

Soon a Gospel Hall was secured and from then on through four decades he gave himself, his time, his talents as much as possible to the work of the Lord, the furtherance of the Gospel and the care of the Lord's people. In all of these years in the closest association with brother Jameson his temporal and business affairs all were subordinated to the spiritual. His hospitality was boundless, and those that knew him both of the Lord's servants, as well as the Lord's people, can rise up this day and call him blessed.

On the last Lord's day preceding his home call, Sunday, Oct. 19th, he was at Manvel... 25 miles from Houston... assisting, along with other brethren, in the opening of a new Hall there. He gave a most interesting account of the history of the Houston Assembly since its inception and mentioned the growth extending out to this city. He referred in passing to the fact that out of the four men who first sat to remember the Lord in Houston, he alone was left. It was a fitting testimony, destined to be the last public utterance, of this man of God.

Quite a number of the Lord's servants were attending the conference as well as believers from Texas and other States, so with those who locally love him, the funeral was very largely attended. Bro. Wm. Rae spoke a most solemn and comforting word from Ps. 116:15 to the company gathered at the funeral home, and Bro. T.C. Bush read a portion of scripture and prayed at the grave. So in this simple way we laid the body of this man of God, our beloved brother, till that glad day that will soon come for all of His own.

Mr. Doehring is survived by five sons, and a number of grandchildren, and the Lord's people may well pray that these sons may emulate their devoted father, and thus for themselves adorn, as he did, the doctrine of God their Saviour."

1949

• L&L 1949-9: Houston, TX: "The 48th annual conference of Christians gathered according to Matthew 18:20, in the Houston district, will be held in the Gospel Hall, 2402 Louisiana St., on Oct. 21-23, with prayer meeting on the 20th. This will be a joint conference of all the meetings: Houston, Pineview, Manvel, Melrose and South Houston. Visitors are requested to advise of their coming a little in advance. All will be entertained by the saints as usual. Correspondent: H.W. Dedman, 414 Union National Bank Bldg., Houston, TX."

1950's

1951

• L&L 1951-7: Tom McCullagh, Guthrie, OK: "I went to Houston, Texas, for the opening of of the new hall at Riverview. I enjoyed ministering the Word to them, also at Manvel and in the Louisiana Street hall. There seems to be an ear for God's Word. In July, Leonard Lindsted will join me in tent work in Tulsa, and in August I will work with John Elliott in Guthrie. Pray for us in this tent work."

1952

• LOI 1952-5:

John T. Dickson, Petersburg, VA: "Early this year I had a strong desire to visit the deep South and contact outlying places where workers for the Lord are busy in these lonely fields. Bro. Raymond Zander and I left Atlanta, Georgia, Jan. 31, and stopped at Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where Bro. Edwin Meschkat has been ploughing his lonely furrow amid opposition for a few years. We had a meeting that same evening, and there was a nice company, among them a Catholic lady who was saved shortly afterwards and is now in the little assembly. Our brother needs our prayers and encouragement.

In New Orleans, a city largely Catholic, Brethren Schlief and Hanna are meeting indifference and opposition, yet are seeking to build a testimony for the Lord. We had a meeting there also. We spent a weekend in Lafayette where Bro. William Walker, with a family from California and a few others, has planted an assembly. They had just opened a small hall and desire the prayers of the Lord's people also.

Our next stop was Manvel, Texas (a village out in the rice fields) where there is a hearty little assembly. After a few days, we began gospel meetings. The interest grew. Even with pouring rain, we had a full house, and there were some conversions. It was cheering to see whole families out every night. We were invited by the school superintendents to speak to the faculty, visitors and students.

Returning, we had a nice visit in Jackson, Mississippi, with Mr. and Mrs. George M. Marshall. The Lord has given blessing there, and a little gathering remembers the Lord."

• LOI 1952-7:

"When Bro. J.T. Dickson returned with R.M. Zander from Manvel, Texas, where they had seen precious souls saved, he was worn out and in poor health. With Mrs. Dickson, he left April 16 by car for Florida, but they had to finish the journey by train. For some weeks he has been under the care of a doctor who diagnosed his case as diabetes and is treating him accordingly. The Lord's people might join with us in prayer for our brother at this time. W.E. Dancy, Corr., Gospel Hall, Petersburg, Va."

1954

• L&L 1954-10: Gathered Together: Manvel, TX: "John Elliott and Edwin Meschkat concluded a four week series in Gospel meetings here with real blessing. Three souls were saved and a couple were restored to fellowship. Previous to this, a young man of 18 years was saved. During the camp season, five young boys from 9 to 13 years received Christ as their Savior. Archie C. Peters, Corr."

1956

• L&L 1956-5: "Leonard Lindsted, Wichita, KS, recently (Apr. 10) held meetings in Manvel, Texas, using his chart Egypt to Canaan. Then also had two weeks in the new work at MacGregor Chapel in Houston, mostly for children, and there was some fruit in the Gospel. Hoping to help locally in Wichita, D.V., until June. Nice interest in the children's work on the north side of Wichita."

1959

• LOI 1959-12: T.R. McCullagh, 411 E. Logan Ave., Guthrie, Okla.: "I spent a few days in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, where the Lord is blessing and souls have been saved. The Fort Worth assembly has more than doubled in the last year and a good spirit prevails among the saints. From here I went to Waco, Texas. A continued growth is seen in the meeting there. Nov. 8, I joined Bro. J. Balsan in meetings at Manvel, Texas."

1960's

1960

• LOI 1960-4: Ray Zander, Richmond, VA: "I was in Manvel, Texas, in March where the Lord richly blessed His Word. I had the privilege of ministering in the Houston area and once again rejoice over the hunger of the Lord's people for His Word. I return to Richmond, Va., for the Easter Conference (D.V.), and hope to find much to encourage there."

1964

• LOI 1964-10: 2 Adults Saved in Manvel, Tex., DVBS: Lawrence Darling, San Antonio, TX:

"Nine new children came to Sunday school in San Antonio, as a result of the DVBS conducted there. The school was held in the evening, enabling us to have an adult class also. We had so many children (129) on the closing night that we did not have room to invite the parents. However, all parents were invited to a combined Sunday school and DVBS picnic over the weekend.

The second Bible school was held in Manvel, Tex., a small city of 300. Here the Bible school was a great attraction for the mothers who brought their children; two professed salvation during the week. One was a girl of nineteen, the other a former boxer, whose wife was saved last year."

1965

• LOI 1965-3: News Bits: "Tom McCullagh conducted meetings in Houston, Tex., on Jan. 8, and began meetings in Manvel, Tex., on the 10th. A teen-age boy professed faith in Christ in the first meeting in Manvel. Mr. McCullagh wrote that work in Guthrie, Okla., was encouraging."

1968

• LOI 1968-3: Ray Zander, Boca Raton, FL: "I have visited in the Manvel, Tex. area as well as South Houston, Pineview and MacGregor. Mr. J.T. Dickson first took me to Manvel 16 years ago, and from the first visit until the present it has been a fruitful field. Am sowing the good seed in the out islands of the Bahamas, and will remain as the Lord leads. Abaco has been a place of hard plowing, and patient sowing, but the Lord has given the joy of seeing souls won to Him."

1970's

1972

• LOI 1972-1: "The saints at Good News Center, Belle Chasse, La. and the Christians at Manvel Bible Chapel, Manvel, Texas unite in commending Mr. and Mrs. Richard Klein to the work of the Lord in Manvel." Signed by nine brethren.

Sources

• Assembly Annals (AA)
  • 1941-12
• Letters of Interest (LOI)
  • 1952:5,7; 1959-12; 1960:4,10; 1965-3; 1968-3; 1972-1
• Light & Liberty (L&L)
  • 1949-9; 1951-7; 1954-10; 1956-5