Charles Betts Galloway

Charles Betts Galloway Jr. (September 1, 1849 – May 12, 1909) was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, elected in 1886. In his day, he was "the best-known and most influential personality in the Methodist world." He was also instrumental in the formation of Millsaps College. He was their second child and oldest son.

His first semester, Galloway attended a prayer meeting held in a classmate's room that significantly changed his perspective on religion. In that capacity, he convened an Indian Mission Conference in the Eufaula, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) on October 20-25, 1886; in December of that year he also held annual conferences in Arkansas and Texas. The day of his funeral, all branches of federal, state, county, and local government in Mississippi remained closed.

Publications

The Prohibition Handbook: Specially Designed for Circulation in the State of Mississippi (Jackson: Mississippi State Prohibition Executive Committee,1886) The Editor-Bishop, Linus Parker, His Life and Writings (Nashville: Publishing House Methodist Episcopal Church, 1886) A Circuit of the Globe (Nashville: Publishing House Methodist Episcopal Church, South,1895) Modern Missions: Their Evidential Value (Nashville: Publishing House Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1896) Eminent Methodists: Twelve Booklets in One Book (Nashville: Publishing House Methodist Episcopal Church, South,1897) Christianity in the American Commonwealth or, The Influence of Christianity in Making this Nation (Nashville: Publishing House Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1898) The South and the Negro: An Address Delivered at the Seventh Annual Conference for Education in the South, Birmingham, Ala., April 26th, 1904 (New York: Southern Education Board, 1904) "Jefferson Davis, a Judicial Estimate; Address Delivered by Bishop Charles B. Galloway at the University of Mississippi, June 3, 1908". (Bulletin of the University of Mississippi, Series VI, Supplement to No. 3, 1908) Great Men and Great Movements: A Volume of Addresses (Nashville: Publishing House Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1914)

Personal Galloway became engaged to his future wife, Harriet E. Willis when they were thirteen and fourteen. However, they did not marry until September 1, 1869, on his 20th birthday. They had a son, E. S. Galloway, who attended Millsaps Collage and became a doctor in Jackson; he was also Secretary of the Mississippi State Board of Health.

When he became bishop, Galloway had offers from communities across the South, but he established Jackson as his home base in 1889. On his second trip to Asia, eight years after his first trip in 1894, Galloway took his wife with him. He wrote, "To be separated by eight thousand miles from a treasure so sacred has already caused many an aching heartthrob."

Galloway gave the commencement speech at the University of Mississippi on June 3, 1911—it was also the 100th anniversary of Jefferson Davis' birth. He closed his speech with, "Soldier, hero, statesman, gentleman, American, prince of Christian chivalry, the uncrowned Chief of an invisible republic of loving and loyal hearts, when another hundred years have passed, no intelligent voice will fail to praise him and no patriotic hand will refuse to place a laurel wreath on his radiant brow."

In 1909, Galloway died of pneumonia and a heart condition at his home in Jackson, Mississippi. He had also been ill with Bright's disease. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery following a service at First Methodist Church in Jackson. Bishop Warren A. Candler of Georgia conducted the service.

Galloway's younger brother, James, also became a Methodist Episcopal pastor.