Who was Mary Hill Davis?

WMU of Texas President, 1906-1931

Mary Hill Davis was born in Greenville, Georgia, and came to Texas as a small child in 1870 when her family moved from Tennessee to Dallas. At age 20, she married F.S. Davis, a physician. They had one son, Raymond, also a physician and surgeon.

Mary's heart for missions and people was evident in everything she did. She believed Texas was a vast mission field, and that immigrants needed to know Jesus just as much as citizens. Not only did she stir women to give and pray for missions (giving increased by $1.2 million dollars during her presidency), but she also encouraged leaders to take care of orphans, schools in Texas, as well as China, and retired pastors living in poverty.

Mary Hill Davis passed away on November 24, 1934, and during a memorial service held at the WMU Convention of Houston in 1935, the State Missions Offering was re-named the Mary HIll Davis Offering®.

Today, Mary's remarkable leadership continues to inspire Texas Baptists to give, pray, and serve.

Watch Mary’s Story

In Mary’s Words

“If all Texas Baptist women were earnestly a part of the work (missions), the whole earth would feel the impact of their queenly power.”

- Mary Hill Davis, 1908


“Serving this day and generation will either condemn or endow the generations yet to come. But we only serve acceptably when we give ourselves abundantly and unreservedly.”

- Mary Hill Davis, 1919


“It seems fitting in this time of world chaos and untoward tendencies that we should call ourselves back to a new sense of loyalty to our cause. The feeling of unrest in social and political and religious life was never quite so sinister nor so aggressive as it is today. If there ever was a time when Christian hearts should call themselves back to a sense of loyalty to God and our organized work, that time is now upon us.”

- Mary Hill Davis, 1923

How do I participate in Texas Missions?

Pray

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