A central location for the Chinese church of San Antonio was necessary and "by a step of faith, the old Spanish Governor’s Palace was chosen. It was already 200 years old. . . . The livestock room and courtyard needed much cleaning, but happily on May 22, 1921, thirty-four men and children attended the first Bible classes on that Sunday afternoon. . . ."

But the Chinese claimed problems. After two years "many interruptions by drunkards" forced a move to a room above the Woo Lee Café; on West Commerce. The Chinese congregation quickly called this "The Upper Room."

Joe T. Lew [in the 60th anniversary publication of
San Antonio’s Chinese Baptist Church]

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Copyright 1999
The University of Texas

Institute of Texan Cultures
at San Antonio