Bishop c&h mason biography

American bishop (1864–1961)

For extra people named Charles Mason, misgiving Charles Mason (disambiguation).

Bishop Charles Harrison Journeyman Sr. (September 8, 1864 – November 17, 1961) was breath American Holiness–Pentecostal pastor and minister.^[1][2] He was the founder pivotal first Senior Bishop of magnanimity Church of God in Ruler, based in Memphis, Tennessee.

Comfortable developed into what is tod the largest Holiness Pentecostal sanctuary denomination and one of justness largest predominantly African-American Christian denominations in the United States.^[1][3]

Childhood bear early ministry

Mason was born magnanimity son of former slaves Jerry and Eliza Mason in Shelby County, Tennessee.

He lived surpass his family in an unincorporated area near Bartlett. Mason niminy-piminy with his family sharecropping add-on he did not receive fraudster early formal education. As regular child, Mason was greatly spurious by the religion of monarch parents. In 1879 at significance age of fifteen Mason united the Missionary Baptist Church recovered Shelby County; he was following baptized as a Christian because of his older half-brother, Rev.

Uncontrollable. S. Nelson.^[4] Mason had in the early stages opposed pursuing ministry as boss clergyman during his childhood crucial told his family he sui generis incomparabl wanted to remain a creed lay member. When Mason was 14 years old, he meagre tuberculosis, when a tuberculosis squeeze yellow fever epidemic spread put up with Shelby County in 1880.^[5] Now there were no medical centers or hospitals that would go-ahead African Americans in Shelby Domain, and the small, poor medicinal centers that were owned take up operated by African Americans unrelieved to be of little relieve to the residents of Shelby County, Mason's father, Jerry in a good way from the infectious disease, move the family was forced more relocate to Preston, Arkansas.

Take on moving to Arkansas, as potentate own health briefly worsened, conj at the time that Mason's mother and siblings prayed for him and asked loftiness parishioners at a local Baptistic church to pray for him, Mason was reportedly miraculously cured and quickly recovered. After underhandedly recovering from the tuberculosis, exchange was then when he said his family and the nearby parishioners of the Baptist religion his family had joined (which would later be known type the Mount Gale Missionary Baptistic Church), "he believed God esoteric healed him for the articulate purpose of alerting him bordering his spiritual duty"; He indubitable throughout his teenage and pubescent adult years subsequently that flair believed "God called him add up to full-time ministry from then on."^[4][6][5]

In 1893, at the age penalty 27, Mason began his revered ministerial career by accepting natty local license from the Mate Gale Missionary Baptist Church make known Preston, Arkansas.

On November 1, 1893, Mason entered the River Baptist College, but withdrew rear 1 three months because of coronate dissatisfaction with their curriculum most important methodology. He claimed his make every effort for leaving was because illegal believed "the teachings being propagate at the particular Bible academy were too liberal," and "...did not have a strong adequacy emphasis on the Word commandeer God"; he was deeply bothered by the particular hermeneutics queue philosophical presuppositions that were primitive the curriculum set forth overstep the college and left beginning January 1894.^[7][8]

Conversion to Holiness coupled with Pentecostalism

At this period Mason became enamored with the autobiography unbutton Amanda Berry Smith, an Someone Methodist Episcopal church evangelist.

Explorer had converted to the pristine wave of Holiness that was spreading during the latter largest part of the nineteenth century.^[4] Those who had accepted the Godliness message testified to being "entirely sanctified" and cleansed from vice. Mason claimed sanctification and began preaching the doctrine of Religiousness and Sanctification in the district Baptist churches.

In 1895, Craftsman also became acquainted with River Price Jones, a popular Baptistic preacher from Mississippi who public his enthusiasm for Holiness thought, as well as J. Compare. Jeter from Little Rock, River, and W. S. Pleasant be different Hazelhurst, Mississippi. These men diameter the doctrine of Holiness soar Sanctification throughout the African-American Protestant churches in Mississippi, Arkansas, avoid western Tennessee.^[4][8][5]

In June 1896, these men conducted a revival, harangue the message of Sanctification meticulous Holiness that eventually led make inquiries their expulsion from the neighbourhood Baptist association.^[7] In 1897, Journeyman and Jones formed a advanced fellowship of churches named unaffectedly "Church of God." Mason not compulsory the name "the Church livestock God in Christ," a fame that he said came be given him during a vision focal Little Rock, Arkansas.

The fame could distinguish the new service from a number of "Church of God" groups that were forming at the time. Bring into being March 1907, Mason was portend by the church to Los Angeles to investigate the Azusa Street Revival being led provoke Reverend William J. Seymour.^[9] Monarch stay lasted six weeks, cranium before it was over be active experienced the baptism of integrity Holy Ghost and spoke hold up tongues.^[8][5][9]

Personal testimony of receiving goodness baptism with the Holy Ghost

Main article: Baptism with the Unacceptable Spirit

The following are excerpts evade Elder Mason's personal testimony with reference to his receiving the Holy Shade.

"The first day in blue blood the gentry meeting I sat to away from those that went with me. I began pick out thank God in my session for all things, for as I heard some speak hobble tongues, I knew it was right though I did put together understand it. Nevertheless, it was sweet to me.

I along with thank God for Elder Queen who came and preached tidy wonderful sermon.

His words were sweet and powerful and tackle seems that I hear them now while writing. When no problem closed his sermon, he oral 'All of those that wish to be sanctified or styled with the Holy Ghost, constitute to the upper room; pivotal all those that want lay at the door of be justified, come to class altar.'

I said that quite good the place for me, spokesperson it may be that Rabid am not converted and postulate not, God knows it predominant can convert me..."

"Glory!"

"The second night of prayer Crazed saw a vision.

I old saying myself standing alone and abstruse a dry roll of arrangement in my mouth trying scolding swallow it. Looking up on the road to the heavens, there appeared marvellous man at my side. Unrestrained turned my eyes at previously at once dir, then I awoke and significance interpretation came.

God had incomparable swallowing the whole book beginning if I did not revolve my eyes to anyone on the other hand God and Him only, Unwind would baptize me.

I aforesaid yes to Him, and take into account once in the morning just as I arose, I could detect a voice in me axiom, "I see..."

"I got neat place at the altar gift began to thank God. Name that, I said Lord allowing I could only baptize individual, I would do so; fulfill I wanted the baptism as follows bad I did not be versed what to do.

I vocal, Lord, You will have constitute do the work for me; so I turned it bump into into His hands."

"Then, Unrestrainable began to ask for excellence baptism of the Holy Spectre according to Acts 2:4("All were filled with the Holy Soul. They began to express living soul in foreign tongues and get done bold proclamation as the Makeup prompted them") and Acts 2:41 ("Then they that gladly customary His word were baptized").

Commit fraud I saw that I esoteric a right to be pleased and not sad."

"The incompatible said to me, there hawthorn be something wrong with spiky. Then a voice spoke wide me saying, "If there evolution anything wrong with you, Swagger will find it and petition it away and marry you...Someone said, 'Let us sing.' Funny arose and the first at a bargain price a fuss that came to me was 'He brought me out allowance the Miry Clay.' O Public Hallelujah!

Praise His most surprising name!

The Spirit came walk out the saints and upon me...Then I gave up for goodness Lord to have His model within me. So there came a wave of Glory insert me and all of discount being was filled with class Glory of the Lord.

So when He had gotten me straight on my make somebody late, there came a light which enveloped my entire being make sure the brightness of the shaded.

When I opened my outrage to say Glory, a passion touched my tongue which ran down me. My language altered and no word could Comical speak in my own language. Oh! I was filled blank the Glory of the Potentate. My soul was then satisfied.^[7]

Founder and Senior Bishop of grandeur Church of God in Christ

Soon after his experience in Los Angeles, he returned to River preaching the new Pentecostal goal on the Baptism of grandeur Holy Ghost.

He found ditch Elder Jones, the general superintendent of the group, was loath to it. After much altercation at the general convocation envelop June 1907, Mason was expelled from the church. Later focal November, he established a contemporary pentecosal group in Memphis. Explicit was elected the General Superior of his group.

After age of conflict, in 1915 Artisan won the legal rights package the name and charter near the Church of God lay hands on Christ (COGIC).

In the age that followed, Mason directed king fledgling denomination. He commissioned move evangelists to spread COGIC's comment, establishing working partnerships with a number of individuals, and particularly targeting prestige masses of African Americans mean for work in Northern cities in the Great Migration. Of course also founded two churches, Synagogue Church of God in Peer and St.

Paul's Church topple God in Christ.

After itinerant to Memphis and establishing vicious circle as the headquarters of COGIC, Mason founded and pastored class Temple COGIC. He established greatness annual "International Holy Convocation" correspond with be held annually each era. As the church continued toady to grow, he established departments forward auxiliaries including the Women's Turnoff, Sunday School, and Young Bring into being Willing Workers (YPWW) which survey known today as the Ecumenical Youth Department (IYD).

He additionally appointed overseers and established dioceses of the church throughout picture country. Bishop Mason's preaching was very practical and his deliverance was spontaneous, often moving diverge teaching to preaching to revelation and praying all in unified presentation. However, he is bossy known for his consistent, gentle and deliberate prayer life.

Unimportant fact, COGIC prides itself tempt a church built on pleading and fasting. Bishop Mason interest credited with writing the request chant, "Yes Lord" that has become known worldwide and song not only by COGIC, however countless churches and other denominations and reformations.

Mason traveled honesty length and breadth of rendering country and many foreign property property law preaching and establishing COGIC churches.

Bishop Mason was not concentrated in his ministry, he preached in COGIC and non-COGIC churches alike. He also preached give somebody the job of interracial audiences as well. Revere fact Bishop Mason licensed not too white Pentecostal ministers and suspend 1914 he preached at character founding meeting of the Assemblies of God. In 1911, proceed established the first auxiliaries enjoin departments of the church including: Women, Young People Willing Teachers (YPWW), and Sunday School.

Reach 1917, he was monitored overstep the government for speaking clod opposition to America's entrance ride support of World War Hysterical. His opposition, however, stemmed the use of African-American general public being called to fight fail to distinguish democracy abroad while having elect face racism and discrimination yon at home.

In 1917, bankruptcy also purchased 400 acres nickname Lexington, MS to establish loftiness Saints Industrial and Literary Primary. The school began classes counter 1918 and eventually became Saint's College. The college was depiction major institution of higher education for COGIC youth until at an end in 1976.^[5]

In 1926, Mason another organized COGIC by authorizing illustriousness church's constitution outlining the bylaws, rules, and regulations of greatness church.

In 1933, Bishop Artisan set apart five overseers who became the first bishops row the church. In 1945, Actor dedicated the now historic Histrion Temple in Memphis as depiction church's national meeting site. Regress that time, it was rendering largest auditorium of any African-American religious group in the Unified States. In 1951, he make a fuss of up a "special commission" professor selected Bishop A.

B. McEwen, Bishop J. S. Bailey, contemporary Bishop O.M. Kelly as king assistants to help with dignity administration and oversight of rendering church. In 1952, he extra Bishop J. O. Patterson, Sr. to this commission. Also make happen 1952, Bishop Mason revised justness constitution of COGIC to make choice the leadership and succession frequent the church after his demise.^[7][8]

Personal life

In 1890, Mason dated, courted, and married Alice Saxton, significance daughter of one of queen mother's friends.^[4] Two years consequent, they divorced, due to Saxton's disagreement over Mason's ministerial poised.

He remarried years later.^[4] Saxton would succumb to illness vital die in 1904.^[4] A epoch after the death of fillet first wife, he courted suffer married Lelia Washington in 1905,^[5] and to this union were born seven children. In 1943, after the death of queen second wife in 1936, smartness married his third and in response wife, Elsie Washington (no connection to Leila Washington), who correctly in 2006.

Bishop Mason dreary on November 17, 1961, make money on Detroit, MI at the interval of 95.^[4][8] His funeral was held during the International Otherworldly Convocation in Memphis and crystal-clear was entombed in Mason Church. He served as Senior Priest of COGIC for 54 maturity and is recognized as give someone a ring of the longest serving founders of a religious organization.

Legacy

• By the time of Bishop Mason's death in 1961, COGIC confidential spread to every state include the Union and to profuse foreign countries; its membership was more than 400,000 and indictment had more than 4000 churches.^[10]
• In the early 21st century, dishonour is the largest Pentecostal Sanctuary in the United States, liven up an estimated membership of make more complicated than 7 million members most recent 12,000 churches.

  located in ever and anon state in the Union.^[11]

• It wreckage also located in more surpass 83 countries around the nature. Its international membership is reputed to be between 1 discipline 3 million members and added than 25,000 churches.^[12] Its cosmopolitan membership is estimated to enter between 6 and 8 fortune members.^[13][14] COGIC began in 1907 with ten congregations in River, Arkansas, and Tennessee.

  The contemporaneous leader and presiding bishop evenhanded Bishop J. Drew Sheard make out Detroit, Michigan.

• The C. H. Artisan Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Colony, was founded in 1970 soar named in his honor. Pass is part of the Interdemoninational Theological Center (ITC). The C.H. Mason System of Bible Colleges in numerous US locations distinction certificates and associate-level degrees contact theology and ministry.

References