Hiawatha
Church of God in Christ
3417 Hiawatha Avenue
Ashtabula, OH 44004
Elder Mason was converted in November, 1878, and baptized by his brother,
I.S. Nelson, a Baptist Preacher, who was pastoring the Mount Olive
Missionary Baptist Church near Plumerville, Arkansas. In 1893, he began his
Christian Ministry with the accepting of ministerial licenses from the Mt.
Gale Missionary Baptist Church, in Preston, Arkansas.
He then experienced sanctification through the word of God and preached his
first sermon in “Holiness” from II Timothy 2:1-3: “Thou therefore endure
hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” On November 1, 1893, Elder
Mason matriculated into the Arkansas Baptist College, but withdrew after
three months because of his dissatisfaction with the methods of teaching and
the presentation of the Bible message.
He then returned to the streets and to every pulpit that was opened to him declaring Christ by the word, example, and precept.
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In 1895, Bishop Mason met Elder C.P. Jones of Jackson, Mississippi;
Elder J.E. Jeter, of Little Rock, Arkansas; and Elder W.S. Pleasant of
Hazelhurst, Mississippi, who subsequently became Bishop Mason’s closest
companions in the ministry.
Jointly, these militant gospel preachers conducted a revival in 1896, in
Jackson, Mississippi, which had far-reaching affects on the city.
The theophanic manifestations of the revival, which included the large
numbers that were converted, sanctified, and healed by the power of
faith and the dogmatic teachings of Bishop Mason on the doctrine of
sanctification caused church doors within the Baptist association to
become closed to him and to all those that believed and supported his
teachings.
So in 1897, when these pioneering, persistent preachers returned to
Jackson, Mississippi, Bishop Mason was forced to deliver his first
message from the south entrance of the courthouse. A Mr. John Lee, who
desired to see Bishop Mason’s ministry continue, provided the living
room of his home the next night. Because of the overwhelming number that
attended, a Mr. Watson, the owner of an abandoned warehouse in
Lexington, Mississippi, gave his consent to transfer the revival meeting
to the gin house on the bank of a little creek.
This gin house subsequently became the meeting house for the Church of
God in Christ. This miracle deliverance revival was such a success it
stirred up the “Devil”, causing someone to shoot five pistol shots and
two double barreled shotgun blasts into the midst of the saints while
they were shouting and praying. Some persons were wounded but
miraculously, none of the shots were fatal.
At the close of the meeting, it was necessary to organize the people for
the purpose of establishing a church with a stronger appeal and greater
encouragement for all Christians and believers, a church which would
emphasize the doctrine of entire sanctification through the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit.
A meeting was mutually called by Elder Mason, Elder Jones, and Elder
Pleasant, and sixty stood as charter members. Land was soon bought on
Gazoo Street, from Mrs. John Ashcraft, just beyond the corporate line,
upon which was built a little edifice 60×40. These charter members
formed a Pentecostal body known as the “Church of God.” Subsequently, in
1897, while seeking a spiritual name which would distinguish the church
from others of the similar title, the name “Church of God in Christ” was
revealed to Bishop mason while walking along a certain street in Little
Rock, Arkansas. The following scripture supported his revelation: I
Thessalonians 2:14, “For ye brethren became followers of the Churches of
God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye have suffered like things
of your own countrymen even as they have of the Jews.” All of the
brethren unanimously agreed to the name of “Church of God in Christ.”
Later, the church was reorganized during which Elder C.P. Jones was
chosen as General Overseer. Elder C.H. Mason was appointed as overseer
of Tennessee, and Elder J.A. Jeter was overseer of Arkansas. The turning
point in Elder Mason’s life came in March, 1907, when he journeyed to
Los Angeles, California, to attend a great Pentecostal revival with
Elder D.J. Young and Elder J.A. Jeter. Elder W.J. Seymour was preaching
concerning Luke 24:49, “And behold I send the promise of my Father upon
you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power
from on high.” Elder Mason became convinced that it was essential for
him to have the outpouring of the Holy ghost. The following are excerpts
from Elder Mason’s personal testimony regarding his receiving the Holy
Ghost. “The first day in the meeting I sat to myself, away from those
that went with me. I began to thank God in my heart for all things, for
when I heard some speak in tongues, I knew it was right though I did not
understand it. Nevertheless, it was sweet to me.
I also thank God for Elder Seymour who came and preached a wonderful
sermon.
His words were sweet and powerful and it seems that I hear them now
while writing. When he closed his sermon, he said ‘All of those that
want to be sanctified or baptized with the Holy Ghost, go to the upper
room; and all those that want to be justified, come to the altar.’ I
said that is the place for me, for it may be that I am not converted and
if not, God knows it and can convert me…” “Glory!” “The second night of
prayer I saw a vision. I saw myself standing alone and had a dry roll of
paper in my mouth trying to swallow it. Looking up towards the heavens,
there appeared a man at my side. I turned my eyes at once, then I awoke
and the interpretation came. God had me swallowing the whole book and if
I did not turn my eyes to anyone but God and Him only, He would baptize
me. I said yes to Him, and at once in the morning when I arose, I could
hear a voice in me saying, ” I see…”
“I got a place at the altar and began to thank God. After that, I said
Lord if I could only baptize myself, I would do so; for I wanted the
baptism so bad I did not know what to do. I said, Lord, You will have to
do the work for me; so I turned it over into His hands.”
“Then, I began to ask for the baptism of the Holy Ghost according to
Acts 2:41, which readeth thus: ‘Then they that gladly received His word
were baptized,’ Then I saw that I had a right to be glad and not sad.”
“The enemy said to me, there may be something wrong with you. Then a
voice spoke to me saying, if there is anything wrong with you, Christ
will find it and take it away and marry you…Someone said, ‘Let us sing.’
I arose and the first song that came to me was ‘He brought me out of the
Miry Clay.’
The Spirit came upon the saints and upon me…Then I gave up for the Lord
to have His way within me. So there came a wave of Glory into me and all
of my being was filled with the Glory of the Lord. So when He had gotten
me straight on my feet, there came a light which enveloped my entire
being above the brightness of the sun.
When I opened my mouth to say
Glory, a flame touched my tongue which ran down me. My language changed
and no word could I speak in my own tongue. Oh! I was filled with the
Glory of the Lord. My soul was then satisfied.” This new Pentecostal
experience which Elder Mason found for himself, for he began to proclaim
to others upon his return home to Memphis, Tennessee as a New Testament
doctrine. A division, subsequently, became evident within the ranks of
Elder Mason’s contemporaries when Elder J. A. Jeter, the General
Overseer, Elder C. P. Jones, and others regarded the new Holy Ghost
experience of speaking in tongues as a delusion. Being unable to resolve
their difference in the New Testament doctrine.
The General Assembly terminated by withdrawing the “right hand” of
fellowship from C. H. Mason. Elder Mason then called a conference in
Memphis, Tennessee of all ministers who believed in receiving the
baptism of the Holy Ghost according to the scriptures in Acts 2:1-4.
Those who responded to Elder Mason’s urgent call were E. R. Driver,
J.Bowe, R.R. Booker, R. E. Hart, W. Welsh, A. A. Blackwell, E. M. Page,
R.H. I. Clark, D. J. Young, James Brewer, Daniel Spearman and J. H.
Boone. These men of God organized the first Pentecostal General Assembly
of the “Church of God in Christ.” Overseer C. H. Mason was then chosen
unanimously as the General Overseer and Chief Apostle of our
denomination. He was given complete authority to establish doctrine,
organize auxiliaries and appoint overseers. Dr. Hart was appointed
Overseer of Tennessee; Elder J.A. Lewis was appointed Overseer of
Tennessee; Elder J. Bowe the Overseer of Arkansas; later J. A. Lewis was
appointed Overseer of Mississippi. As the church grew, Elder E. M. Page
was appointed Overseer of Texas; Elder R.R. Booker, Overseer of
Missouri; Elder E. R. Driver, Overseer of California and Elder W. B.
Holt as the National Field Secretary.
As the Chief Apostle, he immediately dedicated twenty days, November
25th through December 14th annually as a meeting time for all of his
followers to fellowship with each other and to transact all
ecclesiastical and secular affairs pertinent to the growth of the
National Organization.
This segment of the year was chosen because the majority of the
communicants of the church lived in farming districts of Mississippi,
Tennessee and Arkansas. By this time of the year, they had sufficient
provisions and financial resources from the harvesting of their crops,
to enable them to attend and support a national meeting.
The first
National meetings were held at 392 South Wellington Street, Memphis,
Tennessee. The first National Tabernacle was built and completed at 958
South Fifth Street, in 1925. This Tabernacle, however, was destroyed by
fire twelve years later in 1936. In the interim until 1945, our National
Convocation was held within the Church pastored by Bishop Mason at 672
South Lauderdale. In1945, Bishop Mason was able to visualize the
culmination of his dream. He dedicated the Mason Temple at Memphis,
Tennessee which was built for less than $400,000 during World War II.
This auditorium became the largest convention hall owned by any colored
religious group in America.
Under Bishop Mason’s spiritual and apostolic direction our church has
grown from ten congregations in 1907, to the largest Pentecostal group
in America. The membership of the Church of God in Christ grew from
three million in 1973 to an estimated 5.2 million in 1997.
Churches under the parent body in Memphis, Tennessee, are now
established throughout the United States, on every continent, and in
many of the islands of the sea.