Who was Harry Morse ?

[Scott Pitta]

Today a phone interview resulted in a promise of a picture or two and class notes from a former student. The bonus was a student name I did not know about.

Today was a good day.

Much thanks for all those who contribute their small part in this ever growing project.

[Scott Pitta]

Madison Tatman was a minister who was a contemporary of Harry Morse. He was Oneness, or AOG, I cannot tell. Anyway, I had a big breakthrough in researching his life today. I ama very excited !!!!

[Scott Pitta]

A handful of personal letters between Harry Morse and Haskell Yadon came in the mail this week. The letter head of the stationary Morse uses says he still has training at his home in 1952 but not in 1956.

I was under the impression that the training school ended in 1943.

One letter describes the circumstances under which Morse parted with the UPC. That letter along with the memories of the same event from the biography of Odell Cagle, who was on the Western District board, should bring clarity to that junction in his life.

I have not read through all the letters. There are 6 letters from Morse and 5 letters from Yadon.

They span the years from 1945 until 1952.

On a different note, the son of Frank Van Buskirk sent me a family picture of him and his parents from about 1943. Frank Van Buskirk pastored in Stockton, Cal., and taught at WABC.

I still have not figured out how to post pictures on this website.

[Scott Pitta]

The archive at Hazelwood sent several items to me today. A student at Urshan did the hard work.

The big picture is becoming clearer.

[Sabby]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

I decided to write the biography on a whim. I took a week off from work last May to go trout fishing. The mosquitoes were so thick that fishing was impossible.

So I read a book. Sounds old school.

Anyway, the biography of Clyde Haney mentions Harry Morse as the mentor of Clyde Haney. I did not know anything else about him. How did his influence on Haney affect the education I received at Christian Life College ?

So far, data about what Morse believed is difficult to pin down. He did not leave much of a paper trail.

Did John Klemin or Ruby (Keyes) Klemin know Morse and if they did would their daughters be able to provide come oral history?

[Scott Pitta]

Their daughters did not have any memories about Morse.

Nice idea.

[Scott Pitta]

William Francis Manley was holding a tent revival in Azusa prior to the arrival of William Seymour. Not long afterwards, Manley moved to Oakland to start a church.

When he heard of the Azusa Street outpouring, he contacted the Apostolic Faith Mission, asking for help.

They sent Florence Crawford. She conducted a revival for Manley. This was the founding of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Oakland. She also founded a AFM in San Francisco.

By 1914, the Oakland mission merged with the San Francisco Apostolic Faith Mission. Harry Morse moved to Oakland in 1915.

Word has it that the AFM moved to Richmond, Ca, and it still exists. Looks like I will try and find it today.

B. F. Lawrence wrote a book titled "The Apostolic Faith Restored". Does anyone have it ?

[Scott Pitta]

Those Azusa Street participants came to Oakland and had revivals, reached out to the poor, and supported missionaries.

They all advertised in the paper. Regularly. I suppose it was the only media option they had. Morse also used the radio, when it came out. He was on the radio for 30 years.

None of them ever mentioned Azusa. Leadership from Azusa came to Oakland to start pentecostal missions. Even when leaders like Frank Ewart came to town, Azusa was not mentioned.

In 80 pages of class notes, Azusa Street is only mentioned once.

What am I to make of all of this ?

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

Those Azusa Street participants came to Oakland and had revivals, reached out to the poor, and supported missionaries.

They all advertised in the paper. Regularly. I suppose it was the only media option they had. Morse also used the radio, when it came out. He was on the radio for 30 years.

None of them ever mentioned Azusa. Leadership from Azusa came to Oakland to start pentecostal missions. Even when leaders like Frank Ewart came to town, Azusa was not mentioned.

In 80 pages of class notes, Azusa Street is only mentioned once.

What am I to make of all of this ?

Azusa did not have a long shelf life. Seymour by his own personality was not a strong influence.

[Scott Pitta]

John Berg visited the Azusa St. Revival. He later lived in Modesto or Manteca, California. Does anyone have a contact for the Berg family ??

Mary Durst was on the Oakland mission staff in the 1950's. Any leads ??

Helen Sweir and Herschel Redman were students at the Morse mission in 1940. Any leads ob either of them ??