Who was Harry Morse ?

[Scott Pitta]

It was a very short lived movement that rose from the holiness churches. It was very similar in focus and ministry to the Salvation Army and the Volunteers of America. They were reaching out to the poor. They had homes for troubled girls. Many of them were pastored by women.

[Scott Pitta]

I should make a list to see how many of the Peniel Missions became Pentecostal. There were less than 20 Peniel Missions in California. The church in Stockton and in Fresno were Peniel Missions that became Pentecostal.

Not sure about the rest. One more research topic

[Esaias]

I did some brief looking. Phineas Bresee was involved in starting Peniel Missions but 1 or 2 or 3 years or so later he left due to differences of opinion on what direction they should be going, and started the Church of the Nazarene as a result.

Originally, Peniel was "undenominational", they did evangelistic rescue work of the unchurched, had volunteers from many churches (like a typical soup kitchen/Salvation Army setup), and encouraged converts to "find a church". But eventually felt the need to have bible study, prayer, etc with the people they were ministering to and they wound up becoming a church.

[Scott Pitta]

Frank Ewart pastored a church in San Francisco from 1936-1938. He called it the Good News Temple. By 1940, a carpenter named Henry Isaac was pastor. By 1945 it was a Church of God.

Henry Isaac was a local guy who did not pastor before or after his stint after Ewart. Looks like Ewart returned to LA after starting the church in San Francisco.


Not sure why he went up there. Not sure why he left. Looking back is as difficult as looking forward.

[Scott Pitta]

Finding new data about Ewart was exciting. Of course, it happens by accident. The usual frustration of hitting dead ends has resumed. To counter this, I decided to create an author index for the book Phenomenon of Pentecost, which is now complete.

110 different names on 111 pages of text. Many of the names are of people I am unfamiliar with. Not a good sign.

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

Finding new data about Ewart was exciting. Of course, it happens by accident. The usual frustration of hitting dead ends has resumed. To counter this, I decided to create an author index for the book Phenomenon of Pentecost, which is now complete.

110 different names on 111 pages of text. Many of the names are of people I am unfamiliar with. Not a good sign.

Did you know for a season Ewart taught what was called then "Ultimate Reconciliation" which was Universalism it caused him to lose his standing he renounced it in his latter years but it destroyed his influence in the movement.

[Scott Pitta]

That is news to me. He does not mention it in Phenomenon. He did write a book about the Oneness of God called Jesus, the man and the mystery. My old prof from CLC said it was not well received.

Would his doctrine of ultimate reconciliation be found in Meat in Due Season magazines ?

The church he pastored is now located in Pasadena, but it has no pictures or other documents from the time Ewart pastored there. Other than a few copies of his newspaper, I have not seen anything he penned.

There is no end to the research. But I do love the leads you provide.

He did mention August Beisner in his book. Beisner preached for Harry Morse in the late 1920's. Looks like he lived in Los Angeles. He was a YMCA secretary. But he also seems to have preached a few revivals with the "Singing Clarks". In 1929, he was in the PMI. By 1935, he passed away.

I have quite a pile of old pictures from early Pentecost. A new Glenn Cook picture came in today as well as 2 pictures of Beisner. Despite his Indianapolis fame, Cook spent his life living in Los Angeles as a printer. But I do have a Harry Morse student who said he visited Morse at least 3 times in the 1920's.

Send me your email and I will send you some pictures. I have no idea how to upload pictures on this site.

[Nitehawk013]

I really enjoy these history threads. Fun to see where our roots lead to and where those roots split and twisted in the past.

[Scott Pitta]

Harry Morse was on the radio for 30 years. His ministry began on 12/1929. I report he is the first Oneness radio preacher. I could be wrong.

Clyde Haney started a radio station at his church in Stockton. Another Morse student, David Gray, had a radio ministry of his own, the Hour of Power, out of San Diego.

So we have 3 different Oneness radio ministries at roughly the same time (1950-1960's).

Is this common for Oneness Pentecostals ?? Or is it one of the trademark features of students of Harry Morse ? But to be fair, these are the only 2 out of 60 that had a radio ministry.

Any thoughts ? Are Oneness radio preachers common ?

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

Harry Morse was on the radio for 30 years. His ministry began on 12/1929. I report he is the first Oneness radio preacher. I could be wrong.

Clyde Haney started a radio station at his church in Stockton. Another Morse student, David Gray, had a radio ministry of his own, the Hour of Power, out of San Diego.

So we have 3 different Oneness radio ministries at roughly the same time (1950-1960's).

Is this common for Oneness Pentecostals ?? Or is it one of the trademark features of students of Harry Morse ? But to be fair, these are the only 2 out of 60 that had a radio ministry.

Any thoughts ? Are Oneness radio preachers common ?

Bishop S. C. Johnson was on nationwide 7 nights a week early on. He died in 62. It was common for Oneness men to be on radio. Charles & Mattie Poole were on nationally.