Historic Reflections
The Birthing Of The
Church Of God In Christ
If you have not previously read the Bishop Mason Navigational Page
of this website, you probably should return to that page in
order to focus on events which transpired in the life
of Bishop C. H. Mason prior to 1907. This should facilitate your
familiarization with the personalities
and events playing major roles in impacting the birth of
The Church of God in Christ, Inc.
In August of 1907 the General Assembly of the association
of churches formed with C. P. Jones, C. H. Mason, J. A, Jeter and
W. S Pleasant convened at Jackson, Mississippi with Elder C. P. Jones
presiding as General Overseer; C. P. Jones and J. A. Jeter were averse
to the new doctrine promulgated by Bishop Mason. After days and
nights of intensive debating over the Baptism of the Holy Ghost with
the initial evidense of speaking in tongues,
(according to the documentation of the Centennial Edition of the book:
C. H. Mason and The Roots Of The Church Of God In Christ at one point in
continuously searching and debating the Scriptures nonstop
3 days and nights), the Jones faction that had control
of the convocation, insisted that Mason and his Pentecostal faction
agree that there are other initial evidences of having received the
Baptism of the Holy Spirit. But Mason held firm his position.
A division, subsequently, became evident within the ranks of Mason's contemporaries when Elder J. A. Jeter, the General Overseer, Elder C. P.
Jones, and others regarded the new Holy Ghost experience
as delusional. The General Assembly terminated the meeting by
withdrawing the right hand of fellowship from C. H. Mason.
Mason and Jones separated, and the Church split.
In August of 1907 when J. A. Jeter and C. P. Jones dismissed Mason from the Convocation, of the 110 COGIC churches that existed at the time,
it was said that 10 left with Mason. However, the account as given in
the Centennial Edition Of The Book about C. H. Mason, gives quite a
different version of what actually happened; It was stated that when
Mason left the Assembly, about half the ministers and members left
with him.
Pictured Above From Left To Right: Bishop C. H. Mason
Perched On The Hood Of The Cadillac.
Bishop Watley From Chicago, Illinois To His Right;
Flanked With Convention Delegates
No matter what number of saints followed Bishop Mason, whatever the case,
with the conversion of Mason to the Pentecostal position, according to historian
H. Vinson Synan, the Pentecostal invasion of the South was complete. In only a few months, much of the holiness movement in the
South had converted to Pentecostalism. Mason and Jone's 12 year partnership
ended over theological differences, rites to church properties, eccleastical
power and the
name Church of God in Christ .
The Division between Mason and Jones was final, and after 3 years of legal
battles ensuing (1908 - 1911: Attorney R. E. Hart, a leader of the church and one
of Mason's closest advisors, had earlier urged the church to seek a court ruling)
Mason's legal victories catapulted him into historical prominence and placed the
COGIC in Mid - South's religious pantheon.
The C. P. Jones' group was forced to reorganize and select a new name.
They became known as the Church of Christ, Holiness (USA).
Later, In the year 2000, the Church of Christ, Holiness (USA) had roughly
25,000 members in contrast to Mason's report of over 6,000,000 during
the same period for the Church of God in Christ.
Because Of His Holy Ghost Anointing In Accordance With Acts 2:4
Bishop Mason Was Truly Blessed And Highly Favored
Of The Lord, Thus Causing The
Churches Of God In Christ To Grow Exponentially
The Church of God in Christ is in awe of God's faithfulness and realizes that
its incredible growth, both in numbers and influence, is because of God's
covenant with its founder, Bishop C. H. Mason. Remember it was in March of 1897,
while Bishop Mason was walking and praying on a street in Little Rock, Arkansas, that
God said to him, "If you take this name, the Church of God in Christ (I Thess. 2:14), there will never be a building large enough to house all of the people I will send to you."
Those 10 churches who agreed with Bishop Mason met him in
Memphis, Tennessee in September 1907 to legally organize the COGIC.
Among the group of elders who responded to Mason's call for
a General Assembly in September 1907,
and who graciously accepted the Pentecostal message to receive
the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues
in accordance with Acts 2:4 were:
E. R. Driver
J. Bowie
R. R. Booker
W. M. Robeerts
R. E. Hart
D. W. Welch
A. A. Blackwell
E. M. Page
R. H. I. Clark
D. J. Young
James Brewer
Daniel Spearman
J. H. Boone
They met as a General Assembly and elected Bishop C. H. Mason as
General Overseer or Chief Apostle, and appointed D. J, Young, Mason's constant companion, as editor of the new periodical, "The Whole Truth".
Dr. Hart was appointed Overseer of Tennessee; Elder J. Lewis was appointed
Overseer of Tennessee; Elder J. Bowie was appointed the Oveerseer of Arkansas;
Later, Elder J. A. Lewis was appointed Overseer of Mississippi.
The First National Meeting was named "Holy Convocation".
The name "Convocation" came from Leviticus 23:4 - "These are the feasts
of the Lord, even "Holy Convocations", which ye shall proclaim in their seasons."
Often during the meetings, Bishop Mason would quote the words from
Psalm 50:5 = "Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant
with me by sacrifice."
As the Chief Apostle, Mason 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 the farming districts of Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas.
By this time of the year they had prificient provisions and financial resources
from the harvesting of their crops to enable them to attend and support a
National meeting. During this time Mason was also prompted to move
his headquarters to Memphis, Tennessee.
As the church grew, 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.
Below: Bishop C. H. Mason Left;
Right: Bishop E. M. Page, Overseer of Texas
Below: Bishop E. R. Driver
Overseer of California
From its base in Memphis, although out of sight of the mainstream of American
and African American social, political and religious culture, the Church of God in
Christ experienced exponential growth, had greater impact, and grew more
rapidly than the C. P. Jones faction according to the numbers of its members.
With this first General Assembly, the Church of God in Christ witnessed tremendous
spiritual growth and spiritual grace. The COGIC was the first Pentecostal
body to be incorporated, and this gave the church advantages that other Pentecostal
groups did not have. On Mason's application for incorporation, the clergy
bureau in Washington D. C. objected to the name, "Church of God in Christ",
whereupon Mason prayed further and was guided to II Thessalonians 1:1 adding the prefix
"the" to the name. The addition was approved for incorporation;
The new denomination became "The Church of God in Christ".
Eddie R. Driver, who is pictured above, and was the Chairman of the Elder's
Council of the Church of God in Christ, wrote the original Articles of
Incorporation for the COGIC Organization, and filed them in Washington D. C.
I have decided to display a diminished version of the Original Articles Of Incorporation
Of The Church of God In Christ
Taken From The Library Of The Late Bishop Christopher C. Owens
Which Also Included The Constitution Of The COGIC And Its Amendments
As Of December 31, 1926, January 10, 1927, and December 6, 1962
{For the sake of saving space, the Constitution Of the COGIC and its respective
Amendments, will not be shown here}
*****************************************
From The Archives Of Bishop C. C. Owens
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To Scroll Downward
Bishop Mason was given authority to establish doctrines, organize auxilliaries
and appoint bishops. During these formative years, Bishop Mason credentialed
both whites and African Americans who would subsequently become
leaders in other Pentecostal denominations. Because of COGIC'S incorporated status,
this gave its credentials a legal recognition that many Pentecostal
leaders desired. A white COGIC pastor named Leonard P. Adames, pastored
Grace and Truth in Memphis, and COGIC'S first general secretary was a white preacher
named William B. Holt. Mason also conducted integrated funerals, baptisms,
and worship services. At the height of Jim Crow, Mason condoned blacks and whites
sitting next to each other in church. Mason used the Church of God in Christ
as a platform to fight against segregation and encouraged blacks and whites
to embrace racial unity. Throughout his tenure Mason continued to integrate
the Church of God in Christ,
even though in 1914 a white group left the church and formed
the Assemblies of God.
By the time the Assemblies of God was founded in 1914, there were over 350
white ministers who were licensed through the Church of God in Christ. By ordaining
ministers of all races, Mason performed an unusually important service
to the early twentieth century Pentecostal movement. He appears to have
been the only early convert who came from a legally incorporated church body
and who could thus ordain persons whose status as clergymen was recognized
by civil authorities. This recognition allowed clergy to perform marriages, to carry out other
ministerial functions having legal consequences, and thus entitling them to
certain economic advantages such as rites to obtain reduced clergy
rates on the railroads.
In 1920 the COGIC'S Sunday School and Young Peoples Willing Workers (YPWW)
operations were thriving. In 1926, Bishop Mason appointed Arenia C. Mallory
as President of the COGIC'S Saints Industrial School founded in 1915.
During the Depression, Bishop Mason's churches fed and clothed poor
blacks and whites in Memphis.
The politics of Holiness essentially caused problems of separation and
social distance. The Church of God in Christ managed to maintain a distinct identity
through their dress, schedules (Fasting on Tuesdays and Fridays), and rites of passage - the embodiment of holiness and sanctification. These religious rules not only distinguished
the saints, but contained an evaluation and assessment of the behavior of the
surrounding culture. Being Holy involved some form of rejection
{separation} from sinful habits of the world or
dominamt culture.
There were as many white Church of God in Christ ministers as there were
black COGIC ministers in the years of 1909 - 1914, all
carryi
ng Mason's COGIC
credentials. Ironically, ason, who viewed his life long task
as one of the simple preserving the "spiritual essence" and the "prayer tradition"
of the black spiritual expeerience, found himself in a unique and historical
pivotal position.
In 1913 it had become increasingly clear that as Pentecostalism moved towards denominationalism, they would follow the segregation pattern of the
American culture. The color lien that had been washed away by the blood
of Jesus at the Azuza Street Revival reappeared. On December 20 1913, elders
E. N. Bell and H. A. Goss issued a call to convene a general council of "all Pentecostal
Saints and Church of God in Christ followers," to meet the following April in
Hot Springs, Arkansas. This invitation went only to the white saints.
On the first week of April 1914, Bishop Mason traveled to Hot Springs to invoke
God's blessings on the newly formed General Council of the Assemblies of God.
He preached to more than 400 white preachers. Despite this new racial separation
Mason maintained a warm relationship with the white Pentecostals.
He preached in their conventions and maintained a strong fellowship with
two white Pentecostal leaders: A. J. Thomlison of the Church of God (CG Cleveland,
Tennessee) and J. H. King of the Pentecostal Holiness Church (PHC, Franklin
Springs, Georgia). Much later, in 1952, Mason was the elder statesman
attending the Pentecostal World Conference at London, England.
Below: A. J. Thomlison Of The Church Of God
CG Cleveland, Tennessee
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It was also in 1914 that Bishop Mason urged Elder Eddie R. Driver, one of
his best and most formerly trained preachers, to travel to
Los Angeles, California to set up a mission to answer the call of some praying mothers
who had migrated from Texas to Los Angeles, California. Mothers Millie Crawford,
Martha Armstrong, Rosie Tucker, Thomas Catley, Emma Cotton, and
Mattie Cummings had written Bishop Mason.
Several of these mothers - Catley, Cotton, Cummings, were
veterans of the Azuza Street Revival. They gathered a host of saints
who were wondering after the
Azuza Street Revival ended.
Elder Eddie Driver answered the clarion call, left Memphis, Tennessee and
traveled to Los Angeles. Many souls were saved and healed. And so
the first Church of God in Christ was established in the western United States;
Eddie R. Driver was an organizer, a civil rights activist, and a business man;
He was also a powerful preacher and a sharp-tongued man whom God used
mightily. He named the church Saints Home Church of God in Christ.
He was a college graduate and was permitted to practice
general and corporation law in Memphis, Tennessee. As a matter of
fact, as the chairman of the Council of Elders of the Church of God in Christ,
as has been forestated, he had written the original Articles of
Incorporation for the COGIC organization, and filed them in Washington D. C.
In 1915 he sent for his family to come from Memphis, and by the summer of 1916,
he held a 30 day convocation, and the reports of miraculous healings
attracted hundreds of people. During the 1916 convocation, Bishop Mason
appointed E. R. Driver, Sr., as state overseer and his wife, Sis Annie Driver as
the state mother. This appointment was the beginning of the urban outreach
of the Church of God in Christ throughout the westen states of the United States.
This convocation became an annual event and it set the pattern for the urban
organization for the Church of God in Christ.
The first Church Of God In Christ Convocation On The West Coast Was Held Under
A Tent Across The Street From The Saints Home Church's First Building.
Elder O. T. Jones, A Young Preacher Of 23 From Fort Smith, Arkansas,
Accompanied Bishop Mason To The Convocation In Los Angeles, California.
Continuous Evangelistic Preaching Went On Night And Day And The Reports Of
Miraculoua Healings Drew Hundreds Of People.
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In the above picture, bottom row from left to right we see: Bishop C. C. Owens,
Mrs. Myrtle Driver, wife of Louis Driver, and former Recording secretarty
of the Religious Workers Guild, Inc., And Louis M. Driver, the son of
Elder Eddie
R. Driver, who wrote the original
Articles Of Incorporation for the COGIC.
Below is a newspaper account of the first Convocation
held by Bishop Louis M. Driver
who had been appointed Prelate of the newly formed
South West California Jurisdiction. Louis Driver was
continuing the legacy of his father, E. R. Driver. The article records
that Bishop C. C. Owens was one of the attending guests
Pictured above is Elder Utah Smith, who was famous for his guitar playing,
preaching and singing. As a child, I remember him playing on the grounds outside
of Mason Temple during the National Holy Convocations in Memphis, Tennessee. Crowds
of delegates would gather around outside of the Temple singing, shouting and dancing
while Elder Utah Smith would preach and sing under the anointing. He was famous
for singing "Two Wings"; you may hear this selection and others on You Tube.
Elder Utah Smith is also pictured below on the top row far left!
As you recall, during the Revivals of Azuza Street with William J. Seymour,
color was washed away by the blood of Jesus; The basic theme of
Mason and Seymour's
ministries was
"Whosoever Will, Let Him Come, And
Let Brotherly Love Prevail".
As the picture above indicates, Bishop C. H. Mason and W. J. Seymour
condoned interacial
worship 50 years before
the Civil Rights Movement began!
Today, interacial worship conyinues within the
Church of God in Christ Denomination. Color continues to be washed away
by the blood of Jesus! All races and creeds may worship together.
Below is the Saints Home COGIC which was founded by Elder E. R. Driver.
His son, Louis M.
Driver, continued the ministry after the demise of his father.
Pictured is Bishop Louis & Mrs. Myrtle Driver. As you can see, Louis Driver resembles
his Mother who is sitting to the left of Eddie Driver on the
end of the front row in the picture above.
Below, Dr & Mrs. Christopher Owens (left) are celebrating with dear friends
Bishop & Louis M. Driver (right).
William J. Seymour
After the Assemblies Of God left the COGIC in 1914,
in December of 1919,
William J. Seymour attended the Holy Convocation of the Church of God
in Christ and pleaded with the organization to
contend for his "lost" doctrine of racial unity
Above - Cemter Fromt Row From Left To Right: William J. Seymour, Supervisor Lizzie Robinson, And Bishop C. H. Mason.
This is a photo of William J. Seymour Attending
The Holy Convocation
of the Church of God in Christ in December of 1919
Pleading For The COGIC To Pray For The Return Of
Racial Unity In Worshiping God
The Prayers Of The Saints Were Answered!
75 years later in December of 1994, the PEW
(Pentecostal Charismatic Church of North America) went to Memphis, TN
and held a dialogue of racial reconcilation
with the Black Church of God in Christ,
where foot washing took place
between Ithiel Clemmons, Donald Evans, Supt, Thomas Task,
and Bishop Charles Edward Blake. The Pentecostal members
had made a concerted effort to return to the theme of
racial unity for which Bishop Mason and the COGIC
along with W. J. Seymour had longed for and had
held so dear for so many years.
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As the work of the Church of God in Christ grew in the country, yhe Chief Apostle
set up state assemblies over which he appointed overseers. The
church grew until scores of churches were being erected
across the nation and in foreign lands. It was therefore laid
on the heart of the Apostle
to consecrate five of his overseers to the offices
of the Bishopric.
In 1933, Apostle Mason, by the laying
on of hands, assisted by the prayers of the overseers,
elders and general convocation, set aside these five
overseers for the office of Bishop
in the Church of God in Christ - aside from Apostle Mason, whoreceived the
office and title of Senior Bishop: Bishop I. S. Stafford (Detroit, Michigan),
Bishop E. M. Page (Dallas, Texas), Bishop W. M. Roberts (Chicago, Illinois),
Bishop O. T. Jones, Sr., (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
and R. F. Williams (Cleveland, Ohio)
The 3 Pictures Below Are From The Scrapbook Archives
Of Bishop Christopher C. Owens
On The Very Top Row We See Bishop A. B. McEwen,
who was not among the 5 Bishops consecrated to
the Bishopric in 1933. On the middle row
Left to Right: Bishop E. M. Page, Bishop R. F. Williams, Bishop I. S. Stafford,
Bishop O. T. Jones, Sr., Bishop W. M. Roberts.
Bottom row: Bishop C. H. Mason, Chief Apostle
Below: Left To Right: Bishop E. M. Page, Bishop R. F. Williams, Bishop C. H. Mason,
Mayor Chandler of Memphis, TN, Bishop W. M. Roberts,
Bishop O. T. Jones, Sr., Bishop A. B. McEwen who was not one of the chosen
5 Bishops; Bishop I. S. Stafford is not Pictured Below.
In 1917 President Woodrow Wilson agreed in the Congress of the United States
of America in selective services for World War I. In that time, Germany began to invade
American peace time ships. Bishop Charles Harrison Mason
wrote a telegram to Washington D. C.
to the President to negotiate on how the Church of God in Christ would not violate
the 14th Amendment Right to not bare arms based on their religion.
The President sent Bishop Mason a request to visit him at the White House,
and by the invitation, Bishop Mason became the first African American denominational
leader to be invited by the President of the United States.
Bishop Mason had set a precedence as being a non-violent conscientious objector
surrounding World War I maintaining his religious faith.
Ironically the Federal Bureau of Investigation still opened up a file against Bishop Mason
arresting him in Lexington, Mississippi and in Paris, Texas.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation developed a file on Bishop C. H. Mason because of
his pacifism and interacialism. In 1918 some of Bishop Mason's white followers
in Los Angeles were identified as being of German extraction. Bishop Mason was
jailed in Lexington, Mississippi for allegedly preaching against the war, and perhaps
being affiliated with communists since some of his white affiliates were of German
extraction (the FBI worked with too many unsupported assumptions).
Its strange that the FBI overlooked the fact that Bishop Mason sold bonds to help
the war efforts. William B. Holt, one of the white brethren targeted by the FBI
for suspicion, was a lawyer and former Nazarene preacher. He traveled to Lexington
to post a $2000 cash bond for Mason's release. Mason was jailed more than once for preaching on the streets with a white minister. It was a known fact that the FBI
created a file on Bishop Mason during World War I because of his personal view on war
and his interracial cooperation. A reference from the 1918 FBI report reveals Mason's
historical perspectives. After quoting from one of Mason's tracts the report comments:
"It is clear that Mason and his followers felt it to be of far reaching significance that
one of the religious movements of the twentieth century was founded by a
member of the African race." On another occasion, Mason was
jailed and God used Bishop W. M. Roberts of Chicago, Illinois
to take he and his wife's only savings of $100 in
order to bail Bishop Mason out of jail
In every incident that Bishop Mason was placed into jail, God would always
deliver him victoriously. God's deliverence came in strange but powerful manifestations.
On one occasion God sent a windstorm in the midst of sweltering heat.
On another occasion, bothe the jailer and his son died after failing to to take heed to a warning Bishop Mason had given them. On still another occasion, the prosecutor who had been summoned to try the case of Bishop Mason in court, was killed when his train
was derailed in route to the city. In still another instance, the only way Bishop Mason
got off the charges of treason was that God gave him favor. When the judge looked at who Bishop Mason was he said, "I will not have anything to do with this man."
The judge dropped the FBI's case.
BELOW: BISHOP MASON AT THE WHITE HOUSE:
BELOW: BISHOP C. H. MASON IS SHAKING HANDS WITH BISHOP E. M. PAGE
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Throughout the first decade of the twentieth century, Bishop Mason organized
COGIC's national convocations in Memphis. From 1907 - 1922, Bishop Mason conducted
his national meetings at his local church "Saints Home" (today Temple Church)
located on 392 South Wellington street in Memphis, Tennessee.
By 1920, Bishop Mason needed more room for his national meetings and in 1922
purchased land at 958 South Fifth street in Memphis.
With the help of his wife, Lelia, and COGIC'S national leaders, he erected
the National Tabernacle, where COGIC'S national convocations were held from 1923
until 1936, the year it was destroyed by fire. Bishop Mason then held
convocations at Temple Church located at 672 South Lauderdale, from 1936 to 1945.
It should be noted here that Bishop Mason's beloved wife of 31 years, Lelia Mason,
died in 1936, and never visualized the present day Mason Temple which she
and her husband made initial designs for.
Below is the picture of the National Tabernackle taken from the scrapbook archives
of Bishop C. C. Owens. You see part of the delegates and officers of this convocation
around 1922 or 1923. The National Tabernackle, located at 958 S. Fifth Street
in Memphis, Tennessee, was a very large frame building with a huge
auditorium consisting of balconies on the front and along each side
of the rostrum capable of holding approximately 1600 ministers.
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Below Are Two Photo Galleries
Beyond The Galleries, We Continue The Story Of
The Chief Apostle's Mason Temple COGIC
Although today COGIC reserves thousands of rooms in St. Louis, MO hotels
(previously in Memphis, Tennessee), and pours $100 to $200 million or more
into the city's economy, during the early days of the COGIC Convocations the ministers
took turns sleeping in homes, cars, or, after the National Tabernacle was built in 1923,
on church pews.
The yearly convocations were growing so rapidly in the number of participants that
services were scheduled in 24-hour shifts to accommodate all the saints.
This National Tabernacle was later replaced in 1945 by what is now called Mason
Temple, due to the fact that the structure that was built in 1923 (as previously stated),
was completely consummed by fire and had to be replaced.
Bishop Mason wanted a centerpiece for the denomination, so, in the midst of war,
a fund raising and building campaign had begun. Mason Temple emerged out of Bishop C. H. Mason's dream of a modern national convocation/headquarters complex, and illustrated
his progressie view for the future of the COGIC denomination.
It was also a memorial to the legacy of Bishop Mason's life and
achievements as architect and chief Apostle/senior Bishop of the
Church of God in Christ. The building was named after Bishop Mason to
commemorate him as COGIC'S founder and was erected to honor COGIC Pioneers.
Mason Temple was also a monument to National and international peace
and unity and served as a rallying place for peace during the Civil Rights Movement.
In 1940, as previously stated, Bishop Mason started building the National Temple
at South Fifth Street, appointing Bishop Ri;ey F. Williams as chairman of his Building Commision. The COGIC General Secretary, Ulysses Ellis Miller, was appointed supervisor of
construction, and Henry Taylor was appointed the architect.
Below Left: Architect of Mason Temple, Elder Henry Taylor - And Below Right:
Chairman of The Building Commission, Bishop R. F. Williams,
both from the scrapbook archives
of Bishop C. C. Owens.
In the mid 1930's C. H. and Lelia Mason had begun plans to erect a mega
temple based on the same design as the White House, but these plans faltered
when the United States entry into World War II led to government
restrictions on the use of building mateerials, especially steel. When Miller, Williams and Taylor began construction, the COGIC only had $2900 in its building fund
treasury. From 1940 - 1945 the COGIC'S National leaders, the Women's Department,
Sunday School, Y. P. W. W., pastors, preachers, and Memphis citizens, helped Bishop
Mason raise enough money to build Mason Temple.
Elder James Logan Delk, as seen in the picture above holding hands with Bishop
Mason and R. F. Williams, who was called the "Kentucky Cyclone Evangelist" was
born in Pall Mall, Tennessee in 1887. Delk met Bishop Mason in 1904 in Conway, Arkansas.
Delk, who was a white minister, was a close confidant of Mason's, and led
COGIC revivals in Cincinnati, Springfield, Missouri and Akron, Ohio.
Delk drew on his friendships with Senators Alben Barkley, Happy Chandler,
Harry S. Truman and Tom Stewart to help the COGIC secure $48,000 worth
of steel to complete what came to be known as Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee.
This was no small feat during World Was II when all available steel was being
directed toward the war effort.
The Ku Klux Klan beat Delk over two times to force him to denounce Bishop Mason,
but Delk maintained his afiliation to the COGIC throughout his ministry.
Writing in a 1944 letter to the Democratic National Convention, Delk wrote: "I
have been a minister for 41 years, am 57 years old, and ordained in
the Church of God in Christ." So you see, Delk was a very important contributor
to the building of the Mason Temple structure which was completed in 1945.
Below, we see an article from Tthe Commercial Appeal Newspaper of Memphis, Tennessee
concerning the completion of the World Hadquarters of
The Church of God in Christ, Inc., taken from the
scrapbook archives of Bishop C. C. Owens
Below Left To Right: Bishop Ozro Thurston Jones, Sr., Bishop C. H. Mason
Surrounded By The Saints
Mason Temple, a flagship of the Church of God in Christ was a monument
achievement, becoming upon its completion in 1945 the largest gathering
place in Memphis, as well as the largest Convention Center
of its kind owened and operated by African Americans
in the U. S. at that time (in the year of its completion - in 1945).
In 1945, a dedicatory service was a feature of the 38th
National Convocation of the denomination. It coincided with Bishop Mason's
50th anniversary in the ministry.
The three story building was constructed of brick, stone, reinforced concrete
and steel. The main auditorium's seating capacity is 5000. The balcony seated 2000,
and the assembly room under the balcony also has the capacity to seat 2000.
Mason Temple had a baggage-check registration room, barber shop, beauty salon,
post office, first aid and emergency ward, nursery, male and female rest rooms and
shower baths, shoe shine parlor, 36 administrative offices, two industrial kitchens,
two cafeterias, concession area, photographic booth, an elaborate indoor and outdoor
sound system, and a modern heating and cooling system. The cost of building
Mason Temple was almost a quarter of a million dollars.
Below We See Mason Temple, The World Wide National Headquarters Of
The Church Of God in Christ As It Currently Appears
The Neon Sign Is The Same Sign
Purchased In 1945 By The Women's Department
For The Dedication Of Mason Temple During The 38th Convocation
Below Is The Exterior Of Mason Temple, The World Wide Headquarters
Of The COGIC; Bishop Mason's Body Is Interred Within
The Mason Temple Headquarters
Below, Pictures Of Bishop C. H. Mason In The Entry Way Of Mason Temple
2 Pictures Below: Mason Temple's Main Auditorium - Lower Level
Pictured Below Is The Stained Glass Window Caricature Of Bishop C. H. Mason Located
In The Frony Balcony Section Of Mason Temple
Below: Church of God in Christ, Inc. All Saints Bible College
Administrative Office
Campus Of Mason Temple, World Wide Headquarters
Memphis, Tennessee
Below ~ The John Lee Building Project {2009 - 2011}
A Project Developed Under The Reign Of
Bishop Charles Edward Blake, Sr.,
The Current Successor Of Bishop C. H. Mason
Presiding Bishop Blake and the presidium had commissioned a national team
of planners, capital development professionals, and church leaders to implement
the timely completion of the project of an impressive, global,
administrative, informational and operational, center on the campus of
The Worldwide Mason Temple Headquarters.
Bishop Sedgwick Daniels was selected to chair this committe and orchestrate
deliverables in concert with the administrative team at Headquarters.
The John Lee Administrative Center was designed to afford denominational
departments and ministries the ability to empower congregational initiatives,
strengthen Jurisdictional programs, and advance international COGIC ministries.
Our Worldwide federally designated national landmark, and for the first time
in 40 years, our ministries will operate from a central location in Memphis
on the Campus of Mason Temple. The Presiding Bishop pushed for a capital
campaign of more than 2 million dollars to underwrite this project.
This involved the renovation of 20,000 additional square feet on the
John Lee Administration Building on at our Worldwide Headquarters of Mason Temple.
The project was completed slightly ahead of schedule in 2010, but is scheduled to open
for operation in 2011.
Below: Current Development Improvement Project
For The Church of God in Christ, Inc.
The John Lee Administration Building Signage
Campus Of The Worldwide Headquarters of Mason Temple
In Memphis, Tennessee
Below: The John Lee International Administration Building Renovation
Development Project In Progress Scheduled To Open In 2011
Below: The Church Of God In Christ International Administrative Headquarters
John Lee Building, Scheduled For Opening Wednesday, September 8, 2010 At 5:00 P M
On The Campus Of Mason Temple Worldwide Headquarters
With An Episcopal Designation And Building Dedication
Below: Bishop Mason's Home
On The Campus Of Mason Temple, World - Wide Headquarters
The Official Residence Of Bishop Mason, The Founder Of The COGIC
This Home Was Built By The Women's Department Of The COGIC
In 1947 Under The Leadership Of Supervisor Lillian Brooks Cofffey
Memphis, Tennessee
Below: More Pictures From The Scrapbook Archives O Bishop C. C. Owens
Scenes From The Inside Of The Executive House
Which Was The Official Residence Of Our Founder, Bishop C. H. Mason
Located On The Campus Of Mason Temple, World - Wide Headquarters
Memphis, Tennessee.
Sis. Christine J. Owens-Jones, Daughter Of Bishop C. C. Owens, Is
Seen Holding The Headboard; We See A Portion Of The Living Room.
Below: Church Of God In Christ, Inc.,
On Campus Of Mason Temple, World - Wide Headquarters
We See The Lelia Mason Building, Named After Bishop Mason's
2nd Wife
Memphis, Tennessee
In 1942 Bishop Mason married Elsie Washington who was a school teacher in the
Memphis School System. Remember, Bishop Mason's 2nd wife died in 1936.
Elsie was a beautiful young missionary, and very devout to her husband.
Below Is A Picture Of Bishop C. H. & Mrs. Elsie Mason.
Mrs. Elsie Mason
Below Is A Post Card sent to Dr. C. C. Owens From Mrs. Elsie Mason
in June of 1964 denoting that she was honored that he chose to name the remodeled
dining room of the Emanuel COGIC "The Elsie Mason Dining Room"
Below: Family And Friends Of Bishop C. H. Mason, Celebrating His 89th Birthday
Bishop J. O. Patterson, Sr., Near Center Of Back Row; Bishop C. H. Mason is seated in
the Center of the front row, and one of his daughters, Deborah Patterson,
sitting to the viewer's left of Bishop Mason.
Bishop Mason died November 17, 1961; Elsie Mason died at the
Memphis Methodist Hospital on January 31, 2007 at the age of 98.
If you go to You Tube and type in Church of God in Christ Heritage Part I.
There are brief exhortations from Elsie Mason, a brief prayer from Sis. Elsie Shaw,
and brief remarks fromBishop Ithiel Clemmons and Bishop J. O. Patterson, Sr.
Top Row Above - Left To Right: Bishop Mason & Mrs. Elsie Mason; Bishop Mason At The
White House; Bishop Mason;
2nd Row - Left To Right: Bishop J. S. Bailey; Bishop O. T. Jones, Sr.; Bishop McEwen;
Bottom Row - Left To Right: Bishop J. O. Patterson, Sr.; Dr. Mattie Moss Clark;
Bishop O. M. Kelly
Below Reveals A Meeting Of 12 Bishops Which Took Place Shortly After The
Completion Of The Construction Of Mason Temple
Above Left: Commissioner A. B. McEwen; To The Right We See In The Forefront
Bishop A. B. McEwen Left Celebrating An Event With Dr. C. C. Owens
Below: Left - To Right: Bishop Matthew Roberts, B ishop Charles Harrison Mason,
Bishop Ozro Thurston Jones, Sr.
Both Were Very Dear Friends Of Bishop Mason, However, Bishop Jones Was
Considered As Mason's Lifetime Confidant For Over 50 Years!
According to Bishop O. M. Kelly
(Vice-President Of The Home & Foreign Missions Board),
he was appointed, along with A. B. McEwen (Chairman of Commissioners)
and Bishop J. S. Bailey (Co-Chairman of The Board Of Commissioners),
in June of 1951 to begin the nucleus of the special commission during the
declining years of Bishop Mason; They were appointed to assist Bishop Mason with
resolving greivances with Jurisdictions and other related business affairs.
In 1952, Bishop J. O. Patterson, Sr. was appointed The Secretary of this commission.
Three years later (1955), the following Bishops were added to this commission:
Bishop Ozro Thurston Jones, Sr. (President of The Youth Congress &
President of The National Board of Education),
Bishop S. M. Crouch (California President of The Home & Foreign Missions Board),
and Bishop U. E. Miller (General Secretary). This Special Commission was later known
as The Executive Commission. After the death of Bishop Mason in 1961,
the General Assembly elected 5 more members to The Executive Commission
for a total of twelve. This twelve-man Commission
later changed its name to The Executive Board.
The additional names appointed to this Commission were:
Bishop Louis Henry Ford, Bishop C. E. Bennett, Bishop John White,
Bishop W. G. Shipman, Bishop W. D. Lawrence, Bishop Wyoming Wells.
Below: These Bishops Were Appointed From 1951 - 1955
Above Pictured among others are ten of the appointed Commissioners
Top Row: Left To Right - Bishop D. Lawrence Williams, Norfolk, VA,
Chairman Board of Bishops; Bishop John White, New Orleans, LA;
Bishoop Louis Henry Ford, Chicago, IL; Bishop W. G. Shipman, Detroit, Michigan;
Bishop C. E. Bennett, Gary, Indiana; Bishop Wyoming Wells, Greensboro, NC;
Bottom Row, Left To Right: Bishop W. R. Nesbitt, Florida; Bishop J. S. Bailey, Detroit, Michigan;
boroBishop Samuel Crouch, Los Angeles, CA;
Bishop O. T. Jones Sr., Newly Elected Senior Bishop;
National Supervisor of The Women's Department - Mother Lillian Brooks Coffey;
Bishop A. B. McEwen and Bishop J. O. Patterson, Sr., Both of Memphis, Tennessee;
Bishop J. E. Bryant In Foreground.
Below Important Preachers In The COGIC
In 1953 Fifth Street in Memphis was renamed Mason Street, and Bishop Mason received
the Pittsburg Currier Award for contributing to racial equality in America.
As Abraham Lincoln once expressed: "Only as we know from whence we are
can we perceive from whence we are tending." The Church of God in Christ
as a major American denomination:
Has helped to shape Gospel Music
Has shaped Black Worship, (A Fact Which Modern Comedians Choose To Capitalize On
To Insight Laughter Among Cheering Audiences)
Has Shaped African American Spirituality
Has Helped To Define Black Pentecostalism In The U. S.
(In The 20th Century) COGIC Has Played A Major Role In The Urbanization
Of Black Christianity. Click on Bishop Owens Below To Surf To The Top Or Continue
To Scroll Down
Bishop Mason lived and led The Church Of God In Christ
longer than the founder of any major denomination in modern history (1897 - 1961),
and left his indelible imprint on its life and thought.
Bishop Owens is reminiscing with Bishop Bennie Benbow
of Beverly Hills, California whose mother built Mason his first Preacher's stand
out of a soap box or crate, but look at how far God brought Bishop Mason
from his early beginnings. As they say, "Favor Ain't Fare!"
To our left is a picture of Bishop Mason
from the scrapbook archives of Bishop
Christopher C. Owens.
In December 1954, 7 months after the
landmark Brown VS. Board of Education
decision, Bishop Mason and the General
Assembly sent a letter (drafted by Eld. James
Fetus) to the U. S. Supreme Court
commending its decision that "separate
education facilities are not inherently equal."
Four years later, Bishop Mason and his son,
Bob Mason, both were probed by the FBI
and accused of "stirring up racial tensions".
I guess the fact that Bishop Mason had received
the previously mentioned Pittsburg Currier
Award in previous years for contributing to
racial equality in America, was also
conveniently disregarded by the FBI's
decision to begin this probe.
I also guess it didn't help matters with the
FBI's decision to accuse them of
stirring up racial tension since Bob Mason,
had integrated the previously all-white Glenview neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee.
Above, Bishop Mason is sitting on the hood of the Cadillac. Before Bishop
Mason's death, he had earned a Doctorate Of Divinity Degree
from the Trinity Hall College And Seminary in 1957.
Under Mason's Leadership, the COGIC
experienced phenominal growth.
Mason led the Church Of God In Christ
until his death in 1961 while the Saints
around the world were preparing to
attend the 54th Holy Convocation.
Upon his death in 1961, The Church Of
God In Christ, which had begun in a gin house in Lexington, Mississippi,
claimed some 5,500 congregations
and some one million members.
At least 10 other church bodies owed
their origins to Mason's church.
since his death, the COGIC has
continued its rapid growth;
As a matter of fact, as previously
stated, many years ago,
Bishop Mason prophesied that there would
never be a convention facility
large enough to accomodate
all of the saints. As of 2016, it has been
proven to have been a true prophecy.
Currently, with an estimation of over
8 million members, The Church Of
God In Christ is the largest African
American denomination in
the United States.
Below, Bishop Wyoming Wells and Others, Promoting Church Growth
Click On Me Below To Surf To The Top Or Continue To Scroll Down
Below, Bishop C. H. Mason Is Praying For The Saints.
Bishop Mason was a firm believer of divine healing. I can remember when he prayed
for my sister at a very young age (Countess Musette Owens-Hicks).
Thousands reported miraculous healings after being prayed for by Bishop Mason.
Bishop Mason stamped his personality on his church far more emphatically
than any other holiness leader. He lived to see the Church of God in Christ become
a major denomination, and one of the largest Pentecostal bodies in the world.
Bishop Mason died at the age of 95 at Harper's Hospital, in Detroit, Michigan, on
Novenber 17, 1961. His remains are entombed in the Mason Temple,
Headquarters of the Church of God in Christ in Memphis, Tennessee.
From the Scrapbook Archives of Bishop Christopher C. Owens:
The Recessional Of The Funeral Of Bishop C. H. Mason Held At Mason Temple
Holy Convocation Of The Church Of God In Christ. Bishop O. T. Jones, Sr. Of
Philadelphia, Delivered The Eulogy To Nearly 12,000 People
In Attendance At The Funeral.
Below: The Interment Of Bishop Mason
If You Desire, You Can See Bishop Mason In His Open Casket If You Go
To You Tube And Type In: COGIC Founder Bishop C. H. Mason {0.39 ~ In Open Casket}
Above: Laying Bishop Mason's Body To, Rest
Participating In The Burial Ceremony Are Left To Right:
Bishop L. H. Ford, Sis. Elsie Shaw (Music Teacher),
And Bishop Mason's Wife: Sis. Elsie Mason. This was not Bishop Mason's
final resting place. If you'll notice, there is tile flooring surrounding the feet of the
mourners above. This was in the lobby of Mason Temple where the burial
ceremony took place. This ceremony did not take place in the cemetary. It was
here, in the Main Lobby of Mason Temple where the Body of Our
Beloved Leader was Enshrined In Memphis, Tennessee.
Below, Bishop Mason's Body was initially Enshrined in the main lobby
as you entered Mason Temple To The Right: If you will notice the tile flooring
surrounding the encrypted area, is the same tile flooring you saw in the picture
above reflecting the original burial ceremony. The Enshrined area was later transferred
to another area of Mason Temple.
We appreciate and extend our sincere thanks to
Mother Janice Carter who gave us a clearer picture (above)
of the entombed shrine of Bishop Mason. Mother Carter is currently a member of
Inspirational Deliverence Center COGIC in Chicago, Illinois, whose
pastor is Supervisor Shirley Hughes of First Jurisdiction Illinois.
Below Front Views Of Bishop Mason's Office And The Memorial Wing
Where Mason's Body Is Enshrined
Above, The 100th Year: 1907 ~ 2007
The Centennial Convocation Of The Church Of God In Christ
At The Cook Convention Center In Memphis, Tennessee.
Thousands of Delegates Were Attending This Convention Here,
And As Usual, There Were Packed Crowds At All Of
The Other Church Locations in the City of Memphis,
Including Mason Temple. Closed Circuit TV Did Not Make These Crowded
Conditions Even More Enjoyable Either.
As You Were Previously Informed, God Had Made A Covenant With
Bishop Charles Harrison Mason That "If He Would Name His Organization
The Church Of God In Christ, There Would Never Be A Convention Center
Large Enough To Accomodate All Of The Saints In One Setting.
That Prophesy Has Proven To Be True After All Of These Years!!
You Will Hear The Yes Lord Hymn At This 2007 Holy Convocation
If You Will Go To You Tube And Type In: The Yes Lord Hymn At Holy Convocation 2007;
According to Dr. Arenia C. Mallory's Personal Secretary and Biographer (Dovie Simmonds),
The Yes Lord Praise Originated When Dr. Mallory Repeatedly Sang It As She
Repented Before She Was Reinstated To Her Position As President
At The Saints Industrial School In Lexington, Mississippi;
She Was Allowed To Go Forth, And The Lord Gave Her This Song
As She Cried And Publicly Repented At A COGIC Church In New York.
You May Read About Dr. Mallory's Situation Concerning
This Hymn If You Will Surf To Her Page Within This Web Site.
The COGIC'S 100 Year History Presidium Platform
Summarization: This Timeline Delineates The Pertinet Dates And
Bishops Of The COGIC'S 100 Year History (1907 ~ 2007):
1896} Charles Mason And Charles Jones Form The Church Of God
1897} Name Changed To Church Of God In Christ (COGIC)
1907} August - Jones Splits With Mason And Attemps To Keep The COGIC Name
1907} September - MASON WAS UNANIMOUSLY CHOSEN
AS GENERAL OVERSEER AND CHIEF APOSTLE.
Mason Moves His COGIC HeadquatersTo Memphis, TN
Due To The Fact That He And Jones Disagreed On The Issue Of
Speaking In Tongues In Accordance With Acts 2:1-4 As The Initial Evidence
Of Having Received The Baptism Of TheHoly Ghost. The Preachers Who Followed
Mason And Graciously Accepted The Scriptural Doctrine Of Acts 2:1-4,
Are Listed In A Previous Article At The Beginning Of This Navigational Page.
These Men Of God Organized The First Assembly Of
The Church Of God In Christ.
1911} Jones Was Forced By A Court Ruling (In Mason's Favor) To Drop
The COGIC Name. C. P. Jones Later Chose The Name:
Church Of God Holiness (USA).
1914} White Ministers Form Assemblies Of God After Leaving The COGIC
1940} COGIC Headquarters Built In Memphis, Tennessee - (1945) Completed
1961} Bishop Mason, COGIC'S Chief Apostle, Dies
1961} Ozro Thurston Jones, Sr., Becomes Senior Bishop. Serves Until 1968
1968} James O. Patterson, Sr., Becomes Presiding Bishop....Serves Until 1989
1989} Bishop J. O. Patterson, Sr., Dies
1990} Bishop Louis Henry Ford Becomes Presiding Bishop....Serves Until 1995
1995} Chandler David Owens Becomes Presiding Bishop....Serves Until 2000
2000} Gilbert Earl Patterson Is Elected Presiding Bishop
2007} Presiding Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson Dies
2007} Charles Edward Blake Is Elected Presiding Bishop
Below, Click On Bishop Christopher Owens To Surf To The Top Or Continue To Scroll Down
PROMINENT BISHOPS OF THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
THEY STARTED EARLY ON AND MOVED UP THROUGH THE RANKS
OF THE COGIC
Above: These Young Preachers, Many Of Which W
ere At The Time Elders,
Became Prominent Bishops Within The Church Of God In Christ
Some are still alive today (2016), and some are General Board members of
of the current Presiding Bishop of the
Church Of God In Christ. Currently, as of 2016, Charles Edward Blake
is the Presiding Bishop of the COGIC.
From Left To Right: Bishop W. L. Porter, Bishop R. L. Winbush,
Bishop Charles Blake, Elder W. D. Haynes, Bishop Phillip A. Brooks, Bishop William James,
Bishop Chandler D. Owens, Bishop Rodger Jones, Elder Stitts, Bishop Charles Brewer,
Bishop J. N. Haynes, Bishop Earl Wright, and Elder J. Edward Lee
Above, Prominent Bishops Attending The Washington For Jesus Rally In 1980
Front Row, 2nd Left - Bishop Christopher C. Owens;
To The Viewers Right Of Bishop Owens - Bishop J. O. Patterson, Sr.;
2nd Row Immediately Behind Bishop Owens - Bishop F. D. Washington,
Flanked By A Host Of Bishops.
Below Left To Right: Bishop John E. Watley Of Chicago, Illinois,
Overseer Of England And The
British Isles;
Bishop Casin Scott Of Chicago, Illinois, Overseer Of Northern Illinois;
Bishop J. O. Mason Of Chicago, Illinois, Overseer Of Costa
Rica;
Their Joined Hands Represented A "Symbolic Clasp Of Fellowship"
Above, We Will Always Remember Bishop Charles Harrison Mason,
The Chief Apostle Of The Church Of God In Christ Who
Greatly Impacted The Lives Of People Through Preaching The Gospel,
Praying By The Laying On Of Hands And Demonstrating The Gifts Of Healings,
And Of Speaking In Tongues And Of Performing Miracles, And of Interpreting
The Speaking Of Tongues. He Was Godly Powerful And Greatly Anointed.
As Told By Bishop O. M. Kelly,
Bishop Mason Would Roll Out Of Bed In The Morning,
Fall On His Knees, And Begin To Pray For Hours;
When He Would Get Tired, He Would Grab A Pillow Off The Bed
And Place It Under His Knees, Continuing To Pray!
WE HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THE DEMONIC FORCES.
BELOW THOUSANDS ARE BEING HEALED.
We'll See Bishop Charles Harrison Mason In Eternity!
CLICK ON BISHOP OWENS BELOW
TO SURF TO THE TOP
ENJOY THE REMAINDER OF THIS WEB SITE
Below, we see pictures of the walls within The
Mason Temple Worldwide Headquarters which reflect the names
of those members who have donated special finances into The
Church Of God In Christ Ministry.
I am happy to announce that the name of Bishop Christopher C. Owens,
The National President of the Religious Workers Guild, appears
on the wall among the vast numbers of concerned contributors.
We certainly appreciate the generosity of Mother Janice Carter for the two wall
reflections. Mother Janice Carter is a member of the
Inspirational Deliverance Center Church of God in Christ, in Chicago, Illinois.
Mother Shirley Hughes, Supervisor of First Jurisdiction Illinois is her Pastor.
Below, A Portion Of The Many Patriarchs & Matriarchs Of The COGIC
Above, is another view of Bishop Mason's office which was preserved after his demise.
Here are listings of must see videos:
Go to You Tube And Type In:
COGIC History ( 5:26 ~ Bishop Chandler Owens Narrating)
History of the Church of God in Christ (1907 - Present)
COGIC Founder (0.54 - Singing)
COGIC Founder (4:52 - Mason Praying and Singing)
Charles Harrison Mason/The Prayer (11:59 - Introduction By Bishop L. H. Ford)
Bishop C. H. Mason C. O. G. I. C. (2:10 - Singing & Praying)
Below is the Elegantly decorated and fitting Memorial to our Sainted Father,
Bishop C. H. Mason, The All Saints Dinner And Fellowship Hall
Located in The Mason Temple Worldwide Headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee.
This Project Was Part Of Bishop L. H. Ford's "Building COGIC's Walls".
The Late Mattie Wiggley, one of Pentecostal Temple's famous singers,
whose pastor was J. O. Patterson, Jr. (Her original Pastor was J. O. Patterson, Sr.),
is seen as a hostess in the foreground.
Above, Accommodations for the entombed body of Bishop Mason
were later transferred to the Memorial Wing of Mason Temple where
it currently remains (see below):
As a result of the "Building The Walls For COGIC Vision" By
a succeeding Presiding Bishop L. H. Ford, Mason Temple was Part I
of the Modernization Project Affected.
As a result of this renovation, a new memorial wing was set up to make available
a more appropriate and serene setting for the remains of our sainted founder,
Bishop Charlrs Harrison Mason.
In the Memorial Wing of Mason Temple, Bishop Mason is Entombed.
Pictured Above: Bishop F. D. Washington, Bishop John White, Bishop Wyoming Wells
(Background), Bishop Samuel Crouch, Bishop J. O. Patterson, Sr., Bishop A. B. McEwen,
Bishop O. M. Kelly (Background), Bishop J. S. Bailey, Bishop Bennett And Others.
Below: Bishop J. O. Patterson, Sr., Bishop Louis Henry Ford,
Bishop Shipman And Others Promoting The Golden Anniversary Of The
Church Of God In Christ!
In 1952 at 82 years of age, Bishop Mason appointed Bishop A. B. McEwen
of Memphis, J. S. Bailey of Michigan, and O. M. Kelly of New York, as an
Executive Commission to oversee the Administration of the COGIC. That
Commission was eventually expanded to 12 members.
Below - Celebrating The 45th Holy Convocation:
We see A. B. McEwen To The Left; Bishop C. H. Mason To The Right.
Since The 38th Convocation Was Celebrated At The Completion Of
Mason Temple In 1945, This Picture Had To Have Been Taken Around 1952,
The Year That A. B. McEwen Was Appointed As Head Or Chairman
Of The Commissioners!
Click On Us Below To Surf To The Top Or Continue To Scroll Down
Below: We See A Portion Of The Bedroom And The Dining Room
Below: The Church Of God In Christ Senior Manor Located On
The Campus Of Mason Temple World - Wide Headquarters
Elsie Mason's Saint's Haven Is A Church Of God In Christ Facility For Seniors
In Memphis, Tennessee
Named In Honor Of The Widow Of Our Founder, Bishop C. H. Mason
2 Pictures Below: The Church of God in Christ, Inc. All Saints Bible College
Campus Of World Wide Headquarters In Memphis, Tennessee
Below , A Message On An Exterior Sign Of Mason Temple
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Please Continue To Scroll Downward On This Web Page
To Gather Additional Information Concerning The Construction Of Mason Temple
And The Enormous Growth of The Church Of God In Christ!
Our Pioneering Patriarchs And Matriarchs Were Quite Passionate
And Ecstatic About
Kingdom Building As Seen On Their Faces Below!
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