Morrison Park End? God Forbid It Should Be So!

Author Bessie G. Olsen, titled her Henry Clay Morrison biography, A great Editor. This title comes from the great work that Morrison was involved in for 54 years. In 1888, Morrison was the Pastor of the Methodist Church in Frankfort Kentucky. He had already earned quite a reputation and had become a  famous minister. While conducting services in Maysville Ky. Morrison retired one night, greatly troubled.  He said "I thought late into the night of the many calls I was receiving and of the great need of a revival, and how impossible it was for me to respond to many of these calls without neglecting my own congregation." As Morrison tossed and turned, the Lord gave him the answer. " As I sat thinking, I prayed, and was led to believe that I was divinely called to establish a paper in order that I might send out an evangelistic message to fields where it was impossible for me to go personally. This conviction became so strong that I arose, at two o'clock in the morning and wrote my first editorial for the paper yet to be born."
   Upon returning to Frankfort, he consulted with a publisher and began a six page monthly paper called The Old Methodist, While the paper met with some success, the ads from local merchants, and subscription rates did not meet the cost of the publishing. The paper was printed under this title for two yeras, then the name was changed to The Kentucky Methodist. Soon the paper began to grow and the paper was sent out every week instead of each month. In 1896 Morrison moved the publication of the paper to Louisville, and later it became his own. When the paper moved to Louisville, the title changed again to what it would be for the next fifty some odd years, The Pentecostal Herald. The Herald went across the nation and into many different parts of the world. At this time Morrison also felt led to leave the the pastorate and and enter the field of evangelism. The great Holiness movement that swept the nation in 1890 and beyond was do in a great part, because of Morrison, the founding of Asbury College at Wilmore, and the Pentecostal Herald. Camp meeting grounds much like the one at Morrison  Park sprang up all over the nation, and Morrison became  one of the prominent ministers associated with that movement. His fame spread quickly at the camps, in prominent churches and on paper, through his writings in the Pentecostal Herald. On two different occasions, when Asbury College was in financial trouble, Morrison's influence, and his call for help to the readers of the Herald, saved the college. Asbury Theological Seminary founded  by Morrison, also owes a great deal of thanks to the Pentecostal Herald  and it's supporters. Along with Morrison's editorials the Herald,also included many sermons by various prominent ministers of the day, and was cherished by so many readers.
 In 1941, the year before Morrison died, The Herald reached it's largest circulation. New names were added by the thousands.There is no way to estimate the great good it has done in the hearts and lives of it's readers, as well as a outreach tool to help save the great Asbury College. Morrison's last editorial appeared in the April 8 1942 edition, where he spoke of his own death, titled , A Parting Word to Herald Readers, and began, " I am going into a world where there is no sin, and where there is no opposition to holiness. When the readers of the dear old Pentecostal Herald look upon these paragraphs, I shall have passed beyond the veil, and I humbly hope, and have no doubt, shall be worshipping at the feet of my adorable Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. By the time these lines are printed I shall have looked upon the King in his ineffable glory."
 Morrison also spoke of his concern for the continuation of the Asbury College, and The Pentecostal Herald, Some had prophesied that when he passed away the Herald would cease to exist. "God forbid it should be so....", Morrison declared. Then he said a farewell to the great Herald family, who had stood so faithfully by him.
 While Abury College and the seminary Morrison founded still continue  in a mighty way, the Herald unfortunately did cease to exist  a few years after his death. I know this would have been a great disappointment for Morrison. I too, am quite confident Morrison would have been broken hearted at the knowledge of the fact that the great Holiness Park he established on his family's farm here in Barren County could not continue to function, work, and provide all the Godly services that he began there with Lord's help so long ago. In Morrison's own words, I will say, "God forbid it should be so! " With God's grace,we will not and cannot let that happen.
                                                                                                     Gary Bewley