My grandmother had a saying, that “every
crow thinks theirs is the blackest.”
Well, we know a lot of preachers have come and gone over the years with
many attaining great followings, and seemingly some great accomplishments. While the scriptures teach us we cannot judge
another man’s servant, we will however make no apologies for the amount of
praise we bestow upon our favorite preacher of Morrison Park, the great Henry
Clay Morrison. Morrison became a famed preacher in a day long before radio and
television. He gained his fame through reputation, hard work, spiritual preaching,
writing, and simply following the direction that God set forth for him. It was
through the popular Pentecostal Herald
that he published and edited for 54 years, that his written word went out
across the nation and the world. Morrison was in constant demand preaching in the
finest and most elaborate churches, to the most simple and crude dwellings that
could be crafted for an accommodation in the many Holiness camp grounds scattered
across the country. Morrison would at times be invited into the finest of homes
or have the finest hotels or rooms provided for him, only then to move along
for the next revival and perhaps spend two weeks in a cramped tent or primitive
cabin, often times with only a dirt floor, and a nail driven into a stud or
support beam for a place to hang his clothes. The only and most important thing
to Morrison was to obey God’s directive and preach his word. We are told Morrison’s preaching was simply
amazing. Newspapers across the country reported his coming, praised his text
and the glorious results that were accomplished through his efforts in the
Lord’s work. Morrison’s preaching resulted in great convictions and wonderful
testimonies of salvation. It must have
been such a blessing to sit in his presence and hear his delivery of God’s
message. Many called Morrison a modern day prophet comparing him to the great
ones of old. Some folks, of course, didn’t like Morrison. Some ministers argued
with his beliefs, and others spouted out complaints and charges that explicitly
rang forth with human jealousy and contempt, but these never took anything away
from the Christian nation’s strong opinion. The greatest helping of praise however
that seemed to fall upon the efforts of Morrison was that of the great William
Jennings Bryan.
William Jennings Bryan, hailed as the
greatest orator of his era, said that “Henry Clay Morrison was the greatest
pulpit orator on the American Continent.” Bryan was a leading American
politician from the 1890’s until his death in 1925. He was the democratic presidential
candidate on three occasions, 1896, 1900, and 1908. Bryan was a two term member
of the House of Representatives from Nebraska. He also served as US Secretary
of State under President Woodrow Wilson. A devout Christian, with his deep demanding
voice and wide travels Bryan was one of the best known orators and lecturers of
his time. Because of his special connection with the common people, he earned
the title “the Great Commoner.” The actual connector that linked Bryan to
Morrison is unknown to me: however it is probable that Bryan’s and Morrison’s
link to Glasgow was a factor. James Bryan moved to Glasgow and built a home in
1854. That home still sits on West Washington Street under reconstruction at
the present time. It stands at the corner of Washington and Jefferson Streets.
William Jennings Bryan, a member of the same family was a visitor to the home
each time he traveled to Glasgow. Bryan came to Glasgow on October 9, 1897 and
spoke to several thousand residents from the Court House grounds. (Shown in the
photo below)
Eleven years later, the August 28, 1908
Glasgow paper, reported how Rev. H.C. Morrison spoke on the present political
conditions, Monday night last at the court house here. The reporter described
his address as a most unanswerable and terrific arraignment of the Republican Party.
For over two hours he held his audience of a thousand people spell-bound under
the charm of his eloquence, the force of his logic and the lighting play of his
sarcasm and invective.
Morrison, in support of his friend William
Jennings Bryan, spoke out on what he saw as the problems and the evils of the
present day. Morrison was most disturbed at the idea of the election of a
president (William Howard Taft), who did not believe in the divinity of Christ.
Morrison wrote in a July 17th Pentecostal Herald editorial, “Think
of the United States with a President who does not believe that Jesus Christ
was the son of God, but looks upon our immaculate savior as a common bastard
and a low cunning imposter. What must Mr. Taft’s feelings be towards our
civilization, which is so permeated and interwoven with the religion of Jesus
Christ?” The Glasgow newspaper, referred to the address by Morrison at the
courthouse as being, “the greatest exposition of political truth that ever fell
from the ministerial lips in Glasgow, and was a veritable thunderbolt among the
republicans. It was a magnificent discourse by a magnificent man.”
On June 3, 1958, Dr. Edward L.R. Elson,
Pastor of the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. addressed the
students of Asbury College on Alumni Day, saying,”here in those days was the
inimitable Henry Clay Morrison, aristocratic in temperament, autocratic in
rulership, compassionate and tender in human dealing ... and the last of the old silver
tonged orators that used to grace the American platform. Do not some of you
recall the day when Dr. Morrison spent some thirty minutes introducing the
Honorable William Jennings Bryan, who then spoke for an hour and a quarter, and
then when it was all over the real debate for the next week was ”who was the
greatest orator- the introducer or the speaker?” And those of us who were here
knew who the greater orator was.” Even
though Bryan was held in great regard within the Presbyterian Church from which
Eldon hailed, there was little doubt Morrison was the greater speaker of the
two.
In 1924, Christian Century Magazine named Henry
Clay Morrison one of the 25 greatest preachers in America.
Many a hype, legend and myth have propelled
some people to a great state of esteem with much less evidence or substance
than we feel is offered here, so we offer for your consideration, that we are
at Barren County Kentucky and Morrison Park, the proud home of America’s
Greatest Preacher! The Great Henry Clay Morrison!
William Jennings Bryan (left) and Henry Clay Morrison at Asbury College
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