A Wonderful Service At Morrison Park Sunday Sept. 29 2013 Glasgow, Barren County, Kentucky

What a wonderful morning and what a splendid service it was at Morrison Park Sunday morning. We had over forty people in attendance, some of the attendees are pictured above. Bro. Stanley Greer led us in a song of Amazing Grace, then I shared a short explanation about the park, the restoration, and about Rev. H.C. Morrison who founded it. Bro. Dillard Rigsby led us in prayer, then Bro. Timothy Shirley preached a splendid spirit filled sermon on conviction, true salvation and conversion. There were other special prayer request and heartwrenching prayers. We concluded with two verses of Amazing Grace, and I am satisfied all who attended were blessed in a great way.  The weather was most favorable and the Morrison Library cabin perfectly took care of our needs. We pray the Lord once again directs us to hold services there, very soon, as we continue the work on restoration. Special thanks to Morrison Park Board memberNancy Richey who spent several hours Saturday evening cleaning all the cabins and making preparations for the service. Please continue to pray God's grace upon us as we seek his will and follow his work. Gary Bewley

Bro. Timothy Shirley conducted the preaching service at Morrison Park. The first service conducted here in over 18 years.

Morrison Park Camp Association President, Gary Bewley, welcomes all the visitors Sunday morning with information about the park and it's founder H.C. Morrison. The worship service was held inside the H.C.Morrison Memorial Library Cabin at Morrison Park.

Bro. Timothy Shirley preaching with the portrait of Henry Clay Morrison over his shoulder, looking on.

Morrison Park In The News Glasgow, Barren County, Kentucky

   The Morrison Park restoration effort had the honor of being the subject a recent news story in the Glasgow Daily Times weekend edition. Aug.17,2013. The writer Melinda Overstreet came to the park and spent a great deal of time learning the story of the park and sharing with it's readers all our efforts and struggles for restoration. We appreciate Melinda, and the Glasgow Times for giving us this time and space in their paper. It was a wonderfully written story and has generated a lot of interest and much needed support for the park.We are so grateful for all the efforts everyone is making to help support our great cause, saving a piece of religious and community history, as well as providing a newly restored park for the community to use and enjoy in the name of Morrison, it's founder and our marvelous savior, whom Morrison devoted his life to serving. Please pray for all our efforts and we appreciate all your support. If you would like to help or make a contribution contact Gary Bewley 270- 834-9553, or write to Morrison Park Campmeeting, 2731 Tompkinsville Rd. Glasgow Kentucky 42141

Morrison Makeovers!

A lot of dedication, hard work, prayers and support, have over the last two and a half years  taken us this far. Please help us go further. If you haven't supported our efforts, please prayerfully consider what you can do to help restore this beautiful, historic religious park. It belongs to you and me. We need you. The next project, Lord willing, is the building below. It will be a newly refurbished restroom building. Please help us. Contact Gary Bewley 2731 Tompkinsville Rd. Glasgow , Kentucky 42141  270-834-9553

Flowers Galore! At Morrison Park

What a beautiful time at Morrison Park! Bob and Edie Bell have spent so much time, digging , planting and preparing all the wonderful gardens at Morrison Park. All these glorious flowers came from their own gardens, which is just down the road from the park. I hope everyone will take time to drive by and get a peek at all the wonderful things , God and the Bells have provided for our pleasure. God bless Bob and Edie Bell, and praise God for his wonderful world, and all those precious caring people who have helped breath life back into Morrison Park.  

America's Greatest Preacher! Henry Clay Morrison

   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 17^th 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

Pictures Anyone?

In the one hundred and thirteen years Morrison Park has been standing as a beacon in our community, we just know there must have been countless photos made at the old park. Unfortunately, very few historical ones have emerged. In the present day Morrison cabin, we are actively seeking to collect and display any and all old photos of the park, Morrison Park School and photos of community,and it's residents. The above photo was just recently obtained from Bill Hewitt. The photo was made probably in the late 40's - mid 50's. Notice the large tabernacle (center) and several lodging cottages to the left. The photo is a wonderful gift from Bill, from the photos of Gilbert and Lily Rogers Hewitt. Thanks , Bill.
   If anyone has any photos , please let us know, we would love to copy them, and we would love you forevermore. Contact Gary Bewley, 2731 Tompkinsville Rd. Glasgow, Ky. 42141  270-834-9553,
glbewley@glasgow-ky.com

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