Henry Clay Morrison

Who was Henry Clay Morrison?

Henry Clay Morrison was a Methodist evangelist, editor, and president of Asbury College.

Morrison was born in Barren County, Kentucky. His parents died when he was very young, and he was reared by his paternal grandfather. Morrison was converted at the age of 11 in a Methodist revival at the Boyd's Creek Meetinghouse near Glasgow, Kentucky. Soon after he felt a call to the ministry. He was licensed to preach at the age of 19 and began his work as circuit rider and station pastor.

In 1890 Morrison left the pastorate and moved into evangelism. He also began editing a religious publication called The Old Methodist, which later became the widely read Pentecostal Herald. Morrison's reputation as a Methodist evangelist grew rapidly from his home state of Kentucky to most other states and many foreign countries. The camp meeting became one of his favorite evangelistic venues, and throughout the rest of his life Morrison gave much time and effective leadership to this religious movement. William Jennings Bryan regarded Morrison to be "the greatest pulpit orator on the American continent."