Charles Price Jones facts for kids
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Charles Price Jones Sr. (born December 9, 1865 – died January 19, 1949) was an important American religious leader. He was also a hymnist, meaning he wrote many church songs. He is best known for starting the Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A..
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Early Life and Ministry
Jones was born in Floyd County, Georgia. He grew up to become a missionary and a Baptist preacher. He worked in Jackson, Mississippi.
In 1895, he met another preacher named Charles Harrison Mason. The next year, in 1896, Jones, Mason, and two other preachers held a special revival in Jackson. During these meetings, they focused on faith healing.
Jones and Mason began to teach about a deeper spiritual experience called "entire sanctification." This idea was different from what many Baptists believed. Because of these differences, Jones and Mason left their Baptist churches in 1897. They started their own church, first meeting in people's homes. Later, they used an old building that used to be a cotton gin.
A Gift for Music
Charles Price Jones was a very talented writer of hymns. He wrote more than 1,000 church songs! Many of his hymns are still sung today around the world. Some of his most famous songs include Deeper, Deeper, I Will Make the Darkness Light, and Jesus Only.
He served as a pastor in churches in several states, including Arkansas, Mississippi, and California.
Church Growth and Challenges
In 1907, a disagreement happened between Charles Jones and Charles Mason. Mason and other ministers had visited the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles. They came back believing that speaking in tongues was a sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Jones did not agree with this idea.
This disagreement caused the church to split. Charles Mason continued with a group that became known as Pentecostals. Jones and his followers continued their work, keeping the original church name.
In 1909, a women's group was formed called the Christian Women Willing Workers (CWWW). Today, this group is known as the United Christian Women's Ministries (UCWM).
In 1915, Jones traveled to Los Angeles. He helped Bishop William A. Washington start and officially organize the Bethel Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A. Around the same time, Elder Charles Mason started his own church, the Church of God in Christ. These events show how the early holiness movement divided into several different church groups.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1916, Jones's wife, Fannie Brown, passed away in Little Rock, Arkansas. He moved to Los Angeles in 1917. There, he started Christ Temple Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A.
On January 4, 1918, Jones married Pearl E. Reed. They had three sons together: Charles Price Jones Jr., Vance Reed Jones, and Samuel Sherman Jones. The church bought its first property in 1921. Later, in 1926, they bought a church building and a home for the pastor.
In 1922, the church created a council of Bishops. Charles Price Jones was chosen to be the first Senior Bishop. He led the church spiritually until he became ill in 1943. His health declined, and he attended his last church convention in 1944. At this convention, he was elected Senior Bishop and President Emeritus for life.
Charles Price Jones Sr. passed away in Los Angeles on January 19, 1949. His funeral was held at Christ Temple Church. He is buried with his wife Pearl at Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles. After his death, Bishop Major Rudd Conic took over his leadership role.
