Fred A. Hillery
Encyclopedia
Fred A. Hillery was an early leader in the American Holiness Movement
; the founding president of the South Providence Holiness Association; the founding pastor of the People's Evangelical Church, the "mother church of the Church of the Nazarene in the East"; a co-founder of the Central Evangelical Holiness Association and also of the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America; one of the founders of the Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (now Eastern Nazarene College
); one of the founding fathers of the Church of the Nazarene
; and the publisher of holiness periodicals and books.
). Hillary's parents were married on 15 April 1847 at Nantucket, Massachusetts
. and also had a daughter, Elma (born about 1861). After the death of Luther Hillery, Lurana married Edward Boden (born in January 1818 in Massachusetts) of Nantucket, Massachusetts
, a cooper
and farmer and widower, who had been married to her sister Mary Jane Howe (born about 1821).
and boarded at 527 High Street. By 1878 Hillery was employed as a streetcar conductor
for the Union Railroad
Company, and he and his wife lived at the U.R.R.-owned house at 862 Eddy Street in Providence. While still employed as a conductor, by 1880 Hillery and his wife lived at another U.R.R. house at 11 Searle Street (at the corner with Sayles Street), Providence, Rhode Island. By 1882 Hillery was again employed as a machinist, and had relocated to a house on 99 Swan Street. By 1884 Hillery had been promoted to foreman of the U.R.R. at 588 Eddy Street. By 1889 Hillery had become a printer and was living at 167 Swan Street, Providence.
which was located at the corner of Potter's and Prairie Avenues in Providence, Rhode Island
and was elected Sunday School
superintendent by the church board. From 1881 there was a revival of the Wesleyan
doctrine of entire sanctification in the congregation due to the efforts of pastor T.J. Everett and various holiness evangelist
s , especially by Methodist Temperance crusader Miss Lizzie M. Boyd of Wheeling, West Virginia
, who preached at the church in 1881 and again in 1883. "Camp meeting-like scenes were repeated at the church, including persons lying prostrate under the power of the Holy Spirit." Pastor Everett and his wife, and Hillery were among those who claimed this experience. A holiness testimony meeting according to the example of Phoebe Palmer
was begun at the church each Tuesday. However, the revivals were opposed by many members of the congregation. The next pastor, Rev. Charles Henry Ewer (born February 1846 in Massachusetts; died 10 October 1912 in Rhode Island), canceled the holiness meeting, and refused to allow Hillery to be installed as Sunday School superintendent in an effort to compel the holiness advocates to support his fund-raising methods.
By December 1884 Ewer had been transferred to the Methodist Church at Stoughton, Massachusetts
, and was succeeded by Rev. Edwin D. Hall, who continued Ewer's policy and criticised the holiness advocates publicly. As a consequence, on May 12, 1886 the South Providence Holiness Association (SPHA) was formed in the home of Methodist local preacher George E. Perry, and Hillery was elected the founding president. About sixty church members joined the SPHA, and a weekly meeting was held each Friday at a time not in competition to the activities of the St. Paul's church. Due to the increase in attendance at these meetings, a hall was rented, and special services were held with holiness evangelists. As Hall had warned Hillery and the other holiness advocates that their actions were against the Methodist Discipline, he responded by removing Hillery, Perry and G.H. Spear from their leadership of class meetings, disbanded their class meetings, and required the "dissenting' members to meet him on Friday evenings. 38 members refused to meet at that time but were willing to do so at any other time. After the St. Paul church was raze
d in a fire on 5 December 1886, Hall removed all Holiness Association members from teaching Sunday School in January 1887. After Hillery started Sunday School classes at the rented hall at the same time as those of the St. Paul church, Hillery was tried and expelled from the Methodist church on 15 March 1887. After unsuccessful appeals to the quarterly and annual conferences that confirmed his excommunication
, Hillery wrote A History of the Revival of Holiness in St. Paul's M. E. Church, Providence, R. I., 1880–1887; or A Statement of the Circumstances which led to the Formation of the South Providence Holiness Association and the People's Evangelical Church, an 87 page apologetic defending his actions and those of his supporters.
church was incorporated in Rhode Island on 11 February 1888, and was described as Wesleyan in doctrine
and independent and congregational in organization and polity
. The 1895 Manual of the People’s Church shows that "it observed a strict rule designed to create a disciplined and faithful community. Among the grounds for admonition and church discipline were “neglecting family prayers” and “unnecessary absence from class or communion.” Primary concerns were reflected in the church’s administrative structure, which had five committees: Sunday School, the Sick and Destitute, Care of the Church, Finance, and Baptism."
Hillery was "the congregation’s spiritual shepherd from the beginning," and served as the pastor until 1904. In 1889, Hillery was ordained to the ministry in an impressive service conducted by 13 independent Holiness ministers from around New England
. At that time the church was located at 163 Oxford Street, Providence. By 1895 Hillery and his family were residing at 301 Swan Street, Providence.
and Hiram F. Reynolds, and Hillery became a leader in the organization.
After becoming a member congregation of the APCA, by 1897 the People's Evangelical Church was renamed as the People's Pentecostal Church, and had relocated to Ashmont Street, and Hillery and his family were living nearby at 83 Ashmont Street.
By 1904 the church was located at Atwells Avenue at the corner with Bourn Street, South Providence, Rhode Island, "the geographical center of Providence".
(PCI) in 1900 at the Garden View House in Saratoga Springs, New York
. In 1902 Hillery purchased new land on behalf of the Association when it moved the school to North Scituate, Rhode Island.
The APCA, primarily an east-coast organization, merged with the primarily west-coast Church of the Nazarene in October 1907 to form the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene, and PCI would become Eastern Nazarene College
in 1918, one year before moving from Rhode Island
to Wollaston Park, Massachusetts.
Early in the first decade of the twentieth century, Hillery released Songs of Beulah, a song book that he published. In the next decade Hillery wrote Body Salvation, an eight-page booklet, that was published by the Pentecostal Printing Company, the official publisher of the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America.
Hillery founded Beulah Items in September 1888 in Providence, Rhode Island
, and served as editor
. In May 1892 Beulah Items was merged with the Bible Christian edited by Congregational pastor Rev. Ezra B. Pike, with the Beulah Items and the "Bible Christian" both discontinued in favour of the Beulah Christian and both Hillery and Pike listed as editors. After the formation of the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America, the Beulah Christian became its official publication. From September 1904 the Beulah Christian was published weekly. There were attempts to merge the Beulah Christian with the Nazarene Messenger and other publications of the antecedent groups that formed the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene into a new publication, the Herald of Holiness, but Hillery believed the offer to purchase the equipment and other assets of the Beulah Christian was inadequate. Nazarenes were encouraged to support the fledgling Herald of Holiness, which adversely affected subscriptions to the Beulah Christian, which prompted Hillery to merge the Beulah Christian with the Pentecostal Era and National Advocate of Perfect Love, which had been founded in August 1901 by Henry B. Hosley, then superintendent of the Washington D.C. District of the Church of the Nazarene
and pastor of the Wesleyan Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. to form the Pentecostal Christian. The last edition of the Beulah Christian was 9 December 1911, and the first edition under the new name was on 23 December 1911, under the editorial control of Hosley. Hosley left the Church of the Nazarene in 1913, and the Pentecostal Christian was discontinued in December 1915.
, where Della, and Ruth also lived. By 1930 his daughter Alice Steere, and her son, Charles, were also living there, after her divorce.
Hillery died in Providence, Rhode Island
in 1937.
Holiness movement
The holiness movement refers to a set of beliefs and practices emerging from the Methodist Christian church in the mid 19th century. The movement is distinguished by its emphasis on John Wesley's doctrine of "Christian perfection" - the belief that it is possible to live free of voluntary sin - and...
; the founding president of the South Providence Holiness Association; the founding pastor of the People's Evangelical Church, the "mother church of the Church of the Nazarene in the East"; a co-founder of the Central Evangelical Holiness Association and also of the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America; one of the founders of the Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (now Eastern Nazarene College
Eastern Nazarene College
The Eastern Nazarene College is a private, coeducational college of the liberal arts and sciences in Quincy, Massachusetts near Boston, in the New England region of the United States. Known for its strong religious affiliation, distinctive liberal arts core curriculum, and excellence in science...
); one of the founding fathers of the Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
; and the publisher of holiness periodicals and books.
Family background
Frederick Alverdo Hillery was born on 25 August 1854 in Barre, Vermont, the son of Luther A. B. Hillery (born about 1823 in Vermont; died before 1870), a farmer, and Lurana S. Howe (born about 1828 in Bridgewater, MassachusettsBridgewater, Massachusetts
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...
). Hillary's parents were married on 15 April 1847 at Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
. and also had a daughter, Elma (born about 1861). After the death of Luther Hillery, Lurana married Edward Boden (born in January 1818 in Massachusetts) of Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
, a cooper
Cooper (profession)
Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...
and farmer and widower, who had been married to her sister Mary Jane Howe (born about 1821).
Employment
By 1870 Hillery had finished school and was employed primarily doing farm duties on his step father's farm in Nantucket. By 1873 Hillery had moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where he was employed as a machinistMachinist
A machinist is a person who uses machine tools to make or modify parts, primarily metal parts, a process known as machining. This is accomplished by using machine tools to cut away excess material much as a woodcarver cuts away excess wood to produce his work. In addition to metal, the parts may...
and boarded at 527 High Street. By 1878 Hillery was employed as a streetcar conductor
Conductor (transportation)
A conductor is a member of a railway train's crew that is responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve the actual operation of the train. The title of conductor is most associated with railway operations in North America, but the role of conductor is common to railways...
for the Union Railroad
Union Railroad
The following railroads have been named Union Railroad or Union Railway, usually because they connected or merged several other railroads. See joint railway for the concept of a railroad owned by more than one company.Freight carriers...
Company, and he and his wife lived at the U.R.R.-owned house at 862 Eddy Street in Providence. While still employed as a conductor, by 1880 Hillery and his wife lived at another U.R.R. house at 11 Searle Street (at the corner with Sayles Street), Providence, Rhode Island. By 1882 Hillery was again employed as a machinist, and had relocated to a house on 99 Swan Street. By 1884 Hillery had been promoted to foreman of the U.R.R. at 588 Eddy Street. By 1889 Hillery had become a printer and was living at 167 Swan Street, Providence.
Marriage and children
In 1877 Hillery married Della (or Delia) H. (born March 1858 in Massachusetts). Hillary and his wife had five children, with only three surviving infancy:- Florence H. Hillery (born 24 January 1879; died 14 February 1880 in Rhode Island);
- Esther L. Hillery (born 15 February 1881; died 3 May 1882 in Rhode Island);
- Fred Alverdo Hillery, Jr. (born 9 March 1883 in Rhode Island; died about 1939);
- Alice F. Hillary Steere (born September 1891 in Rhode Island); and
- Ruth F. Hillary (born March 1895 in Rhode Island).
St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church (1881-1887)
By 1881 Hillery was a member and class leader of the St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal ChurchMethodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
which was located at the corner of Potter's and Prairie Avenues in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and was elected Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
superintendent by the church board. From 1881 there was a revival of the Wesleyan
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
doctrine of entire sanctification in the congregation due to the efforts of pastor T.J. Everett and various holiness evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
s , especially by Methodist Temperance crusader Miss Lizzie M. Boyd of Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, who preached at the church in 1881 and again in 1883. "Camp meeting-like scenes were repeated at the church, including persons lying prostrate under the power of the Holy Spirit." Pastor Everett and his wife, and Hillery were among those who claimed this experience. A holiness testimony meeting according to the example of Phoebe Palmer
Phoebe Palmer
Phoebe Palmer was an evangelist and writer who promoted the doctrine of Christian perfection. She is considered one of the founders of the Holiness movement in the United States of America and the Higher Life movement in the United Kingdom.- Early life :Palmer was born Phoebe Worrall in New York...
was begun at the church each Tuesday. However, the revivals were opposed by many members of the congregation. The next pastor, Rev. Charles Henry Ewer (born February 1846 in Massachusetts; died 10 October 1912 in Rhode Island), canceled the holiness meeting, and refused to allow Hillery to be installed as Sunday School superintendent in an effort to compel the holiness advocates to support his fund-raising methods.
By December 1884 Ewer had been transferred to the Methodist Church at Stoughton, Massachusetts
Stoughton, Massachusetts
Stoughton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 26,962 at the 2010 census. The town is located approximately from Boston, from Providence, and from Cape Cod.-History:...
, and was succeeded by Rev. Edwin D. Hall, who continued Ewer's policy and criticised the holiness advocates publicly. As a consequence, on May 12, 1886 the South Providence Holiness Association (SPHA) was formed in the home of Methodist local preacher George E. Perry, and Hillery was elected the founding president. About sixty church members joined the SPHA, and a weekly meeting was held each Friday at a time not in competition to the activities of the St. Paul's church. Due to the increase in attendance at these meetings, a hall was rented, and special services were held with holiness evangelists. As Hall had warned Hillery and the other holiness advocates that their actions were against the Methodist Discipline, he responded by removing Hillery, Perry and G.H. Spear from their leadership of class meetings, disbanded their class meetings, and required the "dissenting' members to meet him on Friday evenings. 38 members refused to meet at that time but were willing to do so at any other time. After the St. Paul church was raze
Raze
Raze may refer to:* Demolition* Raze, Haute-Saône, a town in France* Raze * Raze * Raze , a fictional character in the Underworld films* Raze , a made for TV film aired on syfy...
d in a fire on 5 December 1886, Hall removed all Holiness Association members from teaching Sunday School in January 1887. After Hillery started Sunday School classes at the rented hall at the same time as those of the St. Paul church, Hillery was tried and expelled from the Methodist church on 15 March 1887. After unsuccessful appeals to the quarterly and annual conferences that confirmed his excommunication
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
, Hillery wrote A History of the Revival of Holiness in St. Paul's M. E. Church, Providence, R. I., 1880–1887; or A Statement of the Circumstances which led to the Formation of the South Providence Holiness Association and the People's Evangelical Church, an 87 page apologetic defending his actions and those of his supporters.
The People's Evangelical Church (1887-1904)
On 21 July 1887 Hillery and 47 other former members of St. Paul's church founded the People's Evangelical Church with 51 charter members. Thechurch was incorporated in Rhode Island on 11 February 1888, and was described as Wesleyan in doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
and independent and congregational in organization and polity
Polity
Polity is a form of government Aristotle developed in his search for a government that could be most easily incorporated and used by the largest amount of people groups, or states...
. The 1895 Manual of the People’s Church shows that "it observed a strict rule designed to create a disciplined and faithful community. Among the grounds for admonition and church discipline were “neglecting family prayers” and “unnecessary absence from class or communion.” Primary concerns were reflected in the church’s administrative structure, which had five committees: Sunday School, the Sick and Destitute, Care of the Church, Finance, and Baptism."
Hillery was "the congregation’s spiritual shepherd from the beginning," and served as the pastor until 1904. In 1889, Hillery was ordained to the ministry in an impressive service conducted by 13 independent Holiness ministers from around New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. At that time the church was located at 163 Oxford Street, Providence. By 1895 Hillery and his family were residing at 301 Swan Street, Providence.
The People's Pentecostal Church (1896-1904)
In 1896 the Central Evangelical Holiness Association (CEHA) joined the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America (APCA) co-founded by William Howard HoopleWilliam Howard Hoople
William Howard Hoople was a prominent leader of the American Holiness movement; the co-founder of the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America, one of the antecedent groups that merged to create the Church of the Nazarene; rescue mission organizer; an ordained minister in the Church of the...
and Hiram F. Reynolds, and Hillery became a leader in the organization.
After becoming a member congregation of the APCA, by 1897 the People's Evangelical Church was renamed as the People's Pentecostal Church, and had relocated to Ashmont Street, and Hillery and his family were living nearby at 83 Ashmont Street.
By 1904 the church was located at Atwells Avenue at the corner with Bourn Street, South Providence, Rhode Island, "the geographical center of Providence".
Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (1900)
The APCA had founded the Pentecostal Collegiate InstitutePentecostal Collegiate Institute (New York)
The Pentecostal Collegiate Institute was a short-lived co-educational collegiate institute operated initially by the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America at Saratoga Springs, New York from September 1900 to May 1902, and from then by Lyman C. Pettit until its closure in February 1903...
(PCI) in 1900 at the Garden View House in Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
. In 1902 Hillery purchased new land on behalf of the Association when it moved the school to North Scituate, Rhode Island.
The APCA, primarily an east-coast organization, merged with the primarily west-coast Church of the Nazarene in October 1907 to form the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene, and PCI would become Eastern Nazarene College
Eastern Nazarene College
The Eastern Nazarene College is a private, coeducational college of the liberal arts and sciences in Quincy, Massachusetts near Boston, in the New England region of the United States. Known for its strong religious affiliation, distinctive liberal arts core curriculum, and excellence in science...
in 1918, one year before moving from Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
to Wollaston Park, Massachusetts.
Publisher and editor
By 1898 Hillery began the Pentecostal Printing Company, and it was located initially at 877 Eddy Street, Providence. In 1907 Hillery indicated: "Our press and material at first were in one room in the house where we lived." From 1904 Hillery's printing presses were located at 212 Oxford Street, and Hillery was living nearby at 228 Oxford Street, Providence, Rhode Island. By 1915 Hillery was living at 408 Prairie Avenue, Providence.Early in the first decade of the twentieth century, Hillery released Songs of Beulah, a song book that he published. In the next decade Hillery wrote Body Salvation, an eight-page booklet, that was published by the Pentecostal Printing Company, the official publisher of the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America.
Hillery founded Beulah Items in September 1888 in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, and served as editor
Editor in chief
An editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
. In May 1892 Beulah Items was merged with the Bible Christian edited by Congregational pastor Rev. Ezra B. Pike, with the Beulah Items and the "Bible Christian" both discontinued in favour of the Beulah Christian and both Hillery and Pike listed as editors. After the formation of the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America, the Beulah Christian became its official publication. From September 1904 the Beulah Christian was published weekly. There were attempts to merge the Beulah Christian with the Nazarene Messenger and other publications of the antecedent groups that formed the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene into a new publication, the Herald of Holiness, but Hillery believed the offer to purchase the equipment and other assets of the Beulah Christian was inadequate. Nazarenes were encouraged to support the fledgling Herald of Holiness, which adversely affected subscriptions to the Beulah Christian, which prompted Hillery to merge the Beulah Christian with the Pentecostal Era and National Advocate of Perfect Love, which had been founded in August 1901 by Henry B. Hosley, then superintendent of the Washington D.C. District of the Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
and pastor of the Wesleyan Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. to form the Pentecostal Christian. The last edition of the Beulah Christian was 9 December 1911, and the first edition under the new name was on 23 December 1911, under the editorial control of Hosley. Hosley left the Church of the Nazarene in 1913, and the Pentecostal Christian was discontinued in December 1915.
Later years and death
By the age of 70 Hillery still owned Hillery Press at 212 Oxford Street, but had moved his home to 240 Atlantic Avenue, Lakewood, a suburb of Warwick, Rhode IslandWarwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
, where Della, and Ruth also lived. By 1930 his daughter Alice Steere, and her son, Charles, were also living there, after her divorce.
Hillery died in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
in 1937.
Books authored by Hillery
- 1887 A History of the Revival of Holiness in St. Paul's M. E. Church, Providence, R. I., 1880–1887; or A Statement of the Circumstances which led to the Formation of the South Providence Holiness Association and the People's Evangelical Church.
- 1900s Songs of Beulah.
- 1910s Body Salvation (Republished: Charles Edwin Jones).
Further reading
- Chapman, J.B. A History of the Church of the Nazarene. Kansas City, MO: Nazarene, 1926.
- Cunningham, Floyd T., ed. Our Watchword and Song: The Centennial History of the Church of the Nazarene. Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2009. ISBN 0-8341-2444-0
- Parker, J. Fred. Mission to the World: A History of Missions in the Church of the Nazarene Through 1985. Kansas City, MO: Nazarene Publishing House, 1988.
- Purkiser, Westlake T. Called Unto Holiness: Volume Two: The Story of the Nazarenes: The Second Twentyfive Years, 1933-1958. Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1983.
- Redford, M.E. The Rise of the Church of the Nazarene. 3rd ed. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1974.http://wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyctr/books/0101-0200/HDM0145.PDF
- Smith, Timothy L. Called Unto Holiness: Volume One: The Story of the Nazarenes: The Formative Years. Nazarene Publishing House, 1962. http://wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyctr/books/2501-2600/HDM2593.PDF