Charles Williams

A national evangelist, Charles was the field representative of the C&MA in charge of Black Ministries (now known as the African-American Pastors’ Association).

Charles Williams was born December 7, 1923, at the little mining town of Logans Ferry, Pennsylvania (now known as Logans Ferry Heights). His father and mother were the late Mr. Jeremiah Henry Williams and the late Mrs. L. K. Cook.

[Jeremiah] Williams was a graduate of Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, and a tailor by trade. He also was a veteran of World War I. Charles was age three when his father died, and it became his mother’s responsibility to raise him, his brother Jeremiah Henry Williams Jr., and his sister Rosa Williams. This was not an easy job, especially during the Great Depression years.

Some years later, Charles’ mother married the late Mr. Colonel Cook. Charles’ sister, Rosa Williams, died at eight years of age.

Time of Growth

Mrs. Cook was a hard-working widow who successfully raised her two sons and taught them how to work even from an early age. In time, the family moved from Logans Ferry, Pennsylvania, to New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and from there to Lincoln Beach, Pennsylvania.

Charles and his brother, Henry, delivered the Pittsburgh Post Gazette during the early mornings of those formative years in sub-zero temperatures, which was good training in teaching them responsibility.

Charles attended the Stewart Grade School along with our late missionary Rev. Edward Thompson of Viet Nam. He attended high school at New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1940. He worked hard and in 1942 entered the Missionary Training Institute at Nyack, New York, and graduated in 1945.

He was converted to Christ at the Community Church at Lincoln Beach, Pennsylvania, around 1937 under the ministry of an Alliance minister named Pastor Peterson and received much spiritual help under the later field representative, the Rev. J. D. Bell. He was a spiritual father to Charles and was used by God in involving him in the Christian ministry.

Rev. Bell founded Lincoln Beach Camp, which was later called the John Davis Bell Camp. It was there that Charles, along with many others, found special help and inspiration through the various evangelists and missionaries.

Evangelistic Ministry

Upon graduating from Nyack, Charles went on to hold pastorates at Twinsburg, Ohio, and Birmingham, Alabama. These were very difficult pastorates with few members in attendance, and Charles had to trust the Lord for his livelihood, but God graciously sustained him.

While at Twinsburg, Ohio, he was ordained into the Christian ministry by the then District Superintendent Allen and the late Pastor Zeimer of the Toledo Gospel Tabernacle. He also journeyed to Birmingham, Alabama, and married Miss Rosalia Bernice Oliver on October 22, 1947.

To this union was added three boys and a girl: Charles H. Williams Jr., Smith E. Williams, John D. Williams, and Lois Williams. The eldest son served in the United States Coast Guard, and the second son attended the Concordia Junior College at Portland, Oregon. Mrs. Williams is the Lutheran sister of the Revs. Douglas and Herbert Oliver who also were students at Nyack along with Charles.

Upon the completion of the Twinsburg and Birmingham pastorates, Charles entered full-time evangelistic ministry and traveled extensively both in and out of the country. He made some 10 evangelistic tours outside of the country which carried him to Liberia, Ghana, England, Haiti, Trinidad, Tobago, Jamaica, Mexico, South America, Canada, and South Africa. Many souls were won to Christ through these various meetings in conjunction with various churches and mission boards.

Charles was the president director of the National Negro Evangelical Association of Oregon, the president of the Evangelical Holiness and Missionary Association, which was an affiliate of the C&MA, and a national evangelist and field representative of the C&MA in charge of Black Ministries (now known as the African-American Pastors’ Association).

He resided in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and family until his death in 2008. Charles’ dear mother died at the age of 76, and Charles was eternally grateful to God for having given him a devoted mother who lived a dedicated Christian life before him and taught him how to be responsible in life and supported him during his years of schooling.

Story provided by The Alliance News