Rev. Arthur Theodore Morgan

United Pentecostal Church International

1901 ~ 1967

Reverend Arthur T. Morgan was born on August 27, 1901, in Lufkin, Texas, the only child of Joseph and Mary Morgan. In 1907 the Morgans moved to Cravens, Louisiana, where young Arthur attended his first school. In 1916 they moved to Pinewood, Louisiana, and he attended the Rosepine school. He finished high school in DeRidder, Louisiana, in 1918.

In 1916 Olivar F. Fauss conducted a revival meeting in the area where the Morgans lived. The sermons had a lasting effect upon the entire family and played a great part in their later receiving the Pentecostal experience. They asked brother Fauss for "chapter and verse" to prove his "strange" doctrine and studied the Scriptures intently. In was in this revival that Arthur T. Morgan heard the Pentecostal message for the first time. About three and one-half years later, the youngman found himself under conviction, began seeking the Lord, and received the Holy Ghost two weeks later.

During the years that he worked at the post office, he began to feel the call to preach. As all young preachers, he spoke where he could find an opening, developing his ministry so effectively that, in 1929, he was ordained and affiliated with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. Later he became assoiciated with the Pentecostal Ministerial Alliance. On August 4, 1922, Arthur was united in marriage to Neal Knight in Deridder. They were blessed with four children.

In 1931 he was chosen pastor of the First Pentecostal Church of DeRidder, Louisiana, and held this pastorate for nearly two years. In 1932, the Morgans moved to Alexandria, Louisiana, accepted the pastorate of a small struggling work, and built it up into a flourishing church. The twelve years in Alexandria were ended when he moved back to DeRidder in 1944 and became assistant postmaster. At this time he was also serving as district superintendent of the South Central District of the Pentecostal Church, Incorporated.

In 1945, Arthur Morgan was called to the pastorate of Faith Tabernacle in Port Arthur, Texas. He gave up all civil service work and devoted his full time to pastoring the church and to district work. At this time, by virtue of office, he served with the General Board of the Pentecostal Church, Incorporated in its meetings with the General Board of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ to consider the possibility of uniting these two larger bodies of Oneness Pentecostal people.

After the merger, he was chosen to serve as district secretary-treasurer of the Texas District. He also served as chairman of the Board of Christian Education and as as member of the Foreign Missionary Board. In 1951, Arthur T. Morgan was chosen to fill the highest office in the United Pentecostal Church - that of general superintendent. In this office, God signally blessed him. The United Pentecostal Church enjoyed phenomenal growth during his tenure of sixteen years.

He died suddenly while presiding over a General Board Meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on October 18, 1967.