Missionary Author - William Henry Turner (1895-1971)

In the preface to the small book The Finished Work of Calvary or the Second Blessing - Which? by missionary, evangelist, and pastor, W.H. Turner  is a short biography.  Elsewhere he is identified as an "author, publisher, and distributor of quarter million books and tracts in Chinese."

"Reverend William Henry Turner was born in the Blue Mountains of North Carolina fifty-two years ago."   Editorial note: this would have been about 1895 as the work was published in 1947.

It continues: "Was born of the Spirit at the age of six, fell away but was restored, brought into Pentecost and called to preach in 1910 when fifteen years of age.

Having been denied early educational advantages and realizing the necessity for preparation for so great a calling he entered Altamont, now Holmes Bible College, in 1912, Falcon 1916, Emory University in 1918, Oskaloosa College, University of California and finally the University of Georgia.

Rev. Turner is the author of twenty-three books and four tracts in English and 18 books and bookslets in Chinese and for over twenty years has written for many magazines, newspapers, and periodicals.  Sent to China in 1919 as a missioanry by the P.H. Church he has spent the best part of twenty-seven years there.  Was in China when on July 7, 1937 war broke out between China and Japan and between American and Japan in 1941.   Was therefore in the war over six years, more than five of these in the fighting zones. Was taken prisoner with Mrs. Turner by the Japs in 1941 and held until the end of 1943, seven months of this time in a concentration camp.  He is well a known evangelist and camp meeting preacher and is currently supertendent of the P.H. Missions in China to which field he will soon return."


In the early early 1950's he served as editor of the "Pentecostal Pulpit" , published out of Franklin Springs, Georgia.  The contributing editors included well known Pentecostal names from around the globe: Rev. H.W. Greenway, Elim Evangel editor, London;  Rev. Charles W. Conn, Church of God Publishing House, Cleveland, TN;  Rev. Frank M. Boyd, Assemblies of God, Springfield, MO; Rev. Donald Gee, editor Pentecost, Bedford, England; Rev. David duPlessis, secretary of the World Pentecostal Fellowship, Glenbrook, Conn.; J. Nelson Parr, Cheshire, England; and more.

All the books found to date are roughly the same size and page count (paper;  7x5; average 26 - 60 pgs.).  All bear the imprint of the seal of the Pentecostal Holiness Publishing House (round circle with two laurel branches, an open book, a lighted torch and the initials "PCH" (in that order) across the book pages.  This publishing house was located in Franklin Springs, Georgia and later became "Advocate Press" and more recently "LIfe Springs Resources".

Some of the other titles include:

Pentecostal Manifestations (1947)

Is Pentecost Scriptural? ( 1947)

Pentecost and Tongues

What the Churches Say About Sanctification as a Second Blessing (1947)

Why are not all healed?

Is It The Will of God to Heal All Who Are Sick?

Six Thousand Years of Tithing

Pioneering in China (Illustrated) (1928)

What must I do to be Healed?

I Was A Prisoner of the Japanese

I Was Exchanged for a Jap

For additional biographical information on this man see Profiles of Faith by Charles E. Bradshaw (Advocate, 1984).