The Whole Truth:
A COGIC Building Block By Bishop David Allen Hall, Sr.
The Whole Truth predates the Church Of God In Christ as a Pentecostal Church. Bishop Charles Harrison Mason founded the newspaper entitled “Truth” in the late 1890’s. Its first publication is not really known. Bishop Mason used the newspaper to inform the fledgling and well scattered following that he and Charles Price Jones developed throughout the south. They were not eager to establish another denomination or create doctrinal and dogmatic statements for public consumption. They merely wanted to inform their membership. The newspaper became The Whole Truth upon the 1907 split between Mason and Jones over the issue of “speaking in tongues” as the initial evidence of baptism in the Spirit. As simple and straight forward the appeal of Mason’s gospel was, the newspaper became an indispensible tool in the organizational development of the Church Of God In Christ. Bishop Mason was limited in his ability to teach, administer and codify his polity across the organization. He found that he could use the monthly publication theologically, organizationally and socially as a practical way to discipline the Church. Bishop Mason had full license to inspire and regulate the lives of his followers. Should something or someone need support, reprimand or encouragement, the saints could read about it in The Whole Truth. If Bishop Mason printed in the paper that a brother was not to be received as a person in good standing, that brother effectively had doors shut in his face. 12 THE WHOLE TRUTH