In 1879 at the age of fifteen Mason joined the Missionary Baptist Church in Shelby County; he was later baptized as a Christian by his older half-brother, Rev.
[4] Mason had initially opposed pursuing ministry as a clergyman during his childhood and told his family he only wanted to remain a church lay member.
[5] Because there were no medical centers or hospitals that would treat African Americans in Shelby County, and the small, poor medical centers that were owned and operated by African Americans proved to be of little help to the residents of Shelby County, Mason's father, Jerry died from the infectious disease, and the family was forced to relocate to Preston, Arkansas.
After fully recovering from the tuberculosis, it was then when he told his family and the local parishioners of the Baptist church his family had joined (which would later be known as the Mount Gale Missionary Baptist Church), "he believed God had healed him for the express purpose of alerting him to his spiritual duty"; He acknowledged throughout his teenage and young adult years subsequently that he believed "God called him into full-time ministry from then on.
"[4][6][5] In 1893, at the age of 27, Mason began his own ministerial career by accepting a local license from the Mount Gale Missionary Baptist Church in Preston, Arkansas.
On November 1, 1893, Mason entered the Arkansas Baptist College, but withdrew after three months because of his dissatisfaction with their curriculum and methodology.
[7][8] At this period Mason became enamored with the autobiography of Amanda Berry Smith, an African Methodist Episcopal church evangelist.
These men spread the doctrine of Holiness and Sanctification throughout the African-American Baptist churches in Mississippi, Arkansas, and western Tennessee.
[4][8][5] In June 1896, these men conducted a revival, preaching the message of Sanctification and Holiness that eventually led to their expulsion from the local Baptist association.
In March 1907, Mason was sent by the church to Los Angeles to investigate the Azusa Street Revival being led by Reverend William J.
I began to thank God in my heart for all things, for when I heard some speak in tongues, I knew it was right though I did not understand it.
They began to express themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted them") and Acts 2:41 ("Then they that gladly received His word were baptized").
[7]Soon after his experience in Los Angeles, he returned to Mississippi preaching the new Pentecostal teachings on the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.
After years of conflict, in 1915 Mason won the legal rights to the name and charter of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC).
Bishop Mason is credited with writing the prayer chant, "Yes Lord" that has become known worldwide and sung not only by COGIC, but countless churches and other denominations and reformations.
Mason traveled the length and breadth of the country and many foreign lands preaching and establishing COGIC churches.
In fact Bishop Mason licensed several white Pentecostal ministers and in 1914 he preached at the founding meeting of the Assemblies of God.
In 1911, he established the first auxiliaries and departments of the church including: Women, Young People Willing Workers (YPWW), and Sunday School.
His opposition, however, stemmed from the use of African-American men being called to fight for democracy abroad while having to face racism and discrimination here at home.
Also in 1952, Bishop Mason revised the constitution of COGIC to determine the leadership and succession of the church after his demise.
[4] A year after the death of his first wife, he courted and married Lelia Washington in 1905,[5] and to this union were born seven children.