JERRY PERSON -- A Look Back

I received a call awhile back from longtime Huntington Beach resident

Arline Howard asking if I would write more about the Reverend James

Hurst’s days in Huntington Beach.

Hurst arrived in the city on Sept. 27, 1922, to minister to the needs of

the congregation of the First Christian Church, then known as the First

Church of Christ of Huntington Beach, at the corner of 8th Street and

Orange Avenue. The congregation thought Hurst’s arrival was the biggest

event for them up to that time.

Hurst was born in Macy, Ind., and lived in Ohio before coming to

Huntington Beach.

While in Ohio, he met Martha Bell of Dayton. On Oct. 20, 1924, they were

married. From this union, a daughter, Dorothy Ann, was born.

Arline Howard told me Dorothy now lives in New Mexico.

In 1927, Hurst received USC’s first master’s degree in theology.

Hurst helped form the Pacific Bible Seminary, now known as the Pacific

Christian College, in Long Beach. In 1930, he became its first president

and, during his presidency, Hurst received an honorary doctorate degree

in divinity from Tennessee’s Milligan College.

Howard told me it was Hurst who baptized her, and it was Hurst who

married the then-Arline Huff to Marcus Howard Jr.

The Hursts lived Downtown and later moved to 17881 Beach Blvd., where

they raised cocker spaniels, Howard said.

Hurst was very active in our local Masonic Lodge No. 380 and in our

Rotary Club.

After World War II ended, Huntington Beach saw an influx of new

residents, and the small church started filling to capacity. The elders

began looking around for a larger site.

Hurst delivered his Christmas message to his congregation on Dec. 20,

1953, and conducted an evening Bible and prayer service Dec. 23.

The next morning, Christmas Eve, Hurst left Huntington Beach forever for

a much greater reward. A fitting end for a man who dedicated 31 years of

his life in Huntington Beach to Christ.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach 92615.