Morey Shaver - Holiness Heroes

She was named after the maiden names of her mother’s mother and stepmother.

Little Morey Carter Mount received an efficient grammar school education at the Center grade school about three miles from her home. Even in her first year of school, she was so quick and alert with her lessons that she outshone many of the eighth graders in the same school. She read avidly, and at the age of eight, had been through Plato’s Republic.

Also, at the age of eight, Morey confessed her faith in Christ while alone at home. She never wavered in her profession throughout her long life.

At eleven years of age, through the influence of a wonderful teacher, Nannie B. Harris from Hanover, Indiana, Morey decided to follow the teaching profession.

In 1892 she made a move to a farm in the vicinity of Hastings, Nebraska. The next year Morey Carter became the bride of Robert R. Shaver. She became a widow after only one year of marriage. The Mount family also suffered misfortune. Because of financial difficulties they decided to move to De Kalb County, MO, in 1894, where they established a chicken farm.

In 1895, after passing the county exams at the age of seventeen, Morey Shaver taught her first year in Crabhill School District. Some of the schools she taught in this county were: Spring Grove, Mount Gilead, Irwinville, Lone Star, Garden Prairie and Santa Rosa, and then taught a total of twenty years in the public school in Maysville, MO.

After making a success on the chicken farm, the family moved to a house on Water Street in Maysville, in 1916. In the fall of 1918, Mrs. Shaver enrolled in Chicago University, but was able to stay only one year because of the death of her mother in November of that year.

In 1922, her father passed away, leaving her alone in the world with no immediate family or close relatives. She continued to teach during this time.

Returning to college she worked on a Bachelor of Arts degree during the summers while teaching the other nine months of the year. In 1928 she completed the requirements for the degree from Colorado State Teacher’s College in Greeley, Colorado. She finished with 250 hours and majors in the fields of Psychology, Agriculture, Home Economics and American History. Feeling the need for further education, however, she entered Missouri University in 1932 where she majored in secondary education with a minor in American History. In the spring of 1933, she received her Master of Arts degree.

During this year, through the influence of Wallace Haines, a university student, Mrs. Shaver began to attend the Columbia Church of God (Holiness). She became deeply impressed by this church and its teachings, and in talking with Bro. C. E. Cowen, pastor of the church at that time, she became concerned with Christian education. In the fall of 1933, she entered Missouri Bible College on the campus of Missouri University, taking some courses in Hebrew History. She also worked on correspondence courses (under Dr. Jessop) totaling 30 hours, from Chicago Evangelistic Institute, where she was then preparing to go to teach. During this time she supported herself by working in Social Service in Columbia. During the years of 1935 – 1936 she worked diligently on her doctorate.

It was in April of 1937, during a revival conducted by A. C. Watkins, that Mrs. Shaver went to the altar to be entirely sanctified. Leaving the service unsatisfied, she rode to the Peabody home with Harry Davis. Here she entered the northwest bedroom, and told everyone to leave her alone. She meant to pray until the victory came. She thought since she was elderly, it might take quite a while. Before long, Harry Davis began to sing in another room… “How silently…the wondrous Gift is given,” and “Where meek souls will receive Him.” At this time the Comforter completed His cleansing work in her heart.

Through contact with T. F. Evans, Morey Shaver went to Mt. Zion Bible School in the fall of 1937. The next September she came to Kansas City College and Bible School to become its first Dean. She served as the school’s second president from 1943 to 1944 and continued to teach at the school until shortly before her death in 1966.

In 1942, when financial difficulties threatened the very existence of the school, she assumed the responsibilities of Superintendent of the Martinstown, Missouri, Public Schools. Thus, she could better be of financial assistance to KCCBS… the school she loved.

In 1945, Mrs. Shaver took some more work toward her doctorate but stopped short of her thesis, because she felt she was wasting time and money.

Sacrificial, humble and dedicated – that was Morey Mount Shaver. Deeply concerned but never flustered, she held to her devoted way. Her set purpose was to do as much good as possible in guiding and encouraging, while educating and preparing young lives. She was as much at home in the classroom as in her own apartment in the dormitory. Besides being an outstanding teacher, she lived an exemplary life of holiness.

Morey Shaver was an example of generosity. She gave and gave and gave some more to God’s work. She gave the first two thousand dollars toward the new girl’s dorm (which was named “Shaver Hall” in her memory after her death). She never wanted anyone to know about her giving, but it was an example to all who were aware of what she was doing. It was actually an embarrassment to some of her dearest friends and admirers that she wore the same old drab clothes and wouldn’t spend money on herself. At times she sewed new collars and cuffs on her old dresses, so that she might have more to give.

An example of this spirit of giving involves the church she attended. Russell Dothage tells that after they had started the Sunday school on Southwest Boulevard and had outgrown the little building, Sister Shaver and some of her students at Kansas City College and Bible School paid most of the rent for another building. Several years later, she helped to pay for the lots on which to build a church, and later paid off the last of the indebtedness on the church. When they decided to move to a larger church and a more suitable location, she again contributed generously.

Morey Carter Shaver was one of the most remarkable and capable people to ever grace the Church of God (Holiness). Her life was poured out as an offering to God.

– Gayle Woods