Henry Orton Wiley was born on November15, 1877 to John and Alice Wiley in the Marquette area of Nebraska. Wiley attended school at the Pine Knot School in Marquette, grammar school in Red Bluff CA, and high school in Medford Or where he graduated in 1895.  In 1898, Wiley graduated from Oregon State Normal School and later was certified by the Oregon State Board of Pharmacy. Wiley continued his education, earning a three year course at Pacific Theological Seminary (1908); a B.A from the University of the Pacific (1910),  a B.S.T. from Pacific Theological Seminary (1910), M.S.T. from Berkeley (1917), doctor of Divinity from Pasadena College (1925), and the doctor of sacred theology from Pacific School of Religion (1929).

 At the age of five, Wiley was converted in a school-house revival meeting being lead by his grandfather, Rev. Ward.  ( Look up his full name.)In 1902, The Berkeley Church of the Nazarene held a revival with Rev. C.W. Ruth.  It was during this revival that Wiley was sanctified wholly.  For three years, Wiley served as a circuit rider for the Gridley and Esparto circuits with the United Brethren Church.  From 1905-1909, after changing his membership to the Nazarene Church, Wiley pastured the Berkeley Church of the Nazarene.  At the 1906 Los Angeles District Assembly, Wiley was ordained by Dr. P.F. Bresee.

Wiley moved from serving the church as a pastor to working in higher education.  Deets Pacific Bible College, currently Point Loma Nazarene University, employed Wiley  as dean under Dr. P.F. Bresee, vice-president under Dr. E. P. Ellyson and then as president from 1913-1916.  From 1916-1926, Wiley led Northwest Nazarene College as president.  Returning to Pasadena, Wiley served two additional terms as president ( 1926-1928 and 1933-1948).  From 1928-1940 Wiley served as Executive Secretary of the Board of Education.  For eight years, Wiley edited the Herald of Holiness ( 1928-1936). 1

1. Ivan A. Beals, Heralding Scriptural Holiness (Kansas City, Missouri: Nazarene Publishing House, 1987), p 47-60.