Pentecostalism's sketchy origins

[DavidTree]

A structure is only as solid as its foundation. In this short study into Pentecostalism's origins we'll discover whether it's built on solid rock or sinking sand.

Charles Fox Parham, Pentecostalism's acknowledged founder, spent the summer of 1900 at Frank W. Sanford's Holiness commune in Shiloh, Maine. While there, he learned of the Holiness doctrine of an approaching "latter rain," that is, an outpouring of the Holy Spirit which would fall on people as it had in the church's early day. This would be a sign of Christ's imminent return. What scriptural basis is there for the latter rain doctrine? James says: "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains."—James 5:7 This is the only verse from which a case might be made for a latter rain. So we must understand clearly what this verse actually says. Is James instructing his readers to be patient for the latter rain or for Christ's return. He's clearly encouraging them be patient for the Lord's return using an agricultural metaphor to make his point. There are no other New Testament scriptures from which we can put together a "latter rain" doctrine; it simply isn't taught. In fact, rather than worldwide revival, the scriptures clearly reveal the world will descend into darkness before the Lord's return.

While at Shiloh, Sanford filled Parham's head with tales of foreign missionaries who had spontaneously begun speaking the language of their foreign hosts without ever learning the language. In other words, they could preach to them in their own languages using the gift of tongues. But what evidence is there of this ever really happening? None that I'm aware of. But Parham was fascinated; he was convinced that this was a sure sign of the end-time and Christ's imminent return.

Returning to Topeka, Kansas, Parham established a missionary training center. In December of 1900, he challenged his students to find evidence of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit like what happened in Acts 2. He also suggested that the surest evidence of this would be speaking in tongues. At their New Year's eve service, 1901, right on schedule, Agnes Ozman asked Parham to lay hands on her head and pray she would receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Ozman began singing in an unknown language, which someone identified as Chinese.

What's strange about this picture? First of all, there's no evidence from the New Testament that missionaries ever used the gift of tongues to preach the good news. When missionaries did eventually go to foreign countries after the "latter rains" started falling, they failed miserably. Secondly, notice that Parham gave his students a suggestion which they pondered for a month. This wasn't a spontaneous outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Parham orchestrated the whole thing.

So, the question I leave you with is this: If the tree is bad, how can the fruit possibly be good?

While I know nothing of these men you speak of, I do however, know of the One who established the Day of Pentecost.

IF there were to be a denominational identity approved by God it would be 'Pentecostal'.

Now, we know that God does not permit denominational entry into the Kingdom of CHRIST.
HE does however emphasize that only Born-Again Children are permitted in.
HE also emphasizes that the Baptism in His Holy Spirit is the 2nd PROMISE of God that we are to CHERISH.

HE who established, forever, His Word is the TREE where only Good Fruit can be found All Year Long.
That TREE is ALIVE and ETERNAL and HE made the Path clear for us to follow.

So the TREE of LIFE leaves you with this Pathway and Unction:

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

 

[ResidentAlien]

IF there were to be a denominational identity approved by God it would be 'Pentecostal'.

Why do you say this? On what do you base it?

 

[DavidTree]

Why do you say this? On what do you base it?

Did you not read the entire post?

By the way, I am no fan of Copeland or any other TV money preacher.

 

[ResidentAlien]

Did you not read the entire post?

By the way, I am no fan of Copeland or any other TV money preacher.

Yes I did actually but I can't glean the answer from your post. Can you simplify it so even a dummy like me can understand it?

 

[PaulChristensen]

It's a matter of public record. You can't argue with the facts.

There are no eyewitnesses alive any longer to refute the many criticisms of the foundations of the Pentecostal movement. The movement has been changed so much, and corrupted in so many ways with "new revelation", prosperity and guaranteed healing doctrines, and man-made theology, that what it was really like in 1902 has now vanished into the mists of past history.

 

[PaulChristensen]

It's a matter of public record. You can't argue with the facts.

There are no eyewitnesses alive any longer to refute the many criticisms of the foundations of the Pentecostal movement. The movement has been changed so much, and corrupted in so many ways with "new revelation", prosperity and guaranteed healing doctrines, and man-made theology, that what it was really like in 1902 has now vanished into the mists of past history.

 

[Gideon300]

I'm sorry, Gideon, but you are 100% wrong about the Toronto Blessing. I was there and it was God. You don't know what you're talking about. It started through the Vineyard movement, of which I was part.
There were some people in Toronto making animal noises. An Associate pastor at Toronto, Mark Dupont, was about to release a book on animal noises. John Wimber told him not to.
Together with Toronto's senior pastor, John Arnott, Dupont went ahead and released the book. John Wimber disassociated the Toronto Airport Vineyard Christian Fellowship over it. But what started in Toronto was a genuine move of the Holy Spirit.
What it turned into, I don't know as it's been over 20 years since I was involved in these groups. You really shouldn't talk so confidently about something I know you are so ignorant about...brother.

I know exactly what I'm talking about. I was there too. It is satanic to the core and I can show you in God's word exactly why. A group of us investigated for a year. We did not come to the conclusion lightly.

What did or did not start in Vineyard is irrelevant. What swept the churches, called the Toronto Blessing, was entirely fake.

Tell me what is of God in that abomination? And there is plenty more. I know about the occult. RHB engaged in hypnosis, pure and simple.

 

[Gideon300]

There are no eyewitnesses alive any longer to refute the many criticisms of the foundations of the Pentecostal movement. The movement has been changed so much, and corrupted in so many ways with "new revelation", prosperity and guaranteed healing doctrines, and man-made theology, that what it was really like in 1902 has now vanished into the mists of past history.

Sure, but there was a written record with names and places that I read in the 1990's. It was written by those favourable to the movement, not critical. When I compared the book's descriptions, I could see similar false manifestations to the so-called Toronto Blessing.

Jesse Penn-Lewis's record of the excesses in the Welsh Revival (which gave rise to the Apostolic denomination) is still available.

There is nothing new about these false manifestations. What did change was the extent. The TB (yes, like a terrible disease) was worldwide, not isolated to one church or one meeting.

 

[Gideon300]

I understood it well enough. The gist of it being:

"Pentecostalism is a form of Christianity that emphasises the work of the Holy Spirit
and the direct experience of the presence of God by the believer. Pentecostals believe
that faith must be powerfully experiential, and not something found merely through
ritual or thinking. Pentecostalism is energetic and dynamic"

Thank you for the clarification. Pentecostalism by that definition fails the test. It's supposed strength is in fact its weakness. The Holy Spirit is never to be emphasised.
John 16
12I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it. 13However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you. 15Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you.

Many Pentecostals, especially those poisoned by the Toronto Blessing, speak as if Jesus has been replaced by the Holy Spirit. That is false and heretical. The main Pentecostal denomination in Australia taught that heresy for a time. I've long since stayed away from those assemblies. I don't know what they teach now.

 

[Oblio]

I know exactly what I'm talking about. I was there too. It is satanic to the core and I can show you in God's word exactly why. A group of us investigated for a year. We did not come to the conclusion lightly.

What did or did not start in Vineyard is irrelevant. What swept the churches, called the Toronto Blessing, was entirely fake.

Tell me what is of God in that abomination? And there is plenty more. I know about the occult. RHB engaged in hypnosis, pure and simple.

It's like the Vineyard train was going down a track. A train car, TAVCF, was disconnected and went down another track. Where that train car went, I don't know.
You seem to have trouble differentiating between the two. That's on you.

 

[Oblio]

For 3 1/2 years, I was with the Vineyard. What I experienced was God. What others say about it is between them and the Lord.

 

[presidente]

A structure is only as solid as its foundation. In this short study into Pentecostalism's origins we'll discover whether it's built on solid rock or sinking sand.

Charles Fox Parham, Pentecostalism's acknowledged founder, spent the summer of 1900 at Frank W. Sanford's Holiness commune in Shiloh, Maine. While there, he learned of the Holiness doctrine of an approaching "latter rain," that is, an outpouring of the Holy Spirit which would fall on people as it had in the church's early day. This would be a sign of Christ's imminent return. What scriptural basis is there for the latter rain doctrine? James says: "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains."—James 5:7 This is the only verse from which a case might be made for a latter rain. So we must understand clearly what this verse actually says. Is James instructing his readers to be patient for the latter rain or for Christ's return. He's clearly encouraging them be patient for the Lord's return using an agricultural metaphor to make his point. There are no other New Testament scriptures from which we can put together a "latter rain" doctrine; it simply isn't taught. In fact, rather than worldwide revival, the scriptures clearly reveal the world will descend into darkness before the Lord's return.

There are other references to 'latter rain' in Joel and Zechariah. This is an allegorical interpretation, and it I'm not saying that's a right interpretation of the verse. But suppose Parham was wrong on it. What does that prove?

If we look in the Bible, speaking in tongues and other gifts are given 'as the Spirit wills' and we also read that he that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Parham may also have had a 'restorationist' mindset regarding spiritual gifts, and he might not have been aware that there are many accounts through church history of many of these gifts showing up.

While at Shiloh, Sanford filled Parham's head with tales of foreign missionaries who had spontaneously begun speaking the language of their foreign hosts without ever learning the language. In other words, they could preach to them in their own languages using the gift of tongues. But what evidence is there of this ever really happening? None that I'm aware of. But Parham was fascinated; he was convinced that this was a sure sign of the end-time and Christ's imminent return.

Returning to Topeka, Kansas, Parham established a missionary training center. In December of 1900, he challenged his students to find evidence of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit like what happened in Acts 2. He also suggested that the surest evidence of this would be speaking in tongues. At their New Year's eve service, 1901, right on schedule, Agnes Ozman asked Parham to lay hands on her head and pray she would receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Ozman began singing in an unknown language, which someone identified as Chinese.

Vinson Synan, a historian who started the field of Pentecostal studies said they wrote that someone in a Chinese laundry identified it as Chinese. And a few days later, I have read where Ozman wrote that a Bohemian identified a tongue she spoke in then as Bohemian (now known as Czech.)

At Azusa Street, there were numerous accounts of people hearing their own languages 'in tongues'. Val Dez wrote about this in 'Fire on Azusa' with a Russian woman hearing her language. I believe she might have confirmed the interpretation. The book 'The Comforter Has Come' gives a testimony of another case. Vinson Synan interviewed elderly folks who were children at the Azusa Street Revival. One of them said that people would speak in different languages and others would come in and hear their languages, and that was what drew the crowds. Seymour collected a number of testimonies about this happening in other places in his newsletter 'The Apostolic Faith', which is available online. I think the Flowers library has it.

There was also a Pentecostal movement going on in India at the same time and one in South America. I read an account of an English-speaking missionary hearing an Indian woman she knew, who she knew did not know English, speaking in tongues.

There is no account in the Bible of people actually preaching the Gospel 'in tongues.' The Acts 2 tongues could have been praising God like the Psalms. We don't know. It does show us that Peter stood and preached and then people there responded to the Gospel.

So, the question I leave you with is this: If the tree is bad, how can the fruit possibly be good?

If misunderstanding about doctrine or facts is the same as 'bad fruit', then do you have bad fruit? That is not what 'bad fruit' is in the Bible. Pentecostals are taught to believe God based on what is taught in the Bible. A small percentage have heard of Parham. I have rarely heard 'latter rain' mentioned, and I don't think I've heard that interpretation in a Pentecostal church. Maybe early on. There was a movement called the Latter Rain Movement, and maybe they interpreted the verse that way.

 

[Oblio]

I'd like to see all the parts come together into one functioning body. Where the lost looked at us and said, "Look at the love and care they have for each other."

 

[Evmur]

Whatever. As usual, when valid arguments end personal attacks begin.

You talk about fear, I would fear to do what you do.

 

[kaylagrl]

Thank you for the clarification. Pentecostalism by that definition fails the test. It's supposed strength is in fact its weakness. The Holy Spirit is never to be emphasised.

Many Pentecostals, especially those poisoned by the Toronto Blessing, speak as if Jesus has been replaced by the Holy Spirit. That is false and heretical. The main Pentecostal denomination in Australia taught that heresy for a time. I've long since stayed away from those assemblies. I don't know what they teach now.

The problem with TB and those like it is that they are usually non denominational. There is no overseer over the pastor, he's top dog. Sometimes there is a legit move, but it's quickly taken over by opportunists. Then there is no one to stop them from going too far.

My own home church saw this type of movement. It started out slowly and then we began to see things that were not right. We who disagreed talked to the pastor and his response was he didn't want to "steady the ark" even though he didn't totally agree with what people were doing. Before it was over we saw people barking like dogs, "birthing something spiritual" , line dancing, half of the church would fall down "laughing in the spirit". Attending church was like Jumanji people flinging themselves in every direction. Our main people were stunned by it all. Finally they were able to get this pastor out. People had come from all around to see the circus.

By the time we got rid of the pastor and all of his followers and had the main church back again, our people were devastated. It took years to get over the damage that had been done. I had known this pastor all my life and I hate to judge him. But when this movement came people packed the church to the doors and the money was flowing. I've been gone from home for many years and the church is still there today. That pastor moved to the city in another state and I've never heard of him since then. It was a very sad and difficult time for our church.

 

[ResidentAlien]

There are no eyewitnesses alive any longer to refute the many criticisms of the foundations of the Pentecostal movement.

Living eyewitnesses are irrelevant. There are hundreds—if not thousands—of period newspaper articles from eyewitnesses that expose the early origins of Pentecostalism.

 

[ResidentAlien]

I'd like to see all the parts come together into one functioning body. Where the lost looked at us and said, "Look at the love and care they have for each other."

Would you like to see unity and fellowship with LDS, Catholics, and Jehovah's witnesses?

 

[ResidentAlien]

You talk about fear, I would fear to do what you do.

Okay, don't do it then. Have a blessed day.

 

[ResidentAlien]

Living eyewitnesses are irrelevant.

By this I mean the absence of living witnesses is irrelevant. Ran out of time to edit.

 

[DavidTree]

Yes I did actually but I can't glean the answer from your post. Can you simplify it so even a dummy like me can understand it?

Good Afternoon Brother,

I tweaked it a little - let me know if this gives more clarity - Peace

While I know nothing of these men you speak of, I do however, know of the One who established the Day of Pentecost.

Now, we know that God does not permit denominational entry into the Kingdom of CHRIST.

HE does however emphasize that only Born-Again Children are permitted in.
Jesus Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life, no man enters Heaven but thru Christ and Christ alone.
HE also emphasizes that the Baptism in His Holy Spirit is the 2nd PROMISE of God that we are to CHERISH.

HE who established, forever, His Word is the TREE of LIFE where only Good Fruit can be found All Year Long.
That TREE is ALIVE and ETERNAL and HE made the Path clear for us to follow.

So the TREE of LIFE gives us this Pathway and Unction:

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

MEDITATE: If the Disciples who walked with Christ, experienced His miracles firsthand, seen Lazarus raised from the dead, stood at the Feet of the Cross watching Christ bleed out in tremendous scandalous suffering and then experienced His Resurrection for 40 days could not go out into the world to proclaim the Good News until SOMETHING ELSE took Place - shouldn't everyone who believes in Him be seeking the SAME PROMISE of the Father..............

Why would anyone speak against the Promise of the Father???

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow." James 1:17