Revivals And Church History :: Azusa Street revisited

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1 Azusa Street revisited - posted by lwpray (), on: 2004/9/17 3:13 Azusa Street revisited Dear Friends, I need your help. Due to circumstances and events I have to gather as much material as possible on the 312 Azusa Street event one hun dred years ago. In one thread a glimpse was included which led to a web site managed by Evangelist Larry Martin - eet.org/default.php Have any of you read his books? Are they worth reading? Any suggestions as to other sources? Any path to follow, any suggestion will be worth praise. Re: Azusa Street revisited - posted by philologos (), on: 2004/9/17 5:19 I have studied the origins of the Pentecostal movement in some details over the years. Some of the earliest UK leaders I have met and heard. Here is a little list of books that might interest you if you can access them... Carl Brumback, What Meaneth This, Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, Missouri, 1947 the classic Assemblies of God position on speaking with tongues Suddenly...From Heaven, A History of the Assemblies of God, Gospel Publishing House, the authorised history of the origins of the American Assemblies of God God in Three Persons, published by Pathway Press in Cleveland Tennessee and copyright 1959 Assemblies of God Trinitarian orthodoxy Frank Bartleman Another Wave Rolls In, published by Whittaker House (originally titled 'what really happened at Azuza St' This is a provoking account with lots of fascinating side comments. Stanley H. Frodsham This Pentecostal Revival Gospel Publishing House Frodsham was one of the early leaders of American Pentecostalism UK History Donald Gee Wind and Flame William Kay Inside Story UK AoG George Jeffreys Pentecostal Rays Page 1/6

2 Re: - posted by lwpray (), on: 2004/9/17 5:27 Ron, Excellent beginning. Thank you. We are about to embark on a larger research and prayer event in relation to the 100 years marker, Re: - posted by RobertW (), on: 2004/9/17 7:59 Hi, I will be heading through Topeka KS the first of October and could try to get some recent digital pictures of the old Bethe l Bible College where Charles Parham taught. This is where Agnes Ozman began to speak in "tongues" in 1901 when h ands were laid on her and then from there the phenomena spread to Texas and then to Azuza. Topeka is from the root Tophet- which is where we trace the word Gehenna (hell). it is interesting to note that the local college there has named their mascot Ichabod. Another good resource to get is the: Zondervan's "New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements". (The Revised and Expanded Ed ition) Much of the scholarship was done by an AG professor from Spfld, MO. I have this and it is a tremendous (and very large ) resource that covers the history and peoples associated with pentecostalism and charismatic movements. Zondervan Stanley M. Burgess, Editor, and Eduard M. van der Maas, Associate Editor ISBN/ASIN : Here is an interesting article by the Topeka Journal... Kansas State Historical Society The Rev. Charles Parham, a former Methodist minister and holiness teacher who founded Bethel Bible College in Topek a, developed the theological framework for what has become the modern Pentecostal movement. Shortly after Ozman received the gift of speaking in tongues, newspaper reports began to surface of the "strange" happe nings at Bethel Bible College, which was in a castle-like mansion called Stone's Folly, near present-day S.W. 18th and S tone. Today, the property is owned by Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church. He said a leader in a charismatic Catholic prayer group, which continues to meet at Most Pure Heart of Mary, once told him that more than 5,000 people had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of speaking in tongues at meeti ngs in the church. Just more than a century ago, the religious landscape was far different than it is today. Whereas Pentecostal and charismatic churches are commonplace across the nation and the effects can be seen in near ly every other denomination, Parham was breaking new ground. As a result, many ridiculed him and his followers, who moved ahead undeterred. Parham seemed to revel in the publicity and attention he was getting as more of his students received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues. Some outsiders said the language resembled gibberish. Others said it was an exact language or dialect. Page 2/6

3 Convinced the second coming of Christ was at hand, Parham believed the gift of speaking in tongues would help spread the Christian message to people in other nations. In so doing, the gift of speaking in tongues would fulfill biblical prophec y that all people will hear the gospel before Christ returns. Not long after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place, Parham and his students were evicted from Stone's Folly, whi ch was turned into a road house at its spot west of what were then the city limits. As he and his students left, Parham pr edicted God would destroy Stone's Folly in the near future. Within a year, fire burned the building to the ground. By then, Parham had moved on to Kansas City, then other towns, picking up new followers along the way. He finally lan ded in Houston, where a young, black holiness pastor named William Seymour became acquainted with Parham. Because of segregation laws, Seymour was made to listen to Parham outside the door of the room where he would be s peaking. But the message sank in, and by 1906 Seymour was in Los Angeles, leading the Azusa Street Revival. Credited with being the impetus that catapulted the Pentecostal movement around the world, Azusa Street was marked by interracial meetings and boisterous services where people would shout and sing. Parham, who by then was trying to wrest control of another Pentecostal community in Zion, Ill., was slow to come to Azu sa Street, despite repeated requests from Seymour. When Parham finally got to Azusa Street, the revival was in full swing. This time, it was Parham standing on the outside l ooking in, and he didn't particularly like what he saw, especially the interracial aspects and emotionalism of the gathering s. After a series of personal setbacks -- including a charge of sodomy that was never proved -- Parham returned to southe ast Kansas and started an apostolic ministry in Baxter Springs, where he died in the 1920s and is buried. His tombstone is in the shape of a pulpit. For years, Parham's name was virtually omitted from Pentecostal historical books, perhaps because his image had been tarnished beyond repair. However, in recent years, Parham has been accepted on a much wider scale by Pentecostals and religion historians alik e. Much of this, no doubt, is owed to the ongoing explosion of Pentecostalism throughout the world. By far the fastest-growing segment of Christianity, Pentecostalism has been the topic of many scholarly books and articl es. Among the assertions: Pentecostalism is the only segment of Christianity to have success in attracting new followers in nations where Islam is the predominant religion. Synan said Islam's rapid growth is based largely on demographic birth rates in many Third World nations. However, Pen tecostalism's growth is owed to birth rates and conversion rates. Reinhard Bonnke, a German evangelist, regularly attracts 1 million to 2 million people at mass open-air meetings in Afri ca -- what Synan describes as a "sea of humanity." Bonnke has had up to 1 million conversions to Christianity at some of the meetings, and many of the converts have cros sed over from Islam. In spite of persecution against Christians in many African nations, Pentecostals have been successful in planting church es and subsequently expanding the growth of Christianity. If churches are shut down, Synan said, various forms of "cove rt evangelism" then take place. In any event, the gospel message continues to be spread. The Pentecostal movement also is growing at an exponential rate in South America and Latin America. With the continued presence of Pentecostalism worldwide, historians often trace the movement back to its roots. It is the re that two names and two cities are most-often mentioned: Parham and Seymour, Topeka and Los Angeles. "There is a continuing discussion about the differences between Topeka and Azusa," Synan said. "I came down on the s ide that Parham and Seymour were co-founders. Page 3/6

4 "You'd have to say Parham was the doctrinal father of the Pentecostal movement. Seymour was a student of Parham's. What Seymour did at Azusa was based on Parham's teachings. "Without Parham, there's no Seymour." The modern Pentecostal movement also marked the first time blacks and whites gathered as equals in a religious settin g, which previously had been as segregated as other parts of society. However, the interracial tone of the Pentecostal movement is owed largely to Seymour, as Parham held what modern sc holars say were racist views. Some of the interracial cooperation that marked the early stages of the Pentecostal movement faded away in subsequen t years, and by 1914, separate denominations were formed: the Assemblies of God for whites and the Church of God in Christ for blacks. Today, both denominations have millions of members. "Parham planted the seeds," Synan said, "and Seymour reaped some of the harvest." And, historians agree, it all began in Topeka. ****************** God Bless, -Robert Re: - posted by todd, on: 2004/9/17 8:41 The book I read by Frank Bartleman is simply titled "Azusa Street" with a forward by Vinson Synan and an afterword by Arthur Wallis. It was one of the most influential books I've ever read. And it is great for research purposes because it's f irst hand (primary source) material. Re: - posted by lwpray (), on: 2004/9/17 9:35 Dear Robert, To be able to lay hold of photographic material visualizing the area in which men and women gathered for the sake of de fining room for the Holy Spirit to work would be of great value. Thank you for your contribution so far. Re: - posted by lwpray (), on: 2004/9/17 9:37 Dear Todd, Bartleman s book Azusa Street id a dramatic personal testimony regarding the struggle of an intercessor along the roa d to an awakening. I have recently read this item. Page 4/6

5 Re: - posted by 5nva (), on: 2004/9/17 10:21 : One book or compilation that may be of interest to you is called "The Azusa Street Papers". It is an oversized book (ma gazine size) that is a compilation of original newspaper articles and testimonies. I don't know where you can get it but I will check around. Mike Re: - posted by lwpray (), on: 2004/9/17 10:28 Dear Mike, I, and the research team with me, would be delighted if you are able to locate it. Re: - posted by 5nva (), on: 2004/9/17 10:44 Brother : It just took a few minutes for my brain to catch up with me. The only place I know of is from the person who re-printed th e publication. That is Steve Hill. You can buy it from his ministry book store on line or order it over the phone. Here is the web link. Hope this helps you. I have read some of it from a friends copy and it is loaded with first hand accounts. God bless, Mike Re: - posted by lwpray (), on: 2004/9/17 10:48 Very interesting item. We never see items of this category out here in the Swedish tundra. Icy and cold, spiritually at least. Re: - posted by philologos (), on: 2004/9/17 11:17 Quote: here in the Swedish tundra. Icy and cold, spiritually at least It wasn't always so apparently... A A Boddy visited the Pentecostal churches in Norway and commented "My four days in Christiana (Oslo) can never be forgotten. I stood with Evan Roberts in Tonipandy, but have never witnessed such scenes as those in Norway." Please note this is his comment, not mine. :-) Page 5/6

6 Re: - posted by lwpray (), on: 2004/9/17 12:52 Wilkerson was allowed to define the Swedish spiritual climate by using one word  apathy  during a recent visit. Take some special prayer to eliminate. Page 6/6