Spirit Baptism In The Pentecostal Evangel 1918–1922

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PNEUMA 37 (2015) 244–261

Spirit Baptism in the Pentecostal Evangel 1918–1922

Static or Dynamic?

Brandon Kertson

Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia

branke1@regent.edu

Abstract

North American pentecostal statements of doctrine were created as lowest common denominator statements upon which a large group of people can agree without too much divisiveness. A century later, it is tempting to see these statements as the final and complete word concerning a doctrine. In practice, however, practitioners experience the reality of those doctrines in numerous and multifaceted ways. This paper reflects on statements 5 and 6 of the 1916 Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths, which speak to the “pentecostal distinctive” of Spirit baptism. It compares these doc- trinal statements with testimonies, sermons, and reports from the Assemblies of God periodical the Pentecostal Evangel during the five-year period from 1918, shortly after the Statement was approved, to 1922. The evidence will show the dynamic nature of beliefs and practices concerning Spirit baptism from a very early period. This dynamic and broad understanding is similar to the way modern pentecostal scholars envision Spirit baptism today.

Keywords

Spirit baptism – Assemblies of God –Pentecostal Evangel– pneumatology – doctrine

Introduction

Since 1901, with the report of Agnes Ozman’s baptism in the Spirit with tongues as evidence, Spirit baptism with speaking in tongues has been considered one of the primary distinctives of the pentecostal movement in the United

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States.1For instance, one of the world’s largest pentecostal denominations, the Assemblies of God, included this doctrinal statement in its 1916 Statement of Fundamental Truths. It reads, “All believers are entitled to, and should ardently expect, and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire … the full consummation of the baptism of believers in the Holy Ghost and fire, is indicated by the initial sign of speaking in tongues, as the Spirit of God gives utterance.”2 Such doctrinal statements are often the lowest common denominator on which groups can agree.3 While the Assemblies of God has officially held a united front on the importance and function of Spirit baptism, the thesis of this article is that there has always been diversity in understanding and experience that pushes the boundaries of the definition of Spirit baptism, when it occurs, how it occurs, and why it occurs.

Method

In what follows, we will seek to demonstrate the diversity of views on these issues by turning to the sermons, articles, testimonies, and prayer requests of the early Assemblies constituents as contained in the Pentecostal Evangel during the years 1918 through 1922. Founders J. Roswell and Alice Flowers published the first issue of the Pentecostal Evangel on July 19, 1913 under the name the Christian Evangel. It started as the paper for the Association of Christian Assemblies, which later merged into the larger Assemblies of God,

1 Certainly, people spoke in tongues before Ozman, but this event is often seen as pivotal in

the story of Pentecostalism. To see how tongues continues to be a distinctive, see the 21st res-

olution, which was passed by the 53rd General Council of the Assemblies of God reaffirming

the doctrine as a primary pentecostal distinctive. General Council of the Assemblies of God,

“Resolution 21: Reaffirmation of Pentecostal Distinctive,”Minutes for the 53rd General Council

of the Assemblies of God, 2009, 68–69.

2 General Council of the Assemblies of God, “A Statement of Fundamental Truths,”Minutes of

the General Council of the Assemblies of God, 1916, 10.

3 Lowest common denominator, as used here, does not imply unimportance. Rather, it implies

a statement or fact on which everyone can agree. In fact, that means that what is contained in

doctrinalstatementsisveryimportantinthatalargemajorityagreesuponit,butitalsomeans

that it does not reveal the totality of the doctrine, in this case, the doctrine of Spirit baptism.

I am not saying that early Pentecostals set out to write a lowest common denominator

statement, but rather that this tends to be the nature of any such statements as its writers

strive to represent a broad group of people in their agreement, not their disagreement, and

so they are also necessarily broad.

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and upon its conception in 1914 it became the denomination’s official paper. During our period of concern, it also went by the name Weekly Evangel from March 13, 1915 until May 18, 1918, when it returned to its original name,Christian Evangel. Starting with the October 18, 1919 issue, its name changed to the Pentecostal Evangel, which it has remained ever since. For this reason, we will refer to it only as the Pentecostal Evangel.

The years 1918 through 1922 were chosen for two reasons. First, I wanted to examine the period just after the formation of the denomination in 1914 and the writing of the Fundamental Truths in 1916. Both of these events occurred in reaction to a number of pertinent controversies that threatened the doctrine and cohesiveness of the newly formed Assemblies of God. In their view, this required responses that would define their own view over against other move- ments and serve as a measuring stick for the licensing and ordaining of min- isters to ensure sound doctrine. The first major controversy revolved around their view of tongues as the initial physical evidence of Spirit baptism.4 The second involved two related soteriological issues, the finished work doctrine and the place of sanctification in the ordo salutis. The third controversy con- cerned whether or not people who were not Spirit baptized were saved. The final dispute was “the new issue,” also known as the “Jesus Only” or “Oneness” movement. This dispute revolved around which baptismal formula to use, a trinitarian or Jesus only formula. It also had implications for a trinitarian or monistic view of the Godhead as well as whether or not Spirit baptism hap- pened at the moment of salvation (the Oneness view) or subsequent to salva- tion (the view of the Assemblies of God). These issues continued to shape and form the understanding of Spirit baptism during this period, and many of the sermons, writings, and testimonies must be read in light of these controversies. The controversies concerning Spirit baptism, the formation of the Assemblies of God into a denomination, and the approval the Statement of Fundamental

4 The doctrine of initial evidence emerged and solidified so rapidly largely because of this

controversy. The controversy came to a head in 1918 in a debate between Fred F. Bosworth and

D.W. Kerr. The Assemblies of God resoundingly chose to adopt the doctrine of initial evidence.

After this internal debate, other pentecostal and nonpentecostal denominations continually

brought up the issue as a controversial one. The Assemblies of God’s continual need to defend

the doctrine of initial evidence was probably a major factor in its solidification as an ongoing

doctrine and as the denomination’s “distinctive doctrine,” despite the diversity of experience

we describe in this paper. See Vinson Synan, The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition: Charismatic

Movements in the Twentieth Century, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, mi: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1997),

164–165.

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Truths all point tothis as a period in which an established view of Spirit baptism would have been present. In this way, it will serve well to test our thesis of a diversity of views despite an official view.

The second reason I chose the period of 1918 through 1922 is because it begins with the year the United States became fully involved in World War i and continues into the post-war era. While some articles and testimonies are extant that involve the war or soldiers baptized in the Spirit, there was little seeming impact on views of Spirit baptism.5

To demonstrate our thesis, we will begin by examining the question, “What is Spirit baptism?” according to the contributors to the Pentecostal Evangel. A review of these contributions shows that while there was a dominant view in line with the denomination’s stance, there were always pastors and lay people that pushed the idea of Spirit baptism toward a broader and more dynamic understanding.6 We will then demonstrate that, while the dominant stance was that Spirit baptism was a one-time event after salvation and sanctification, the testimonies, writings, and experiences of Spirit baptism as related in the Pentecostal Evangel point to a more dynamic, ongoing, or continuous series of experiences that, while not called Spirit baptism, certainly fits the term. We will then end with some concluding thoughts.

What is Spirit Baptism?

What did the early contributors to the Pentecostal Evangel think Spirit bap- tism was? We shall explore the idea under four concepts. First, we will examine the question of when Spirit baptism occurs within theordo salutis. Second, we will examine how the contributors believed Spirit baptism was to be obtained. Third, we will examine what happened during the baptism experience, pay- ing particular attention to the manifestations accompanying the experience. Finally, we will examine the purpose and results of Spirit baptism for the for- mation of the Christian life.

5 For such a testimony see S.H. Frodsham, “Report from the 1918 General Council,” Christian

Evangel, October 5, 1918, 3.

6 The dominant view coincides with the statement in the 16 Fundamental Truths and speaks

only of tongues in connection with Spirit baptism rather than other manifestations. There

are articles in the Pentecostal Evangelthat limit Spirit baptism to this view, but there are also

many that do not.

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When Does Spirit Baptism Occur?

The question of when Spirit baptism occurs has always been an important question for Pentecostals as they have attempted to define their experiences, particularly over against the views of other movements. William Durham, a prominent leader in the early pentecostal movement, explains some of these views against which Pentecostalism was reacting:

Some teach that the Holy Spirit is received when they are christened in infancy or confirmed in youth; others who believe in one work of grace, teach that the Holy Spirit is received in conversion; still others, who believe in two works of grace, teach that He is received in sanctification … Some of these theories sound very plausible, but not one of them will stand a Scriptural test.7

The first view mentioned by Durham, that the Spirit was received at christen- ing or confirmation, was held by many “high church” traditions such as Roman Catholicism or Episcopalians and was rejected by Pentecostals and other Holi- ness movements of the era.8The second theory mentioned by Durham, of one work of grace with the Spirit being received at conversion, was the view held by Oneness Pentecostals. They called it “the birth of the Spirit” and saw regen- eration, sanctification, and Spirit baptism as all taking place in the initial act of salvation.9 These Oneness or Jesus Only Pentecostals emerged out of the same ranks that eventually formed pentecostal groups like the Assemblies of God and were regularly converting trinitarian Pentecostals to their view of the Godhead, baptism, and Spirit baptism. They posed the most immediate threat to the contributors of the Pentecostal Evangel and, consequently, receive the most attention. Other churches, such as Baptist groups, held a similar view of the Spirit’s reception at conversion, though they did not usually call it Spirit baptism. Third, Durham mentions those who believe in two works of grace because the Spirit is received during sanctification, the work subsequent to

7 William H. Durham, “What Is the Evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost,” Christian

Evangel, August 10, 1918, 3.

8 See, for instance, the prayer during the rite of confirmation, which prays, “Send your Holy

Spirit upon them … fill them with the Spirit of awe and wonder in your presence.” The rite also

includes the officiant’s blessing of the recipient: “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.” See

The Roman Missal (Chicago: Archdiocese of Chicago, 2011).

9 See Garfield Haywood, “Birth of the Spirit in the Day of the Apostles,” in Douglas G. Jacobsen,

A Reader in Pentecostal Theology: Voices from the First Generation (Bloomington: Indiana

University Press, 2006), 175.

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regeneration. This group consists of those from the Wesleyan-Holiness tradi- tion out of which many Pentecostals emerged. In earlier periodicals one can see an intentional distancing from this view, with Pentecostals refusing to call Spirit baptism a work of grace and seeing it as separate and subsequent to sanc- tification. For instance, the third Apostolic Faithpublished by William Seymour says, “They could not have received the Spirit if they were not clean … Too many confused the grace of Sanctification with the enduement of Power or the Bap- tism of the Holy Ghost.”10

Now we know what they did not believe, but what did this particular group of Pentecostals actually believe? First, they believed one must be saved in order to receive Spirit baptism. E.N. Bell, in response to a reader’s question about justification, tells us, “Justification comes upon repentance and faith, after these two and before all else. We are regenerated at the same time.”11Everything else follows regeneration, including Spirit baptism. At the same time, it is also made clear that all who are justified are eligible to be baptized in the Spirit. The baptism is for “all Christians of all times.”12

Not only must justification precede Spirit baptism, but water baptism should also precede it. Again, E.N. Bell says, “As soon as one truly repents and accepts Christ as Saviour, he should at once be baptized in water and look for God to pour out His Spirit upon him.”13 Water baptism should be as close to the salvation experience as possible and should therefore presumably precede Spirit baptism.

Finally, sanctification should also precede Spirit baptism. Bell says, “All need cleansing before they can get the baptism … while the apostles were clean before Jesus left them, yet he indicated they needed further purging.”14At first, following the Wesleyan-Holiness movement out of which many early Pente- costals came, most saw sanctification as a second work subsequent to salva- tion. Many, however, such as William Durham in 1909, began to promote what would be called the “Finished Work Doctrine.” This view saw sanctification as included in the work of justification through the blood of Christ shed on the cross. In an article entitled “Victory Over Death,” the author, L.E.W., proclaims, “I stand now upon the Finished Work of Jesus Christ—in the choice of my

10 11 12

13 14

Untitled article, Apostolic Faith, November 1906, 2.

E.N. Bell, “Questions and Answers,”Christian Evangel, August 10, 1918, 7.

Searchlight, “A Few Questions on the Baptism of the Spirit,”Pentecostal Evangel, Decem- ber 27, 1919, 7.

E.N. Bell, “Questions and Answers,”Christian Evangel, November 16, 1918, 5.

E.N. Bell, “Questions and Answers,”Christian Evangel, April 19, 1919, 5.

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will dead unto Sin in body as well as in Spirit and Soul.”15 Vinson Synan holds that it was this finished work doctrine that eventually led to the formation of the Assemblies of God in 1914.16 At the very least, it was very influential.17 The majority of writers then see Spirit baptism as subsequent to regeneration, sanc- tification, and even water baptism. This dominant view is corroborated by the sixth fundamental truth adopted by the General Council in 1916 that says, “This wonderful experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth.”18

While the official position of the Assemblies of God according to the Pen- tecostal Evangel and other official documents was that salvation and sanctifi- cation were concurrent, water baptism was to follow as soon as possible, and Spirit baptism was the final part of this sequence, things were not always so clean cut. Testimonies tell us that Spirit baptism often occurred at the same time as the initial work of salvation. Telling of her experience with Juana, Mrs. H.J. Johns relates, “Jesus visited her that night alone and saved, healed, and bap- tized her in the Holy Ghost.”19Here Spirit baptism is coupled with salvation as well as healing, which could include both physical and spiritual healing and therefore be in line with sanctification. She is also baptized in the Spirit before being baptized in water, another deviation from the dominantordo salutis. In a separate testimony by evangelist Mae E. Frey, she reports, “God is saving, heal- ing and Baptizing. One woman got all three at once. Never saw such a thing before.”20 This is clearly a case in which, while there appears to be a standard- ized order in which these events occurred, experience could not corroborate any clear-cut doctrinal statements.

The “How To” of Spirit Baptism

How does one go about receiving the baptism of the Spirit? There is no exhaus- tive list given by one source. A few, such as E.N. Bell or A.D. Gonce, offer instruc-

15 16 17

18 19 20

L.E.W., “Victory Over Death,”Pentecostal Evangel, February 21, 1920, 3.

Synan,The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition, 133.

While Synan is probably right, there is no evidence that one had to subscribe to Durham’s finished work doctrine to be an Assemblies of God minister. In fact, the original seventh article of the Fundamental Truths on sanctification does not connect sanctification to salvation but describes it as a something to be pursued and walked in. The seventh article reads, “Entire sanctification is the will of God for all believers, and should be earnestly pursued by walking in obedience to God’s word.”

General Council of the Assemblies of God,General Council Minutes, 1916, 10. Mrs. H.J. Johns, “He Set the Captive Free,”Christian Evangel, March 22, 1919, 7. Mae E. Frey, “My Grace is Sufficient,”Pentecostal Evangel, June 25, 1921, 15.

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tions, but they are by no means uniform.21 We shall therefore draw from a variety of sources to summarize some of the major facets necessary for receiv- ing the baptism. While there is more cohesion and less variation on how to receive the baptism compared to other sections, the following is necessary for a full view of Spirit baptism according to the Pentecostal Evangel.

First, we have already mentioned that one must be a believer; therefore faith, both in Christ’s efficacious work on the cross and in his desire to baptize the believer in the Spirit, is a necessary first step. One article, republished from Searchlight magazine, says, “Faith is the pass-key to all the promises of the Father. The pentecostal baptism is for everyone who is ‘of the faith of Abraham.’”22 The “promise of the Father” is a common descriptor for Spirit baptism. A.D. Gonce, in expanding on this, says that one must believe in what Scripture says about Spirit baptism and that “[t]he Promise of Baptism is not annulled.”23

After one has established this faith, there is often, though not always, a period of preparation, purging, or sanctification that often precedes the bap- tism. J.W. Welch says that “to receive the Holy Spirit you will have to come to a place of lowly humility, utter subject, and yielding to the will of God and of the moving of the Holy Ghost.”24 This preparation can also take the form of expectancy. William Bouton admonishes that “people need to come to meet- ings expecting and hungry, then God will meet with them.”25

Once one is fully prepared, the seeker enters into a period of petition. A num- ber of contributors give instruction on exactly what this petition should look like. Alice E. Luce, however, gives the fullest treatment. Drawing on the story of Elijah, she encourages the reader to pray with the same calm confidence, not “begging and beseeching God to baptize you as if He were unwilling,” but to “stand in faith upon His promise to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.”26 In another article, she draws on the story of Achsah asking Caleb for water springs as an example of how one should ask. Her instructions include that one should ask from the Father, emboldened, precisely rather than vaguely, in humility,

21

22 23 24

25 26

See E.N. Bell, “Questions and Answers,” Christian Evangel, February 8, 1919, 5. Also, A.D. Gonce, “Just Another Baptist Preacher Sealed,”Pentecostal Evangel, April 2, 1921, 11. Searchlight, “A Few Questions on Spirit Baptism,”Christian Evangel, December 27, 1919, 7. Gonce, “Just Another Baptist Preacher Sealed,” 11.

J.W. Welch, “The Power of Apostolic Days for You in the Twentieth Century,”Pentecostal Evangel, November 1, 1919, 2.

Wm. K. Bouton, “Fear Not,”Weekly Evangel, March 30, 1918, 4.

Alice E. Luce, “Fire from Heaven and Abundance of Rain,” Pentecostal Evangel, May 29, 1920, 1.

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and finally, expecting more than asked for.27At times one has to pray for hours, even weeks and months, for the baptism. Therefore, one must be persistent. In the same article, Luce tells her readers that if there is a delay in the answer to our petition, “It is because there is some hindrance in us, which He has to remove; something already filling us, or choking the channel and so prevent- ing the inflow of the Rivers.”28 S.H. Frodsham encourages people to “stay right with Him until he proves the promise true to you.”29 A missionary’s testimony from Bolivia corroborates this possible delay in that he brought his son to the United States to receive the baptism of the Spirit and it was a few weeks before he did.30

Once one has believed, prepared, petitioned, and possibly persevered, he or she is ready to receive the baptism. At some point during this process, God’s power will fall on the seeker. Bell encourages a reader that people often continue begging when God’s power has already fallen. Rather than continuing to seek, both the worker and the seeker should “go to thanking God for the presence of the Spirit and praise the Lord that you believe he will stay and finish the work. This increases faith on the part of the seeker, makes Jesus glad, and the Spirit amid great joy often breaks forth at once in other tongues.”31This final comment points to the final step in how to receive the Spirit. Various articles and testimonies corroborate the Assemblies of God’s fundamental truth that tongues always accompanies Spirit baptism as it is the initial physical sign that the baptism has occurred. Once one has received tongues, one has received the baptism. We will further examine this idea below.

The Experience of Spirit Baptism

While one or more of the above “steps” or markers appear in a majority of arti- cles and testimonies, there is no precise formula; in fact, one is more impressed by the diversity of testimonies concerning people’s journeys to and experi- ences of Spirit baptism. This is particularly true of the reception itself and the accompanying manifestations. Tongues can be seen as the lowest common denominator that all are expected to receive.32 We will not spend much time

27 28 29

30 31 32

Alice E. Luce, “Prayer for the Water Springs,”Christian Evangel, June 29, 1918, 4–5. Ibid., 4.

S.H. Frodsham, “Sunday School Lessons from a Pentecostal Viewpoint: Speaking for Christ,”Christian Evangel, August 10, 1918, 13.

Catherin Cragin, “Paul Cragin of Bolivia,”Weekly Evangel, March 30, 1918, 9.

E.N. Bell, “Questions and Answers,”Christian Evangel, February 8, 1919, 5.

By “lowest” common denominator, a term I have employed regularly throughout this article, I do not mean to say that tongues was the least important manifestation of Spirit

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on tongues. One can turn to almost any issue of thePentecostalEvangeland find an article such as “How Can We Know that We Have Received the Baptism?” by evangelist Bert Williams.33Various articles attempt to prove tongues biblically or experientially and to prove that all baptized will speak in tongues. Similarly, the majority of testimonies relate how the recipient spoke in tongues. Usually, these tongues were thought to be known languages that the speaker would not have known except by the Spirit. For instance, S.A. Bush tells of one Chinese convert who did not know a word of English, but upon receiving the baptism, “The Holy Spirit spoke through her in perfect English saying, ‘Jesus is coming soon.’”34 Others spoke in unknown or heavenly tongues. B.S. Moore tells the story of one of his Japanese workers who was baptized in the Spirit and imme- diately “returned thanks, dominion, and power in a heavenly language.”35

As mentioned earlier, the other manifestations besides tongues are as di- verse as there are testimonies. One of the most common is exuberant worship. One report relates that a woman rose to give her testimony and as she gave it the power came on her and she “began glorifying the Lord and immediately received the promise of the Father.”36 Many even appear drunk because of a lack of language and other faculties.37 Others have visions of Jesus, lights, or angels.38 Many shake or fall to the ground, a phenomenon often called being “slain in the Spirit.” A.J. Covington, for instance, testifies, “I felt my whole being shaking and going to the ground … Then I began to laugh in the Spirit as the third Person of the Trinity entered my whole being. I began to tell others, when a short muttering and then a smooth yet unknown language began to flow like a river out of my being.”39

33

34 35 36 37 38 39

baptism. In fact, many saw it as the crown of Spirit baptism and of utmost importance, so much so that it often dominated the discussion of Spirit baptism in these early periodicals. It is the “lowest” common denominator in that it is the one accompanying manifestation that nearly all, if not all, early Pentecostals believed accompanied Spirit baptism. This shows its important place. By showing it as a lowest common denominator I mean to point out not the unimportance of tongues, but rather the importance of other accompanying manifestations that could not be agreed upon as standard and so could not be included in a doctrinal statement like the 16 Fundamental Truths.

Bert Williams, “How Can We Know That We Have Received the Baptism?” Pentecostal Evangel, September 2, 1922, 2–3.

S.A. Bush, “Peking, China,”Christian Evangel, July 12, 1919, 11.

B.S. Moore and Wife, “Signs Follow the Gospel in Japan,”Christian Evangel, July 26, 1919, 8. Sunshine Marshall, “San Antonio, Texas,”Weekly Evangel, May 18, 1918, 11.

Alice E. Luce, “Mexican Work Along the Border,”Christian Evangel, June 15, 1918, 11. H.H. Varnell and Wife, “Russelvill,ark,”Christian Evangel, August 24, 1918, 14. A.J. Covington, “Pentecost Restored,”Pentecostal Evangel, September 2, 1922, 8.

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These are just some of the many manifestations experienced. Alice Luce demonstrates how these early Pentecostals believed that these physical mani- festations are in line with Scripture. She surveys the Old Testament and finds twenty different physical manifestations that occur when the Spirit comes upon people in the Old Testament and notes, “There we find a very striking parallel with what has been noted in all parts of the world during the Latter Rain outpouring of the past twelve years.”40She identifies the most commonly experienced manifestations during her time as shaking, trembling, quivering lips, and prostration.

Once again, as we have looked at what it means for the readers and con- tributors to the Pentecostal Evangel to be Spirit baptized, we find that there is a lowest common denominator that is seen to accompany all experiences, namely, tongues. Tongues is the only manifestation or descriptive of the expe- rience that occurs in the Statement of Fundamental Truths. Yet, the testimonies point to a greater diversity of experience. The manifestations also point to what these Pentecostals believe is happening at a deeper level in Spirit baptism. Luce describes it as one’s nature being “taken possession of with mighty power by the Spirit of God,” the result of which is an indwelling that affects the whole being, including the physical.41 E.N. Bell describes Spirit baptism as “a great experi- ence in which God pours out or sheds upon us the Holy Spirit from heaven, and as a result our whole body is enveloped or baptized with the Holy Spirit.”42 Again, Bell uses bodily language to describe the experience of Spirit baptism. It is not just spiritual, mystical, or abstract, but a real experience with the divine that affects the whole person, creating the physical manifestations we have described but also spiritual and social results that go further than simply speak- ing in tongues. It is to these results we now turn to in our last section.

The Purpose and Results of Spirit Baptism

In speaking of the purpose and results of Spirit baptism, we are asking about what occurs in the life of the baptized at a deeper heart level that makes the person different. While tongues as the Spirit gives utterance is seen as the primary external sign, writers such as W.H. Pope hold that there “will also be internal evidences to the recipient, but these are not by nature a ‘sign.’”43

40 41 42 43

Alice E. Luce, “Physical Manifestations of the Spirit,”Christian Evangel, July 27, 1918, 2–3. Ibid., 2.

E.N. Bell, “Questions and Answers,”Christian Evangel, April 5, 1919, 3.

W.H. Pope, “Why I Believe All Who Receive the Full Baptism Will Speak in Tongues,” Christian Evangel, June 15, 1918, 7.

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By saying internal evidences are not a “sign,” he means that these internal evidences cannot as easily be corroborated by other Christians as proof that one has received the baptism. While these internal evidences do not comprise the sign of baptism, an argument can be made that they leave the most lasting and transformative effect on the recipient. Rarely is tongues spoken of as the purpose for baptism, rather only as the sign of its occurrence. We will see that as they spoke of the purpose of Spirit baptism the primary understanding was that it was an enduement of power for service. However, there is once again a wide array of understandings that defy monolithic explanations.

In the General Council Minutes from 1916 in which the sixteen Fundamental Truths were first adopted, the fifth article says of Spirit baptism, “With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in work of the ministry.”44This is primarily drawing on Acts 1:8, which says, “Ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me.”45 Testimonies and articles in the Pentecostal Evangelcorroborate this view. For instance, Aimee Semple McPherson calls the young David’s going out to meet Goliath a type of “the Spirit-filled few, baptized with the Spirit, endued with the power, God’s perfect will to do.”46 Similarly, the testimony of a Chinese woman receiving the baptism says that since her baptism she had “been out on the street testifying to the mighty power of God, warning sinners, to repent, and is much blessed.”47Any number of articles and testimonies corroborate this view, but it is not the only voice.

Another common purpose or result cited for Spirit baptism is that of empow- ered worship. A second-hand testimony from Portland, Oregon reports that a “sister received her baptism and now can’t praise God enough for what he has done for her.”48 S.H. Frodsham reports of a preacher testifying, “The thing that the Pentecostal baptism has done for me is to make me a worshiper. I must con- fess that I never properly realized what true worship consists of until the Lord baptized me. Then it was I became … a true worshiper in Spirit and in truth.”49

44 45

46 47 48 49

General Council of the Assemblies of God,General Council Minutes, 1916, 10. Taken from an article in which St. George Kirke quotes Acts 1:8. St. George Kirke, “Revival, Prophecy, and the Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ,”Pentecostal Evangel, August 20, 1921, 2.

Aimee Semple McPherson, “God’s David,”Pentecostal Evangel, May 28, 1921, 3. Bush, “Peking, China,” 11.

Carrie Pride, “Portland Oregon,”Weekly Evangel, April 6, 1918, 14.

S.H. Frodsham, “Sunday School Lessons from a Pentecostal Viewpoint: Christian Worship,” Christian Evangel, July 26, 1919, 12.

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Beyond this, many saw the tongues that accompanied Spirit baptism as a form of worship, calling it “singing in the Spirit.”50

A third purpose or result of the baptism is sanctification. This is an interest- ing phenomenon, considering that one had to be sanctified in order to receive the baptism and that the finished work doctrine, which saw sanctification as effected at salvation, was the dominant view in the Assemblies of God. Still, one has people like Sarah Haggard Payne saying, “The baptism of the Holy Ghost is composed of two principles, fire and love. Fire purges and love lifts … Fire burns out all the dross and burns all the weights and ropes.”51 We see here an appropriation of the fire language often associated with Spirit baptism applied to the idea of sanctification or a burning away of sins that might hinder one from fully experiencing God. A.W. Orwig makes a similar comment on how the baptism of fire “consumed any possible remaining dross.”52 Finally, in an edi- torial meditation, J.T. Boddy says, “The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not only for the enduement of power, but is first of all for the subduement of self.”53The subduement of self is a form of sanctification in which one is diminished so that he or she can be made more like Jesus.

The subduement of self also speaks to the fact that Spirit baptism as sanctifi- cation is not just the abdication of sin but an appropriation or positive charac- ter added to the person. A report from Japan tells of a sixty-nine-year-old man who received the baptism: “In the former years he was the worst character for many miles around. The Spirit of God has now given him a very melted heart as he considers his awful past life.”54 S.H. Frodsham says that the baptism in the Spirit “sets us out to make us like Jesus” after dealing with our sin.55Finally, John Wright Follette expands this idea to say that the purpose of Spirit baptism goes beyond individual maturity to include the goal to “ripen and establish the church.”56

Another common purpose of the baptism in these periodicals is a greater experience of love and joy. Frodsham explains: “With this baptism, the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Love is the essence of

50 51 52 53 54 55 56

Mary Chapman, “Madras, India,”Christian Evangel, August 24, 1918, 10.

Sarah Haggard Payne, “God is Love,”Weekly Evangel, May 4, 1918, 6.

A.W. Orwig, “Rekindled with Fire Above,”Pentecostal Evangel, October 3, 1919, 8. J.T. Boddy, “Editorial Meditations,”Pentecostal Evangel, March 6, 1920, 4.

Leonard W. Coote, “A Good Report from Japan,”Christian Evangel, April 19, 1919, 10. S.H. Frodsham, “A Farewell Testimony,”Pentecostal Evangel, January 8, 1921, 5. John Wright Follette, “The Purpose of the Latter Rain,”Pentecostal Evangel, May 14, 1921, 2.

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the new covenant just as it is the very essence of God.”57 J.W. Welch calls the baptism “a baptism of love and wisdom.” This identification of baptism as love harkens back to the Wesleyan idea of Spirit baptism and/or sanctification. Joy is also a common result of Spirit baptism. W.T. Gaston tells readers that the result of being filled with the Spirit is that “first of all you will love the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart … you will be satisfied … everyone that is filled with the Spirit is happy.”58 Gaston calls it happiness, but Frodsham calls it joy. Frodsham retells one testimony in which a woman received the baptism and described her experience this way: “There is only one expression that fits—it is joy unspeakable and full of glory.”59 He also adds that there is nothing as effective as the ministry of joy.

Finally, the baptism of the Spirit can also be seen as bringing healing to the individual. This includes physical healing, inner healing as seen in sanctifica- tion, and corporate healing in the form of unity. Joe and Bertha Finley report the testimony of a woman who had been bedfast for three months when “God healed her and baptized her at the same time.”60 A.G. Ward, in a message on Jonah included in the periodical, says explicitly, “The baptism of the Holy Ghost not only gives power to witness, but power for healing.”61 Alice Luce takes it one step further: “If we desire to live in perpetual victory, ever receiving heal- ing and health from the risen Christ, we must seek the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.”62Luce seems to hold that to receive full healing, one must be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Another possibility is that once one is filled or baptized, that person will live in perpetual health or healing. Spirit baptism can also heal relationships. Frodsham testifies that there is “nothing compared to the fellowship we had together since we were baptized in the Holy Spirit.”63 Bell tells readers, “Ever since the Lord baptized me with the Holy Spirit … God has put a longing in my heart to see all schismatic, narrow, sectarian lines wiped out, and all God’s people truly made one. I believe this desire is in the heart of

57

58 59 60 61

62 63

S.H. Frodsham, “Sunday School Lessons from a Pentecostal Viewpoint: Moses Praying for Israel,”Christian Evangel, February 8, 1919, 10.

W.T. Gaston, “Be Filled with the Spirit,”Pentecostal Evangel, September 30, 1922, 2. S.H. Frodsham, “Filled With Joy,”Pentecostal Evangel, December 23, 1922, 2.

Joe and Bertha Finley, “Royalton, Ill.,”Christian Evangel, March 22, 1919, 4.

A.G.Ward,“SoulFoodforHungrySaints:AMessageonJonah,”PentecostalEvangel,Decem- ber 13, 1919, 7.

Alice E. Luce, “Uplift for the Sick Ones,”Pentecostal Evangel, April 17, 1920, 2.

S.H. Frodsham, “Sunday School Lesson from a Pentecostal Viewpoint,” Christian Evangel, July 12, 2012, 12.

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every baptized Saint.”64Finally, A.P. Collins makes a “plea for unity” drawing on 1Corinthians, which says that we are all baptized into one Spirit.65

We have demonstrated a number of other possibilities presented in the Pentecostal Evangel beyond Spirit baptism as enduement of power for service. These do not challenge the dominant view directly, but serve to expand the boundaries of Spirit baptism to a more holistic gift. We have also shown how this expansion is true in terms of the when, how, and what of Spirit baptism. Each area had a dominant, often official view but has been expanded by the testimonies and writings of the contributors to the periodical.

Beyond Spirit Baptism: Filled with the Spirit

To conclude, I would like to take the argument one step further by showing how even the core idea of Spirit baptism as a one-time event that occurs the first time a person speaks in tongues is expanded in the Pentecostal Evangel. In this way, the whole concept of Spirit baptism can be seen as enlarged through the writings and testimonies of the Pentecostal Evangel.

The dominant view can be summarized by Hermon L. Harvey, who says of non-baptistic experiences of the Spirit, “These experiences are blessed indeed, and not to be depreciated in the least: they are recognized as anointings of the Holy Spirit, but they are not the ‘baptism’ in the Spirit which comes but once to a person and is always made known by speaking in another tongue than one’s own.”66Testimonies also distinguish between actions and manifestations of the Spirit and the actual act of Spirit baptism. A report of Los Angeles camp meetings from T. Anderson says, “It was not an uncommon sight to see from fifty to seventy and eighty prostrated under the power of the Holy Ghost in one after-meeting. Many of those who fell under the power received the baptism of the Holy Ghost almost as soon as they struck the ground.”67 Testimonies like this one show that there was an understanding of the Spirit working outsideof baptism, butthat these experiences,if not accompaniedbythe initial physical evidence of tongues, were not considered Spirit baptism. Here many experience the Spirit, but only some experience it as baptism. Frodsham makes

64 65 66 67

E.N. Bell, “The Baptized Body of Christ,”Christian Evangel, June 14, 1919, 4.

A.P. Collins, “A Plea for Unity,”Christian Evangel, June 29, 1918, 3.

Hermon L. Harvey, “The Speaking in Tongues,”Pentecostal Evangel, June 25, 1921, 1. T. Anderson, “The Great Western Camp Meeting at Los Angeles,” Pentecostal Evangel, October 18, 1919, 6.

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the distinction clear: “It is one thing to be baptized in the Spirit and another thing to be continually drinking of the Spirit.”68

At the same time, various authors encourage their readers to seek a contin- uous filling of the Spirit beyond the experience of Spirit baptism. E.N. Bell says, “If a baptized saint will keep consecrated, keep in vital, close, living touch and loving fellowship with God,in and through the Spirit… he can have a sweet fel- lowship with God in prayer and as good a time in soul while praying as anybody else on earth.”69It is through the Spirit that one maintains the close fellowship first experienced with God through Spirit baptism. Others are more explicit. C.E. Simpson says:

Then many good people seem to think that when they have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, they are not to ask for the Holy Spirit any more. This I am convinced is a great mistake. It is true that we are not under ordinary circumstances to ask for what we have already received … yet I would point out that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not all the fullness of the Holy Spirit … this is just the beginning. We are to continue to ask, to seek and to knock; and He is going to lead us out into fullnesses, powers, glories, revelations of his unspeakable Love and union with the Beloved, that we now hardly dare to dream of.70

Here Simpson comments that Spirit baptism is not the fullness of the Spirit; rather, Christians are continually to seek experiences of the Spirit. Smith Wig- glesworth makes a similar argument: “I maintain that with a constant filling you will speak in tongues morning, noon and night.”71 Wigglesworth is say- ing that through continual filling of the Holy Spirit, one will likewise speak in tongues continually. This seems to indicate his belief that tongues can be fos- tered through continual filling with the Spirit.

The word fillingis often used synonymously with the experience of baptism in the Spirit. Similarly, the same manifestations and experiences that accom- pany the initial experience of Spirit baptism are often cited in these other “fill- ing” experiences that occur both before and after baptism. The results of Spirit baptism are also similar to the results of these other “fillings” with the Spirit.

68 69 70

71

S.H. Frodsham, “Conquering Evil,”Christian Evangel, August 24, 1918, 13.

E.N.Bell, “Questionsand Answers,”ChristianEvangel,May31,1919,5.The emphasis ismine. C.E. Simpson, “A Methodist Minister’s Personal Testimony,” Christian Evangel, August 9, 1919, 24.

Smith Wigglesworth, “Life in the Spirit,”Pentecostal Evangel, November 25, 1922, 3.

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They include sanctification, worship, love, and joy. Finally, we see encourage- ment to continue these experiences beyond a singular event. One should con- tinue in close fellowship with the Spirit in order to reap the full benefits of the Spirit rather than relying on a singular experience.

Conclusion

We have seen that Spirit baptism cannot be limited to the doctrinal statements and similar understandings found in the writings of the early Pentecostals in thePentecostal Evangel.72Rather, at every turn people describe what Spirit bap- tism is, their experience of it, and the results of it, as something more dynamic. It is more than tongues or enduement of power for service.73Their experiences and understandings even push beyond an understanding of Spirit baptism as just one event. In practice, it is a more dynamic view of Spirit baptism that carries the believer from salvation, through life, and on a continued journey toward the eschaton. This is similar to the dynamic view of salvation and Spirit baptism proposed by present-day pentecostal theologian Amos Yong, which sees subsequent crisis experiences empowering for service and sanctification drawing the believer into deeper intimacy with Christ.74This way, one can say, I was saved (the spirit’s work in regeneration), I am being saved (ongoing expe- riences of being filled with the Spirit), and I will be saved (eschatological union with God), all within the realm of Spirit baptism.75 Again, this does not sup- plant the dominant understanding but rather adds to it. It does not replace the

72 73

74

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Seen n. 6 above for a discussion of dominant understandings versus other understandings. This diversity of views causes us to reflect on why the doctrine of initial evidence was upheld by early Pentecostals given the diversity of experience as witnessed in these tes- timonies. We have already shown above (n. 4) how controversy would be one reason they would have remained so committed doctrinally. This commitment, and even their desire for “physical evidence,” may also betray the influence of modern scientific develop- mentsonearlyPentecostalism.Justassciencelooksforphysicalandquantifiableevidence to corroborate theories and findings, early Pentecostals wanted something physical and quantifiable to confirm their spiritual experience. This is an interesting move given their ready acceptance of spiritual experience to require physical evidence. It shows us that even their view of experience and the interplay between doctrine and experience is also complicated.

Amos Yong, The Spirit Poured Out on All Flesh: Pentecostalism and the Possibility of Global Theology(Grand Rapids,mi: Baker Academic, 2005), 99–100.

Ibid., 105.

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event of Spirit baptism and its importance in the ordo salutis—rather, the tes- timonies and writings of the early Pentecostals associated with the Pentecostal Evangel push us to enlarge the concept and work of Spirit baptism to include the holistic work of the Spirit in the life of the believer.76

76

I wish to thank the reviewers of this article for their invaluable feedback, particularly in nuancing the discussion of initial evidence, the function of doctrinal statements, and the Assemblies of God’s acceptance of finished work doctrine.

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