Page 107 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT

This is contrary to the Bible’s instruction about the in the spirit, “tongues,” jerking, hysteria, strange animal
use of tongues. The Bethel Bible School “tongues” in noises, “holy laughter,” spiritual muteness” (people
January 1901 was confusion, which the Bible says is not trying to speak and unable to do so), etc. The seekers
of God (1 Co. 14:33). The Bible says that tongues are would be “seized with a strange spell and commence a
not to be used unless they are interpreted and even jibberish of sounds.” A very sympathetic biographer of
then, the gift is to be exercised by only one speaker at a William Seymour admits that “at times the meetings
time (1 Co. 14:23-28). Further, women are not to speak would become so boisterous that the police were
(1 Co. 14:34). called” (Martin, The Life and Ministry of Seymour, p.
Parham claimed that Ozman was unable to speak in 188).
English for three days after her initial tongues One man shook so violently under Seymour’s
experience. Her own testimony was that “many times ministry that an ambulance was called. When the man
we could only talk in other tongues” (Martin, The who was shaking told the doctor, “Don’t touch me, this
Topeka Outpouring of 1901, p. 88). To the contrary, the is the power of God,” the doctor wisely replied, “If that
Bible says a genuine prophet or tongues-speaker is in is the power of God it is giving you a devil of a
control of himself. “And the spirits of the prophets are shaking” (Martin, p. 306).
subject to the prophets” (1 Co. 14:32). Ozman’s Though there were many reports about healing and
uncontrollable “tongues” were not of God. financial miracles at Azusa, the bank eventually
Parham moved to Texas and established a string of foreclosed on the church’s property and Seymour died
churches near Houston. The new movement was called young at 52 years old, having been in poor health for a
the Apostolic Faith, and it grew quickly and split into long before that. A few months before his death
many different directions. The Dictionary of Pentecostal Seymour was described as “worn, tired, and
and Charismatic Movements notes that “Parham’s decrepit” (John Matthews, Speaking in Tongues, 1925, p.
contributions to Pentecostalism included the particularly 14).
acute level of ‘latter rain’ millenarianism.” He THE LATTER RAIN COVENANT
considered himself a latter days John the Baptist, In my library is a book published in 1910 by David
announcing a new dispensation of the Spirit. He gave Wesley Myland (1858-1943) entitled The Latter Rain
himself the title “Projector of the Apostolic Faith.” Covenant. It was an influential book that developed the
One of the students at Parham’s newly founded latter rain doctrine in a systematic fashion. When he
Houston Bible school was William J. Seymour heard of the Azusa Street “outpouring” in 1906, he
(1870-1922), a black evangelist who accepted Parham’s accepted the Pentecostal doctrine and was eventually
doctrine and carried it to Los Angeles, California. The forced to leave the Christian Missionary Alliance.
mission established by Seymour on Azusa Street in 1906 Myland believed the Latter Rain Covenant is based on
has become famous as the birthplace of Pentecostalism. Deuteronomy 11:14, in which God promised to give
Meetings were held three times a day, seven days a Israel the early and latter rains if she would obey His
week, for three years. Visitors attended from around the law. The term “latter rain” appears six times in the Old
world, seeking their own “personal Pentecost,” and Testament, and it always refers to actual rain upon the
these and missionaries sent out from the Azusa Street land of Israel, but Myland believed the promise of the
mission created a whirlwind of growth for the latter rain had a three-fold application: first, to the
burgeoning Pentecostal movement. nation Israel and the land of Palestine; second, to the
The meetings began in the mornings and continued Christian life; and third, prophetically to a latter rain
for 10 hours and more. There was no order of services outpouring preceding Christ’s return.
and usually no one was leading. “Whoever was anointed According to latter rain doctrine, the coming of the
with the message would stand and deliver it. It might be Holy Spirit in his apostolic miracle-working power and
a man, woman, or child” (Larry Martin, The Life and prophetic outpouring has two stages, the early and the
Ministry of William J. Seymour, p. 186). Seymour rarely latter rains. Just as there was a sign-miracle outpouring
preached. Instead, much of the time he put his head during the days of the apostles, there allegedly will be a
down in an empty packing crate that served as the similar outpouring at the end of this age before Christ
pulpit and prayed. Pastoral oversight was minimum, to returns.
say the least. People sang out at the same time but “with The only mention of the latter rain in the New
completely different syllables, rhythms, and Testament, though, is in James 5:7, and there is not
melodies” (Ted Olsen, “American Pentecost, Christian even a hint there of the doctrine of an end-time miracle
History, Issue 58, 1998). revival. It is something that must be read into the
The services were characterized by much confusion: passage. The New Testament prophecies describing the
dancing, jumping up and down, falling, trances, slaying

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