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Classical Pentecostal Interpretation of the Gift of Discernment from 1914 to 1941

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Classical Pentecostal Interpretation of the Gift of Discernment from 1914 to 1941 Abilene Christian University Digital Commons @ ACU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fall 12-2015 Classical Pentecostal Interpretation of the Gift of Discernment from 1914 to 1941 Stephanie Ann Rose Abilene Christian University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd Part of the Christian Denominations and Sects Commons, Christianity Commons, History of Christianity Commons, and the New Religious Movements Commons Recommended Citation Rose, Stephanie Ann, "Classical Pentecostal Interpretation of the Gift of Discernment from 1914 to 1941" (2015). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 7. This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Electronic Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ ACU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ ACU. ABSTRACT From the beginning of the Pentecostal Movement in 1906, Pentecostal meetings were plagued by what they labeled “counterfeit manifestations.” These manifestations were creating negative consequences for the movement and Pentecostals needed a strategy that would identify and eradicate them from their meetings. Because Pentecostalism was in its infancy, it did not have a clear procedure to assist in identifying counterfeit manifestations, to determine how they operated, and/or who or what produced them. Over time they began to form assumptions regarding the operation of counterfeit manifestations and developed several strategies that they hoped would counteract their presence in meetings, one of which was the employment of the gift of discernment. This study identifies the negative consequences counterfeit manifestations brought to the Pentecostal Movement from 1906 to 1941, the strategies Pentecostals employed in conjunction with the gift of discernment in order to counteract the negative effects caused by counterfeit manifestations, and their attempts to articulate a theological understanding of the gift of discernment for early Pentecostalism. Classical Pentecostal Interpretation of the Gift of Discernment from 1914 to 1941 A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Graduate School of Theology Abilene Christian University In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Modern and American Christianity By Stephanie Rose December 2015 To my husband, Peter Brooks Rose, and to present and former Pentecostals ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am deeply thankful for all of the time, feedback, and support that Dr. Douglas Foster has so graciously given towards the completion of this project. I am also grateful for the comments and feedback that I received from Dr. Jeff Childers and Dr. Fredrick Aquino who have helped to bring clarity and refinement to this paper. Kayla Hewitt and her editing team tremendously contributed towards the successful completion of this thesis by combing through the document and making corrections to the grammar and formatting. I am also extremely grateful for the support that I received from my husband, Brooks Rose. The completion of this thesis required a three-month separation from him, during which time he never complained of my absence. Instead he encouraged me to work hard and he made sure that I had everything that I needed to finish this project successfully. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement ................................................................................................... 2 The Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................ 3 Significance of the Study ......................................................................................... 3 Methodology ............................................................................................................ 4 Organization of the Study ........................................................................................ 6 The Scope/Delimitations of the Study ..................................................................... 7 Limitations of the Study .......................................................................................... 8 Resource Discovery ................................................................................................. 9 Terminology .......................................................................................................... 11 Baptism in the Holy Spirit ......................................................................... 11 Pentecostal/Pentecostal Movement ........................................................... 13 Gifts of the Spirit ....................................................................................... 19 Manifestation ............................................................................................. 19 Counterfeit Manifestations ........................................................................ 20 Spiritist/Spiritism ....................................................................................... 23 Gift of Discernment ................................................................................... 25 Literature Review .................................................................................................. 26 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 33 II. THE COUNTERFEIT PROBLEM: CONSEQUENCES AND STRATEGIES .. 34 Early Pentecostal Conclusions Regarding Counterfeit Manifestations ................. 35 Negative Consequences Resulting from the Presence of Counterfeit Manifestations ....................................................................................................... 39 Credibility Questioned ............................................................................... 40 Genuine Manifestations Restrained ........................................................... 50 Failure to Accurately Identify the Source of a Manifestation ................... 50 Strategies Implemented to Address the Presence of Counterfeit Manifestations .. 56 Arguments ................................................................................................. 57 Education on “Testing the Spirits” ............................................................ 59 Installation and Training of Leadership .................................................... 63 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 65 III. THE GIFT OF DISCERNMENT: PART 1 ........................................................... 67 Biographies of the Authors ................................................................................... 67 Anna C. Reiff (1869-1960) ........................................................................ 67 Elijah Columbus Clark, Jr. (1889-1950) .................................................. 71 Smith Wigglesworth (1859-1947) ............................................................ 73 Donald Gee (1891-1966) .......................................................................... 76 Harold Horton (1880-1969) ....................................................................... 79 Stanley H. Frodsham (1882-1966) ............................................................ 82 Alfred Howard Carter (1891-1971) ........................................................... 84 Pastor Paul (1853-1931) ............................................................................ 87 Summary .................................................................................................... 89 The Gift of Discernment ........................................................................................ 90 Identifying the Spirit Behind a Manifestation ........................................... 91 Identifying the Spirit Presently Influencing an Individual ........................ 92 Benefits the Gift of Discernment Provided to the Pentecostal Church ..... 93 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 94 IV. THE GIFT OF DISCERNMENT: PART 2 ........................................................... 96 Outcomes of Practicing the Gift of Discernment .................................................. 96 Requirements for the Gift of Discernment to Operate in an Individual ................ 99 How to Identify Someone Who Possessed the Gift of Discernment ................... 107 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 112 V. FINDINGS AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS ......................................................... 115 Theological Development of Pentecostal Beliefs ................................................ 116 Source of Counterfeit Manifestations: Spiritualists ............................. 116 To Whome Does God Grant the Gift of Discernment? Leaders or Laity ................................................................................................... 121 The Gift of Discernment in 1941: Beliefs Held .................................................. 127 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 129 APPENDIX A. U.S. Passport Application for Anna Cassel Reiff .....................
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