From the Editor
Azusa Sarah Hinlicky Wilson
Note: This is the first chapter of the author’s A Guide to so little of the usual preparation, as the newspaper quo- Pentecostal Movements for Lutherans, published this summer tation testifies? What did people see in the plain wooden by Wipf & Stock. The chapters that follow are entitled: Pentecostals, building in an unprepossessing neighborhood of Los Ange- Lutherans, Baptism i, Baptism ii, Charismata, History, Power, les? Why was the ministry of William J. Seymour (1870– Prosperity, and Experience. To learn more, visit
Lutheran Forum 3 given a renewed American impetus Him completely, and God can accom- By the time it was all over, even the by Asa Mahan (1799–1889), college plish what He intends. Why should we most fervent Christian had a hard president and author of The Scripture assume that we convert to Christ only time expecting the best of the human Doctrine of Christian Perfection, and by to be continually defeated by sin? God race. And yet the hopes of decades revivalist preacher Phoebe Palmer can conquer the sin in us, even now past didn’t simply dry up and disap- (1807–1874). For them, it was not upon this earth. Thus the Holiness pear. Other explanations were sought enough to say that sin had been for- movement came more and more to and, above all, deeper experiences of given. Methodist doctrine taught that emphasize a “second work of grace” God. the dominion of sin over the believer after justification or conversion, which Around the turn of the twenti- could be fully destroyed; that the incli- they called “entire sanctification.” eth century, a new teaching began to nation to sin could be conquered. Whereas Reformed and Lutheran make the rounds in Holiness churches. Early nineteenth-century American Protestants understood sanctification Benjamin Hardin Irwin (1854– Christianity likewise believed in the to be a gradual, lifelong process to be c. 1920s) had experienced both regen- perfectibility of human society, giving completed only at the resurrection of eration and entire sanctification, but rise to all kinds of reform movements during his preaching journeys he had toward temperance, the abolition of A search for a third experience, which he called a slavery, and education. Many people “baptism by fire” or “baptism in the believed that God would not with- absolute certainty— Holy Spirit.” The believers that gath- hold any good thing from His children ered around him accordingly called if they earnestly desired and prayed whether of salvation, themselves the Fire-Baptized move- for it, sinlessness included. Holiness ment. Most Holiness churches quickly churches, an offshoot of Methodism, sanctification, or rejected Irwin and his “third work” grew in size and importance as they teaching. Indeed, due to his exces- promoted these teachings. anything else— sively creative ideas about “dynamite,” It is important to note that the “lyddite,” and “oxidite” baptisms, plus assumption of this kind of Christ- was a longstanding a moral scandal, he fell from the radar ianity is one of adult conversion. The and died in obscurity. Still, his notion ancient civilizations and folk churches theme in American of a “third blessing” or “third expe- of the Middle East and Europe, rience of grace” after conversion and where Christianity was so fully incor- Christianity, and sanctification began to gain ground. porated into the life of the society The third blessing idea was particu- that the baptism of infants was often evidential tongues larly vital in such denominations as required by law, no longer made any the Church of God (Cleveland, Ten- sense on the American frontier. Colo- accompanying Spirit nessee) and the Pentecostal Holiness nial American culture was one with- Church, with which the Fire-Baptized out ancient institutions, intoxicated baptism fit neatly churches eventually merged. At this by the opportunity for a fresh start, point in time, though, “Pentecostal” based on personal commitment and into the pattern. did not yet mean what we mean by it decision rather than law or custom. today. Baptism, therefore, was understood the dead, Holiness Christians under- Then another person came on the to be the result of a conscious adult stood it to be as instantaneous and scene: Charles Fox Parham (1873– experience of regeneration by God. experiential as conversion itself. 1929). He started out as a preacher in Baptism was not primarily a church The optimistic mood of American a Methodist church but in time was ritual or an act of God but a public Christianity was well matched by the attracted to Holiness teaching. He witness to an internal spiritual event. growth of both science and industry, eventually struck out on his own with (The Lutheran Confessions also speak but it didn’t last as long as the other a ministry of divine healing—another frequently of regeneration, but they two. The biggest and bitterest blow prominent theme of nineteenth- assume it will be subsequent to, and was the American Civil War (1861– century American Christianity. Dur- in part the result of, baptism, which in 1865). Approximately 620,000 people ing a visit to a Holiness commune in the sixteenth-century European con- lost their lives in this conflict—which the northeastern United States, Par- text was nearly always infant baptism.) was two percent of the entire Ameri- ham heard about missionaries who But following the Methodist line of can population at the time—and that had received xenolalia: the miraculous thought, it was not enough to turn to on top of four hundred years of the gift of speech in a foreign language, God in faith at regeneration. Wesley’s enslavement and horrific maltreat- akin to what took place on the day of logic was simple: God wants us to love ment of persons of African descent. Pentecost in Acts 2. (Xenolalia is to be
4 Fall 2016 distinguished from glossolalia, which also began to fester, and other lead- Seymour came to Parham’s school is speech in the tongues “of angels” or ers soon eclipsed Parham. A probably looking for answers to his religious otherwise incomprehensible speech.) false accusation of moral misdeeds questions. Parham, an avowed racist, Suddenly all the pieces fell into sealed his fate. But what limited his would only allow Seymour to sit in place for Parham. If you could speak reach most was his unchangeable con- the hallway and listen; the black man a foreign language, you could instantly viction that the gift of tongues was couldn’t be in the same room as every- become a missionary. Jesus had said always xenolalia. The problem was one else. that the gospel must first be preached that, almost without exception, Spirit- Despite the discrimination, Sey- to all nations (Mark 13:10), and once baptized missionaries quickly discov- mour listened attentively and took that had happened he would come ered they’d been mistaken about their Parham seriously. He himself had again in glory (13:26). If xenolalia was ability to speak in foreign languages! experienced entire sanctification being bestowed upon believers, it must Whatever they were speaking, it wasn’t and believed, like most other Holi- be in preparation for the final mission- a known foreign language. ness Christians, that this experience ary push and, therefore, the end times. The main reason Parham is had included baptism in the Spirit. It It was not simply a private experience remembered today is because of Wil- seemed only logical: how could you of edification but an equipping for liam J. Seymour, the aforementioned be entirely sanctified without having service. preacher of Azusa Street. Seymour been baptized in the Spirit? But then, Parham opened a school in Topeka, Christ himself was entirely sinless and Kansas, in the American heartland, William J. Seymour yet he also needed to be baptized in where he challenged his students to the Spirit—and that, significantly, was find hard-and-fast proof of Spirit started teaching that the inauguration of his ministry. Holi- baptism. Plenty of people in Holiness ness stressed perfection and cleansing, circles by now were talking of being baptism in the Spirit but it said little of missionary power baptized in the Spirit, which they and equipping. That was the missing equated with the second work of grace, was an equipping piece. Seymour was convinced, but he namely entire sanctification. But Par- himself had not yet received what was ham and his students together became for ministry, now being called the “third blessing” convinced that speaking in tongues when he left Parham’s company. was the proof of baptism in the Spirit, not a gift of purity In 1906, while still studying at Par- or, as it was later doctrinally defined ham’s school, Seymour received an by the newborn Pentecostal churches, or sanctification— invitation to become the pastor of a tongues was the “initial evidence” or Holiness church in California. He “initial physical evidence” or “Bible that, in fact, it was a arrived in Los Angeles in February evidence” of Spirit baptism. A search of that year and started teaching that for absolute certainty—whether of third work of grace. baptism in the Spirit was an equip- salvation, sanctification, or anything ping for ministry, not a gift of purity else—was a longstanding theme in had grown up in the largely Catholic or sanctification—that, in fact, it was a American Christianity, and evidential world of Louisiana, the son of ex- third work of grace. Saying so got him tongues accompanying Spirit baptism slaves. As an adult he traveled north in promptly locked out of the church. fit neatly into the pattern. Parham search of work and became involved Those who’d invited him in the first and his students started praying for with Methodist Episcopal and Eve- place came to regard him as a heretic. the gift, and on January 1, 1901, one ning Light Saints churches. He was But another family in the congrega- of the students, Agnes Ozman, spoke a premillennialist awaiting the immi- tion had mercy on Seymour and took in tongues. The same happened to nent return of Christ, and a believer him in. At a Bible study hosted by Parham himself and about half the in “special revelation”—probably the family, he continued to teach that other students over the next few days. inherited from slave Christianity— there were three works of grace, and Despite Parham’s passionate evange- meaning divine direction granted that baptism in the Spirit only followed listic efforts, though, few people joined through dreams, visions, voices, and upon the first two works of conversion them, and the Apostolic Faith move- trances. This did not mean, however, and sanctification. This eventually ment, as he called it, languished in additions to the revelation granted in became known as the doctrine of sub- obscurity for some time. Holy Scripture. All such special rev- sequence: an important affirmation A few years later the movement elations were to be tested against the that sanctification and Spirit baptism began to pick up again, though at Bible and repudiated if found to be at are not the cause but the result of salva- its height it never had more than ten odds with it. tion, and that all three are the work thousand members. Internal conflict In the course of his wanderings, of God. Believers could pray for Spirit
Lutheran Forum 5 week it became necessary to rent the space on Azusa Street. The Mission was soon abuzz with activity. There were Bible studies every day, prayer meetings in people’s homes and in camps outside the city, local evangelistic outreach, and of course frequent worship. The wor- ship style was in the classic African- American pattern of call-and- response preaching and impassioned singing and prayer. Mark 16 and Acts 2:4 were favorite texts of Seymour’s, and he quoted Isaiah more than any other book of the Bible. The Lord’s Supper was celebrated often, as was foot-washing, another Holiness dis- tinctive. Baptism was performed by full immersion in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Speaking and singing in tongues were both common, as were more unusual signs of having fallen under the Spir- it’s power, such as trances and danc- ing. These were the sorts of things that drew the scorn of the secular press, but they equally drew seekers from all races and all social classes. Women were as active in Azusa’s ministry as men. Long-term Christians and sea- soned clergy were as attracted to the revival as those who were not yet bap- tized believers. The sheer fact of a racially integrated congregation was a miracle at that period in American history. Seymour’s leadership was nothing short of extraordinary. He struck a balance that was nicely expressed in the mission’s newspaper: “If there is too much reading of the Word with- out prayer, you get too argumentative, baptism, tarry for it (long periods of tism, and understanding the latter as and if you pray too much without prayer and worship with other believ- an empowerment for mission, is what reading, you get fanatical.”2 Seymour ers), and yearn for it, but God was the set Seymour’s teaching apart from the taught the tripartite conversion- one Who gave it. They would know classical Holiness position. And this is sanctification-Spirit baptism pattern, when they’d received it—it was not what came to be defined as specifically but his orientation was always obedi- a silent or unnoticed kind of event— Pentecostal. ence to God, not the accomplishment and the proof would be speaking in In April, Seymour’s teaching came of religious phenomena. “Do not seek tongues. Seymour crucially differed rapidly and dramatically to flower. for tongues,” he said, “but for the from Parham on the nature of these Participants in the Bible study began promise of the Father, and pray for tongues: he believed they were not to speak in tongues. A few days later, the baptism with the Holy Ghost, and xenolalia, as in Acts 2, but glossolalia, Seymour himself finally did too. God will throw in the tongues accord- as in i Corinthians 14. The distinction Almost at once visitors came to see ing to Acts 2:4.”3 between sanctification and Spirit bap- what was happening, and within a Though he preached regularly, Sey-
6 Fall 2016 mour deliberately made room for lay he ended up being sidelined during accompanied by a denial of the Trin- leadership and even for competing and the explosive growth of the Pentecost- ity, claiming that Jesus alone was God. dissenting voices. One visitor actually al movement over the next few years. Spirit baptism was equated with both got up to denounce the whole revival Then in 1911, during one of Sey- conversion and sanctification—it was and in the very process found him- mour’s preaching tours away from one single salvific experience. This self being converted! While Seymour home, a Chicago pastor named Wil- proved to be the most permanent and was well aware of the mixed motives liam H. Durham (1873–1912) was destructive split in the nascent Pente- of the human heart and insisted on invited to preach in his absence. Dur- costal movement. Those who followed regular scriptural discernment of all ham had visited Azusa before and the new teaching were called Oneness developments, he equally recognized received the baptism in the Spirit while or Jesus’ Name Pentecostals. the need to trust and nourish other he was there. Seymour even proph- The Azusa Street revival lasted only Christians in their own callings. The esied on that occasion that wherever about three years, from 1906 to 1909. result was that, while only fifty to sixty Durham went he would cause the It saw a brief flare-up again in the sec- people formed the long-term core of Holy Spirit to fall upon the gathered ond decade of the twentieth century, the congregation, thousands more people. But by the time he returned as but by the time of Seymour’s death passed through the Mission and in so a guest preacher, Durham had made in 1922 it was marginal. In the mean- doing heard their own call to Christian a major break with classical Holiness while, Seymour had seen enough to ministry. Countless people departed teaching. He no longer accepted the modify his own teachings somewhat. Azusa Street directly for points over- “second work of grace,” namely entire He no longer considered tongues seas and devoted their entire lives to sanctification. Instead, he argued, the alone to be sufficient Bible evidence global mission. “Finished Work” of Christ on the cross of baptism in the Spirit: a person also Despite Seymour’s irenic and hum- made all of the savior’s holiness avail- had to be immersed in the love of ble approach to ministry, the Azusa able to Christians immediately at the God and display the spiritual fruit of Street Mission was not without con- moment of conversion. What Christ love in daily life. The washing away of flict. Quite the contrary. Charles Par- accomplished would and must be con- the color line, which had always been ham visited about six months after tinually appropriated by the Christian important to Seymour, was one of the the revival got underway and was over the course of life, rather than most important signs of the genuine downright horrified by what he saw. all in a single experienced moment. work of the Spirit and the gift of love. Undoubtedly spurred by his racist Durham preached this message dur- Despite the short duration of the dislike of the African-American char- ing his visit to Azusa, but his real goal revival and the ultimate inconse- acter of the worship, especially the was to take over the Mission. Seymour quence of the Azusa Street Mission more demonstrative aspects of it, he came home early, and this time he was to the rapidly growing Pentecostal tried to stage a takeover of the Mis- the one to lock out a preacher with churches, there is no doubt that Sey- sion. The regulars wouldn’t hear of it, an unacceptable message. Durham mour and his congregation made an so Parham opened his own competing responded by starting his own mission unprecedentedly enormous impact on church nearby, to little success. a few blocks away, just as Parham had. world Christianity. There is almost no Two years later, probably due to As if that weren’t enough, in 1913 better example of how God uses the jealousy over Seymour’s marriage, a camp meeting took place at nearby humble and insignificant to accom- one of the Azusa Street leaders named Arroyo Seco under the auspices of the plish great things. LF Clara Lum absconded with most of Mission but without inviting Seymour, the equipment and the mailing list for and at that meeting someone proph- Notes The Apostolic Faith and set up her own esied that Christians should baptize 1. Quoted in Cecil M. Robeck Jr., The Azusa Street Mission and Revival: The Birth of the Pentecostal mission in Portland, Ore- only in the name of Jesus, as was Global Pentecostal Movement (Nashville: Thomas gon, along with another former mem- done in the Book of Acts, not in the Nelson, 2006), 52. ber. All of Seymour’s efforts to regain trinitarian name. This practice soon 2. Quoted in Robeck, 142. control of his newspaper failed, and spread far and wide. Before long it was 3. Quoted in Robeck, 163.
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