PENTECOSTAL EVENTS FROM 1801 UNTIL 1907

1801

A great spiritual outpouring took place in Cain Ridge, Kentucky in this year. It happened during a camp meeting of interdenominationals, including those of Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian faiths. It became a normal thing to hear sermons full of great power, anointed singing as well as shouting and dancing as the Spirit led those in attendance.

It wasn’t completely out of the picture to also hear those experiencing holy laughter, those who received the gift of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and more. This was considered a leading experience pointing to the Pentecostal revival to come.

1830

There was an absolutely extraordinary move of the Holy Spirit, witnessed by the Reverend Edward Irving of the Catholic Apostolic Church located in Glasgow, Scotland. It seems that Margaret McDonald, a fifteen year old in the community, was completely healed of an illness that was known to be terminal. She also received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues.

1887

Erastus Stone began the construction of his home, located in Topeka, Kansas, during this time. The home became a palace, in the midst of America, with many influences, including Medieval European as well as Oriental ones. The palace was given the formal name, Stones Folly and was the location where the Holy Ghost was poured out on the first day of January, in 1901.

1890

The Philadelphia American Bible Society bought Stone’s Folly, paying only $5,000 for the palace, even though Stone had already spent more than $30,000 on the home when he ran out of money in 1889. In today’s market, that figure is worth in excess of seven million dollars.

1898

In Topeka, Kansas, at 335 Jackson Street, Mr. Charles Parham opened the Bethel Healing Home. It was one of many endeavors for the Kingdom that he had undertaken. Another of those, which also happened in 1898, was the founding and first publication of “The Apostolic Faith”, a paper Mr. Parham began sending out to spread the message of faith. The paper also included the latest happenings in the area and soon gained more fame than anyone could have expected.

1900

In September of this year, Charles Parham rented out the previously mentioned Stones Folly in Topeka where he opened the Bethel Bible school a month later. About forty students were admitted into the school at this time. In the late fall term of this same year, Parham required that all students enrolled in the school study carefully on the subject of the Holy Ghost Baptism and the experience of speaking in other tongues as evidence of this.

1901

Agnes Ozman, a missionary and resident of Beatrice, Nebraska, became the very first at Stones Folly to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. This happened on January 1^st, and she continued speaking in other tongues for three straight days. At the end of those three days, another thirteen people received the Holy Ghost, including Mr. Parham himself, with the evidence of other tongues.

After some time, the students at Stones Folly began to become burdened for other popular cities as well. Because of this, on the 21^st of January, Parham took seven of his students and traveled to Kansas City, Missouri where he held revival.

By June of 1901, a man by the name of Harry Croft bought the well known Stones Folly and evicted Bethel Bible School, along with all the students and teachers. Croft turned the palace into a Casino with an integrated Speakeasy and brothel.

As if by divine intervention, the palace was destroyed completely by a fire on December 6, 1901.

1902

Even though he met with a great deal of opposition, Parham continued his street meetings, along with several others in his company, on the streets of Kansas City. It was during this year that he actually moved there, and after this, he began to hold his meetings at 16^th and Main Street. He started yet another Bible school in that city, at 11^th and Oak Street, and it operated for about four months. After holding a meeting in Nevada, Missouri, where he saw very few results, he stated that God had directed him to Acts 2:38, and began preaching water baptism, by immersion, in the name of Jesus only.

1903

Parham went on to visit El Dorado Springs, Missouri, holding meetings at Springs Park. It was during one of these meetings that he was to meet Mary Arthur, who was healed at this time. Later this year, in the fall, Parham went by invitation to Galena, Kansas, where Ms. Arthur was from, and held a revival that was very successful. It was here that Howard Goss became an Apostolic Believer and received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost after being prayed for by Charles Parham.

1904

Parham went on to Joplin, Missouri and held a revival there that lasted through the fall and winter. During this revival, Rosanna Trapp was the first to be baptized with the Holy Ghost. However, due to his rigorous preaching and teaching schedule, Parham succumbed to a physical breakdown that very nearly cost him his life.

1905

After he was well enough to preach again, Parham went on to hold revival in Baxter Springs, Kansas. By springtime, he had made his way to Texas, as a missionary trip, where he ended his journey at the home of HH Aylor in Orchard, Texas. It was Easter Sunday of this year that the Movement was birthed there in Orchard as Parham conducted his very first meeting.

After that, a committee was sent to Houston, where they managed to acquire Bryan Hall for conducting meetings that began in August. It was here that Parham met Lucy Farrow, who went on to help care for Charles and Sarah Parham’s children while they preached the revival meetings. By December, Parham had rented a residence in Houston, totally furnished, which would not only serve as his family home, but also the Apostolic Faith Movement Headquarters as well. Later, also in December, Parham opened up a Bible School in the same residence.

1906

Parham, on a second Texas mission, preached revival in the cities of Galveston, Alvin, Brunner and Katy and was accompanied by Mr. Howard A. Goss, of Galena, Kansas. While on this trip, Lucy Farrow made the introduction between Parham and a Mr. William J. Seymour. After attending Parham’s Bible School, Terry Neely heard Seymour preach and invited him to come to Los Angeles, California to a holiness church pastored by Julia Hutchinson.

After preaching his first sermon at Hutchinson’s church, his text taken from Acts 2:4, he was quickly locked out of the church. Taking pity on him, Richard and Ruth Asbury, members of the chuch that he was locked out of, opened their 214 Bonnie Brae Street home to him. From here, he went on to hold meetings for prayer and Bible study, which continued on regular occasions.

This year, on Easter, this group held their first meeting at 213 Azusa Street. The building was formerly the Stevens AME Church, but had become abandoned after a fire. Still, Seymour continued with the revival, using makeshift pews and an altar. Parham visited the revival on Azusa Street, but he voiced his opinion that the revivals were fanaticism and quickly separated himself from Seymour.

Parham went on to Zion City, Illinois, to the Catholic Apostolic Church there, but his character was greatly attacked, as people carried signs through the city in hopes that he would leave their town.

Meanwhile, the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World became established, from the Azusa Street mission. It was here, on the 9^th of April, that Edward Lee had been the first person in the city of Los Angeles to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, after asking Lucy Farrow to lay her hands on him. He immediately began to speak with other tongues. Three days later, Seymour himself received the Baptism, speaking in tongues.

1907

Charles Parham went on to dedicate the first ever Pentecostal Church, located in Keelville, Kansas, built in America. However, He was soon accused of sexual misconduct by a Zion City resident by the name of Wilbur Voliva. He tried to preach revival services at Zion Tabernacle, but was arrested for the sexual misconduct charges and later resigned as the Apostolic Faith Movement Projector.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
But to Your name be the glory
Because of Your love and your faithfulness!