A Presentation of Perfection - Media Sabda Org

This is just one example among many where camp meetings were organized to emphasize the
message of holiness.
Holiness Scholars
While Palmer exercised a significant role in the formation of holiness movement theology, she
was not the only source relied upon by the movement for its doctrinal understanding of entire
sanctification. There were several other influential theologians that assisted in the formation of the
doctrine of entire sanctification. Some of these were eighteenth century figures, while others were
products of the movement.
John Fletcher
Fletcher, a contemporary of John Wesley, basically agreed with Wesley's doctrine of Christian
Perfection with some slight variations. A salvation history approach to the Bible was taken by
Fletcher, whereby he talked often about the doctrine of dispensations. The dispensation of the Father
was in the Old Testament era, the dispensation of Christ was the time of the apostles before
Pentecost, and the Holy Spirit dispensation was initiated at Pentecost and continues today.
The main difference between Wesley and Fletcher was concerning the relation of the Holy Spirit
in the work of Sanctification.
While Wesley taught entire sanctification through the Holy Spirit given to us, and at
times spoke of a coming or infilling of the Spirit as accomplishing the purification
of the heart, he was restrained in his treatment of the Acts passages that refer to the
dispensational coming of the Spirit and only rarely mentioned the baptism with the
Holy Spirit. On the other hand, Fletcher made much of this dispensational baptism
and distinguished sharply between those who had received it and those who, like the
disciples before Pentecost, were still in the dispensation of the Son. Both men,
however, implied degrees of Spirit baptism so that the remaining difference was more
one of emphasis than of substance. [10]
Adam Clarke
Clarke was saved at an early age after hearing a Methodist circuit-rider preach. He was later
entirely sanctified and became a great scholar who propagated the doctrine of holiness. John L.
Peters quotes M. L. Edwards on Clarke:
He was the greatest name in Methodism in the generation which succeeded Wesley.
. . .He was not only the greatest scholar in Methodism,....but if to all men he was
known as a scholar, to his own people he was a father in God and a brother beloved.
[11]
Clarke was a powerful evangelist and involved in church administration, but he has been best
known for his commentary on both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. These commentaries
are still published and used often.