A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

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A History of Christian Doctrine Rain began in February 1948 at Sharon Orphanage and Schools in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada. Three men were key figures in this initial stage: George Hawton, P. G. Hunt, and Herrick Holt. Hawton and Hunt had recently been involved in a dispute with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada and had resigned from that organization. They began working in North Battleford with Holt, an independent minister who had been associated with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. During this time, these men and their students began seeking God for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They began intense fasting and prayer, and soon they reported a great anointing of the Spirit, many healings, and many personal prophecies—something that would become a characteristic of the Latter Rain movement. People began to lay hands on one another and give detailed prophecies and instructions concerning each other’s lives. The Latter Rain movement swept through classical Pentecostalism, drawing people out of their existing churches. It drew both trinitarians and Oneness believers, but its impact was much greater among the former. It was especially strong in Canada and in the northwestern United States. The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada suffered a split. Some prominent Trinitarian Pentecostals who became associated with or endorsed the Latter Rain movement were as follows: Myrtle Beall (1896-1979), an AG pastor who founded Bethesda Missionary Temple in Detroit. The church became a headquarters for Latter Rain teaching. 266

The Healing Revival and the Latter Rain Her son, James E. Beall (born 1925), later became pastor. He wrote Rise to Newness of Life, a book that teaches the necessity of water baptism and advocates baptism in Jesus’ name while retaining a trinitarian view of God. Ivan Q. Spencer (1888-1970), founder of Elim Bible Institute (1924) in upstate New York and Elim Fellowship (1933), an alliance of people who were trained at the institute. Before 1924, Spencer had been a member of the AG. He was introduced to the Latter Rain by Myrtle Beall, and Elim Fellowship became one of the foremost propagators of the movement. Stanley Frodsham (1882-1969), an AG pioneer and editor of AG publications, who identified with the Latter Rain movement for a while. He considered it to be a renewal of the early Pentecostal movement. In 1949 he resigned as the AG editor and an AG minister in order to participate in the Latter Rain. He taught at Elim Bible Institute for a time, but ultimately he became disenchanted with the excesses of the movement and disassociated himself. Lewi Pethrus (1884-1974), founder of Filadelfia Church in Stockholm, Sweden, and a leading European Pentecostal pioneer. His church was the largest Pentecostal church in the world until about 1975, and his organization was the largest free (nonestablished) church in Sweden. Some Oneness Pentecostals who joined the Latter Rain movement were as follows: David (“Little David”) Walker (born 1934), a child evangelist who began preaching at age nine and held great evangelistic, healing campaigns. Eventually, however, he joined the AG. 267

The Healing Revival and the Latter Rain<br />

Her son, James E. Beall (born 1925), later became pastor.<br />

He wrote Rise to Newness <strong>of</strong> Life, a book that teaches<br />

the necessity <strong>of</strong> water baptism and advocates baptism<br />

in Jesus’ name while retaining a trinitarian view <strong>of</strong> God.<br />

Ivan Q. Spencer (1888-1970), founder <strong>of</strong> Elim Bible<br />

Institute (1924) in upstate New York and Elim Fellowship<br />

(1933), an alliance <strong>of</strong> people who were trained at the<br />

institute. Before 1924, Spencer had been a member <strong>of</strong> the<br />

AG. He was introduced to the Latter Rain by Myrtle Beall,<br />

and Elim Fellowship became one <strong>of</strong> the foremost propagators<br />

<strong>of</strong> the movement.<br />

Stanley Frodsham (1882-1969), an AG pioneer and<br />

editor <strong>of</strong> AG publications, who identified with the Latter<br />

Rain movement for a while. He considered it to be a<br />

renewal <strong>of</strong> the early Pentecostal movement. In 1949 he<br />

resigned as the AG editor and an AG minister in order to<br />

participate in the Latter Rain. He taught at Elim Bible<br />

Institute for a time, but ultimately he became disenchanted<br />

with the excesses <strong>of</strong> the movement and disassociated<br />

himself.<br />

Lewi Pethrus (1884-1974), founder <strong>of</strong> Filadelfia<br />

Church in Stockholm, Sweden, and a leading European<br />

Pentecostal pioneer. His church was the largest<br />

Pentecostal church in the world until about 1975, and his<br />

organization was the largest free (nonestablished) church<br />

in Sweden.<br />

Some Oneness Pentecostals who joined the Latter<br />

Rain movement were as follows:<br />

David (“Little David”) Walker (born 1934), a child<br />

evangelist who began preaching at age nine and held<br />

great evangelistic, healing campaigns. Eventually, however,<br />

he joined the AG.<br />

267

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