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There has been tongues-speaking from the time of Apostle Peter to George Fox to Quaker William Penn.
R.A. Knox mentioned Ranters, Moravians, Quakers, Plymouth Brethren, Camisards, and others that engaged in Pentecostalism. They dominated the religious scene. In England, in 1662, there was passed the “CONVENTICLE AND FIVE MILE ACTS.” It was legislation against tongues-speaking fundamentalists. (Blunt, p. 465; Sewel, Hist. Vol.1) Men were transported to Barbados and women to Jamaica and sold as slaves to rich Catholic colonists. Among them were Oneness people with Acts 2:38 doctrine. Monotheistic theology thus reached the Americas.
In America, as of 1856, there were at least 160,000 Quaker tongues-speakers. (Blunt, p. 467). There may have been as many as 250,000 all told, including the Quakers.
Frank Ewart, The Phenomenon of Pentecost, p. 43, mentioned Russian Christians at Azusa. Thousands immigrated to America and had settled in Los Angeles by 1850.
In Turkey, at Kara Kala, near Mt. Ararat lived many God-fearing Armenians. Spirit filled Russians had come in long caravans of covered wagons and told Armenians about the Holy Ghost and glossolalia. A.H. Newman, A Manual of Church History, ABPS, Pa., 1901, p. 381, stated that ancient Christianity (Acts 2:38) had always been in this vicinity.
Relatedly, Rev. J.W. Rucks, of Sulphur Springs, Arkansas, documented that at Azusa on three separate occasions—on three successive evenings—well-known members would speak in unknown tongues and state, “Arise, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ.” Other well-known Spirit filled Christians interpreted. But Pastor Seymour refused to obey the divine command.
Also, near this time a preacher known as the Big Russian, wanted to preach Acts 2:38 in the Azusa meeting, but Seymour refused him.
Acts 2:38 Doctrine in the US Before Azusa
There are records of pious clergymen who utilized the Jesus Name water baptism in the US as early as 1850. They preached one-God-ism as well as the need for tongues-speaking. Dan Huntington, pastor of a church in Boston, baptized people in the Name of Jesus for remission of sins. (Synan, p. 163; T.L. Smith, Revivalism and Social Reform in Mid-Nineteenth Century America, Abingdon, NY, 1957. p. 95).
Certainly believers such as John G. Sheppe, and Dr. Sykes, as well as Rev. R.E. McAlister, seem to have been fully aware of the Acts 2:38 baptismal formula. By April 15, 1914, Rev. F. J. Ewart, was whole-heartedly preaching this Petrine doctrine.
Alvin E. Velie preached Apostolic Pentecostalism in 1888.
Long before Azusa Rev. Velie was a Christocentric clergyman that God gave a fresh revelation to concerning Acts 2:38 theology. (Alvin E. Velie, Saftey First With Acts 2:38) He wrote two small books. We have copies of them.
Velie was born at Sheridan, Wisconsin, in 1866. He was married at age twenty-two, in 1888. His wife was a tongues-speaker, and had been baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ before they were married. Alvin Velie preached up and down the Mississippi River. He held revivals at Winona, Durand, Fountain City, Minneska, and Eauclaire, Wisconsin. He labored evangelistically in Indiana and Florida. In one city around 300 were baptized into the name of Jesus Christ and many knew the glossolalia phenomenon. Alvin had a son, Oscar, and a grandson, Joel. Each man preached. By them a century (1888-1988) was covered.
Throughout the Church Age there have been many revivals. |
