Walk of Remembrance at Birthplace of Pentecostal Wildfire

On February 22 a walk of remembrance will be held in Los Angeles to commemorate the anniversary of the birth of Pentecostalism at the Azusa Street Mission. The tour will be led by Mel Robeck of Fuller Theological Seminary. One hundred and eight years ago William Seymour started the Azusa Street Mission to teach his many heresies, including sinless perfectionism, the guarantee of healing, end-time apostolic miracle revival, and tongues speaking as “initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” The Azusa Street meetings continued for more than three years, with large numbers of people attending in search of their personal “Pentecost” and subsequently taking the theology and experiences back to their homes across America and beyond. The services were confusion personified. Usually no one was leading. “Whoever was anointed with the message would stand and deliver it. It might be a man, woman, or child” (Larry Martin, The Life and Ministry of William J. Seymour, p. 186). People sang at the same time but “with completely different syllables, rhythms, and melodies” (Ted Olsen, “American Pentecost, Christian History, Issue 58, 1998). People jumped, fell down, jerked, uttered strange animal noises, laughed hysterically. Seekers would be “seized with a strange spell and commence a gibberish of sounds.” A sympathetic biographer of William Seymour admits that “at times the meetings would become so boisterous that the police were called” (Martin, The Life and Ministry of Seymour, p. 188). One man shook so violently under Seymour’s ministry that an ambulance was called. When the man who was shaking told the doctor, “Don’t touch me, this is the power of God,” the doctor wisely replied, “If that is the power of God it is giving you a devil of a shaking” (Martin, p. 306). “Spirit slaying” was also a large part of the Azusa Street meetings. Seymour fell down “like he was dead” when he first spoke in tongues, and “at times men would fall all over the house, like an army slain on the battle field...” (Martin, pp. 148, 179)

(Friday Church News Notes, February 21, 2014, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

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