Early Pentecostal Tongues: Notes and Quotes

Quips and quotes taken from early Pentecostal based newsletters, papers, digests, and other material found about the doctrine of tongues.

Early Pentecostal writings are essential historical pieces concerning a significant shift in this doctrine. They demonstrate the change from the traditional idea of miraculously speaking or hearing in a foreign language to a variety of expressions under the umbrella of glossolalia.

These early pentecostal citations are given to show the problem and resolution that early Pentecostals faced regarding this doctrine. Their original concept of tongues as a miraculous endowment for missionary purposes had miserably failed. A shift in emphasis and definition was eagerly sought for.

The following quotes work through this early tension. They are not homogenous, and it is often difficult to trace continuity. However, they do work towards embracing the thoughts of higher criticists such as Philip Schaff. The majority of dictionaries and commentaries were dominated by these academics who much favored tongues as glossolalia. Glossolalia is a frenzied condition that produced inarticulate sounds. Sounds that may or may not correlate with language. Pentecostals eventually redefined the higher criticism definition according to their own experience and religious symbolism.

There is an abundance of information that could take months or years to digitize. However, many of those works only have a small footprint on speaking in tongues that fits the criteria for further research. For brevity and avoiding digitization of complete newsletters, essential quotes from the early Pentecostal based newsletters have been identified and provided below.

These quotes are digitized for the benefit of everyone. You do not have to sift through the mountains of documents. It is already done. You can spend your time instead with analysis.

Introduction

The collation of these newspapers took considerable effort but was well worth it.

The major goal of the Gift of Tongues Project is to trace the perceptions of speaking in tongues throughout the centuries. The perceptions need not necessarily align with reality. The realities, whatever they may be, are up to the reader to decide.

The research demonstrates a unique facet of Pentecostalism. The newsletters are all drawing from a collective consciousness. There is no one person responsible for any major part of the movement. Any major character can be taken out and the movement would hardly be affected. The people involved in the pentecostal identity are deeply interconnected even though they are geographically isolated throughout the world and belonging to rival or different religious sects.

These newsletters were the grounds for pentecostal germination. A noted author may be picked up in one pentecostal newspaper, and all the other ones will follow suit with the same copy, more or less, albeit in their own style. The brief articles found in these newsletters often became the basis for later flyers and books. Many of the presuppositions found today in Pentecostalism can be traced back to these works.

Pentecostals in this era had an unwritten rule that ideas themselves were held in a communal trust. Anything related to the supernatural were not copyrighted nor owned by one person. Sometimes acknowledgement for a theological concept was attributed, other times not. Often an author’s work was edited, emendated or added without the author’s consent, but that was considered OK because it was a communal system of communication. The thought took precedence over the author.

This was best described by the editors of the Apostolic Faith Newsletter (Portland):

“Why do we not publish names? Because the purpose of this work is to exalt the name of Jesus alone. No leader or any other person gets any renown. God says, “My glory will I not give to another.” The very fact that God heals the sick, saves souls, and the Spirit of power accompanies the paper is enough to convince any honest soul.”¹

The editors of the earliest pentecostal newsletters were the gatekeepers of this communal trust and ensured all topics stayed within the confines of the pentecostal identity.

The pentecostal records were looked at with five questions in mind:

1. Was the miracle of speaking foreign languages an absolute in earlier pentecostal practice?
2. What did unknown tongues mean to the early Pentecostals?
3. What factors influenced speaking in tongues to shift in definition to a divine language?
4. Why did they follow the Higher Criticism hermeneutic on speaking in tongues?
5. How did the Higher Criticism word glossolalia sneak into the pentecostal vocabulary?

As one can see there many assumptions here that require substantiation. The following quotes assist in answering one or more of the above questions.

The baptism of the Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues is a doctrine unique to the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement that started in the early 1900s. An editorial decision has been made not to trace this doctrine. The final ambition of The Gift of Tongues Project is to find out why the traditional definition all but died in 1906 and why it was replaced by glossolalia. This is the final piece for the Project to complete.

The majority of the texts focus on the period between 1890 and 1920. Some do veer outside these boundaries, but the focus is on this 30 year time frame.

Please note that the following copy was digitized through manual keyboard entry and/or cut-and-paste from the automated OCR copy provided with the pdf. Although the text has been error checked, some minor errors may still exist. If you do find one, please let me know through the website comment section, the contact page, Facebook, or Twitter.

Christian Alliance and Missionary Weekly

“In 1882 Dr. A. B. Simpson, founder of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, began the denomination’s official magazine to inform people about worldwide evangelism efforts and motivate readers to become involved in completing the Great Commission.”² Even though A. B. Simpson is not considered a founder or pioneer of the pentecostal movement, his contribution to the holiness movement and his desire for the renewal of the gifts were immensely important in the development of early Pentecostalism. The magazine was initially called the Christian Missionary Alliance Weekly and then changed to the Christian and Missionary Alliance and a number of other names over the years. It is currently called Alliance Life magazine. The Christian Missionary Alliance Weekly demonstrates that a grass roots movement for the revival of the supernatural gifts preceded Azusa. The restoration angst was bubbling within the holiness circles and was awaiting ebullience. Azusa was the point in time when all of this expectation reached its zenith. Important quotes from the era of the Christian and Missionary Alliance are listed separately later on.

Friday, February 12, 1892. Vol. VIII. No. 7

“The Gift of Tongues” author unknown

“But does the Bible really warrant the expectation of the gift of tongues for the purpose of preaching the Gospel to the heathen? We must frankly say that we are not quite clear that it does, and yet we would not dare to discourage any of God’s children from claiming and expecting it if they have the faith to do so and can see the warrant in His word.

We believe that in some cases, in the apostolic times, this gift was bestowed for this purpose, and was so employed. We believe that on the day of Pentecost the people of all lands did hear the Gospel each in his own language; but we just as firmly believe that afterwards this gift was continued, not so much as a vehicle of evangelistic work as a sign of supernatural power and working, and that it was accompanied by the gift of interpreting, so that the foreign tongue had really to be interpreted to the hearers, or they would not have understood it. Therefore, it certainly was not intended in these cases to be the original channel for the preaching of the Gospel, but simply a sign of some supernatural presence in the heart of the speaker. Had it been designed directly to make the truth plain to a foreigner, there would have been no need for an interpreter, and no occasion for the apostle’s exhortation in Corinthians about disorder, confusion and discredit to the work of God through the unguarded use of this gift in their assemblies. The apostle says distinctly in this connection : “Tongues are for a sign, not to him that believeth, but to him that believeth not,” and he had rather preach one word for edification in a known tongue, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongues.

This gift, more than any other, was abused in the early church for the self-exaltation of those who received it, and it seems to have been largely withdrawn at an early period on account of this abuse. In modern times, it has been partially bestowed on special occasions to a few persons to show what God can do; and we should encourage those who a definite faith for this gift, even for the preaching of the Gospel, to claim it as boldly as they can.

Certainly we do expect, in every case where it is claimed by humble believing prayer, a supernatural assistance in acquiring the native language, and we should not be surprised in any case to hear of the direct bestowal of the power to speak an unknown tongues. But we are not prepared to teach this as a definite scriptural promise for all who go to preach the Gospel to the heathen, or consider a lack of faith on the part of any worker who has not received this special gift.”

Friday, July 1, 1892. Vol. IX. No. 1

Pg. 13 “Letter from Shanghai, China” by W. W. Simpson (no relation to A. B. Simpson)

“And now I want to ask you a very serious question. Has not our Lord provided for every one of the numbered difficulties just enumerated? Does not Mark xvi: 17 cover the first, Mark xiii: 9-11 the second and third, and Luke x: 19 the fourth? While on the voyage I studied my Bible with reference to these very things, and it seems to me that I must expect these things to be literally fulfilled, or doubt God’s Word. I have said that I refused to doubt Him in even the very least things, and I cannot hesitate or go back now. I should like very much to have you stand with me on this matter before God, and “He faileth never.” Don’t think that I am asking you this for mere curiosity or idle talk, for I am in dead earnest. I feel that it must be that “these sign shall follow them that believe,” or I am not walking up to the light I have received. I do realize the Spirit’s leading, and I will not falter. We start for Wuhu to-morrow, May 6th, and reach there Monday, the 9th. The Lord has kept me in excellent health all the way. I never felt better physically, mentally or spiritually, thanks Him!

I have read the foregoing part of this letter to Christie and Baker Christie, of his own accord, desires me to say that he is led in the same way. Baker did not say anything, and I did not ask him, for I feel that I must keep my hands off, and let each be independent in following the Lord’s leading, He will take care of the whole matter. Pray much for Baker, as he is quite young in the life of faith; but so are Christie add I, for that matter. You can’t pray too much for all of us.

And now, dear ones, I want to say that while I am willing to shut myself up in my study, and say there until I have thoroughly mastered both languages, if the Lord says so: still I am gladly willing to start tomorrow for Thibet, should He so direct. I am determined to stand with my Lord though every earthly friend desert me and men and devils unite in opposition. What care I for tornadoes of opposition when I have His smile of approval. Do not think I am carried away by a false enthusiasm or desire to be prominent. Praise God, He has saved me from that! I write from the depths of a sincere heart.”

Wednesday, February 9, 1898. Vol. XX. No. 6

Pg. 126 “The Worship and Fellowship of the Church: Weekly Sermon — By Rev. A. B. Simpson”

“This surely settles the question. If more is needed to be said it would be sufficient to add that the apostle preached the Gospel to the people among whom he moved through the Greek, Latin, and Hebrew languages which he had himself acquired, and on one or two occasions his audiences were surprised to find that could speak their language through the large and liberal culture which he had received.

This gift of tongues being chiefly of the character of a sign was liable to great abuse and seems to have been early withdrawn from the primitive church. In modern times it has been revived, but with some liability to abuse.

The story of Edward Irving is well known. After a career of extraordinary brilliancy and power in his last days he adopted the theory that the supernatural gifts of the early church should be claimed in our own day, and there were undoubted instances not only of miraculous power, but especially of the exercise of the gift of tongues; but through the exaggeration of this gift and the strong temptation to use it sensationally, it became a source of much confusion and even ridicule, and a work that had in it undoubted elements of truth and power was discredited and hindered.

In our own day there is the same strained and extravagant attempt to unduly exaggerate the gift of tongues, and some have even proposed that we should send our missionaries to the foreign field under a sort of moral obligation to claim this gift, and to despise the ordinary methods of acquiring a language. Such a movement would end in fanaticism and bring discredit upon the truth itself. We know of more than one instance where our beloved missionaries have been saved from this error and led to prosecute their studies in foreign languages with fidelity and diligence, and their efforts have been rewarded by supernatural help in acquiring languages in a remarkably short time, but not in despair of proper industry and the use of their own faculties under God’s direction in acquiring these languages.”

Apostolic Faith Newspaper (Los Angeles)

“In September 1906, the Azusa Street Mission began publishing a newspaper, The Apostolic Faith. The paper contained news, testimonies, and sermons by Seymour and others. The Apostolic Faith was the instrument God used to spread the Pentecostal message around the world. At its height, the newspaper had a circulation of 50,000.”³

The newspaper covered tongues exclusively as a miracle of spontaneously speaking a foreign language enabling people to preach the Gospel to all the nations. There are so many testimonies reinforcing this fact that few will be documented here. The newspaper itself is actively engaged in the impact of speaking in tongues but does little theological reflection.

Contributors and published letters posted in the newspaper contains the central characters of the early pentecostal movement in the United States and throughout the world.

Sept. 1906. Vol. 1. No. 1

Pg. 4 “Brother and Sister A. G. Garr, former leaders of the Burning Bush work in Los Angeles, were powerfully baptized with the Holy Ghost and received the gift of tongues, especially the language of India and dialects. Bro. Garr was able to pray a native of India “through” his own language, the Bengali. Sister Garr also spoke Chinese. They left Los Angeles for the East in July going by the way of Chicago, where they met with the Burning Bush leaders, then on to Danville, Va., where they have preaching to hungry souls. From there, they will go on to Indiana, D. V.

In a letter from Bro. Garr we learn that God is honoring His precious gospel in a marvelous way, reclaiming, sanctifying and filling with the Holy Ghost nearly all the members of the old Burning Bush band. The brother writes that when they spoke in tongues the people had such confidence in their Pentecostal baptism that those who were such were immediately healed.”

Oct. 1906. Vol. 1. No. 2

Pg. 2 On the Garr’s preparation for leaving to India while at Danville, VA.

“One young girl received the baptism Friday night and she spoke in German. God sent us a German to. interpret. He said he could understand everything perfectly. Sister Jennie Eans had also received the German language, and speaks it very fluently.

Sister Garr improves every day in her Thibetan and Chinese. O, how I praise God that He ever gave us this wonderful experience of the baptism with the Holy Ghost. The folks fall under the power of God, and a great time is on here. The church was packed twice yesterday and altar overflowing with seekers. One saved man was sanctified in the afternoon meeting and in the evening meeting received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and spake in tongues and magnified God.”

Dec. 1906. Vol. 1. No. 4

Pg. 3 The conversion of G. B. Cashwell, “The first altar call I went forward in earnest for my Pentecost. I struggled from Sunday till Thursday. While seeking in an upstairs room in the Mission, the Lord opened up the windows of heaven and the light of God began to flow over me in such power as never before. I then went into the room where the service was held, and while Sister Lum was reading of how the Holy Ghost was falling in other places, before I knew it, I began to speak in tongues and praise God. A brother interpreted some of the words to be, “I love God with all my soul.” He filled me with His Spirit and love, and I am now feasting and drinking at the fountain continually and speak as the Spirit gives utterance, both in my own language and in the unknown language. I find that all has to be surrendered to God, our own language and all, and He speaks through us English, German, Greek or any other tongues in His own will and way.”

Feb. to March 1907. Vol 1. No. 6

Pg. 1 Mary Johnson a missionary in India writes that the Garrs have arrived in India. She doesn’t mention any language problem.

Pg. 7 “The Holy Ghost has spoken five different languages through me since I got my Pentecost, some of which has been: Interpreted. I am glad the Lord knows all the languages of the nations.-W. A. Love.”

June to September 1907. Vol. 1. No. 9

Pg. 2 “ THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER AND SPEAKING WITH TONGUES IN CHICAGO. In our previous articles upon the above subject, we defined the definite conclusions at which we had arrived; and now after six months further study, we have -little to change as to our opinion of the movement. Last January we said we were satisfied that God had visited His people and that many were greatly blessed while others seemed puffed up and injured by their experience. We also stated that the Gospel Tabernacle as a church had set aside one evening of each week to pray especially that we might receive all that God was willing to bestow; and also that we might be delivered from all the deceptions of Satan, and the workings of the flesh. The result so far has been most satisfactory. God has met us and answered our prayers. On the 12th of June at the close of our regular mid-week prayer meeting, nine of us tarried for a special season of waiting upon God. Vole had not proceeded far when one of our number (our class leader, a man of undoubted reliability and Christian experience), was praying with unusual earnestness amounting to intense supplication, when suddenly the Spirit seemed to fall upon us “as at the beginning;” for several were strongly convulsed, while the brother referred to began to speak in “unknown tongues” and “magnify God” with a loud voice. This altogether new experience made a deep impression, in all present, as it could not possibly be attributed to hysteria or any hypnotic influence. So great was the downpour of the Spirit that this strong man paced the floor glorifying God for fully an hour. By this time the sense of God’s presence was so great that another of our church officers said that he believed it was God’s will to bestow upon him a like enduement. This brought us once more to our knees, where we had not long remained when the Spirit again fell upon us. and this brother likewise burst into intense supplication, and a little later began to speak “in tongues” and glorify God, as the first brother had done. This so impressed us that we began to think that it was the will of God to visit the entire company. None of the others, however, were visited at this time, and at three o’clock in the morning we left the church. Again the following Friday evening as a company kneeled at the altar the Spirit fell upon one of our sisters; and again the following Sunday evening, upon one of the elders of the church. In each instance the recipient had the same experience as the first two. These things have made such an impression upon our people that the church has been greatly quickened, Those who speak in tongues seem to live in another world. The experience they have entered into corresponds exactly with that which is described in the 10th chapter of the Acts. The tongues they speak in do not seem to be intended as a means of communication between themselves and others, as on the Day of Pentecost, but corresponds more closely with that described in the 14th of 1. Corinthians, 2nd verse, and seems to be a means of communication between the soul and God. They do not speak in tongues in the assembly, but when in prayer; they become intense in their supplication; they are apt to break out in the unknown tongue, which is invariably followed by ascriptions of praise and adoration which are well nigh unutterable. The writer has about concluded that it is the “new tongues” spoken of in Mark xvi. 17 as one of the signs which are to follow them that believe, rather than the “Gift of tongues” which all evidently did not possess. We feel our spirits hushed into silence before God, at this wonderful manifestation of His presence in our midst. We have announced no extra meetings in the church, but every night prostrate forms may be seen waiting in silence before Him who baptizes with the Holy Ghost. There is no shadow of doubt left in our minds as to the Scripturalness of the experience, and we feel sure that no honest heart could find anything to criticize.

There are other cases at other points in our Chicago work equally satisfactory, and it is this more than any other thing that has influenced us in the selection of the Free Methodist Camp Grounds, as the place for our next annual meeting – The Christian Missionary Alliance.”

April 1907. Vol. 1. No. 7

Pg. 1 Sister A. G. Garr reports this “God is spreading Pentecost here in Calcutta, and thirteen or fourteen missionaries and other workers have received it. The Spirit is giving the interpretation, song and writing in tongues, and other wonderful manifestations of His presence among us.”

May 1907. Vol. 1. No. 8

Pg. 4 Mary Johnson reports from Calcutta, “Praise God with us. The dear Lord in His love and mercy has answered prayers for me and Sister Nelson. He has come and baptized us with the Holy Ghost. He came to me the 8th of March and gave me the Bible evidence in speaking in tongues. . . We are both at present over in Calcutta, India, in the same house with Mr. and Mrs. Garr whom God sent from Los Angeles.”

June to September 1907. Vol. 1. No. 9

Pg. 1 The Garrs give a letter about the works in India and their emphasis has changed from evangelizing the natives to transforming missionaries into service. “Reaching the missionaries is laying the axe at the root of the tree, for they know all the customs of India and also the languages. The only way the nations can be reached is by getting the missionaries baptized with the Holy Ghost. Missionaries are receiving and praising God for letting them hear this Gospel and receive this great outpouring of the Spirit.”

October to January 1908. Vol. I. No. 11

Pg. 1 “Brother and Sister Garr are in Hong Kong, China, last report. God is using them blessedly. A glorious revival is breaking out. Several souls in Hong Kong have received their Pentecost.”

Apostolic Faith (Portland)

The editors of the Azusa Street Revival Newspaper, Clara Lum and Florence Crawford, decided to move their publishing entity to Portland, Oregon. The reasons for this are not clear. There are unsubstantiated reports that Crawford was given the Azusa Street mailing list when she left and this severely hurt the Azusa Street Church. The loss of the newspaper and its mailing list was one of the factors in its demise.

Ms. Lum and Crawford kept the original intent and purpose clear. They rarely wavered from the original theology that this was a miracle of foreign speech. There are so many unsubstantiated examples that it is only necessary to include a few. However, they did make a distinction between an utterance and the gift. The utterance was something that could not be controlled nor apprehended by the mind. The person uttering in the Spirit would have no clue what language they were speaking and the language could begin, stop or change without notice. The person with the Gift of Tongues could will a language on demand – a condition they never saw happen in their gatherings.

There are no page numbers listed. The originals can be found at azusabooks.org

The Apostolic Faith (Portland) July and August, 1908. Vol. II. No. 15

“Remarkable Spreading of Pentecost. About six months after Pentecost fell in Los Angeles it had fallen in many other places where they were waiting for more of God and heard of what God had done in Los Angeles. A brother came from North Carolina and received his Pentecost and went back to his people, who received it gladly. God had used him in a number of states, and he writes that he has never stopped to rest, but is going right on. He has seen multitudes baptized. A Norwegian minister in New York received it and a crown of fire was seen on his head. He carried it to Norway, Sweden, England, and is now in India. It has fallen in great power in India and China, where Pentecostal papers are being published. It has fallen in Switzerland and in Australia, in Denmark, Russia, and in the City of Jerusalem. At least ten Pentecostal papers have been published free in this and other lands, and God is using that way of spreading the Gospel, and souls have received their Pentecost through them. People have received the Holy Spirit in their homes and in cottage meetings, and God has been giving the Pentecost all over the world wherever He could seek out a hungry and humble soul.”

“. . .The Heavenly Choir. One of the manifestations that followed Pentecost was the heavenly singing by a chorus of voices in supernatural sweetness and harmony. It was melting—wonderful. Praise God, many missions have had it since then. The song is inspired, it is an anointing of the Spirit. God gave new voices to old men and women and to people who had never been able to sing, and to those that had lost their voices. He gave songs in many languages and gave the interpretation in song in English Preaching in Tongues. The Spirit preached sermons in many languages that were understood by those present. Russians and Spanish heard their languages. Missionaries from Africa heard the African dialect which they understood. An Indian heard his language and got saved. He could not speak English. An Armenian heard the Gospel in his language. He was deeply moved, sought God, and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He would speak in tongues on the street car and at the shop where he worked. One day he fell under the power at the shop. The men gathered about him and asked if he was hurt. They tried to hold him and keep him from shaking under the power of God. He told them it was the Holy Ghost, and he said that he was not only working for his employer, but that He was serving God.”

“. . .In a Baptist mission of India there were two girls that were baptized with the Spirit and spoke in tongues in the Hindustani language, a language to them unknown.”

“. . .At Sunderland, England, where the Pentecost has been falling in such a blessed way, they had a convention this Summer.”

The Apostolic Faith (Portland) Sept. 1908. Vol. II. NO. 16. #2

PENTECOST IN SOUTH AFRICA

“A young lady who was baptized with the Holy Ghost in the native tabernacle in one of the recent meetings before a large audience spoke fluently and sang in a number of Hindu languages. Some Hindus who were in the audience, when they heard and saw her speaking in their own language, came forward up on the platform, and one young man translated to the audience what 5 she was saying in his own language. It was a message to the Hindu people to the effect that salvation was not to be had through Mohammed, but that salvation could only be had through the acceptance of the atonement of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who would soon come in the clouds and receive those whose hearts had been cleansed from all sin, and the nature of sin, by the Blood of Jesus Christ. It was a remarkable manifestation of the power of God.”

The Apostolic Faith (Portland) February and March 1909 No. 19. #5

“QUESTIONS ANSWERED”

“Should we ever speak in tongues at our own will? No, we are only to speak in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. (Acts 2:4.) Then the whole body or church is edified, and such sweetness and power comes into the soul.”

“. . .SPEAKING IN TONGUES—A MIRACLE. Some people doubt the miracle of speaking in tongues. They should read Acts 2. Beginning in 1906 God gave a wonderful sign to this unbelieving world in restoring the speaking in tongues which has preceded the preaching of the full Gospel over a large part of the world. The Spirit has fallen on thousands and spoken through them in new tongues. It has been proved in hundreds of cases that God is speaking Himself, for the people have heard in their own language. The following are some recent incidents:

The Spirit Used a Little Girl to Speak Italian and Latin.

One Sunday evening in the Mission in Portland, a little ten-year-old girl who had received her baptism the Thursday before, stood up under the power of God before a crowded house and spoke for about 20 minutes in Italian and Latin. The Spirit was on the people in sweetness and power. An Italian young man who had been a Catholic understood the message. It seemed to be addressed to him at first, for he had been doubting the speaking in tongues. We give a part of it in Italian as the Spirit spoke it and as the Italian boy wrote it for us, “Voi che non credete, oro credete. Voi uomini che siete molto alontanato dolla parola di Dio, e lui sta molto gritato contro noi; e Jesu prego il Patre giorno per giorno per noi.” You who do not believe, now believe. You people far from the Word of God, He is angry with you, and Jesus prays the Father day by day for you.”

The Apostolic Faith (Portland) July 1909. No. 8

“Some Say if you Have the Gift of Tongues, You Can Speak at Will. Can a Person Speak at Will and the Holy Ghost Be Speaking Through them?

No. The Holy Ghost does not speak when you speak at will, and it is not the gift of tongues. We have no Scripture for speaking in tongues except as the Spirit gives utterance. It is not you that speaks, but the Holy Ghost, and He will speak when he chooses. Don’t ever try to speak at will. “It is not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord.” What is not of the spirit is of the flesh or the devil. We know that some, by getting out of the Word, have been led off into fanaticism and have become a prey for the devil. If we go beyond the Word in any demonstration, it leads into wild fire and fanaticism. Up to date, we know of no one that has received the real gift of tongues, for if they had, we believe they could go out and preach to any nation in their own tongue.”

The Apostolic Faith (Portland) March and April 1910. No. 13

“A missionary writes from South Africa that in the Waterburg district over 300 people have been baptized in water and most of them have received the Pentecostal baptism, speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. Hundreds have been healed, including four that have received their sight and dead ones raised, as you know. The work has been hard with fastings, prayers and tears day and night, but God has built up a strong work, with six places of worship and twelve local preachers.”

“. . .Probably the most despised people for their religion today are those that have the power of God upon them and stand for the whole Word of God. History proves that the church is only safe when persecuted, and why persecuted? Because separate from the world and all false doctrines of men. Those that are hand in hand with compromise are not being fought by the devil. May God keep us the most despised of all Christians that the power of God may rest upon us. Amen. As long as the church was persecuted and thousands a day sometimes were being martyred, she prospered and was holy and separate from sin, but when she became exalted and prosperous in the world’s estimation, her glory departed. History tells us that after the death of the apostles the gift of speaking in tongues continued in the church for a hundred years. All the gifts and power finally disappeared and the awful dark ages resulted. The first record we have of the return of Pentecost was found among the French Huguenots 225 years ago. During their awful persecutions, thousands of them fled from their lands, and ten thousands sealed their faith with their blood, being martyred by the Catholics, who hunted them like wild beasts in the mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. It was upon this Godly and much-persecuted people that the Holy Ghost first fell in modern times. From 1665 to 1705 it is recorded that signs and wonders were seen among them. Lights from heaven guided them to places of safety, voices spoke words of encouragement to them, wounds were often harmless, and at times they fell shaking under the power of God and spoke in another dialect, warning the people to repentance and prophesying the soon coming of the Lord. It is said they fell from trees under the power and felt no hurt. The supernatural was a part of their life. How those things harmonize with the work of the Spirit today! In a later persecution and martyrdom of 1814 to 1815, the same signs were witnessed. It is said also that among the early Methodists, Quakers and Free Methodists these same signs were seen, such as shaking, falling and speaking in tongues, and we believe it, for upon God’s humble, persecuted people He does pour out His Spirit. Man always puts his hand on the Holy Ghost. May God keep us free.”

The Apostolic Faith (Portland) September 1911. No. 18

“In the last five years hundreds of people all over the world have received the gift of the Holy Ghost and Bible evidence of speaking in new tongues the languages of the nations. Many have been saved and sanctified. Many missions have been opened and hundreds of thousands of people have heard the full Gospel without compromise. Thousands of people have been healed of all manner of diseases.”

“. . .CAN A PERSON SPEAK IN TONGUES AT WILL AND THE HOLY GHOST BE SPEAKING THROUGH THEM? We have no scripture for speaking in tongues except as the Spirit gives utterance. It is not you that speaks, but the Holy Ghost, and He will speak when He chooses. Don’t ever try to speak at will. “It is not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord.” What is not of the Spirit is of the flesh or the devil. We know that some, by getting out of the Word, have been led off into fanaticism and have become a prey for the devil. If we go beyond the Word in any demonstration, it leads into wild fire and fanaticism. Up to date, we know of no one that has received the real gift of tongues, for if they had, we believe they could go out and preach to any nation in their own tongue.”

The Apostolic Faith (Portland) September 1918. No. 40

“People were getting saved, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost, at all of these meetings, speaking in the Chinese languages, and the missionaries that had spent years in China, and understood several dialects, would understand them as they would speak in other tongues. Others spoke in Latin and other languages.”

Confidence

First named Confidence: A Pentecostal Paper for Great Britain, and then Confidence: A Pentecostal Paper for Great Britain and other Lands and then simply “Confidence”.

“Confidence was an early British Pentecostal periodical edited by A. A. Boddy, an Anglican rector who was baptized in the Spirit in 1907. Confidence records sermons and reports given at the conferences and revivals held at Boddy’s parish, as well as Pentecostal news from around the world.”⁴ T. B. Barratt was a powerful Norwegian/British orator and writer. He was the intellectual and promotional person behind the Pentecostal expansion into Europe. His contributions to the Confidence Newspaper along with A. A Body’s editorial skills, gave Confidence a slightly more critical and intellectual nuance to the movement.

May, 1908. No. 2

Pg. 4 “The Gift of Tongues” “In Conybeare and Howson’s “Life and Epistles of St. Paul,” we have the following paragraph on pp. 401-2 (Vol. I): —

Besides the power of working miracles other supernatural gifts of a less extraordinary character were bestowed upon the early Church. The most important were the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy. With regard to the former there is so much difficulty, for the notices of it in Scripture, in fully comprehending its nature. But from the passages where it is mentioned we may gather thus much concerning it: first, that it was not a knowledge of foreign languages, as is often supposed; we never read of its being exercised for the conversion of foreign nations, nor (except on the day of Pentecost alone) for that occasion the foreigners present were all Jewish proselytes, and most of them understood the Hellenistic dialect. Secondly we learn that this gift was the result of a sudden influx of supernatural inspiration, which came upon the new believer immediately after his baptism, and recurred afterwards at uncertain intervals.

Thirdly, we find that while under its influence the exercise of the understanding was suspended while the spirit was rapt into a state of ecstasy by the immediate communication of the Spirit of God. In this ecstatic trance the believer was constrained by an irresistible power to pour forth his feelings of thanksgiving and rapture in words; yet the words which issued from his mouth were not his own; he was even (usually) ignorant of their meaning. St. Paul desired that those who possessed this gift should not be suffered to exercise it in the congregation, unless someone present possessed another gift (subsidiary to this), called the interpretation of tongues, by which the ecstatic utterance of the former might be rendered available for general edification. Another gift, also, was needful for the checking of false pretensions to this and some other (Pg. 5) charisms, viz., the gift of discerning of spirits, the recipients of which could distinguish between the real and imaginary possessors of spiritual gifts.

——

No writers are more trusted in conservative and orthodox circles than these eminent scholars and Anglican Divines. They wrote about the year 1850, and have both passed away. Dr. Howson became Dean of Chester Cathedral. They would have rejoiced if they had been spared to the days of the Latter Rain, and themselves received the Gift of Tongues, in the Lord’s great goodness.”

Special Supplement to the “Confidence,” May, 1908; Tongues in the Foreign Field. Interesting Letters.

Pg. 1 A. G. Garr, a pentecostal missionary who went directly to India after a powerful experience at Azusa Street, replied to a letter from the Confidence on whether his tongues experience gave him the ability to speak in Bengali upon arrival and if he saw other pentecostal missionaries endued with the same power:

“As to whether I know of any who have received a language, I know of no one having received a language so as to be able to converse intelligently, or to preach in the same with the understanding, in the Pentecostal movement.”

The complete letter can be read here; A Missionary Crisis on Speaking in Tongues.

August 15th, 1908. No. 5

Pg. 9 “We believe that the formation of any ruling body would not meet the approval of God’s baptized people, but that such an affiliation of Pentecostal Missions is desirable as will preserve and increase the tender sweet bond of love and fellowship now existing and guard against abuse of legitimate liberty.”

Pg. 11 “He told me he speaks in three tongues.” — I do not know who this is referencing but shows the concept of foreign languages is deeply instilled within the doctrine.

Pg. 23 The editor reprinted a work from the “Christian Missionary Alliance, 1908” on a Revival in South China: “The Spirit fell in a quiet Saturday night meeting, and without there having been any special exhortation or request in prayer on this line, a number “BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES.” It was an entirely new experience, but a blessed one to many, both foreign and native brethren and sisters, old and young.”

October 15th, 1908, No. 7

Pg. 15 Smith Wigglesworth “The glorious remembrance of these moments is beyond my expression to give–when I could not find words to express, then an irresistable Power filled me and moved my being till I found to my glorious astonishment I was speaking in other tongues clearly. After this a burning love filled my soul.”

Pg. 21 A young Syrian women speaking in tongues. . . labelled Sept. 16, 1908 “Here, then, was a young Syrian girl speaking language after language,. . . I confess I did not know the languages spoken. . . At last God granted her the interpretation of much that was spoken, sentence by sentence.”

Nov. 15th, 1908, No. 8

Pg. 10 “In the Spring and Summer of 1906 God began to answer the very prolonged cry of some of His hungry children, a cry for a Pentecost with “Scripture Evidences.” One after another became at last conscious, as the mighty power of God came upon them, that they were speaking in divine ecstasy with a voice not their own, and in a language whether of men and angels they knew not, for until some received the gift of interpretation it was not known what they said. They were speaking mysteries to God for their own strengthening. (I Cor. Xiv., 2-4)”

Feb. 19th, 1909, Vol. II. No. 2

The Pentecostal Conference in Germany, December 8th to 11th, 1908.

Pg. 37 Pastor Barratt “What language or languages are spoken in tongues? The language often seems as real as any other. In the East one seemed to be surrounded by people talking in Tongues. Languages quite clear cut, with clear interpretation, are often heard, and some known languages are recognised from time to time.

Paul was not epileptic or insane when he said he spoke with Tongues more than all. He did not desire all his hearers should become insane, when he wished they were all he was.

The human mind may use expression stored up by previous experiences, but God brings them out and uses them.

We read of the Tongues of angels in I Cor. xiii., 1. No one knows how many languages and dialects there will be in heaven, but all will be easily understood, so there will be no difficulty.”

March, 1909. Vol II, No. 3.

Pg. 74 J. O. Lehman “South Africa. Johannesburg. “Speaking in Hindu.”

“God has been using some of us to speak in tongues to others which was their native language, and as a consequence they were converted. One incident was a dear young sister of about 18 years of age, who was under the power of the Spirit one evening during the meeting and spoke in tongues, and a Hindoo from India was there hearing her speak. He recognized that she was speaking Hindoo languages. He did not know enough of all these languages to get the connection of the message given. As he stood there eagerly listening an expression of joyful surprise suddenly flashed upon his face. There he stood with almost breathless silence taking in every word that was spoken. All at once he burst forth saying, she is now speaking my language. Then he said there is a beautiful message. She says, “We are not made for this world, we are too good for this world. This world is not our home. Our home is up in Heaven. We are NOT OUR OWN.”

May, 1909. Vol. II. No. 5

Pg. 118 Scandinavia — Pastor Barratt: “One young woman received her Pentecost in one of the better class houses whilst attending to her household duties, much to the consternation of her folks there, but to the joy of the friends. She spoke known languages, although unknown to herself.”

Pg. 120 “The Baptism of the Holy Ghost with the Sign of Tongues.”

“Should we connect this ‘Movement’ of the last two years with the approaching return of the Lord Jesus?. . . Yes; for in every land where this blessing has come there have been prophetic utterances, “Jesus is coming soon,” etc. It seems as if the Lord were giving His warnings to His own people.”

June, 1909. Vol II. No. 6

Results from the 1909 Sunderland International Pentecostal Congress.

Nothing mentioned about tongues in the congress.

Sept. 1910. Vol. III. No. 9

Starting to notice less emphasis on speaking in tongues, more stress on the administrative aspect plus guarding against false tongues.

Dec. 1911. Vol. IV. No. 12

Pg. 286 B. Jones a PMU Missionary in India wrote about having to learn the language through the long, arduous and traditional method of studying, which contradicts many writers who believed this was going to be supernaturally imposed. “I am now STUDYING THE LANGUAGE as hard as I ever can. I have a teacher who comes every morning at eight for two hours. I generally read with him for pronunciation, and for this it is and advantage to know Welsh, as many of the sounds are familiar. Then during the day I study grammar and a vocabulary by myself, and in the evenings Miss Elkington teaches me simple Bible stories. I do praise Jesus!”

June 1912. Vol. 5. No. 6

Much more pictures used and the emphasis is on missions. The price per copy has dropped. Are they losing subscribers now that the interest has subsided?

Pg. 125 Press Reports of the Fifth Sunderland Convention. (Pg. 127) Pastor Barratt spoke on Pentecost: “At the conclusion of Pastor Barratt’s remarks a remarkable manifestation took place, a woman in the audience breaking out into a lengthy series of utterances in a strange tongue amid intense excitement.”

Pg. 136 The paper reports on a Newcastle Newspaper called the Daily Chronicle where an article by Rev. A. Stanley Parker called “What is the Pentecostal Movement?” was posted. Rev. Parker was known by the Convention at Sunderland and was highly respected. The Confidence republished the article which states that it is one of three options.

1. Possession of demons.
2. Mere Gibberish – in this argument he cites Dr. Cutten “The Psychological Phenomena of Christianity”.
3. The working of a divine spirit. Parker somewhat concludes that this the Pentecostal experience aligned with the Early Church in Apostolic days. “After 18 centuries has it suddenly been restored to the Church?” The Confident never answers any of these questions and leaves the reprint without comment.

Jan. 1913. Vol. VI. No. 1

Pg. 4 uttering in tongues — Chinese girl who did not know English spoke in purest English. Another example had a girl speaking in tongues, but no one knew what she was speaking.

Pg. 5ff The Baptism in the Holy Ghost. A Statement from Preston (Lancashire).

Pg. 7 “The Gift of Tongues. This was our stumbling-block and rock of offence. Prayerful examination of Scripture convinced us that our thoughts and objections were human. We saw that tongues were not used for preaching at Pentecost, nor at Cornelius house, nor at Ephesus. There were no sinners to preach at Cornelius’ house or Ephesus.

We saw that the tongues (in every case recorded) were used to magnify God and prophecy. “Speaketh unto God, not unto men,” I Cor. Xiv. 2”

Aug. 1913 Vol. VI. No. 8

Pg. 151 “Speaking in Tongues. (Mrs. Polman, Amsterdam)”

“How often did not we experience, when we were speaking in tongues, and were in intimate fellowship with God, that we were suddenly innerly enlightened as with a heavenly light, which was only limited by our body as by a thin wall, through which the light would soon flow? And how we saw by that light the power, the love, the wisdom had the riches which are in Christ. Human words are too poor to describe the blessedness and the glory which one feels in one’s innermost being in those moments. One is lost in God, swept up to heavenly places, and gives utterance in strange sounds, in an unknown tongue, which flow over our lips, now as shouts of joy, then as fervent utterances of love towards our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and then as petitions.

Our spirit is speaking, speaking to God. Oh, the holiness, the earnestness of these moments can only be understood by those who know this experience.”

Feb. 1914. Vol. VII. No. 2

Pg. 26 W.T. Dixon “About Tongues: A Word in Season.”

Pg. 27 “First, we have psychical tongues, then emotional tongues, and then tongues which are more directly spiritual. . . ”

psychical tongues. . . “They are the result of a certain mental condition created by the power of the will and mind in pursuit of manifestations.”

emotional tongues. . . “If such an emotion be the result of an influx of Divine and holy sentiment, which breathers the sweet odours of heavenly incense to the soul, they are truly of God and not in any sense despised.”

supernatural. . . “It is a speaking manifestation of Deity — a supernatural Spirit-given utterance to men clothed with power and authority from on high. It is not only where “unlearned and ignorant men” are given the tongue of the learned, but also the tongues of the nations and angels too, perhaps.”

May 1914. Vol. VII. No. 5

Pg. 85 “Glossolalia in the Early Church. Historical descriptions from the late Dean of Canterbury.”

He directly quotes from Dean Farrar, (Frederic Farrar) Darkness to Dawn on the Christians in Rome being persecuted and speaking in tongues.

Pg. 88 recognizes and lauds his work on I Corinthians and continues, “Once more the Dean rightly dwells on the mystic character of “the tongue;” I also (this is worthy of special note) on the mixture of the different languages in “the tongue,” being, as it were, as he says, “the essence and idea of all languages.” Furthermore, how truly does he sum up the impression of the tongues upon the hearts of the hearers as being a blending of ecstatic worship, wonder, thanksgiving, and intercession, often untranslateable, but entering, and possessing with a like burden of worship, and intercession, the spirits of all who are “in the Spirit.”

Pg. 89 “THE SAME SPIRIT. As we read this marvellously accurate portrayal or the manifestations accompanying the Glossolalia, it is difficult to realise that Dean Farrar had never been present at one of these latter day Pentecostal gatherings (having died several years, at least, before the present Revival of the “Charismata” in the Church), and the extract we have dealt with not only shows how faithfully and successfully he has delineated, from history, the true Scriptural phenomena of the Pentecostal effusion of the Spirit, but the whole passage is, to our minds, a very convincing proof of how, whether we examine the manifestations and operations of the’ Holy Spirit in the Christian assemblies of the days of Nero, or of the Twentieth Century. . .”

December, 1914. Vol. VII. No. 12

Pg. 233 “Tongues in the Public Assembly. Conference of Leaders at the Sunderland Convention, 1914”

“Mr. H. Mogridge, of Lytham, said they had learned many things during the last six or seven years, and he had to admit that as a Pentecostal people, many foolish thing had been done and were being done to-day, but if they knew what the Word of God taught concerning the use of this gift of God they would not have the interruptions that they often saw in their assemblies. They had received the spirit of love and power, and of a sound mind, with the gift of tongues and of prophecy and other blessings, and with these gifts there should also be in the assembly.

THE GIFT OF DISCERNMENT

He had been very much grieved by the way the gift of tongues had been exercised in his hearing. Whey they heard a message in tongues and it was the same words over and over again and interpreted in a dozen different ways, he felt sure there was something wrong.

Again they had heard messages in tongues that had been short compared with the interpretation. The interpretation had been three times as long as the message, or more. He thanked God that He had left them in no kind of doubt as to this matter, but had put it very clearly and definitely in the Book what was the use and office of tongues in the assembly. In I Cor., xiv., 1, 2, they were told to follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that they might prophesy.”

Pg. 234 . . .“But the place for tongues is not in the public assembly, but in private, where they could speak to God. That was what the Word of God taught. In verses 18, 19 and 20, Paul said that he thanked God that he spoke with tongues more than all of them, but he spoke thus at the proper place and at the proper time; he didn’t speak in the public assembly to interrupt God’s servant when he was giving forth a message.”

. . .“The Rev. A. A. Boddy said they would all agree with the Scripture that Mr. Mogridge had quoted. In his zeal, perhaps he had stated the case from one side only. Perhaps they might have others now on the other side. They all might balance the statements somewhat.”

“Mr. Boddy remarked that among those present they might not all see eye to eye on the various questions connected with tongues, and they did not wish to shut out some of the children of God from fellowship because they might have other views.”

Christian and Missionary Alliance

July 27, 1907. Vol. XXVIII. No. 4

Pg. 44 “Notes from the Home Field”

The CMA visited the Gospel Tabernacle in Chicago in 1907 and found the results “most satisfactory.” They added more about speaking in tongues:

“These things have made such an impression upon our people that the church has been greatly quickened. Those who speak in tongues seem to live in another world. The experience they have entered into corresponds exactly with that which is described in the 10th chapter of Acts. The tongues they speak in do not seem to be intended as a means of communication between themselves and others, as on the Day of Pentecost, but corresponds more closely with that described in the 14th of I. Corinthians, and verse, and seems to be a means of communication between the soul and God. They do not speak in tongues in the assembly, but when in prayer; they become intense in their supplication; they are apt to break out in the unknown tongue, which invariably followed by ascriptions of praise and adoration which are well nigh unutterable. The writer has concluded that it is the “new tongues” as spoken of in Mark xvi, 17 as one of the signs which are to follow them that believe, rather than the “gift of tongues” which all evidently did not possess. We feel our spirits hushed into silence before God, and this wonderful manifestation of His presence in our midst.”

April 4, 1908. Vol. XXX. No. 1

Pg. 7 “Speaking With tongues: An Exegetical Study. By A. J. Ramsey”

Pg.9 “It is evident that the speaking “with tongues” at Corinth was an entirely different thing from the speaking “with other tongues” in Jerusalem on “the day of Pentecost.” This is clearly shown by the following facts: In Jerusalem the speaking “with other tongues” was speaking other languages that were understood by those who heard them-every one hearing in his own native dialect. It was addressed to man and understood by man. At Corinth, the speaking “with tongues” was not to man, and no man understood it (I. Cor. xiv. 2). This contrast is sharp, and very striking in the original. The words “understandeth” (I. Cor. xiv. 2), “heard” (Acts ii. 6), “hear” (Acts ii. 8), and “heard” (Acts x. 46) are translations of the same Greek verb, meaning to hear intelligently. The fact that the Corinthian “tongues” had to be interpreted in order to be understood, accentuates the difference between it and the “other tongues” (Acts ii. 4) which were understood by those who heard them, without interpreter or interpretation. An interesting item of circumstantial evidence is presented by the fact that the new languages in Jerusalem, Caesarea, and Ephesus, apparently gave no trouble (the Holy Spirit gave them utterance) ; whereas the “tongues” at Corinth caused no little trouble and required careful control. The significance of this appears in the light of the fact that some of those who spoke new languages were Ephesians. If they had exercised the Corinthian “tongue,” and had continued therein, it is not likely that Paul would have omitted even a reference to it in his Epistle to the Ephesians, in view of the prominence given it in his letter to the Corinthians.”

The Bridegroom’s Messenger

“Bridegroom’s Messenger, a prominent early Pentecostal periodical, was first published in 1907 by evangelist G. B. Cashwell. Cashwell, along with A. G. Garr, Charles H. Mason, D. J. Young, and others, brought the Pentecostal message from the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles to the southeastern United States.”⁵

October 1, 1907. Vol. 1. No. 1

“Speaking in Other Tongues” by G. B. Cashwell.

“We must observe the difference in (s)peaking in tongues when the Baptism of the Holy Ghost comes upon us, and the gift of tongues as taught in Ist Cor. 12:10.

. . .The gift that is now receiving special discussion, is the gift of tongues, which is divers kinds of tongues or many languages given us by the Holy Ghost. This gift is one of the members of Christ’s body, and the body is not complete without all its members.

For by one Spirit we are baptized into one body, and whosoever substitutes any of these gifts is a fraud and of the devil.

A knowledge of various languages as taught in the colleges is not the gift of tongues, but like unto the artificial eye, it cannot see.

We do not oppose education until the devil endeavors to substitute it for the Holy Ghost.

Let education have its place, but forbid not that the Holy Ghost should fill His place in the church of Jesus Christ. He is the Comforter, the Teacher, the Blesser, the Giver, the Power, the Glory, the Resurrection of both the physical and spiritual body of Jesus Christ.

The churches today, that claim to be the church of Jesus Christ, with all their bishops, elders, preachers, and colleges, substituting the gifts of the Holy Ghost, remind me of the wooden Indian that stands at a door, a bunch of cigars in his hand, yet lifeless, blind, deaf, and dumb, so knowing nothing of the Spirit of God that gives life to the soul, body, and spirit. Many who are trying to teach us in these days of sanctification are far from being regenerated, knowing nothing of true Sanctification and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.

. . .The Scriptures teach us that the church is not edified or instructed properly by speaking in an unknown tongues. The Roman Catholics do that and keep their people in ignorance.

Many fresh from college us words unknown to their hearers to display their education. But every one of God’s children, that preach or teach the people, does all in their power to make them understand clearly the truth as God has revealed it to them.

I have not seen any in the late Pentecostal Movement try to preach or teach in an unknown tongues for the edification of the church. . . If every one will lay aside all prejudice and study carefully and prayerfully the subject of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and the gift of tongues. Let the same man that instructed the church at Corinth instruct us.”

Dec. 1, 1907. Vol. 1. No. 3

“A History of Tongues” V. P. Simmons (Frostproof, Fla.)

V. P. Simmons is an important early contributor to the pentecostal doctrine of tongues. A separate Notes and Quotes file called V. P. Simmons on the Church History of tongues has been generated.

Feb. 1, 1908. Vol. 1. No. 7

Under Questions and Answers: “This speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance is not the gift of tongues. Those who speak in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance have not the power to control it at will, it seems that it comes at such times as they are in close touch with God, the Spirit takes their tongues and speaks through them, gives them utterance. Those who have the gift of tongues, seem to be able to speak different kinds of tongues, and seem to be able to speak at will.”

. . .“Does any one of them know what language he himself speaks? Answer. Not unless the Spirit interprets, or some one else who knows the language informs them. A study of I Cor 12 and 14 will show that the gift and interpretation are two separate things.”

March 1, 1908. Vol 1. No. 9

“Tongues are a sign to unbelievers. And so will the other gifts be. Surely to have one’s vocal organs used by the divine Spirit and express thought in languages never learned is an objective miracle which none can gainsay.”

“We want the world to know Jesus before He comes. We are in a hurry about it because we believe the time is short. Preparation in training schools is good, but God is pushing some without these advantages. They are equipped with power from on high; and we are persuaded that it is better to lack learning than to lack this power. We are aware that some have labored to warn the people at home against sending Pentecostal missionaries without training. They count the enterprise a failure. They rehearse some facts in regard to the failure of some of the Pentecostal missionaries to speak the language in the foreign field, which they believed God had given them, and claim that it has worked confusion, etc., but we know on the other hand that the blessings of Pentecostal light which they carried with them and the good they have accomplished greatly outweighs every blunder or mistake on their part.”

“ “The History of Tongues” is ready in tract form. Also the tract, “Justification, Sanctification, and Baptism of the Holy Spirit.” These can be had for 10 cents per dozen. Send order in care of Bridegroom’s Messenger, 53 1-2 Auburn avenue.”

Nov. 1, 1908. Vol. 2. No. 25

“Questions and Answers”

“Question three. Does the gift of tongues stay with every one who receives it?

Answer. So far as we have observed, what we believe to the gift of tongues remains, and the person is able to speak at will. There are many who speak in tongues at the time they are baptized with the Spirit, who never spoken since in other tongues.

Question four. When one receives the gift of tongues do they have power to control it and use it only when they believe they could best glorify God in it, or does it come on them suddenly and they are compelled to speak?

Answer. It is possible to use the gift when it is not for the glory of God. Sometimes the prompting of the Spirit to speak in other tongues is so strong that it would be very difficult to control, and you feel that you could not without grieving the Spirit, and there are times when it just seems to burst out involuntarily.

Question five. Do any of them know what language he himself speaks?

Answer. Not unless the Spirit interprets, or some one else who knows the language informs them. A study of I Cor. 12 and 14 will show that the gift and the interpretation are two separate things.”

Jan. 15, 1909. Vol. 2. No. 30

“Tongues: Their Nature and Use According to the Commentators” as reprinted from the “Household of God.”⁶

“Many excellent Christians have faulted to see the hand of God in the present work of the Holy Ghost accompanied by speaking with tongues, and have set themselves in array against it.

Their only excuse is that the languages which have appeared are not Biblical, and therefore are of Satanic origin.”

The article then goes on to cite:

• Adam Clarke on Acts 8:15; Page 363. “It was the miraculous gifts of the Spirit which were thus communicated; the speaking with different tongues, and those extraordinary qualifications which were necessary for the successful preaching of the Gospel.”

• Matthew Henry on Acts 8:17-18 – “They laid their hands on them to signify that their prayers were answered, and that the gift of the Holy Ghost was conferred upon them; for upon this sign they received the Holy Ghost and spoke with tongues.”

• Henry Alford, Cited at Vol. 2, Part 1, Page 220ff⁷ “We gather that the two departments in which the gift of tongues was exercised were prayer and praise. . . that the gift of speaking in various languages was bestowed on the disciples for their after use in preaching the gospel, we are, I think, running contrary to the whole course of Scripture, and the evidence of the early fathers on the subject.”

• History of the Christian Church, by Philip Smith, B.A., “The gift of tongues which was now used as a medium of instant communication was also a sign, and attestation of their commission from God, and as such it was accepted by those of the people who believed, and this continued to be its chief use in the Apostolic Church.”

• Apostolic and Post Apostolic Times, by Gotthard Lechler, Vol. 1, Page 27. “. . .and ecstatic flow of sounds, in uttering which the understanding of the speaker was in abeyance.”

• New Testament Hours, Vol II. Page. 25⁸ by Cunningham Geikie “This gift, then, as shown in the Apostolic Church, was not that of speaking language of this nation or that, without previous knowledge of them, but an ecstatic flow of sounds, in uttering which the understanding of the speaker was in abeyance.”⁹

• Commentary on I Corinthians. Frédéric Godet, Vol. 2, Page 265ff “The glossolaete addresses God, and that in a tongue which no man understands, so that what he says remains a mystery to all who hear him; speaking in a tongue is a sort of spiritual soliliqua. . . It is evident that the state of the glossolaete was that of an ineffable conversation with God. . . I can only therefore regard the gift of tongues as the expression in a language spontaneously created by the Holy Spirit, of the new views and of the profound and lively emotions of the human soul.”

• Jameson, Faucette and Brown, Vol. III, Page 427. (Commentary Critical and Explanatory of the Whole Bible: Book of Acts) “It is next to certain that the speakers themselves understood nothing of what they uttered.”

• Ten Epochs of Church History. John Fulton, D. D. “But the impression suggested by the glossolalia of I Cor. 12:14 is of another kind, that namely ecstatic adoration in praise or prayer addressed not so much to men as to God.”¹⁰

• Schaff’s History of the Christian Church. Vol. 1. Page 230ff

  . . .Page 230 “The distribution of the flaming tongues to each of the disciples caused the speaking with tongues. A new experience expresses itself always in appropriate language. The supernatural experience of the disciples broke through the confines of ordinary speech and burst out in ecstatic language of praise and thanksgiving to God for the great works He did among them. Acts 2:11; 10:46.”

  “It was the Spirit Himself who gave them utterance and played on their tongues as on new tuned harps, unearthly melodies of praise. The glossolalia was here as in all cases where it is mentioned, an act of worship and adoration, not an act of teaching or instruction which followed afterwards in the sermon of Peter.

  “It was the first Te Deum of the new born church, * * * It was intelligible only to those who were in sympathy with the speaker, while unbelievers scoffingly ascribed it to madness or excess of wine. * * *

  Page 232 “The speaking in tongues began, before the spectators arrived (on day of Pentecost), that is, before there was any motive for the employment of foreign languages.

  Page 235 “It was an act of self devotion, an act of thanksgiving, praying, singing within the Christian congregation by individuals who were wholly absorbed in communion with God, and gave utterance to their rapturous feelings in broken, abrupt, rhapsodic, unintelligible words. It was emotional rather than intellectual. * * * * the language of the spirit or of ecstasy as distinct from language of the understanding.”

Editors final comments at the end of the article: “Then said He unto me, Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.” Dan. 10:12.

Today many seem to have set their hearts to misunderstand. But Daniel set his heart to understand, and Moses turned to see the bush that burned, and each heard the voice of God. ”

March 15, 1909. Vol. 2. No. 34

“The Spirit Used a Little Girl to Speak Italian.”

A little girl who had received her baptism and miraculously spoke in Italian and Latin. “One who understood the message was an Italian young man who had been a Catholic and was saved two weeks before. He had been doubting the speaking in tongues. The message was spoken right to him at first. The Spirit was saying in Italian, “Voi che non credeto, oro credete.” You who do not believe, now believe. “Voi uomani che siote molto altonato doila parola di Dio, e lui sta molto grittato contro noi, giorno per giorno per noi.” You people far from the word of God, He is angry with you, and Jesus is praying to the Father day by day for you.”

V. P. Simmons writes a short bio on the life of Wm. H. Doughty (Elder Doughty) as a leader of the “Gift Adventists”. In 1855, he received the gift of tongues while in secret prayer and “the gift remained with him all his life.”

“. . .Wm. H. Doughty moved to Providence, R. I., in 1875. He seemed from first to last to be the leader of those brethren in the exercise of the gifts of the Spirit, meeting with much opposition from ministers and active Church members, they were more or less drive to live by themselves. God was with them, they were a very humble, sweet-spirited people, often dividing their substance with those in need.

. . .The gift of tongues, the interpretation of tongues, marvelous faith, healings, spiritual discernment and prophesying under the influence of the Holy Spirit, were habitual among them.”

Feb. 1, 1911. Vol. 4. No. 79

“Some Interesting Facts About the Pentecostal Movement”

Quoting V. P. Simmons previous work almost verbatim including Schaff’s citations until the 1900s where he adds more details. Simmons is not mentioned. This was done by an editor with the initials, E. A. S.

July 1, 1909. Vol. 2. No. 41

“What an Ancient Writer Says on the Gift of Tongues”

“Whoever was baptized in apostolic days, he straightaway spake with tongues; for since on their coming over from idols, without any clear knowledge or training in the ancient Scriptures, they at once received the Spirit; not that they saw the Spirit, for He is invisible, but God’s grace bestowed some sensible proof of His energy; and one spoke in the Persian language, another in the Roman, another in the Indian, another in some other language; and this made manifest to them that were without, that it was the Spirit in the very person speaking. Wherefore the apostle calls it “the manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every man to profit withal.”

The apostles themselves had received this sign first; so the faithful went on receiving it. Yet not the gift of tongues only; inasmuch as many of the baptized used to raise the dead, to cast out devils, and to perform many other wonderful works; but more abundant than all divine endowments was the gift of tongues.”—St. Chrysostom, A. D. 347 to 407.—Selected.”

The book or writing that this was lifted from was not noted in the newspaper.

April 1, 1917. Vol 10. No. 198

The following is a review of Frederick Farrar’s book, Darkness to Dawn. It is a work of fiction stitched from Farrar’s intimate knowledge of christian history from a veiled higher criticism perspective. The writer greatly revered Farrar’s intellect that even though it is a work of fiction, the life and practices demonstrated of early christianity depicted in the book are of historical value. This especially pertains to speaking in tongues. Farrar’s depiction parallels the pentecostal experience.

“Glossolalia in the Early Church.”

“In Number 14 of “Victory,” a free Pentecostal paper published in Bournemouth, England, is the following interesting account of a visit to a Pentecostal meeting in early days, which we have been requested to copy for our readers.

Historical Description from the writings of the late Dean of Canterbury”

“In these days, when by reason the long distance both of time, and of spiritual power and experience which separates the Modern from the Ancient Church, Christian people are so sceptical of the Scriptural, and Divine character of supernatural manifestations and gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are accompanying the latest movement of the spirit of God, throughout the world, it is refreshing and re-assuring to come across the following descriptive scene, of a gathering of a primitive Christian assembly, and the manifestations of the Spirit, which attend their worship. It is far from the pen of the late Dean Farrar, in his “Darkness to Dawn.” To appreciate the value of his testimony, it must be emphasized that although this book is “a tale” illustrating the dawn of Christianity upon the Darkness of Paganism, the Dean claim for it the title of “an historic tale.” In the preface he tells us what the whole story is “determined by the actual events of Pagan and Christian history!” and again “the fiction is throughout controlled and dominated by historic facts.” Again, he says, “Even for the minutest allusions, and particulars I have contemporary authority.” Once more, he assures us his story has been “decided” for him by the exigencies of fact, not by the rules of art,” and that “scarcely in one incident have I touched the preachers of early Christianity with the finger of fiction.”

From all this it may be seen that the Dean, who, on the first days of Christianity, is not only a voluminous writer, but a learned and recognized historical authority, makes an honest, and felicitous endeavor. . .”

The writer then goes on to directly quote Farrar:

“For now a voice such as he had never hear—a sound unearthly and unaccountable—seemed only to strike his ears but to grasp his very heart. It was awful in its range, its tone, its modulations, its startling, penetrating, appalling power; and although he was unable to understand its utterance, it seemed to convey the loftiest eloquence of religious transport, thrilling with rapture and conviction. And, in a moment or two, other voices joined it. The words they spoke were exalted intense, impassioned, full of mystic significance. They did not speak in their ordinary familiar tongue, but in what seemed to be as it were the essence and idea of all languages, though none could tell whether it was Hebrew, or Greek, or Latin, or Persian. It resembled now one, and now the other, as some overpowering and unconscious impulse of the moment might direct. The burden of the thoughts of the speakers seemed to be the ejaculation of ecstasy, of amazement, of thanksgiving, of suplication, of passionate dithyramb or psalm. They spoke not to each other, or to the congregation, but seemed to be addressing their inspired soliloquy to God. And among these strange sounds of many voices, all raised in sweet accord of entranced devotion, there were some which no one could rightly interpret themselves. They needed no translation into significant language, but spontaneously awoke in the hearts of the hearers the echo of the impulse from which they sprang. There were others which rang on the air more sharply, more tumultuously, lie the clang of a cymbal, or the booming of hoolow brass, and they conveyed no meaning to any but the speakers, who, in producing these barbarous tones, felt carried out of themselves. But there was no disorderly tumult in the various voices. They were reverberations of one and the same supernatural ecstasy—echoes awakened in different consciousnesses by one and the same emotion.”

March 1931. Vol. 24. No. 279

Pg. 14 “Pentecostal Outpourings throughout this age” It appears to be an expanded version of the pentecostal themes espoused by V. P. Simmons. The narrative has not changed. The editors note this is a selected piece meaning they took from other authors and spliced them together.

• Chrysostom
• Irenaeous
• Tertullian and the Montanists
• Cites Gorres in La Mystique Divene about Pachomius that he miraculously spoke in the “Greek Language”
• Dark Ages 12th-15th Waldenses and Albigenses
• Cites Philip Schaff, History of Christian Church, Vol. 1, page 237, 1882 edition for the Camisards, Quakers and Methodists, the Readers (Sweden), and the Irvingites
• Vincent Ferrer, Francis Xavier from the Catholic Encylopedia “is said to have made himself understood by the Hindus without knowing their language.”
• St. Louis Bertrand, Martin Valentine, Jean of St. Francis, Jeanne of the Cross
• Souer’s History of the Christian Church Vol. 3, Page 406, Martin Luther was a speaker in tongues.

The Assemblies of God Official Publications

“The Pentecostal Evangel, the weekly magazine of the Assemblies of God USA, has been one of the most prominent Pentecostal periodicals in the world. J. Roswell and Alice Flower started the publication in July 1913 as the Christian Evangel, which served primarily a small regional Pentecostal network of churches, known as the Association of Christian Assemblies. . . Publishing the Christian Evangel on a weekly basis was quite an undertaking. The name was changed to the Weekly Evangel in 1915. . . In 1919 the current title, Pentecostal Evangel, was adopted. The magazine returned to weekly publication in 1923.”¹¹

The Pentecostal Evangel is categorized by its three different names.

1. The Weekly Evangel

April 22, 1916. Vol. 136

“Speaking in an Unknown Tongue” by John S. Mercer.

“Published in the interest of the General Assembly of God”

Pg. 6 “We quote as a text, I Cor. 14:2, “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth him; howbeit if the spirit he speaketh mysteries.” This is not a gift of different languages as some have believed, but is an emotional or heavenly language, in which the speaker speaks only to God, He speaketh not unto men but unto God. “No man understandeth him;” this part of the text shows that it is not an earthly, but a heavenly language, which is the reason that no man can understand it.

Montanus truly said that each human spirit is like a harp. . .”

“We take the following from the Pulpit Commentary on I Cor. 14:5: “We have seen all along–and history has in various ages confirmed the impression on every occasion where the gift of tongues have been reproduced in seasons of great spiritual revivals–that the external symptoms may be imitated.” And because there are some today, who live ungodly lives that imitate, and claim to have the gift of tongues, many have said, “The whole thing is of the devil.” ”

. . .“He that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men but unto God.”–(I Cor. 14:2) The language of which the apostle is here speaking seems to have been of a very peculiar sort–an unintelligible vocal utterance, that which is often manifested at this present day, in great spiritual revivals. We are constituted that when there rises up in our souls a strong rush of tender emotions we feel utterly incapable to put them into words. If expressed at all they can only be in the quivering lip, the gleaming of the eye and the convulsive chest. The groans, the sighs, the rapturous shouts cannot be interpreted.”

. . .“While the unknown “tongue” cannot be interpreted, yet it is a “gift,” a gift of the high type. Such has been manifested in all great spiritual revivals of religion. The Very Rev. H. D. M. Spence, D. D., says in the Pulpit Commentary, “In my younger days I have heard such untranslatable sounds under the mighty sermons of grand old Welch preachers. “The words imply that these, ‘tongues,’ unintelligible vocal sounds, are valuable.” I would that ye spake with tongues.”–(I Cor. 14:15.) “In the spirit he speaketh mysteries.” The mysteries are “things which are hidden from the hearers, and sometimes from the speaker himself.” (Alford.) And the “mysteries,” out of whose deep solitudes the voice comes, remain “mysteries” out of whose deep solitudes the voice comes, remain mysteries; neither word nor tone, neither look nor gesture, gives any solution of the meaning. The secrets have taken on sound, but the sense is concealed.

The Right Rev. Lord A. C. Hervey, D. D., Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells, says in his exposition on Acts 2:4 in the Pulpit Commentary, “The ‘tongues’ were sometimes tongues of men, foreign languages unknown to the speakers, and of course unintelligible to the hearers unless any were present as was the case on the day of Pentecost who knew the language; the ‘tongues’ were sometimes languages not of earth but of heaven, ‘tongues of men and angels.’”

“Apostolic Faith Restored” by B. F. Wallace.

Pg. 5 “Here is a well authenticated case of glossolalia identical with the manifestation upon the day of Pentecost. The young man was, and is ignorant of the Syriac; he spoke-as the Spirit gave utterance. . .”

June 3, 1916. No. 142

Pg. 4 “The Works of God” by B. F. Lawrence.

“Article VII. — The Gift of Tongues, and the Pentecostal Movement.”

“It is our privilege to offer a reprint of a letter published some time ago in England, which deals so satisfactorily with the wonders of the movement that we feel it will be a blessing to all who read it. The pamphlet from which this is taken belongs to the Free literature Series of the Confidence Press, Sunderland, England.”

Heavy emphasis on Conybeare and Howson’s “Life and Epistles of St. Paul”

Pg. 6 “ “Conybeare, in his “Life and Epistles of St. Paul,” speaks as follows about the Church of the Apostles’ day: –“The feature which most immediately forces itself upon our notice, as distinctive of the Church of the Apostolic age, as its possession of supernatural gifts.” Therefore the Church to-day is un-apostolic in at least this respect.”

. . .“Will the reader turn to I Cor. 14:2–“He that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not to men but to God.” As this is so, an “intelligible language is unnecessary.” Just as the baby’s cooing is perfectly intelligible to the mother, so the unintelligible, Spirit-given utterances of the believer are intelligible to His Father, and the child, unimpeded by the limits of human language, fully and freely communes with its God, and “He that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit.” ”

The following quotation from Schaff’s book:

“Speaking in tongues, as described from the life by Paul, himself a master in it, is an involuntary spasmodic praying or singing in a state of spiritual ecstasy and of the deepest absorption in the mysteries of the divine life. It is an inward act of worship and an ecstatic dialogue of the soul with God in a peculiar language inspired by the Spirit.”>

The author then goes on to quote Conybeare in the “Life and Epistles of St. Paul.” Here is an extract of that quote: “Thirdly, we find that while under its influence, the exercise of the understanding was suspended while the spirit was rapt in a state of spiritual ecstasy by the immediate communication of the Spirit of God. In this ecstatic trance the believer was constrained by an irresistable power to pour forth his feelings of thanksgiving and rapture in words, yet the words which issued from his mouth were not his own, he was even usually ignorant of their meaning.”

Then the article proceeds to explain:

“In writing thus of the apostolic experiences of Schaff and Conybeare so accurately describe their speaking in tongues as it is enjoyed by Pentecostal people to-day that they might have been present at a Pentecostal meeting and heard it. What they so truly describe as the manifestation of the gift in apostolic day is just a description of its manifestation to-day, and they show, how then as now, the believer was edified by the gift. In addition, they also clear away SOME POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS on the subject of the gift of tongues. Just to mention one of these common errors to be corrected. We see that the belief that the gift was for the preaching of the Gospel to foreigners, is unfounded. Foreign people did certainly hear their own languages on the day of Pentecost (the disciples were not, however, on that occasion, preaching the Gospel but magnifying God–the common use of the gift) therefore the Spirit must have sometimes given a known language. This is the experience to-day, known languages are heard and have been identified by persons hearing them. Personally, I have heard an address delivered in Spanish and Portuguese under the inspiration of the Spirit. These languages were recognized by one of those present, who had a slight acquaintance with them. There are other thoroughly authenticated instances of the same thing. Scripture fully bears out the statements of Schaff and Conybeare as to unknown languages, i. e., languages unknown to any, even to those speaking them. Because they were unknown the gift of the interpretation of tongues was needed.”

June 10, 1916. No. 143

Pg. 4 (Continued piece from above) “And now as to the other “use of the gift of tongues” given by the Apostle Paul. This is mentioned in I Cor. 14:20-22, where he states “tongues are for a sign to them that believe not.” Unbelievers are brought face to face with the supernatural and an evidence of the “powers of the world to come” is given them in this way. But it should be particularly noticed that we are not taught that they will be.”

“. . .At Pentecost gatherings there is frequently heard what is termed “heavenly choir.” The experience is that a number in the gathering commence to sing under the operation of the Spirit. The vocal organs of each are taken into control by the Spirit. The vocal organs of each are taken into control by the Spirit, and each one sings in perfect harmony with the others. Most beautiful music is so produced. I find Schaff comes to my aid in describing it. Speaking of the experience in apostolic times, he writes of “these lofty solemn mysterious tones sounding, as it were, form the angel world.” I would have the readier particularly note that if Schaff had been present with me at a meeting I was at, at Sunderland, he could scarcely have described more accurately the music.

He speaks sound from the angel world—angels were seen at one meeting where I heard this music. It was said that they were present at the second one. I am not sure why this was said, whether they were seen or not, so I do not speak certainly. At the second one I heard the music, my voice was also possessed, and I, like the others, sang in perfect harmony with them.”

2. The Christian Evangel: The Pentecostal Paper for the Home

“The Official organ of the General Council of the Assemblies of God” E.N. Bell, Stanley H. Frodsham editors.

August 22, 1914. No. 55

A reprint of “Glossolalia in the Early Church” — Historical descriptions from the late Dean of Canterbury.

Will not cover this here because it is found elsewhere. At the end of the article it has “C. E. D. de L. In Victory. Reprinted by “Trust.” Who C. E. D. de L is, I do not know.

1919, No. 300 and 301

Pg. 5 under Questions and Answers:

“Are not the “other tongues” in Acts 2:4 which men understood that day different from the “unknown tongues” in I Cor. 14:2 which “no man understands?

Please note that the word “unknown” in verses 2, 4, 13, 14, 19 and 27 are printed in Italic letters. This is the Bible way of indicating that the translators have supplied the word to help out the sense and the original Greek does not have the word “unknown” in any of these verses nor anywhere in the chapter. So these tongues are not in the absolute sense unknown. These supernatural tongues are always unknown to the speaker of them, but these tongues in most cases could be understood if the foreigner happened to be present whose language was being spoken. Only when such are not present is it true no man understands. Now there is a hint by Paul in speaking of the tongues of angels in I Cor. 13:1 that now and then an angelic tongue may be spoken by one through the power of the Holy Ghost. Only in such, perhaps rare cases is it absolutely an unqualifiedly true that no man on earth could understand these tongues.

Note further that these same tongues are referred to as fulfilling Isa. 28:11 and that these are called also “other tongues,” 14:21. Hence both the tongues in Acts 2:4 and Corinthians 14 are called “other tongues.”

The Greek has two words for “another” or “other.” One is ALLOS and the other is HETEROS. ALLOS means another of the same kind being discussed, while HETEREOS means another of a different kind of nature. When Jesus said He would send us “another comforter” He said , “Allos comforter,” that is another of the same class, same nature as Himself, another Divine Comforter, another person of the Godhead.

Now the Scriptures describe these other tongues not as allos tongues but always as “Heteros tongues,” that is these tongues are not natural tongues, but are a DIFFERENT kind, DIFFERENT in their very nature and origin. They originate in heaven, are supernatural tongues. This is true of both ghoe in Acts 2:4 and those in I Cor. 14:21. They both are heteros tongues, different from our natural tongue or language. But either those in Acts 2:4 or those in Corinthians may be understood if the proper foreigner is present, unless they should happen to be foreign tongues.

The tongues in Acts 2:4 and in Corinthians differ in their uses. When the first given as in Acts 2:4 and prompted only by the Holy Ghost they may all speak to magnify God and as the sign of the Holy Ghost has filled them and is using their tongues. Long years after, as in Corinth, we are to learn to regulate their use to the edification of the Church. The difference is in use and regulation.”

3. The Pentecostal Evangel: A Family and Missionary Paper, the Official Organ of the Assemblies of God

December 27, 1919. Volume 320 and 321

“They Shall Speak with New Tongues”

Pg. 3 “The ear of the Bridegroom is attuned to hear the cry of the bride, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus,” Amidst all the plaudits, the harmonious chants and glorious anthems of heaven, the loud hallelujahs and cries of “Worthy the Lamb,” way through them all comes the cry of the bride. “Come, Lord Jesus,” and that cry is not lost or swallowed up in its passage through the volume of sound from the throng around the throne.

To emphasize the cry, God has given the bride a new tongue to utter it, yea to whisper it, so the world shall not hear it, and the enemy cannot understand it. It is the language direct from the Throne and therefore it is bound to return to the Throne.

They spoke wonderful things on the day of Pentecost, but they are speaking more wonderful things in this latter Pentecost. They are speaking about the exodus. The first Pentecost inaugurated the church, the last is giving the finishing touches. It is necessary to the supernatural because the church is soon to be called into the supernatural. Don’t miss your share.”

Pg. 5 under Questions and Answers.

Re: a short history of speaking in tongues. “How did the church lose its supernatural power? Ans. The church has never entirely lost it. . .”

The church lost it through ritual, lack of closeness to God, sin and unbelief. . . Eusebius, Chrysostom, Irenaeous, Augustine. . . Early Methodists, some Quakers, Charles G. Finney, Dwight L. Moody. Edward Irving, Daniel Awry in Eastern Tennessee (1890s).

. . .“These Assemblies are opposed to all radical Higher Criticism of the Bible and against all modernism or infidelity in the church, against people unsaved and full of sin and worldliness belonging to the church. They believe in all the real Bible truths held by all real Evangelical churches.”

“The Modern Tongues Movement” Quotes encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 27, Pg. 9-10 11th edition and the Encyclopedia Catholica.

April 17, 1920. Nos 336 and 337

Pg. 7 “The Manifestation of Tongues”

“The Spirit speaking in the individual independently, for the time being, of his intellectual faculties, testifying of Jesus, and “declaring the wonderful works of God,” elevates the human soul to the highest possible plane of unison with the divine, thrilling it with holy joy, edifying and strengthening its hold on things infinite and eternal.

This is the true Christian glossolalia. And when the tongues employed by the Spirit in thus, “declaring the wonderful works of God” are addressed to men, and are real languages on earth, as on Pentecost, they constitute a marvelous sign which causes men to fear and tremble on account of this visible display of divine power and glory.”

. . .“With an understanding of the private use of the gift of tongues as a medium of expressing the heart’s deepest emotions, a greater field of usefulness opens before us, and Christian believers should have a greater interest in being filled with the Spirit and power for the accomplishing of divine work in the world than they have in merely–for their own comfort and satisfaction–getting rid of a troublesome inward disposition.”

June 9, 1923. No. 500

The article “Glossolalia (Speaking in Tongues) In the Early Church” was converted into tract form and advertised in this edition.

“The substance of this tract has been taken from “Darkness and Dawn” by Dean Farrar, and is based on a true account of the manifestations of the Spirit as they were seen in the Church in the days of Nero.”

July 23, 1927. No. 707

Pg. 2 “The Pentecostal Movement Under Fire” by Ernest S. Williams

An article in response to a fundamentalist magazine published out of Denver, Co. About the history of tongues. The writer of the fundamentalist article argued that the Montanists were a fanatically extreme and immoral group that were sternly reproved by Chrysostom. Mr. Williams responded against this by quoting from Frederick Farrar’s account found in the Pulpit Commentary. “In the Pulpit Commentary, commenting on the fourteenth chapter of First Corinthians, we glean some of the thoughts of Dean F. W. Farrar. May I quote from him? “Probably it is this word (unknown), not found in the original, which has given rise to the perplexing, unhistoric, and unwarranted theory that ‘the gift of tongues’ was a power to speak in foreign languages, because, as a rule no one understands anything that he says. The whole of this chapter proves in a most striking way the close analogy between ‘the tongue’ and the impassioned soliloquies of inarticulate utterance which were poured forth in tones of thrilling power among the Montanists, and, in modern times, among the Irvingites.” He also quoted from John Wesley to maintain the association between Montanists and Pentecostals.

Aug. 27, 1927. No. 712

An advertisement to sell Philip Schaff’s book and published by Gospel Publishing house.

“The Person of Christ”

By Philip Schaff

“The one question pushing its way persistently into the hearts and minds of men is ‘What think ye of Christ?’ A clear, concise and convincing answer is given to the world in the pages of this book. No man can afford to miss from his library or his life the ripened fruit of Dr. Schaff’s mind. He has entered the Holy of Holies and brought back to his fellow men a divine message. For the man who desires to know Christ and desires to be more like Him, and desires to lead others to Him, this book is one of God’s choicest gifts.”

May 27, 1939. No. 1307

Pg. 3 Ernest S. Williams, Superintendant, Assemblies of God. His thoughts on Dean Farrar’s “Darkness and Dawn”:

“. . .in which he describes first century Christianity, I was impressed with his description of a Christian meeting held in seclusion and secrecy in the vicinity of Rome in the days of Nero, and the similarity of a Pentecostal meeting at present in which the Spirit has His way. Then a fear came over me lest we, in our human anxiety to have everything done decently and in order, should quench the Spirit and lose our privileged simplicity. There were perhaps things of the flesh then as there are now; may we not grieve away the manifestations of the Spirit by trying to control what we fear may be of the flesh.”

The Latter Rain Evangel: An International Monthly Magazine

“The Latter Rain Evangel was published monthly by the Stone Church, the significant early Pentecostal congregation in Chicago founded by William Hamner Piper. The Stone Church hosted the second General Council of the Assemblies of God in November 1914 as well as the 1919 General Council.”¹²

Nov. 1908

Contains a story of a person speaking in tongues which is accidentally the Hebrew language and converting a Jew. (Pg. 10; Pg. 14)

Dec. 1908 Vol 1. No. 3

“Confirming the Word with Signs Following: Jesus Saves, Heals and Baptizes”

F. F. Bosworth

“In almost every service God confirms His Word by causing some one to speak in other tongues, and also to interpret the words thus spoken. Both the unknown tongue and the interpretations have been identified by some in the audience. They have heard the gospel “ in their own tongue wherein they were born.” Miss Campbell has been understood several times as the Spirit has spoken through her in the unknown tongue. Last Friday night we conducted a service in LaPaz, Indiana, in the United Brethren church. God gave us a blessed service, and as Miss Lee was speaking the precious Holy Spirit spoke through her in German, every word of which was understood by a German lady in the audience.”

July, 1930. Vol. 22. No. 10

“The Baptism and Ministry of the Holy Spirit” by J. N. Hoover

Pg. 6 He describes some history and arrives at the Camisards, Quakers and Methodists and cites Schaff.

September, 1925

Pg. 22. A Pentecostal Meeting in the First Century – a breviary about Farrar’s “Darkness and Dawn”. The snippet quotes from Farrar’s book on early christian gatherings and how their Pentecostalism closely resembles the modern one.

The Church of God Evangel

“The Church of God Evangel began in 1910 as The Evening Light and Church of God Evangel, but the title was shorted to The Church of God Evangel in 1911. Since its beginning it has served as the primary voice of the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee).”¹³

Nov. 18, 1933. Vol. 24. No. 37

Pg. 5 “The Baptism with the Holy Ghost and the Evidence” by Paul H. Walker.

It is a long work by Church paper standards and goes into more detail than earlier papers have attempted to do.

Pg. 6 Another historical portrait.

• Irenaeous
• Chrysostom – the typical Pentecostal quote
• Dean Farrar “Darkness to Dawn” Pg. 167-169 Persecuted Christians of Rome speaking in tongues
• Tertullian
• Augustine and the false Samaritan citation: “Augustine wrote in the fourth century, “We still do what the apostles did when they laid hands on the Samaritans and called down the Holy Ghost on them, in the laying of hands. It is expected that converts should speak with new tongues.””
• The Encylopedia Brittanica “glossolalia (or speaking in tongues)”
• Schaff History of the Christian Church – Methodists, Quakers etc. the same as other earlier Pentecostal reports.

White Wing Messenger

The White Wing Messenger is the official publication of the Church of God of Prophecy – a pentecostal denomination that started in 1903. The publication started in 1911 and is still being published today.¹⁴

March 31, 1928. Vol. 5. No. 7

Pg. 3 “History of Speaking in Tongues” V. P. Simmons once again is reprinted in this magazine.

The Bridal Call: Western edition

April 1919. Vol. II. No. 11

The Gift of Tongues by Herman L. Harvey

Pg. 7 “It may be the spoken language of some nation or tribe in the earth, it may be the language of angels. The inspired Apostle speaks of the “tongues of men and angels,” leaving us such an inference.

It is clearly not the purpose of God to bestow a language that will work automatically upon heathen and sinners of other lands and tribes.

When the Spirit was first poured out in California a few years ago a sad mistake was made by some who acted upon the belief that all they had to do was to reach some heathen land and the language would be always the very dialect needed.

There is no record in the Bible of tongues for preaching in other languages after the day of Pentecost.”

Pg. 8 “. . . It should be said in this connection, however, that often the language spoken by Pentecostal saints is accommodated to the needs of some foreigner whom the message reaches in power.” He goes on to give examples of a person miraculously speaking in Greek, and another in Spanish.

Pg. 9 “With the gift of tongues we become more effectual intercessors for others than we could be without it.”

March 1920. Vol III. No. 10

Pg. 17ff “The Baptism of the Holy Spirit” A. B. Cox

Pg. 18. Cox has one of the more detailed histories of tongues. However, he fails to substantiate many of his claims. Some are false and have perpetuated into later works.

• covers whether Wesley spoke in tongues, but doesn’t really answer.
• dwells on the Wesley-Middleton debate and the Camisards.
• Quotes from Augustine about the Samaritans with this direct but wrong quote from him “It is expected that the convert should speak in new tongues.” this has never been qualified, even by later Pentecostal scholars. It is believed today to be wrong.
• Quotes Chrysostom about speaking in foreign languages.
• He asserts that Origen, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine, Jerome and most of the church fathers “believe that the disciples of Pentecost were miraculously and permanently endowed with the power of using foreign languages in their missionary work. Chrysostom thought each one was given power to speak the language in which field he was to work. While Augustine says that every one of them spoke in the tongues of all nations, thus signifying that the Catholic Church would embrace all the nations and could in like manner speak in all tongues. De Cia. Dei. xv., Chap. 49.”
• Gregory of Nyssa and Nazianzus connects gift of tongues with Babel. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Vol. 17 I.I., Page 384

“Beloved, we would be glad to insert more of the history of each one of these, but space will not permit, at this time to speak of many others who have written on this great subject, such men as Oshausen, Baumgarten, Thiersch, Lechler, Hackett, Glaag, Plumptre, Schaff, Schmiedl and Zeller. Encyclopedia Biblica, Vol. iv, Col. 4761 gives some information.
Also Professor Ramsey and Doctor Bartlet. “Ramsey, St. Paul the Traveler. page 30, also The Century Bible, “Acts of the Apostles,” Note C, page 385.”

Pg. 19 takes up more time with the Montanists, Irenaeous, and then jumps to the Reformation, Luther, Camisards — quotes Cutten “The Psychological Phenomena of Christianity,” Pg. 56 about the Camisards.

Pg. 20 and 21 are missing where the article ends.

The Pentecostal Holiness Advocate: the Official Organ of the Pentecostal Holiness Church

The Pentecostal Holiness Church was the result of the merger of a number of south-eastern US holiness turned Pentecostal groups in the early 1900s. It was founded by A. B. Crumpler and G. B. Cashwell.

Thursday, April 1,1920. Vol. 3. Number 149

“Pentecost in History” by W. H. Turner.

Pg. 6 skips from Irenaeous in the second century to the Camisards in the late seventeenth in his tracing speaking in tongues.

“Dr. Philip Schaff in both History of the Christian Church and Religious Encyclopaedia speaks of those same people as having spoken with tongues. In connection with the Irish revival, 1858, was manifested the speaking with tongues.”

Pg. 6-7 goes on at length to cover Edward Irving. Greenville, S. C., 1894-95; Texas 1900; Kansas 1903; Texas again 1905; 1906 Azusa; 1907 Cashwell in North Carolina, and then describes it going throughout the world. “Surely the time of His coming is near. Glory to God.”

Notes:

There are a number of works that could not be posted because their difficulty to acquire. Three in particular: “The Way of Life” newspaper edited by A. H. Post. This newsletter was one of the earliest pentecostal newspapers, but unfortunately it has not been digitized and only available in microfiche 1600 miles away. Fortunately, we have one of the senior contributors to this work, Frank Bartleman, supply much of the same information in his own works. Also, what was posted in the “Way of Life” can be found in almost all the other newsletters during that period. The pentecostal newspaper system had an improvised form of syndication between each other and what was found in the “Way of Life” could be found in another like newspaper.

Frank Sandford’s “Tongues of Fire” newspaper is only available for physical observation at one institution, and this is too far a distance for research. This newspaper is not essential but would have given a better background to the rise of Pentecostalism and speaking in tongues.

“The Household of God” was an important early pentecostal periodical that had an article which contained a sampling of modern commentaries and the pentecostal reaction to speaking in tongues. I have been unable to find any digital copy of this work. Fortunately, the article was reprinted in another periodical.

Links to the majority of the originals can be found at Consortium of Pentecostal Archives.

Links to the CMA originals can be found at The Alliance archives.

For more information on pentecostal tongues:

• Modern Pentecostal Books on Speaking in Tongues
• Early Pentecostal Books on Speaking in Tongues
• Charles Parham on Speaking in Tongues
• The Apostolic Faith Newspaper on the Azusa Street Revival
• A Missionary Crisis on Speaking in Tongues

1. Apostolic Faith (Portland). September 1918. No. 40
2. https://www.cmalliance.org/resources/archives/alliance-magazine
3. http://www.azusastreet.org/TheApostolicFaith.htm
4. https://ifphc.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=publicationsguide.main
5. https://ifphc.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=publicationsguide.thebridegroomsmessenger
6. The Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center describes “Household of God” as “an important early American Pentecostal periodical edited by William F. Manley. Manley, a Pentecostal pastor and evangelist, was active in the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles and traveled extensively. John J. Scruby of Dayton, Ohio, published the periodical. Household of God published numerous letters and articles by early Pentecostal leaders.”
7. Volume 2, page 15 in the edition that I have linked to
8. Incorrectly stated in BM as page 35
9. The original copy reads: “was not that of speaking regular languages” instead of “was not that of speaking language”
10. Fulton was the editor, the actual quote is from James Vernon Bartlett
11. https://pentecostalarchives.org/collections/pentecostalEvangel/
12. https://pentecostalarchives.org/collections/latterRainEvangel/
13. https://pentecostalarchives.org/collections/cogevangel/
14. https://ifphc.wordpress.com/2015/05/27/early-church-of-god-of-prophecy-periodical-now-online-white-wing-messenger-1923-1954/