February 11, 2022 · 9:11 pm

The First African American Assemblies of God Minister: Ellsworth S. Thomas

From the Ellsworth S. Thomas ministerial file, FPHC

by Darrin J. Rodgers

Ellsworth S. Thomas (1866-1936) holds the distinction of being the first African American to hold Assemblies of God (AG) ministerial credentials. His name was just a footnote in the history books until recently, when new information came to light.

Ellsworth S. Thomas was born in March 1866 in New York. His parents, Samuel and Mahala, were part of a free black community in Binghamton, New York, that pre-existed the Civil War. They overcame racism and societal restrictions, developed strong families, and carved out their own religious, economic, and social niche in the region.[1]

Samuel was born in Maryland in 1830 and worked as a laborer. He was also a Civil War veteran, serving for three years (1863-1865) as a private in the Massachusetts 54th Infantry. Ellsworth was born about nine months after his father returned home from the war.[2] Mahala was born in 1842 in Pennsylvania and worked as a laundress.[3] According to the 1880 census, Ellsworth was partially blind.[4] He attended common school,[5] which probably consisted of local blacks who joined together and made private arrangements to hire a teacher.[6] After Samuel passed away in the early 1890s, Ellsworth lived with his mother and cared for her. She died on April 24, 1913.[7] Census records show that Ellsworth owned a modest house (valued at $2,000 in 1930) and that most of his neighbors were white.[8] He never married.[9]

Binghamton city directories from 1888-1892 reveal that Ellsworth was a laundryman and a laborer. Beginning in 1899, though, they listed his occupation as a traveling evangelist.[10] His name first appeared in the AG ministers’ directory in October 1915, which stated that he was a “colored” pastor in Binghamton.[11]

In 1917, AG leaders asked existing ministers to re-submit applications for credentials, apparently because paperwork had not been kept during the earliest years of the Fellowship. Robert Brown, influential pastor of Glad Tidings Tabernacle in New York City, endorsed Ellsworth’s 1917 application. On the application, Ellsworth stated that he was originally ordained on December 7, 1913, by Robert E. Erdman, a Pentecostal pastor from Buffalo, New York.[12]

Records at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center show that Thomas pastored a congregation in Beaver Meadows, New York, from about 1917 until about 1922. He remained an AG evangelist for the remainder of his life. He held evangelistic meetings in the area around Binghamton, he held regular services in his home, and he pastored again briefly in about 1926.[13] He also was a regular speaker in the 1930s at two other black churches in Binghamton—Shiloh Baptist Church and Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church.[14]

A 1936 letter from Paul Westendorf informed the Pentecostal Evangel of Ellsworth’s death on June 12, 1936. He was 70 years old and passed away in Binghamton after a serious illness. Westendorf wrote,

He has been in the Council Fellowship for many years and so will be remembered throughout the Eastern District. Brother Thomas was faithful and true to the Lord in all kinds of circumstances, serving Him with gladness, therefore we feel that he had an abundant entrance in the presence of the Lord.[15]

Thomas’s funeral was held in Christ Episcopal Church in Binghamton, the oldest Episcopal congregation in the city, with the church’s pastor, Theodore J. Dewees, officiating. Thomas was buried in the Christ Episcopal Church plot in Spring Forest Cemetery.[16]

The newsletter of the Eastern District (which included Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, and New Jersey) noted Thomas’s passing:

Brother Ellsworth S. Thomas has been taken home to glory, but very little has been learned about the details. His funeral was conducted by the rector of Christ Church, Episcopal, in Binghamton…Many will remember Brother Ellsworth as a Bible teacher and some of the ministers will remember the fellowship we had with Brother Thomas one morning before meetings opened up, at the council in Rochester years ago, when we all sang “He’s Coming in Power” and Brother Thomas got to dancing in the Spirit, while he held onto a near-by [sic] door because of his almost being blind. He is one more of our number who is on the other side![17]

Ellsworth S. Thomas’s passing was also briefly noted on page 13 of the July 25, 1936, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.[18] A photograph of Thomas has not been located.

When Ellsworth S. Thomas transferred his ordination to the AG in 1915, the Fellowship was only a year old. He probably did not know that he was the AG’s first credentialed black minister. Thomas became known throughout the Eastern District for his Bible teaching and for his good cheer despite the obstacles he faced, including partial blindness. He never pastored a large congregation, but he was faithful where God placed him. Over the years, memories of this pioneer dimmed. However, Ellsworth S. Thomas remains an example, not just for black ministers, but for all who desire to follow Christ wholeheartedly.

Adapted from: Darrin J. Rodgers, “The Untold Stories of Three Black Assemblies of God Pioneers,” Assemblies of God Heritage 39/40 (2019-2020): 37-41.

[1] Keisha N. Benjamin, “Free Blacks in Nineteenth Century Binghamton,” Binghamton Journal of History 6 (2006).

[2] U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865. Ancestry.com

[3] 1870 U.S. Federal Census. Binghamton Ward 2, Broome Co., New York, 27.

[4] 1880 U.S. Federal Census. District 38, Binghamton, Broome Co., New York, 22B.

[5] Ellsworth S. Thomas, ministerial file, FPHC.

[6] Benjamin, “Free Blacks in Nineteenth Century Binghamton.”

[7] New York Death Index. Ancestry.com.

[8] 1900 U.S. Federal Census. District 0013, Binghamton Ward 05, Broome Co., New York, 12A-B; 1930 U.S. Federal Census. District 0023, Binghamton Ward 05, Broome Co., New York, 10A.

[9] Ellsworth S. Thomas, ministerial file, FPHC.

[10] Binghamton City Directories, Ancestry.com.

[11] Assemblies of God ministerial directory, 1915, 16.

[12] Ellsworth S. Thomas, ministerial file, FPHC.

[13] Ellsworth S. Thomas, ministerial file, FPHC.

[14] Press and Sun Bulletin (Binghamton, NY), June 17, 1933, 16; Press and Sun Bulletin (Binghamton, NY), September 16, 1933, 9; Press and Sun Bulletin (Binghamton, NY), December 23, 1933, 9.

[15] Ibid.

[16] Eastern District Bulletin, October 1936, 21; Obituary, “Ellsworth H. [sic] Thomas,” Press and Sun Bulletin (Binghamton, NY), June 15, 1936, 5.

[17] Eastern District Bulletin, October 1936, 21.

[18] Pentecostal Evangel, July 25, 1936, 13.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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February 10, 2022 · 9:30 pm

1927 Revival in China Sparked by Miracles, Including the Raising of a Dead Woman

This Week in AG History — February 12, 1927

By Glenn W. Gohr
Originally published on AG-News, 6 January 2022

Divine healing is one of the four cardinal doctrines of the Assemblies of God. The pages of the Pentecostal Evangel contain many testimonies of healing from various ailments. As people of faith, the Assemblies of God also believes in the miraculous. In 1927, missionary W.W. Simpson reported several miracles, including a dead person being brought back to life, in Taochow, Old City, China. These miracles confirmed the truth of the gospel that was being preached, causing many to place their faith in Christ.

Simpson was an early missionary to Tibet and China. He was already on the mission field prior to the formation of the AG, serving with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. He was baptized in the Holy Spirit in Taochow, China, in 1912. He transferred his ordination to the AG in 1915 and served two years as principal of Bethel Bible Training School in New Jersey before returning to China in 1918 to continue his missionary work. His first wife, Otilia (Ekvall) Simpson, passed away with cancer in 1917 at Old Orchard Beach, Maine. He had three children, William, Louise, and Margaret who accompanied him on his return to China. In 1925 he married Martha Merrill in China, and they had seven more children.

While ministering in Minchow, Simpson gave an account of a mighty revival which was able to send out 27 additional gospel workers in China. He reported, “This revival came in a series of conventions beginning in Taochow, New City, and ending in Minchow.” He also reported meetings in Gospel Garden, Choni, and “a mighty miracle at Taochow, Old City.”

Simpson said the theme of these conventions was “Overcoming in Preparation for the Lord’s Coming.” One aspect of overcoming, included “fighting actual battles in conquering disease, death and the devil.”

He told of a 16-year-old girl who was brought into the hall at Gospel Garden and was laid down on the floor beside the platform while the meeting was going on. Her eyes were closed, her face pale, and her form was limp. It was reported that she had been demon-possessed for over a year. One young man, a cook, who was newly saved, began praying for her to be delivered. A Tibetan woman began following him and imitated his actions as if she also was under the anointing. Finally, it was revealed to the man that the Tibetan woman was actually demon-possessed and that the girl would not be delivered until the woman was also prayed over. He brought the girl to the altar, and he began rebuking the woman and commanded the evil spirit to come out of her. When he did, the demon left the girl, but it was some time before the Tibetan woman was delivered from satanic power. The next day both the young girl and the Tibetan woman became baptized believers.

In another incident, a man from Taochow, Old City, asked if Mr. Chow, who was in charge of the work there, would come and pray at his niece’s bedside. She had been sick for about three months and was dying, but she wanted to be saved before she passed away. After she was prayed over, she confessed her sins, and the Lord saved her. Mr. Chow and the woman’s uncle then asked for the Lord to heal her, and they had the assurance that He would. By the next morning she was near death, and according to Chinese custom was already dressed in her burial clothes. Her limbs had lost all feeling and were growing cold and stiff. Her father was a doctor, and all the family knew she was dying. The two men continued in faith, praying and believing for her healing, but she sank into unconsciousness. Finally, she quit breathing, and her tongue dropped back into her throat. She was gone. Still the two men continued to pray for victory over death.

After a few minutes they heard one word from the dead throat, “Faith!” With reassurance, the men began praising God, and “soon the mighty Spirit of Life from Christ Jesus filled the lifeless clay and all heard clearly the dead lips speaking in a tongue as He gave utterance! And the same Spirit who gives utterance in tongues raised the dead woman to life.”

When the woman became alert, she told her father, “Except you believe in Jesus, your daughter cannot live,” and he dropped to his knees and accepted the Lord he had rejected for 30 years. She also told her husband that he too must accept Jesus as his Lord. When he said, “Yes, I believe,” she said, “It must be with all your heart.” Then he confessed his sins and accepted the Lord. Then the woman said there were three who were making fun of the services. Her uncle looked outside and found three mockers and brought them into the room. She challenged them to prove their religion, and the Spirit of God declared through her: “To show you that Jesus is true and your religion false, I will cause this woman to stand on her feet today, sit up tomorrow, and walk the third day.”

It was reported that immediately, with no assistance, and to everyone’s surprise, the woman who was believed to have been dead a few moments before, stood right up in their midst and preached the gospel for two and a half hours! The next day she sat up, and the third day she walked in the presence of many. As a result of this mighty miracle, her entire family and a host of others became saved. Afterwards, her father came 60 miles to the Minchow Convention, being conducted by W.W. Simpson, to tell everyone about this miracle and to be baptized.

Read W.W. Simpson’s article, “Raised from the Dead,” which was published on page 6 of the Feb. 12, 1927, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “Love and Spiritual Gifts,” by Donald Gee

• “Amidst Poland’s Poverty,” by Mrs. Gustave Schmidt

• “Report of Assiout Orphanage,” by Lillian Trasher

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Photo caption: W. W. Simpson, family portrait, with 2nd wife, Martha and 5 children, ca. 1936: Alberta, b. 1926 (back, center); Lorena, b. 1927 (front, left); Wallace, b. 1930 (front, right); Richard, b. 1933 (in W. W.’s lap); Paul, b. 1934 (in Martha’s lap).

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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February 5, 2022 · 9:09 pm

Church Planting in the Assemblies of God: Cumberland, Maryland in the 1940s and 1950s

This Week in AG History — January 31, 1954

By Darrin J. Rodgers
Originally published on AG-News, 03 February 2022

Church planting has always been part of the DNA of the Assemblies of God. While specific programs and personnel come and go, each new generation of leaders has emphasized the importance of starting new churches. In the 1950s, the National Home Missions Department (now U.S. Missions) promoted the “Mother Church Plan.” This program encouraged each Assembly of God congregation to start a “daughter church.” 

The Jan. 31, 1954, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel highlighted how one historic congregation, Central Assembly of God in Cumberland, Maryland, had started four churches in neighboring communities in the previous five years. Central Assembly of God, established in 1915, experienced a revival in 1939. As a result of this revival, young people in the church felt stirred to action and began holding prayer meetings in small towns without Assemblies of God churches. The prayer meetings developed into “outstations,” where small groups gathered for services in rented buildings, schoolhouses, or homes. Each outstation had a superintendent and was under the oversight of the “mother church.” A carload of people from Central Assembly of God, including speakers and musicians, would travel to the outstations to help with the services. The mother church financially and spiritually assisted its daughter churches in this manner until the new congregations grew and could become self-sustaining.

Central Assembly of God’s first daughter church to become self-sustaining was in Bedford Valley, Pennsylvania. By 1954 the Bedford Valley Assembly had an average attendance of 140 people. The Bedford Valley congregation soon mothered its own church in Rainesburg, Pennsylvania. The mother church, according to the Pentecostal Evangel article, had become a grandparent! Central Assembly of God planted two additional churches, in Fort Ashby, West Virginia, and Carpenter’s Addition, West Virginia. 

Initially, some members of the Cumberland church were concerned that sending some of its best members to other communities to plant churches would weaken the mother church. However, the opposite proved true. The daughter churches broadened the mother church’s sphere of influence, and new leaders stepped up to fill the open ministry positions. The mother church became a ministry hub for a broader geographic region. In 1940, approximately 100 people attended Central Assembly of God’s Sunday School. By 1953, this number had risen to 342. The combined Sunday School attendance of the mother church and the daughter churches was about 700 people. 

While the National Home Missions Department began promoting the “Mother Church Plan” in the 1950s, the concept had already been tried and found successful across the Fellowship. The 2009 General Council approved a similar program, whereby a church would be able to register its outreaches, which are distinct from the parent church, as “Parent Affiliated Churches.”

Read the article, “They Exist to Evangelize!” on pages 10-11 of the Jan. 31, 1954, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue: 

• “A Marvelous Healing,” by Mrs. Lee Jones

• “Miraculous Healing and Conversion,” by John C. Jackson 

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center. 

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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January 27, 2022 · 3:53 pm

Briggs Dingman: How an Evangelical Minister Overcame Prejudice Against Pentecostals

This Week in AG History — January 24, 1948

By Darrin J. Rodgers
Originally published on AG-News, 27 January 2022

Briggs P. Dingman (1900-1968) was a renaissance man — he served as a minister, musician, author, linguist, and educator. He spent the first half of his ministry in Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist churches and as an officer in the Salvation Army. Much to his own surprise, however, he spent the latter half of his ministry in Pentecostal churches and schools.

Dingman, who shared his testimony in the Jan. 24, 1948, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel, had a broadly informed worldview. He attended Dickinson College, Moody Bible Institute, and Xenia Theological Seminary (a Presbyterian school). He was studious, had a working knowledge of at least five languages, and authored a novel, By Ways Appointed (Moody Press, 1935). Dingman considered himself to be “open-minded” on theological matters. Yet early in his ministry he reflexively rejected Pentecostal claims without first examining them.

It is easy to dismiss people and beliefs, Dingman came to realize, based on a caricature. He had little actual experience with Pentecostals. He had encountered some Pentecostals whom he deemed to be “ultrademonstrative,” and he had read that others handled snakes. He assumed Pentecostals to be deluded or even demon-possessed.

Dingman’s views of Pentecostals began to change when he came into contact with a young Assemblies of God minister. They became friends, and Dingman grew to admire his spiritual life. He felt “forced to admit” that the Assemblies of God preacher and his wife had a closer walk with the Lord than he did.

When Dingman took a different pastorate, he became friends with another Pentecostal minister who was overflowing with joy and spiritual depth. Dingman began developing an internal conflict when it came to Pentecostals — he admired their spirituality but pitied them for believing a “delusion.”

An Assemblies of God pastor who befriended Dingman wisely appealed to Dingman’s desire to be open-minded. He encouraged Dingman to read Assemblies of God literature and to judge for himself whether Pentecostal beliefs were biblical. One of the first books he read was by Robert Chandler Dalton – a Baptist chaplain who had been baptized in the Holy Spirit and who transferred his ordination to the Assemblies of God. Dingman was stunned. Dingman had been a longtime friend of Dalton. 

Dingman voraciously read book after book about Pentecostal beliefs. He came to two conclusions: 1) anti-Pentecostal books were written by people who apparently had very limited knowledge of actual Pentecostal teachings; and 2) Scripture teaches that the baptism of the Holy Spirit often follows conversion. His preconceived anti-Pentecostal prejudices shattered, Dingman determined that he would seek a deeper relationship with God, even if it meant identifying with the Pentecostals.

Shortly afterward, Dingman was baptized in the Holy Spirit. He recounted, “there was no hysterical outburst or extreme manifestation” — his soul was simply flooded by a “real visitation of the Holy Spirit.”

How would Dingman’s former ministry colleagues react? Dingman anticipated criticism: “Doubtless many of my former pastor and laymen friends feel that now I am deluded, but I feel that I may be permitted to exclaim, “Oh, sweet delusion!” 

Dingman explained how the baptism in the Holy Spirit brought him into a deeper relationship with God, wondering how spiritual depth could be called a “delusion.”

He wrote: “If having a continuous spirit of praise to my heavenly Father is delusion, then may it continue! If having a walk with God that was never before so rich, is delusion, then may I grovel in this ignorance until He comes! If having His daily blessings poured out upon my life in measure never before so copious is delusion, then this experience is an anomaly if there ever was one. No, far from suffering from a delusion, I have found the light, and what a light it is!”

Dingman cast his lot with the Pentecostals and never looked back. He transferred his ordination to the Assemblies of God in 1945. He went on to serve as a professor at two Assemblies of God schools: Northeastern Bible Institute (Framingham, Massachusetts) and Southwestern Bible Institute (now Southwestern Assemblies of God University, Waxahachie, Texas). He also taught at Elim Bible Institute (Lima, New York).

Briggs Dingman’s testimony illustrates the prejudice that often existed against early Pentecostals. Despite this prejudice, however, the Pentecostal movement became one of the largest revival and renewal movements in Christian history. Countless people, including seasoned ministers like Dingman, found spiritual depth and renewal within Pentecostalism.

Read Dingman’s article, “Is Pentecost a Delusion?” on pages 3 and 7 of the Jan. 24, 1948, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “A Precious Friend, or an Offence – Which is Christ to You?” by Lee Krupnick

• “The Revival in Ireland in 1859” 

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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January 20, 2022 · 3:26 pm

Jessie Wengler: Prisoner of War and Pioneer Assemblies of God Missionary to Japan

This Week in AG History —January 21, 1928

By Ruthie Edgerly Oberg
Originally published on AG News, 20 January 2022

Jessie Wengler (1887-1958), veteran Assemblies of God (AG) missionary, served for 39 years in Japan. As the only AG missionary to remain in Japan throughout World War II, she held a knowledge of the post-war needs of the nation and a respect from its people that few others could match.

Raised in Clayton, Missouri, Wengler was saved, filled with the Spirit, and called to missions in a Pentecostal meeting in 1909. During the next 10 years, she studied teacher training in Colorado and briefly studied for the ministry at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and Brooks Bible Institute in St. Louis. She participated in jail and hospital ministry and handed out tracts in street evangelism. With no formal experience as a pastor or evangelist, the AG appointed her as a missionary to the new field of Japan in 1919. She initially went to Yokohama, where she joined Assemblies of God missionaries Barney and Mary Moore, who had arrived the year before.

After language study, the Moores sent Wengler to begin a church in Hachioji, a city of 80,000 close to Tokyo. As the only foreigner in the city, Wengler thought it best to begin reaching out to the children and formed a Sunday School in the home of a neighboring family. The children came along with parents and grandparents. The singing was especially popular, particularly the chorus, “Jesus Loves Me.” Her Bible stories and songs became so popular that the tunes could be heard in the marketplaces throughout her neighborhood. Even the Buddhist leaders took note of her success with the children and soon began teaching their own children to sing, “Buddha Loves Me.” Soon the young daughter of the family hosting Sunday School, Kimiko, became Wengler’s assistant and within 10 years, the church had built a large building and Kimiko was serving as pastor.

In 1928, Wengler wrote to her supporters in The Pentecostal Evangel, sharing how their new building had escaped a fire that burned down a building not four feet from their assembly. She wrote, “The little chapel stands in the burnt district a testimony to the delivering power of God.” Wengler had no idea that an even greater fire was coming that would affect her and her believing friends in a way that they could never have imagined.

The church sponsored other new church plants and Wengler felt that she could move to Toyko to help build the work there. She soon noticed a shift as the atmosphere became charged with a national patriotism that had not been as prevalent before. Pressure was mounting on Japanese churches to conform to the national image. “Thought Police” began to work to unify the thoughts, actions, and behavior of the Japanese people.

As war conditions in Asia and Europe caused concern around the world, AG missions leader Noel Perkin ordered all missionaries to return to the United States in mid-1941. Unfortunately, Wengler had been confined to a hospital bed for several months from overwork, anemia, and a heart condition. Too weak to make the trip home, Wengler was the only AG missionary to remain in Japan and was there during the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

Partially paralyzed on her left side, the Japanese government did not place Wengler in an internment camp as they had with most Americans. She was placed under house arrest and allowed to walk to the market. Her home was searched for contraband and the land she owned was confiscated. Her Japanese friends were not allowed to visit her, although some came to bring her needed resources during the darkness of night. By the second year of the war, her rations were reduced to ¾-cup of rice and a few leaves of vegetables, which had to last for three to four days. Her weight dropped from a normal 124 pounds to less than 90 pounds. She was unable to communicate with the United States, so the AG missions department did not hear from her for four years and did not know if she was dead or alive.

Wengler faced much pressure from her neighbors to fly the Japanese flag on the monthly Rescript Day, the eighth day of each month to honor the day war was declared on the United States. She responded that as an American she could not, in good conscience, celebrate the beginning of the war nor could she recognize the emperor as god in the national celebrations. Through this time, she continued to love her neighbors and serve as a Christian example.

In 1944, American B-29s began dropping thousands of incendiary devices, focusing heavily around Tokyo. Wengler was moved by the military several times until, finally, she was housed with five Baptist missionaries interned in the city. Wengler described the March 1945 bombing: “Bombs were falling like rain all around us. Soon the whole neighborhood was a roaring inferno. No matter which way we turned to flee it seemed we were walking on fire. I cannot describe the terror. The exploding bombs, the roaring fire, the screaming people. We ran through a wall of fire to the school building where we stayed all night. In the morning we returned to find that while homes next to ours were completely destroyed, ours was still standing.”

After the war ended, Tokyo was devastated. 100,000 residents had been killed and one million were left homeless, making the March bombing the most destructive single air attack in human history. The Japanese people were dazed, confused, and exhausted. Wengler longed to serve her people but was sent back to the States in late 1945 to rest and give reports. When she returned to Japan in 1947, she served as the AG representative to the Allied powers until the final peace treaty was signed in 1951.

Wengler worked tirelessly until her death in 1958, at age 71, to help the Japanese people and to rebuild their church. She conducted Bible classes for university students and led many people to Christ who became leaders. Upon her death, she left her life insurance money to build a church in Ichikawa City and was buried with honors by her friends in Karuizawa Cemetery.

Read Wengler’s report on the Hachioji fire, “Quenched the Violence of Fire” on page 9 of the Jan. 21, 1928, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “The Sin of Resisting the Holy Ghost” by A.G. Jeffries

• “Are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit for Today?” by Donald Gee

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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January 13, 2022 · 10:27 pm

How Should Christians Respond to Global Turmoil? Three Pentecostal Responses to the Attack on Pearl Harbor

This Week in AG History — January 10, 1942

By Darrin J. Rodgers
Originally published on AG-News, 13 January 2022

The Imperial Japanese Navy conducted a surprise military strike on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941. The following day the United States declared war on Japan, and within a few days America was fully embroiled in the Second World War.

How should the Assemblies of God respond to this world crisis? The January 10, 1942, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel published three articles addressing this pressing question.

Pentecostal Evangel Editor Stanley H. Frodsham, in an article titled, “Keeping Tranquil in a World of Turmoil,” cautioned believers to not become caught up in the destructive patterns of the world. He predicted that the “insanity” of the nations would not last forever and instead urged Christians to remain calm. He admonished readers to act according to an eternal perspective, reminding them of Matthew 5:5, “the meek shall inherit the earth.” Frodsham’s irenic posture during the early years of the Second World War was in continuity with his earlier opposition to the First World War (1914-1918).

Raymond T. Richey shared a different perspective about the war. In an article titled, “Evangelizing at our Army Camps,” he wrote about his experience as a military chaplain during both world wars. Richey was known for holding evangelistic meetings in his “patriotic tent” (which was constructed of red, white and blue cloth) and he saw thousands of soldiers accept Christ. He encouraged readers to pray for and support chaplains, suggesting that army camps “present the greatest opportunity for home missionary work that ever has been.”

Evangelist E. Ellsworth Krogstad, in a sermon titled “Loyalty to Government and to God in the Present World Crisis,” encouraged American Christians to be loyal to their government, which he claimed was “founded upon godly principles.” He acknowledged America’s imperfections, but he also “(thanked) God for the privilege of living in America.” America was great, according to Krogstad, because it provided the “greatest liberty,” including freedom of speech, press, assembly, and worship.

The responses to the outbreak of the Second World War by Frodsham, Richey, and Krogstad demonstrate that early Pentecostals were not cookie-cutter thinkers. Frodsham promoted pacifism, Richey was known for his patriotism, and Krogstad emphasized the blessings of American liberty. They each had their own perspectives on politics and world events. However, all agreed that American Christians needed to pray fervently and with great contrition. They took seriously the notion that the Christian’s citizenship, ultimately, lay in heaven and not on earth. It was with this deep conviction that they encouraged readers, in the midst of global turmoil, to place their primary focus on things eternal.

Read the articles by Frodsham, Richey, and Krogstad in the January 10, 1942, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

* “Watchmen, What of the Night?” by Noel Perkin

* “Ezra Teaches Separation,” by J. Bashford Bishop

* “The Sadhu,” by Mary Warburton Booth

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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January 7, 2022 · 6:05 pm

In 1964, Thomas F. Zimmerman Encouraged the Assemblies of God to Focus on These Four Themes

This Week in AG History — January 5, 1964

By Glenn W. Gohr
Originally published on AG-News, 6 January 2022

In January 1964, General Superintendent Thomas F. Zimmerman encouraged Assemblies of God members to focus on four areas in the new year: 1) pray for a renewed Pentecost in our personal lives; 2) recognize the urgency of saving the lost; 3) equip ourselves to win the lost through prayer, reading the Scriptures, and training; and 4) be diligent to do the work of the Kingdom.

Zimmerman’s admonition was written in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the Assemblies of God. His article in the Pentecostal Evangel, “Our Fiftieth Year,” told of the significance of the Pentecostal revival which took place at the turn of the 20th century as well as the influence of the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles, which greatly impacted the world. He made reference to the approximately 300 persons who met in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in April 1914 to organize the Assemblies of God. He wrote, “The founding fathers of our Movement laid a foundation strong and sure.” He acknowledged that the Assemblies of God has an illustrious history, but he tempered this by saying, “We must not glory too much in the past lest we forget our situation today and the work that is yet to be done.”

Zimmerman emphasized, “One of the factors in the growth of our Movement during its early years was the sense of urgency to evangelize the world. This same burden is needed for continued growth.” Although programs and procedures are helpful, he said, “The greatest need today is for men and women who will dedicate themselves to labor faithfully.” “Nothing short of a full mobilization under God, and an overflowing power of Holy Ghost power, will suffice,” declared Zimmerman.

These same principles apply today as the Assemblies of God approaches its 108th anniversary.

Read “Our Fiftieth Year” on pages 3-4 of the Jan. 5, 1964, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “I Remember,” by Ernest S. Williams.

• “Miracle at Caracas,” by Mrs. Elmer C. Niles.

• “A Call to Prayer.”

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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January 5, 2022 · 6:01 pm

Eight Rules for a Happy Marriage (According to C. M. Ward)

This Week in AG History — December 30, 1956

By Glenn W. Gohr
Originally published on AG-News, 30 December 2021

Sixty-five years ago, C. M. Ward delivered a sermon over the Revivaltime radio program titled “Eight Rules for a Happy Marriage.” Ward was known for his direct, practical, and biblical messages, often laced with humor. His sermons covered a broad spectrum of subjects pertaining to daily life.

Ward is best remembered as the longtime speaker for Revivaltime, the radio ministry of the Assemblies of God. The program started in 1950, but when Ward became the speaker in December 1953 the program began airing on the ABC radio network and covered 275 stations. Within a year, Ward’s dynamic ministry caused the broadcast to be given major ratings by ABC officials, who listed it as the top religious program in many parts of the country. Over the next 25 years (1953-1978), Ward preached more than 1,300 weekly radio broadcasts on over 650 stations.

While Ward’s radio address “Eight Rules for a Happy Marriage” first aired in 1956, his observations continue to be of interest to husbands and wives today.

Ward stressed that marriage is a partnership. He called it a “contract of trust entirely based on love.” He tied this into the message of 1 Corinthians 7:3: “Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.”

The first rule that Ward listed was that “Life’s partnership calls for a family altar.” He mentioned the time-proven adage, “Families that pray together stay together.” He strongly advised, “A partnership in the Lord must include the practice of Bible reading and praying together if God’s fullness of blessing is to be the daily experience in the home life.”

Next Ward declared, “Life’s partnership calls for a sense of safety.” By this he meant that a husband and wife should be able to “safely trust” in each other. They should be able to discuss business matters, money affairs, and private thoughts with each other without having to worry about things being shared with others. Certain things need to be kept in confidence.

The third rule he shared was “Life’s partnership calls for an understanding about money.” Ward emphasized that in order to avoid misunderstandings about money, a couple should not have separate money accounts. Instead, all monies should be seen as “ours.” Share and share alike.

Fourthly, Ward declared, “Life’s partnership does not include relatives.” He said it is good to be on good terms with in-laws and other relatives, but they should not be allowed to manage or influence personal matters that pertain to a marriage partnership. A couple’s home life should not be controlled by outside forces.

The fifth rule said, “Life’s partnership calls for a will.” Ward suggested that a couple should talk about their future — including the possibility of death. He encouraged couples to make a will and keep it updated. It is best to be prepared for end-of-life decisions as well as day-to-day activities.

Sixthly, “Life’s partnership calls for fellowship.” Marriage is not a silent partnership. There must be conversation. Ward’s suggestion was not to bore your spouse, but wisely choose the topics of discussion. He said to “Season your meals with bright, constructive, cheery, Christ-honoring conversation.” It can keep your partnership alive.

The seventh rule stated, “Life’s partnership calls for cooperation.” There is no room in a marriage for rivalry. Ward said, “There is a secret in finding happiness in the happiness of another.” Instead of criticizing a project your spouse is doing, encourage them to do what is important to them, even it is not the type of project you would do. Ward said, “Let there be room for personal expression.”

The final rule promoted the idea that “Life partnership calls for spiritual union.” Marriage is meant to be a partnership in spiritual matters. The marriage oath was taken in the name of the Trinity, and God should remain primary in the marriage relationship. If at all possible, a couple should plan to sit together in church and be united in their religious convictions. “A house divided . . . cannot stand.” Most of all, he emphasized that “Jesus Christ is concerned about your marriage.”

Read C. M. Ward’s sermon, “Eight Rules for a Happy Marriage,” which was published on page 8 of the Dec. 30, 1956, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “A New Life for the New Year,” by Atwood Foster

• “Be of Good Courage,” by Marie Brown

• “What Price Alaska?” by James Reb

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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December 23, 2021 · 4:00 pm

Lillian Trasher: Serving the Widows and Orphans of Egypt

This Week in AG History — December 21, 1935

By Glenn W. Gohr
Originally published on AG-News, 23 December 2021

Assemblies of God missionary Lillian Trasher, in a 1935 Pentecostal Evangel article, celebrated the 25th anniversary of her arrival in Egypt. She testified of God’s provision for the Assiout Orphanage, which she founded in 1911: “He has never failed me all these years and we are being fed like the sparrows, who have no barns or storerooms. Seven hundred little ones. We are still looking to the Lord for our hourly needs. O! He is such a wonderful Saviour!”

Lillian Hunt Trasher (1887-1961) was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and grew up in Brunswick, Georgia. She accepted the Lord at a young age, and as a 9-year-old she prayed, “Lord, if ever I can do anything for you, just let me know and I will do it.” Little did she know at the time where that initial commitment would lead.

A few years later her family moved to Asheville, North Carolina, where she was invited by evangelist Mattie Perry to work in a nearby orphanage, which cared for about 100 children. Trasher’s love for children soon led her to accept this invitation. During her apprenticeship at the orphanage, she learned how to make clothes, care for infants, and teach children — all on a shoestring budget. This experience would prepare her for her life’s calling in Egypt.

She left the orphanage to study for one year at a Bible school in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then traveled for a time as an evangelist. In her travels, she met George S. Brelsford, a missionary working in Assiout, Egypt, and the door opened for her to sail to Egypt as a missionary in 1910. At that time she had no mission board to support her, but she received gifts from friends and offerings from churches.

Residing with other missionaries at Brelsford’s mission, she began to study the Arabic language and pondered the course of her ministry. A few months later, she was called to the bed of a dying woman who had a small baby that was left an orphan. Lillian took care of this baby, and this led to the establishment of what today is known as the Lillian Trasher Orphanage in Assiout, Egypt.

During the 50 years that Lillian operated the orphanage, thousands of Egyptian children and families received food, clothing, housing, spiritual nurture, and education. This won her the respect of the Egyptian government, as well as the international community. Since 1911, the Lillian Trasher Orphanage has provided hope and a loving home to more than 25,000 children. In 1919, Lillian Trasher affiliated with the Assemblies of God. She previously held credentials as an evangelist with the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee). Because of her tireless work with orphans in Egypt, she is fondly remembered as “Mama Lillian” or “Mother of the Nile.”

Read the entire article, “Assiout Orphanage: A Testimony of God’s Faithfulness,” on page 11 of the Dec. 21, 1935, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “The Coming of Immanuel,” by Ernest S. Williams

• “The Revival That Was Born in a Christmas Convention,” by Mary Martin

• “The Christmas Message,” by D. H. McDowell

• “Marvelous Miracles in France,” by Douglas R. Scott

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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December 16, 2021 · 10:58 pm

105th Anniversary of the Statement of Fundamental Truths: How the Assemblies of God Developed its Doctrinal Statement

D. W. Kerr

This Week in AG History —December 16, 1916

By Ruthie Edgerly Oberg
Originally published on AG News, 16 December 2021

When the December 1913 call came for the organizational General Council of the Assemblies of God to be held in April 1914, the foremost reason given was to “come together … that by prayer and study of the Word of God, and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we may get a better understanding of what He would have us teach, and thus do away with many divisions over doctrines …” The 1914 General Council adopted no formal creed concerning “what to teach” but rather stated that “the holy inspired Scriptures are the all-sufficient rule for faith and doctrine.”

Early Pentecostals saw themselves as part of a restorationist movement returning to the primitive nature of the faith and practice of the early Christian Church as found in the book of Acts. Like the 16th century reformers, they believed that any religious standard of authority outside the Scriptures was void. Many also embraced the spirit that followed the awakening revivals of the 1800s: they should teach the Bible while having “no creed but Christ.”

The Pentecostals were also a movement that believed in the restoration of the gifts of the Spirit. While all Pentecostals affirmed the authority of Scripture, some also demonstrated a proclivity toward viewing spiritual revelations as a competing, rather than complementary, source of authority. Some preachers felt pressure to produce “new light” and “fresh insights” as proof of anointing in their exposition of the Scripture.

One such insight was the “revelation of the power of Jesus’ name” that swept through the early Movement, beginning in 1913. This “New Issue” addressed the idea that Peter received a revelation in Acts 2:38 that the “name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, was the name of Jesus.” This understanding led to many being re-baptized in Jesus’ name only, and to the teaching that Jesus was the name as the Father and the Holy Spirit, rather than the historically orthodox teaching of the Trinity, “one God in three persons.”

The teaching threatened to rend the new Movement in twain. While there had been a generally agreed upon policy that anyone with a new teaching would not advance it until he was amid “a multitude of counsellors” where it could be considered with confidence by others, the “New Issue” proponents had begun preaching the Oneness doctrine widely. Both publications of the Assemblies of God, the monthly Word and Witness and the Weekly Evangel (later The Pentecostal Evangel) sought to respond to this teaching in the spring and summer of 1915. These articles were very careful not to speak as official voices of the Assemblies of God but instead to advise from scriptural views, allowing their readers to determine their own understanding.

The debate soon became so divisive that a call came for a third General Council to be held in October 1915. There was a free discussion of the new issue as leader after leader spoke their convictions on the matter. From this came a statement that sought to apply “the spirit and liberality” of the Hot Springs declaration that the Scriptures are the only source of authoritative doctrine. The statement leaned toward the Trinitarian position but also stated that “no line of Christian fellowship or of ministerial fellowship” should be drawn by differences on the matter of a baptismal formula.

Despite this attempt at maintaining unity, the division over the issue only grew. A fourth General Council was called for October 1916, with one of the main items on the agenda being the settlement of the stance of the Assemblies of God as to its approved doctrines, especially on the person of Jesus Christ and the Trinity.

A committee of five was appointed to report to the Council, including E.N. Bell, D.W. Kerr, T.K. Leonard, S.A. Jamieson, and Stanley Frodsham. Kerr had spent much time in study on the issue and came to the Council prepared with copious notes, allowing the committee to prepare a statement in a relatively short amount of time.

The statement delineated 17 points of doctrine. Each point was presented, debated, and voted upon separately. Point 13, “The Essentials As To the Godhead,” contained 10 subpoints, coming down solidly on the side of Trinitarian teaching, and showing the high importance they placed upon this particular doctrine. Other topics addressed were the Scriptures, the fall and salvation of man, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, sanctification, healing, the church and its ministry, ordinances, and the return of Christ. The Dec. 16, 1916, issue of the Weekly Evangel presented the first printed installment of this “Statement of Fundamental Truths” on Page 8. The article contends that this statement “is not intended as a creed for the church, nor as a basis of fellowship among Christians, but only as a basis of unity for the ministry alone.”

These actions forced the removal of the Oneness proponents and established the course of doctrinal belief for the Assemblies of God until the present. While there have been several revisions, renumberings, addition of Scripture passages, updated language, and simplification of phrases, the Statement of Fundamental Truths has remained unchanged at its core since its adoption in 1916. For a more complete discussion of revisions to the document, see “The Historical Development of the Statement of Fundamental Truths” by Glenn Gohr in the 2012 edition of Assemblies of God Heritage.

Read the report “A Statement of Fundamental Truths Approved by the Council” on Page 8 of the Dec. 16, 1916, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “I Fell in Love with the Nazarene” by Sarah Payne

• “Questions and Answers” by E.N. Bell

• “The Bible” by D. W. Kerr

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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