(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org, please feel free to visit the school website)
The Pentecostal family of denominations form one branch within conservative
Christianity. A major defining feature of Pentecostalism is their belief
in Glossolalia, or the ability to speak “in tongues.”
Another is the unusual freedom and spontaneity exhibited during their religious
services. Otherwise, their beliefs, practices and social policies are similar
to those of other conservative Christians.
Pentecostalism is a highly fragmented family within Christianity. One source
lists 177 separate denominations Pentecostalism is a relatively modern branch
of Christianity. It grew out of the Holiness movement, which in
turn had roots in Methodism. Robert Longman Jr. has listed a number
of mid to late 19th century writings from within the Holiness movement which
laid the foundations for Pentecostalism. During the last two decades of the
19th century there were reports of xenoglossia breaking
out at revival meetings, particularly in North and South Carolina. Xenoglossia
is the speaking of a foreign language by a person who has no familiarity
with it. For example, an American with no ability to speak any language other
than English suddenly becomes capable of speaking fluent German. There may
also have been some instances of glossolalia (ecstatic speech),
which might or might nor be intelligible.
The year 1899 saw a great rise in religious fervor as people speculated about
the second coming of Jesus and the end of history as they knew it during
the year 1900. Many books were written about the power of the Holy Spirit.
Charles F. Parham, a Holiness preacher and head of the Bethel Bible College
in Topeka, Kansas conducted a revival meeting in that city. Agnes Ozman,
a Methodist, shocked the meeting by speaking fluently in a number of foreign
languages that she had never previously learned. This happened on January
1, 1900. This event is often regarded as the founding of the Pentecostal
movement. Some days later, many spoke in tongues. Then Parham did as well.
One of Parham’s students, an Afro-American named William Seymour started
a home church in Los Angeles, CA. It was attended by members of the two Baptist
churches and one Holiness church in that city. On April 9, 1906, Seymour’s
landlord, Edward Lee, and closest co-worker, Jennie E. Moore broke out in
tongues. Attendance increased precipitously. This made it necessary to find
new quarters in which to hold their meetings. They rented an empty warehouse
on Azusa Street in Los Angeles and founded the Apostolic Faith Mission.
The movement spread to other cities in California, and into the Northwestern
and Southeastern sections of the US. Many churches were organized, particularly
among immigrants. Some Holiness churches switched to Pentecostalism. The
movement subsequently spread across North America, and finally blanketed
much of the world.
Until 1914, the movement worked primarily within the Holiness churches. But
increasing friction motivated the Pentecostals to form their first denomination,
the Church Of God In Christ. Although the movement
was racially integrated in its early years, white clergy subsequently left
to form the Assemblies Of God.