The Early Years
of the Tongues Movement
(An Historical Survey and its
Lessons)
Written circa 1956
G. H. Lang
CHAPTER 1
T o be truly helpful, history must be as full and as
accurate as is possible. It was in part to further this end, as regards the
history of the Brethren, that I wrote my life of A. N. Groves, and the papers
"Inquire of the Former Age" that appeared in the first three issues of The
Disciple. To the same end I here put on record some little known facts
connected with the modern Movement associated with speaking with tongues. I
write with no initial prejudice against this Movement, even as I had none
against the former, but would contribute facts not given in any account of the
Movement known to me, as well as reflections formed when reading its own
literature. In 1913 I issued a book entitled The Modern Gift of Tongues:
Whence is it? A reviewer wrote at the time that "highly controversial, the
spirit of love is never absent from these pages." I desire that this present
book may win like praise.
My principal sources of information are
these:
1. My own contact with the Movement and its literature go back to
1909, that is, to within three years of its commencement in Los Angeles,
California, in 1906.
2. By the kindness of a friend in the U.S.A. I have
read Like a Mighty Army Moves the Church of God, by C. W. Conn, being the
official history of what arrogates to itself the title "The Church of God." It
was issued in March 1955 at Cleveland, Tennessee.
3. With Signs Following:
the Story of the Pentecostal Revival in the Twentieth Century,by S. H.
Frodsham; Springfield, U.S.A., 1941. This writer was one of the earliest
members of the Movement, in Bournemouth, England.
4. The Pentecostal
Movement: a Short History and an interpretation for British Readers, by Donald
Gee; Luton, Bedfordshire, England, 1941.
5. How Pentecost Came to Los
Angeles. As it was in the Beginning, by Frank Bartleman. By the kindness of the
same American Friend I have been able to read this rare and striking book. It
is the best authority upon the first beginnings in Los Angeles, being by one
who had a leading part in preparation for the outbreak, who described it from
personal experience, and who wrote his account as early as April 1925, using
notes made at the time.
6. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit, a Personal
Testimony, by William Booth-Clibborn. First edition, 1929; third edition,
Portland, Oregon, U.S.A., 1944. This is of value as narrating the writer’s
"baptism" as early as November 1908 in London
I have consulted letters
and smaller works found among my papers gathered in those early years. In
addition, and of great importance, are:
7. A set of 140 issues of the
leading early magazine of the Movement, entitled Confidence. It was published
by Rev. Alexander A. Boddy, of All Saints Church, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland,
where in 1907 the Movement commenced in England. The first number is dated
April 1908: it was issued monthly till the end of 1916, then bi-monthly, then
quarterly, and the last number I have is dated 1926. Mr. Boddy travelled in
many lands visiting centres of the Movement; Christians from many countries
visited Sunderland; and as a result reports and letters reached him from all
over the earth. Conference addresses were published, articles explaining the
Movement were included, and his magazine became the chief early organ of the
Movement for the English-speaking world. To go through this collection is to
gain a comprehensive view of the whole Movement and knowledge of its chief
leaders in many lands.
In the first days of the Movement I was struck
by the way its literature came to me from many quarters quite unsought. It was
partly this that impelled me to write the book before mentioned. It seems
noteworthy that when in 1955 I began to ponder the Movement there should reach
me in quick succession items 2, 5, 6 and 7, full of information now very
difficult to obtain. It will be observed that I have not used literature
antagonistic to the Movement. Indeed, to keep my mind free from its influence I
have not looked at what I have of such, and it is thirty or more years since I
read it. The Movement is considered here as recorded by its own leading
representatives. A personal and esteemed friend of many years a pastor in the
Movement, inquired why I spoke of them as the "Tongues" Movement instead of
using their chosen title "Pentecostal"? I replied that were I to do so I should
concede the very point I doubt. Why do I have this doubt? Speaking with tongues
is certainly Pentecostal, nor do I question that the Spirit of God can grant
this power today. I reject the theory that this and other such gifts were not
intended to be permanent in this age. On the contrary, the greatest gifts are
to be desired earnestly, especially the power to prophesy and lesser gifts such
as speaking with tongues, are not forbidden (1 Cor. 12:31; 14:39). Moreover,
these brethren declare the true faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, redemption by
His atoning blood is preached, there is most commendable zeal in spreading the
gospel, which is owned by God to the conversion of sinners. I am privileged
with the individual fellowship and co-operation of not a few ministers in the
Movement. Why then, should one have doubts about it as a whole, and sometimes
utter a friendly caution?
In my own case the answer, and the reasons for
now writing upon the subject, will be best served by narrating some
characteristic features of the Movement in its earlier period. My experience of
it goes back to those days. Having no objection to the exercise of supernatural
gifts, I did not look at the matter with prejudice or initial disfavour. But
facts are stubborn and would not let me regard the Movement with complacence.
Facts learned later have confirmed that earlier attitude. I am aware that the
picture here drawn of those early years may disquiet and distress some true
children of God who, from lack of information, have felt confident that there
was then nothing less than an irruption of the Spirit of God to awaken and
quicken a sleeping church. It requires spiritual stamina to be able to look
with a quiet and honest mind upon what disturbs cherished opinions. Such as, by
the Spirit, have moral strength to do this will find that this book is not
designed to withdraw them from the realm of things supernatural, but rather to
enable them to discern more accurately between the divine and the human, the
heavenly and the earthly, the workings of the Spirit of truth and the
counter-workings of the great Liar and Deceiver. "If therefore the Son shall
make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36); free to move safely in
that higher region of the kingdom of God which Pentecost opened to all
believers but with which many children of God have no acquaintance, but in the
search for which many honest seekers have been misled into a neighbouring realm
of the supernatural where counterfeits beguile and disasters overwhelm.
CHAPTER 2
The Church of God
Community
This extensive and highly organized Community had its rise in
1886, twenty years prior to the outburst at Los Angeles. It commenced in
Tennessee, U.S.A., among a scattered farming people in rough country. They were
mostly illiterate, with few books, yet in general were religious, though
largely without the power of godliness. To read of the violent lawless deeds
perpetrated with no restraint by authority, is a revelation of the backward
moral and social conditions in country regions of the U.S.A. only seventy years
ago. A Baptist pastor became distressed in soul about the spiritual deadness
prevailing. He devoted himself to prayer and study of the Bible. A few joined
him. In 1886 these saw that no general awakening of the Churches was to be
expected, so nine persons formed themselves into a Christian Union, with the
laudable but in part Scripturally unwarranted objective "to restore primitive
Christianity and bring about the Union of all denominations" (p 7). It is
obvious that this latter hope was at variance with the plain and, united
forecast of the Word of God that the course of Christianity would be persistent
declension culminating in final apostasy, so that "When the Son of Man cometh
shall He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8).
It is necessary to our
present inquiry to note that this earnest group were from the start deficient
in Bible teaching and therefore in power of discernment in things spiritual. In
spite of fierce opposition their influence extended and their numbers
increased. The few early evangelists were earnest and moving speakers. Their
chief theme was personal holiness; but they did not teach, but plainly
rejected, present assurance of eternal life, and therefore, though there were
conversions of openly evil men, and others gained some experience of holiness,
they did not bring these into a deep and solid state of heart. In consequence
there was much spiritual emotionalism, and the historian tells that "the people
felt a strange exaltation that intermittently overflowed in weeping and
shouting. Their emotional expression frequently became even more demonstrative,
for many danced in spiritual ecstasy or trance (p.20)... leaping shouting and
other manifestations were much in evidence ‘(130)…shouting, dancing,
talking in tongues, and praising God …." This last sentence refers to
public occasions even when walking to meetings. We need not wonder that with
emotion so high further uncontrolled ecstatic developments followed: "For ten
years the Spirit of God had been preparing the hearts of the people for
something extraordinary… in ecstasy they spoke in languages unknown to
those who heard the utterances regardless of the place, time, or circumstances
contingent to the experience, one manifestation was uniform in all: they spoke
in tongues, or languages, unknown to those who listened in wonder and
hope".
Examining the Scriptures, they concluded that what was taking place
was a renewal of Pentecost, Caesarea, and Ephesus. "While the meetings were in
progress, one after another fell under the power of God, and soon quite a
number were speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" Both
the subjects of these experiences and the historian took for granted that this
was a genuine working of the Spirit of God. But is it wise to take this for
granted? Twenty years later, in 1906, while these exalted ecstasies were still
in progress, the similar events in Los Angeles commenced. The leading pastor of
the older Movement invited a preacher who had been "baptized" at Los Angeles to
visit him. The pastor had himself long been seeking the "baptism" and this is
his description of how it came.
"On Sunday morning, January 12 [1908],
while he [the visitor] was preaching, a peculiar sensation took hold of me, and
almost unconsciously I slipped off my chair in a heap on the rostrum at Brother
Cashwell’s feet. As I lay there great joy flooded my soul." He wrote
further that "he spoke in about ten languages unknown to him" . Paul spoke with
tongues more than others but declared, "howbeit in the church I had rather
speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than
ten thousand words in a tongue" (1 Cor. 14:19). In the case before us there had
been no interpretation. It was rather a case of ten thousand words in tongues
and not even five spoken with the understanding. This was rectified in one
instance on August 25th of that year.
"The service was pregnant with the
Divine Presence, and the altar was filled with sixty-five or seventy souls.
This young Christian, completely overcome, started to the altar but fell weakly
under the passion of his soul into the sawdust aisle." He was carried to the
"altar" and "…within a short time, the humble seeker was baptized in the
Holy Ghost and began to speak in tongues. A quiet, retiring, unobtrusive
personality before, he was now exuberant, overflowing, vocal. Under the spell
of the Spirit, he arose from the altar where he had lain prostrate. Then how
wonderfully the Spirit wafted him across the platform and up and down the
aisles, during which time he preached powerfully and eloquently in other
tongues… " He "remained in this state of ecstasy for several hours."
"Mexicans present testified that he spoke Spanish during his discoursing" (89,
90).
The next day he went six miles to his father’s farm and "sat on
the front porch steps and endeavoured to tell them of the exhilaration and
tranquillity he felt in his heart… He was immediately overcome with
ecstasy and fell back across the steps, where he lay speaking forth the praises
of God in an unknown tongue, interpreting the messages under the afflatus of
the Spirit" (91). In addition to such demonstrations there were healings of the
sick, singing in tongues, and, what seems a unique feature, persons who were
not musical, playing well on piano or organ. A woman rose in a meeting and
moved toward the piano. Her husband, knowing she could not play, shut the piano
to avoid a fiasco. But she, though walking among the seats with her eyes
tightly closed, reached the piano safely, opened it and played musically.
It will suffice to give one more scene from those early days, in the year
1914. It concerns one of the most renowned and effective of the evangelists of
that Church. "The meetings were so emotionally pitched and the booming voice of
the evangelist so sincere that people often fell into the sawdust as he invited
them to the altar. He stalked the aisles pointing his finger at sinners and
commanding them to seek God, many of whom fell screaming in either fear or
ecstasy as they started toward the altar" (26). Does this describe Jesus
preaching on the hillsides of Galilee or in the Temple courts? Did Paul "stalk
the aisles" in the synagogues or the temple on Mars Hill and make people
"scream" with fear? It is to be borne in mind that the scenes and features here
given are not culled from attacks by hostile critics, and are not false and
regrettable extravagances of which sober-minded leaders of that Church now feel
ashamed. They are recorded by the official historian of the Church, who
selected them after fifty years as being the very features he, and his Supreme
Council who highly commend his book, wish to offer as accurately exhibiting the
proper character of their Movement.
Let the reader put together what is
thus commended to him as workings of the blessed Holy Spirit of God. Walking
about a hall and playing a piano with one’s eyes shut: public weeping,
shouting, dancing, leaping, lying in a heap on the rostrum before the
congregation: falling backward across steps, constant speaking in tongues often
simultaneously, tongues which usually no one understood and which mostly were
not interpreted. Both these last two items are activities expressly forbidden
in public (1 Cor 14:27–28).
Let the reader watch an estimable young
Christian man, seeking the baptism," moving to-ward the "altar" (known
elsewhere as the "penitent form"), suddenly becoming exhausted and collapsing
in the sawdust of the aisle, carried helpless to the front, lying there
prostrate, and then suddenly "wafted across the platform and up and down the
aisles" preaching in tongues. Let him further study the vigorous, vociferous
evangelist, using his powerful voice as he strode up and down among the
audience, frightening some until they screamed.
Let the serious Christian
with a fair knowledge of his New Testament, try to fit such extravagances into
the public gatherings of The Acts of the Apostles or make them to harmonize
with the sobriety and order demanded in I Cor. 14. Dull, lifeless routine in
Divine worship is indeed unscriptural: the Spirit of life will infuse heavenly
life and vigour into gatherings where He has true liberty, bringing fervour of
spirit and spontaneity of utterance, but if it is He who produces such
unrestrained excesses as are above reviewed. then have we read our New
Testament to little purpose.
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