Azusa Street by Bartleman
Frank Bartleman 23 years old
This article, written for the December 1906 issue of “The Apostolic Faith” from Los Angeles, California by Frank Bartleman, describes the beginning of the first Pentecostal Revival that occurred in Azusa Street.
It clearly reveals the priority of the Holy Spirit as the source of revival. The dynamic ministry of the Holy Spirit was re-discovered by Charles Parham and he ignited a passion for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit in the hearts of thousands of believers who were hungry for the power of New Testament Christianity. In Los Angeles a group of weak but hungry souls began to pray for an enduement of power. This is how it happened…
PENTECOST WITH SIGNS FOLLOWING
Seven Months of Pentecostal Showers. Jesus, Our Projector and Great Shepherd.
Many are asking how the work in Azusa Mission started and who was the founder. The Lord was the founder and He is the Projector of this movement. A band of humble people in Los Angeles had been praying for a year or more for more power with God for the salvation of lost and suffering humanity. They did not know just what they needed, but one thing they knew, people were not getting saved and healed as they desired to see. They continued to hold cottage prayer meetings for several months.
He came and told them about the baptism with the Spirit, and that every afternoon at three o’clock they would pray for the enduement of power.
Then they felt led of the Lord to call Bro. Seymour from Houston, Texas to Los Angeles, the saints in Los Angeles sending his fare. It was as truly a call from God as when He sent His holy angel to tell Cornelius to send for Peter.
He came and told them about the baptism with the Spirit, and that every afternoon at three o’clock they would pray for the enduement of power. He told them he did not have the Pentecost but was seeking it and wanted all the saints to pray with him till all received their Pentecost. Some believed they had it, and others believed they did not have it because the signs were not following. Hardly anyone was getting saved.
There was a great deal of opposition, but they continued to fast and pray for the baptism with the Holy Spirit, till on April 9th the fire of God fell in a cottage on Bonnie Brae. Pentecost was poured out upon workers and saints. Three days after that, Bro. Seymour received his Pentecost. Two who had been working with him in Houston came to Los Angeles just before Pentecost fell.
They came filled with the Holy Ghost and power. One of them had received her personal Pentecost, Sister Lucy Farrow, and said the Lord had sent her to join us in holding up this precious truth. She came with love and power, holding up the blood of Jesus Christ in all His fullness.
And the fire has been falling ever since. Hundreds of souls have received salvation and healing. We can truly say that the revival is still going on. The Lord God is in Los Angeles in different missions and churches in mighty power, in spite of opposition. This revival has spread through the towns about Los Angeles and through the state and over the United States in different places and across the ocean. The blood of Jesus prevails against every force and power of the enemy. Glory to God.
Some are asking if Dr. Chas. F. Parham is the leader of this movement. We can answer, no he is not the leader of this movement of Azusa Mission. We thought of having him to be our leader and so stated in our paper, before waiting on the Lord.
We can be rather hasty, especially when we are very young in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are just like a baby – full of love and were willing to accept anyone that had the baptism with the Holy Spirit as our leader. But the Lord commenced settling us down, and we saw that the Lord should be our leader. So we honor Jesus as the great Shepherd of the sheep. He is our model.
The Lord adds here daily such as should be saved, and plants them in the body to suit Himself, and all work together in harmony under the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no pope, Dowieism, or Sanfordism, but we are all little children knowing only Jesus and Him crucified. This work is carried on by the people of Los Angeles that God has united by the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Bro. Seymour is simply a humble pastor of the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made him overseer, according to Acts 20.28, “Take heed therefore, unto yourself and to the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseer, to feed the church of God which He hath purchased with His own blood.”
And as missionary workers and teachers go out from this place, they have the same privilege of being pastors over the people the Lord puts them over by the Holy Spirit, and of feeding them with the pure Word of God. Each mission will be united in harmony, having its own pastor simply that the Holy Ghost shall appoint.
We believe in old time repentance, old time conversion, old time sanctification, healing of our bodies and the baptism with the Holy Ghost. We believe that God made Adam in His own image, according to Gen. 5. 1; Ps. 8 4; and Matt. 19. 4. We do not believe in any eighth day creation, as some have taught, and we do not believe in the annihilation of the wicked.
We stand on Bible truth without compromise. We recognize every man that honors the blood of Jesus Christ to be our brother, regardless of denomination, creed, or doctrine. But we are not willing to accept any errors, it matters not how charming and sweet they may seem to be. If they do not tally with the Word of God, we reject them.
This is the year of jubilee when God is sending the latter rain, and the refreshing times have come. He has raised up a nation in seven months time that will preach Jesus and Him crucified in all His fullness in spite of what it costs.
This is the year of jubilee when God is sending the latter rain, and the refreshing times have come. He has raised up a nation in seven months time that will preach Jesus and Him crucified in all His fullness in spite of what it costs.
“The long, long night is past,
The morning breaks at last.”
It seems that God is sweeping things. He is running right over the devil here – not paying any attention to Him – saving, sanctifying and baptizing souls, bringing them out of the darkness into the marvelous light of the Son of God. Hallelujah! Glory to our God.
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PENTECOST AMONG THE YOUNG PEOPLE
A band of Spirit filled boys went down to Anaheim, a town near Los Angeles. They testified what God had done for them and it made the people hungry. The second night the altar was full. In two nights, eight were sanctified, six converted, and five received the baptism.
One night at about one o’clock in the morning, the Holy Ghost spoke words in Spanish through one of the young men, and a girl who was seeking her Pentecost understood that language and joyfully interpreted it, “Keep awake, do not sleep, and I will come to thy house.” The same girl in about an hour and a-half received the baptism with the Holy Ghost. The work among the children was very touching. The power of God fell the second night as at the house of Cornelius.
Little children had their hands up shouting. The first to get the baptism was a little boy of ten years. He began clapping his hands and singing, “Jesus Savior, pilot me” in an unknown tongue in clear distinct words, also “Nearer my God to thee.” Four in the same family inside of twenty minutes got the baptism with the Holy Ghost. It was heaven there. The work is going on and other little children are being filled with the Spirit
The band of young men that the Lord is using there and in Whittier are all in one accord and keep in the unity of the Spirit. They do not preach big sermons but simply testify and sing and pray in the Spirit. Their names are Henry Prentiss, Curtis Nichols, Orly Nichols, Tom Anderson, Wm. Millson and Isaac Berg.
One night recently, seven were slain under the power of God and several received their Pentecost. Many of the people in Anaheim understand German and the workers were permitted to speak and pray in that language. Some words spoken by the Spirit in German were, “God is in our midst.”
Azusa Street by Bartleman – A true record
Frank Bartleman was the perfect person to record the story of Azusa Street. He had been seeking revival and a visitation of God for many years prior to 1906 and was ‘on the ground,’ living and ministering as an itinerant evangelist. He was also writing for newspapers, journals and in correspondence, giving a step-by-step account or the revival – including all the major players – ‘warts and all!’
For further research:
Azusa Street Revival Wikepedia
Azusa Street Revival Edith Blumhofer