110 Years ago, William J. Seymour was baptized with the Holy Spirit

After starting a fast on April 6, 1906 in Los Angeles, the small group experienced what would become the first baptism with the Holy Spirit at the Azusa Street Revival. Several more followed shortly. William J. Seymour himself was baptized 110 years ago on April 12, 1906.

On the seventh, which was Good Friday, Seymour and his followers leased an abandoned church property at 312 Azusa Street and begin cleaning it up. Easter was on April 15, 1906 when they held their very first Pentecostal service at Azusa Street. The rest is history…

AJ Tomlinson baptized while interpreting tongues?

A recent covenant group rereading of the personal diary of Rev. AJ Tomlinson brought up several questions as per the exact timing of his personal baptism in the Holy Spirit.

The first explanation proposed a problem, namely: does one have to be baptized in the Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues in order to operate the gifts of the Spirit? One specific problematic area in the discussion was the interpretation of tongues, since we know that many in the Bible prophesied without being baptized in the Spirit. A second explanation proposed that AJ Tomlinson was baptized with the Holy Spirit or at least witnessed and experienced a Pentecostal experience prior to 1906. Here are several passages from his personal diary which refer to early baptism with the Holy Spirit:

Vol. 3. p. 13 “Received the Holy Ghost about March, 1896”

Vol. 3, p. 36 August 4, 1904 “Just arrived home from Drygo, Tenn., where we held a ten days meeting. Some converted, some received the Holy Ghost.”

Vol. 3, p. 49 June 14, 1907 “Glorious results. Speaking in other tongues by the Holy Ghost.”

Vol. 3, p. 52 August 19, 1907 “One received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues.”

Last but not least, we have a detail record of a tremendous financial struggle through which AJ Tomlinson expressed deep dependence on the leadership and supplication of the Holy Spirit throughout the whole year of 1901 and forward. This record should be regarded as formational for the whole financial structuring of the upcoming church organization and its later institutionalization.

Source: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89067290775;view=1up;seq=42