Interesting......What changed?

[Sherri]

I am reading Sis. Pauline Gruse's autobiography from her early days in Liberia where she ministered for years. My inlaws worked with her there in the fifties. She actually died once when struck by lightning and was dead for a long while. My FIL prayed for her and she was raised from the dead. She testifies about it in the book.

Anyway, interestingly enough, in the forties when she first went over there, her first missionary journey into the bush (walking for days and days), she went with Assembly of God missionaries who were stationed near her. She was sent by a Oneness Pentecostal group. Her statement in the book says,

"With the heavy emphasis placed on the operation of a mission school, doctrinal differences were somewhat overlooked in those early days, and a strong rapport prevailed among most Protestant missionaries." They actually were allowed to go and minister together!!

WHAT HAPPENED since that time?

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Sherri

I am reading Sis. Pauline Gruse's autobiography from her early days in Liberia where she ministered for years. My inlaws worked with her there in the fifties. She actually died once when struck by lightning and was dead for a long while. My FIL prayed for her and she was raised from the dead. She testifies about it in the book.

Anyway, interestingly enough, in the forties when she first went over there, her first missionary journey into the bush (walking for days and days), she went with Assembly of God missionaries who were stationed near her. She was sent by a Oneness Pentecostal group. Her statement in the book says,

"With the heavy emphasis placed on the operation of a mission school, doctrinal differences were somewhat overlooked in those early days, and a strong rapport prevailed among most Protestant missionaries." They actually were allowed to go and minister together!!

WHAT HAPPENED since that time?

Sherri, at one time there wasn't a whole lot that separated (most) "Protestant Missionaries."

There is a lot of "difference" now between (most) "Protestant Missionaries".

While don't agree with the UPCI one has to wonder, who nessecarely did the changing?

Just a thought.

[Dedicated Mind]

I would like to know, what is the state of foreign missions in general. How many countries in the world are without an apostolic mission?

[Sherri]

Originally Posted by Ron

Sherri, at one time there wasn't a whole lot that separated (most) "Protestant Missionaries."

There is a lot of "difference" now between (most) "Protestant Missionaries".

While don't agree with the UPCI one has to wonder, who nessecarely did the changing?

Just a thought.

I don't know...I just found it interesting. She also traveled some with Baptist and Lutheran missionaries. They were definitely not Spirit filled, nor baptized in Jesus' name, but they still all fellowshipped. The idea of a UPC missionary today traveling and holding services with an AG one is unheard of, I would think.

[commonsense]

I'm not sure about the mission field "regulations", but it makes sense to have fellowship.

In general I think the prevailing sentiment from the "early" days was just more tolerant. As I've stated before, my dad was baptized in Jesus name in 1931 and my mother in 1935. ( they met in 1946)
I was taught absolute Acts 2:38, 3 steps essential, but the approach to the
unsaved was different .
Prior to the merger I think there was more wiggle room. As time went on the parameters became more rigid.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Sherri

I don't know...I just found it interesting. She also traveled some with Baptist and Lutheran missionaries. They were definitely not Spirit filled, nor baptized in Jesus' name, but they still all fellowshipped. The idea of a UPC missionary today traveling and holding services with an AG one is unheard of, I would think.

What kind of dates were these?
Was this before the 1945 beginning of the UPC?
Was she maybe in the PCI?

[Sherri]

Originally Posted by Sam

What kind of dates were these?
Was this before the 1945 beginning of the UPC?
Was she maybe in the PCI?

I think 1943, and she was saved in a PAJC church. Later she was licensed with the UPCI.

Many years ago, it was my privledge to preach in various parts of Thailand when brother Billy Cole was there as a missionary. He once told me that in the early years of his missionary work that he became so hungry for fellowship of some sort since it had been a very long, long time since he had any kind of fellowship at all. He said that he happened upon a Greek Orthodox Priest and was so glad to see him that he fell on his shoulder and began weeping as he hugged the man.

I had to wonder about that. He said that he was so glad to have someone with whom he could fellowship with that knew the name of Jesus. I guess they fellowshipped on the basis of that both knew the name of Jesus. I can't imagine what other basis they had for fellowship. At least with Sister Pauline, there was a far wider range and basis of fellowship with the AOG missionaries that what Billy Cole had with that Greek Orthodox priest.

Originally Posted by Sherri

I think 1943, and she was saved in a PAJC church. Later she was licensed with the UPCI.

I think that is correct. If I rightly recall, Sister Pauline attended the Tulsa Bible School under the direction of bro. C.P. Williams who was strong PAJC, three stepper.

[Truly Blessed]

The problem is denominationalism. Once people come together around a certain truth that they feel distinguishes them from others, that truth tends to become the basis for fellowship rather than the common bond they have in Christ.