Bro. Beesley singing? Now that would be a rare item for sure.
It wasn't a new organization exactly that Wynn Stairs was involved with. What happened is that the AD separated from the international body and formed the United Pentecostal Church of New Brunswick.
They later reaffiliated with the UPCI during our 2nd year of Bible School. That would have been 1973.
Oh I didn't say that he was a SINGER! He and another brother teamed up and sung a duet on the old record that I have.
Thank you...do you recall what was written about them?!
I don't recall anything different than what was written about any of the others in those books. Then again, it's been quite a while since reading those books.
__________________
I've gone and done it now! I'm on Facebook!!!
I am almost 56 years old and was brought to the house of God and dedicated when I was a month old. So, though I have not always lived the saved and sanctified life, I am not a novice to the Apostolic Church.
In my youth, I learned about the Church and it's birth on the Day of Pentecost. They taught me about Topeka, Kansas, and the Azuza Revival. I knew about the withdrawl from the AG in 1916 and the formation of the different Apostolic organizations. I knew that the UPCI was the result of a merger in 1945...the complete details I did not know until recent years, but the merger I was aware of.
I grew up hearing and knowing the names of Brothers Goss, Vouga, Haywood, Urshan, Witherspoon, Cook, Ewart, Durham, Parham, Seymour. They were as familiar to me as my own name.
But can someone tell me WHY I never heard of the men listed below who ALSO were pioneers of the gospel?!
Brother WM Greer
Brother Earl L. Jacques
Brother EP Wickens
Brother John H. Dearing
Brother Wynn T. Stairs
Brother Raymond Beesley
I have read countless books on this subject...so why are their names foreign to me?! What impact did they have on this gospel message being spread in the last century?! How come important details and names were omitted from my Apostolic education?!
Or am I the only ignorant soul in the bunch?!
When I was granted a Local License in the UPC back in the 20th Century, it was required that all prospective ministers read and go through that big 3-Ring Binder called Pentecostal Home Study Course. This contained about 250 Lessons - the last 50 or so were by John Dearing, though he wasn't named on the cover of the book.
I think your whole question relates to the old PCI versus PAJC divide that still exists within the UPC. If I didn't know better I'd say that you were bringing it up intentionally. Just mentioning the book Christianity Without the Cross here may cause some problems; but that's where a good part of your answer is to be found.
The PCI (the men you mention above) were considered "weak on doctrine..." by the the more "doctrinally solid" men in the PAJC. It's a fascinating area of study that is mostly forbidden by HQ.
When I was granted a Local License in the UPC back in the 20th Century, it was required that all prospective ministers read and go through that big 3-Ring Binder called Pentecostal Home Study Course. This contained about 250 Lessons - the last 50 or so were by John Dearing, though he wasn't named on the cover of the book.
I think your whole question relates to the old PCI versus PAJC divide that still exists within the UPC. If I didn't know better I'd say that you were bringing it up intentionally. Just mentioning the book Christianity Without the Cross here may cause some problems; but that's where a good part of your answer is to be found.
The PCI (the men you mention above) were considered "weak on doctrine..." by the the more "doctrinally solid" men in the PAJC. It's a fascinating area of study that is mostly forbidden by HQ.
Yes, I am bringing it up intentionally. Evidently, you did not not pick up the heartbeat of my original post.
I have questions...questions I might not have had IF this information had been forthcoming from the beginning of time.
And weak on the doctrine, eh?!
Well, they were strong enough on it to be considered worthy of aligning in 1945 and preached in our churches and helped build an orgnization only to be kicked to the curb as a forbidden subject by the powers that be today...interesting, my friend...very interesting.
Well, they were strong enough on it to be considered worthy of aligning in 1945 and preached in our churches and helped build an orgnization only to be kicked to the curb as a forbidden subject by the powers that be today...interesting, my friend...very interesting.
I hope I wasn't misunderstood. When I put the "weak on doctrine" remark in quotes like that I meant to convey that this is not my opinion of the men you listed.
Of all the names I can say that I only met one, Brother Beesley, personally. But I was greatly influenced by the writings of John Dearing when I was a teenager and greatly admired the man. Brother Greer was a mentor for men that helped to shape my life and beliefs.
That being said, I was brought up and discipled in what many would call the "opposite" school of thought within the UPC. I respect and have appreciated what these "conservatives" (their word for themselves, not mine) have done for me and my family over the years.
However, in the long run I would have to say that those closest to me have probably hurt the fellowship a great deal. I am disappointed to say that it was their criticism of men like Brothers Greer, Dearing, Beesley and the others (and even still some more) that was most hurtful. It was wrong to "kick them to the curb..."
UPC ministers, in order to get a Local License had to read dozens of Bible Studies written by John Dearing (no longer the case). The fact that this was required reading led me to believe at the time that the UPC taught Dearing's exposition of Romans 4:17 - this was Dearing's consolation regarding his saintly grandmother who had passed before the Holy Ghost outpouring in 1900 and the revelation of the Mighty God in Christ. He felt that "by faith..." God would call his grandmother's Matthew 28:19 style baptism as being sufficient for salvation. Since I had to read this and learn this in order to become a minister, I thought that this was our doctrine -that "trinitarians" can be saved.
In 1992, this was all done away with. The UPC told me (and everyone else) to forget what we had learned from them. They were changing the fundamental doctrine and everyone had to line up and agree with the change- without adequate explanation or discussion. Was anyone else in that meeting?
What you call "kicking to the curb..." - I would go even further and say it was a deliberate act of deception against the entire ministerial constituancy. One of our greatest leaders had to apologize the following year for telling a little fib in order to get that resolution passed. This man had the greatest reputation imaginable, and deserved it! Yet our destructive way of doing business forced such a good man to tell a lie. The direct result of that lie is the UPC of today.
I hope this helps. I did find agreement with what you said. This medium of exchange can be kind of bumpy for me when I try to communicate.
UPC ministers, in order to get a Local License had to read dozens of Bible Studies written by John Dearing (no longer the case). The fact that this was required reading led me to believe at the time that the UPC taught Dearing's exposition of Romans 4:17 - this was Dearing's consolation regarding his saintly grandmother who had passed before the Holy Ghost outpouring in 1900 and the revelation of the Mighty God in Christ. He felt that "by faith..." God would call his grandmother's Matthew 28:19 style baptism as being sufficient for salvation. Since I had to read this and learn this in order to become a minister, I thought that this was our doctrine -that "trinitarians" can be saved.
In 1992, this was all done away with. The UPC told me (and everyone else) to forget what we had learned from them. They were changing the fundamental doctrine and everyone had to line up and agree with the change- without adequate explanation or discussion. Was anyone else in that meeting?
What you call "kicking to the curb..." - I would go even further and say it was a deliberate act of deception against the entire ministerial constituancy. One of our greatest leaders had to apologize the following year for telling a little fib in order to get that resolution passed. This man had the greatest reputation imaginable, and deserved it! Yet our destructive way of doing business forced such a good man to tell a lie. The direct result of that lie is the UPC of today.
Fascinating ... about Dearing's books ....
I think Bishop K ... was caught up in the moment .... He has been remorseful, as is my understanding, ever since ... He is a man of God ....