Pentecost 1896
Now when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them cloven tongues, as of fire, and sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost; and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts, Chapter 2, Verses 1-4.
Before the famed Azusa Street Revival in 1906 there was little known about the powerful Pentecostal Revival which preceded the famous Outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Los Angeles, California. This Revival began in 1896 at Camp Creek located near the town of Murphy in Cherokee County, North Carolina. Unlike Azusa Street, the Murphy Revival received very little media coverage. This was probably due to the rural location where the Revival took place. Although not much attention was given to the Murphy Revival, it was no less significant in terms of validity and importance than the other Outpourings of the era.
In 1886 a former Missionary Baptist Minister by the name of R. G. Spurling started a Fellowship in Cherokee County, North Carolina. This was ten years before the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place in the area. Spurling broke with the traditional Baptists in the area over their views on Ecclesiology and other Baptist Theology. Spurling taught there needed to be another Reformation of the Church to rid Churches of tradition and false doctrines. This teaching of a new Reformation did not set well with the leaders of the other churches and denominations in the area.
On August 19, 1886, Spurling, along with eight other parishioners, organized the Christian Union at the Barney Creek Meeting House in Monroe County, Tennessee, located just across the North Carolina State Line. They agreed to distance themselves from man-made doctrines and traditions and become united according to the principles found in the New Testament. Within the next nine years three other Pentecostal Congregations were formed in the area.
In 1896 three Evangelists from Tennessee brought the message of Holiness and Sanctification to Western North Carolina. They began a Revival in the area at the Schearer Schoolhouse located near Camp Creek in Cherokee County, North Carolina. The School was located just across the Tennessee State Line. This Schoolhouse is where R. G.Spurling began the New Reformation. The three Revivalists were William Martin, Joe Tipton and Milton McNabb.
The Schearer Schoolhouse became the birthplace of the modern day Pentecostal Movement. There was a great Outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the Schoolhouse. Many people, including children, were again speaking in tongues in the meetings as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. Among those attending the Revival in the Schoolhouse were Baptists, Methodists and a few Presbyterians.
Many people were saved during this Revival. It has been said that over 100 people received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at the Schearer Schoolhouse during this new Pentecostal Outpouring. A hundred people may not sound like a lot of people, but you must understand we are talking about a rural area in the Mountains of Western North Carolina. This area was sparsely populated and continues to be so even today.
Unfortunately, this new Outpouring of Pentecost did not set well with the traditional Church goers and Pastors who lived in the area. The Revival was demonized and denounced by most Church leaders in the area. The Schearer Schoolhouse was burned to the ground by angry mobs who were opposed to the new movement. The homes of many of the worshippers who were involved in the Outpouring were also burned to the ground by angry mobs led by Baptist and Methodist Church Leaders.
After the Schearer Schoolhouse was burned, the Revival moved into a Log Church Building across the road from where the Schoolhouse stood. The religious leaders in the area then began to dismantle the Log Church, log by log. However, this action did not deter the people from continuing to seek the Power and Presence of God through their new Pentecostal experience.
William Bryant who assumed leadership of the group after the Log Church was dismantled, moved the Revival into his home. William Bryant had served as a Baptist Deacon prior to becoming involved in the Holiness Movement. In 1902 the small group organized the Holiness Church at Camp Creek. R. G. Spurling, the man who began the New Reformation, worshipped with the Holiness Congregation and was instrumental in helping form the Holiness Church located in Camp Creek, North Carolina.
During the Revival taking place at the Bryant residence local members of other Churches who opposed the Revival threw rocks and fired bullets into his home. Persecution continued to plague the people who attended the Revival. However, the resolve of the people attending the Revival could not be deterred. They had found a new freedom, power, and purpose for their life in this new Pentecostal experience which could not and would not be extinguished by their persecutors.
Many Bible Scholars have suggested that this Pentecostal Movement which started in North Carolina was the catalyst which paved the way for what happened ten years later on Azusa Street. Whether this is true or not, we do know that God started a movement in Camp Creek, North Carolina, that would not and could not be extinguished. The Fire of God is an Eternal Flame which cannot be extinguished by man or devil, no matter how hard they try. That Fire could not be put out at Calvary no matter how hard the Princes of Darkness tried. The FIRE which burned BRIGHTLY at Camp Creek could not be extinguished, regardless of how God’s people were persecuted. The ETERNAL FLAMES of God’s “Justice, Judgment and Justification” will always prevail against injustice, darkness, and corruption.
The Pentecostal Fires that burned brightly in Camp Creek can still be felt in areas where the Outpouring began. I believe God is waiting on people to humble themselves in prayer and seek HIS HOLINESS so He can return again with the FIRES of Pentecost which burned so brightly in this area. God is looking for people all over the World who desire a new Outpouring of His Spirit.