A. J. TOMLINSON
The Church of God denomination was birthed out of the Revival which was held at Camp Creek. The denomination is currently headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee. The Church of God traces its origins back to the Reformation started by R. G. Spurling in 1886. At present the Church of God has over six million members in 170 countries, and today is one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the World.
A J Tomlinson was a former Quaker. He was born on September 22, 1865 near Westfield, Indiana. Tomlinson travelled across the Country selling Bibles until he moved to Western North Carolina and joined the Congregation at Camp Creek in 1902. Soon after joining the Congregation Tomlinson became their Pastor. It was the organizational skills of Tomlinson which would eventually cause the Camp Creek Church to become a denomination. Soon after Tomlinson was installed as Pastor, other Churches were established in Georgia and Tennessee.
In 1906, the same year the Azusa Street Revival began, the Organization of Churches held its First General Assembly at Camp Creek. This meeting laid the groundwork for the future of the Church of God denomination. Tomlinson served as Moderator and Secretary of the Assembly. In 1907 the name “Church of God” was adopted as the name of the newly founded denomination. In 1909 Tomlinson was elected as the General Overseer of the denomination.
The building which the Organization of Churches met in for the First General Assembly still stands in Camp Creek. This building now belongs to the Church of God of Prophecy. It is one of the Historical buildings and memorials on display in and around the Camp Creek area in North Carolina.
In June of 1907 Tomlinson traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, and attended meetings led by M. M. Pinson and Gaston Cashwell. Cashwell had been baptized in the Holy Spirit while attending the Azusa Street Outpouring in California. Tomlinson invited Cashwell to come to Cleveland, Tennessee. Tomlinson was filled with the Holy Spirit under the Ministry of Cashwell.
Problems arose later between Tomlinson and other Church of God leaders which would culminate in a split in the Organization. In 1923 the Church of God impeached Tomlinson due to some of his questionable financial dealings. Tomlinson had taken offence to implications that he was not trustworthy when it came to financial dealings in the Church Organization. This eventually led to the split in the Church of God. Tomlinson left the Church of God Organization and formed what would later become known as the “Church of God of Prophecy.” Some 8,000 members of the Church of God left with Tomlinson.
THE FIELDS OF THE WOOD
Lord remember David, and all his afflictions: how he sware unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob; Surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my house, Nor go up into my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids, Until I find out a place for the Lord, A habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob. Lo, we heard of it at EPHRATAH: We found it in the FIELDS OF THE WOOD. We will go into His Tabernacles: We will worship at His footstool. Psalms 132, Verses 1-7.
The FIELDS OF THE WOOD is a Christian Theme Park built by the Church of God of Prophecy in the Camp Creek area of North Carolina. This Theme Park is located near the area where the 1896 OUTPOURING of the Holy Spirit fell on the small group of people seeking HOLINESS at Camp Creek.
In Hebrew “EPHRATAH” means ‘fruitfulness.” EPHRATAH is also another name for Bethlehem, the Town where our Savior Jesus Christ was born. A new Holiness movement was birthed or reborn in the Camp Creek area during this NEW Outpouring of Pentecost. Surely the CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD had found a NEW BEGINNING where Revival and Restoration would resurrect a new New Testament Church built upon the premise of God’s Righteousness and Holiness.
On June 13, 1903, A. J. Tomlinson climbed to the top of Burger Mountain located in the Camp Creek area to pray and seek the Lord for Revelation. While in prayer God revealed to him that His people WERE the Church of God and was to be so called. God gave him further Revelation that the Church of God was to take the WHOLE Bible, rightly dividing it, as their only Rule of Practice. When Tomlinson came down off the mountain he shared the Revelation God had given him with his Congregation. After Tomlinson shared with them the revelation God had given him, they changed the name of the Church to the “Church of God.” After splitting from the Church of God denomination Tomlinson called the name of the new denomination the Church of God of Prophecy.
Some years later the Church of God of Prophecy bought 210 acres of land in the Camp Creek area. Burger Mountain was part of the 210 acres they purchased and was the place where Tomlinson received his Divine Revelation. Also included in the 210 acres was the Meeting House where the First Assembly of the Church of God took place, as well as the property where the Schearer Schoolhouse stood.
The Church of God of Prophecy built a Biblical Theme Park called the “Fields of the Wood” on the property surrounding Burger Mountain. Work began on the Fields of the Wood on November 15, 1940, and was completed in 1945. The property was named “Fields of the Wood” because its purpose was reflected in the Scriptures found in Psalms 132. It was to be a place of HABITATION for the Lord, a Holy Place set apart where people could come and cohabit with God.
The Fields of the Wood has a replica of Golgotha’s Hill, as well as the largest altar in the World. It has a replica of the Tomb where Christ’s Body was laid after His Crucifixion. The Park has the largest set of Ten Commandments made of stone in the World today. The Ten Commandments Memorial lays embedded on the side of a mountain in the Theme Park directly across from Burger Mountain. There is a place called “Prayer Mountain” where one can read Scriptures written on monuments as they walk up the steps to the top of Burger Mountain. There are other Memorials in the Park, including a Baptismal, and a Gift Shop. The Flags of All Nations stand on top of the mountain just past the location of the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments can be seen from orbit. There is also a Restaurant and Gift Shop just to name a few. Fields of the Wood is open year round, and there is no admission charge. The Fields of the Wood is one of the most visited places in the Great Smokey Mountains.