TOPEKA, KANSAS 1901
Five years after the New Pentecostal Outpouring in Camp Creek, North Carolina, another great Outpouring of Pentecost was experienced in Topeka, Kansas. This Pentecostal Outpouring also predated Azusa Street.
This new outbreak of Pentecost began at Bethel Bible College in Topeka. Over the years the Topeka Outpouring has been called the “First Outpouring of Pentecost” in modern times. However, there continues to be many Bible historians who are totally unaware of the Camp Creek Outpouring. I think this is mainly due to the lack of media coverage concerning the historic event at Camp Creek.
The Topeka Outpouring began in 1901 when Charles Parham, a Methodist Minister and Director of Bethel Bible College, directed his students to fast, pray and study the scriptures. They were given an assignment to study the lives of the Apostles and the Doctrines of Holiness found in the Bible. He then directed the students to ask God for and wait on the BLESSINGS of the Lord.
In January 1901 Agnes Ozman was baptized with the Holy Spirit and was the first of Parham’s students to speak in an unknown tongue. For three consecutive days Ozman spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance. Other students of Parham soon experienced the same infilling Ozman had experienced and were also baptized in the Holy Spirit. There are claims that Ozman’s Baptism of the Holy Spirit was “the TOUCH felt around the World” which birthed a new movement of Pentecost. Although significant, her experience was not the beginning of a new Pentecostal Movement, but was a sign that the Movement was also being felt in other areas of the Country.
The Holiness Movement divided many people all over the country in Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ. In many Christian circles Holiness living was not something which could be attained by men and women here on Earth. They believed all they could do was “hope” they were living right in the eyes of God. They did not understand that “Holiness” was the LIFESTYLE God had ordained for His children to pursue.
Understanding the heart, mind and purpose of God has always eluded many well-meaning, but not so well spiritually minded and educated men and women of God. Many Christians have a desire to do better and please God. However, their spiritual leaders and counselors themselves do not understand the plan and purpose of God for the Church. Therefore, they are unable to teach and lead their Congregations into a more intimate relationship with Christ.
Like Camp Creek, the Pentecostal Outpouring in Topeka has not been given as much credit as one of the precursors of modern day Pentecostalism. This is partly due to the fact that the Outpouring in Topeka did not last as long as Azusa Street, and did not impact the lives of as many people.
Charles Parham was the first to recognize that “speaking in tongues” was the evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit went on to become the “hallmark” of the emerging Pentecostal Movement.
William Seymour was a student of Charles Parham and attended Bethel Bible College. Seymour would later get credit, and rightly so, for starting the Azusa Street Outpouring in Los Angeles, California. It was through Azusa Street that this new Pentecostal Movement reached around the World and became the focal point of the new latter day Outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Speaking in Tongues would come to be the defining mark and evidence that God had visited His people once again just as He did on the Day of Pentecost. According to the Second Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, the people in the Upper Room were ALL FILLED with the Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
ALL those who were in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost were FILLED with the Spirit and were impacted by the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They ALL carried the message of Christ and the Power of Pentecost with them during their earthly ministries. Today that message is again taking root, and will continue to grow as the people of God enter into a new era of Ministry and the blessing of Pentecost. This BLESSING of a New Pentecost will be greatly needed in the days ahead.