Parham Act 2 Tongues Research Paper

William J. Seymour taught his recently discovered “new & improved doctrine of tongues” that was not his own. This doctrine actually originated in his professor, Charles Fox Parham. This was a far cry from Seymour’s background of tongues, which was rooted in the “unintelligible speech” spoken by witch doctors and conjurer men in African traditional religion and Haiti Voodoo. Conversely Parham’s doctrine was supposedly in line with the biblical account of Acts 2.

In Bible history the Acts 2 tongues were a miraculous and understandable speech which needed no interpreter. Acts 2 tongues allowed the Christian disciples to speak directly to 17 different language groups without the disciples knowing the hearer’s foreign language.1 According to Professor

Parham the Acts 2 tongues that he taught and practiced were those the same as those shown in the biblical setting of Acts 2. Parham, the schoolmaster, taught his students that Acts 2 was the “genuine model” concerning the real reception of the Holy Spirit baptism. And, according to Parham, the “proof was in the pudding.” Thus Parham had “formulated the ‘evidential tongues’ doctrine that became the hallmark of North American classical Pentecostalism.” 2

Professor Parham looked pretty convincing!

The chain-of-events shows that through Parham’s doctrine and influence Agnes Ozman had received Acts 2 “speaking in tongues”; an event documented in 1901 at Parham’s Bethel Bible School in Topeka, Kansas. Additionally, at his school, 21 different mother tongues - native languages - were reported to be spoken by Americans who had no knowledge of foreign languages. Later, in Houston, Texas, Parham taught other students the same doctrine; that the Holy Spirit baptism is evidenced by the “sign” of speaking in understandable languages. This “missionary tongues doctrine” made inroads at the Houston school were William J. Seymour attended and William said amen to Parham and his

doctrine.3
√ fact check....
Professor Parham taught a version of “tongues” which defined glossolalia as an understandable language

Theologically Charles Fox Parham rigidly maintained that “tongues was authentic languages.” These tongues were given as a vehicle to tell the gospel in the last days.4Aided by this miracle, foreign missionaries would not need the ability to speak the native language of the country they would be ministering in. The prerequisite would be the “baptism of the Holy Spirit and tongues” which would result in the missionaries being able to miraculously speak in the native mother tongue of any country.5

Parham proudly proclaimed:

“one need only receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit and he could go to the farthest corners of the world and preach to the natives in languages unknown to the speaker.” 6 cite

Parham’s claims that missionaries could speak other known languages “with absolute perfection” helped validate the tongues-attested Pentecostal experience.7

William J.

Seymour took the bait.

9.2 Seymour: Teacher of “Missionary Tongues”

William Seymour, Parham’s student, backed up his old professor. Seymour believed that the “gift of foreign languages” had been given, through Spirit baptism and “tongues.” Such pouring out of the Holy Spirit, Seymour believed, was to empower Christians to evangelize the world just before the return of Christ to the earth. It was the secret ability to preach the gospel throughout the world.8 And it would be done through the vehicle of “speaking in tongues” – the understandable missionary language which heathen would know and be evangelized by.9

√ fact check....

Seymour was a believer. He carried the water for Parham and the white orthodox doctrine that speaking in tongues was speaking in “Mother Tongues”

Seymour, editor of Apostolic Faith periodical, confirmed Azusa’s new-found tongues to be the languages of the world:

“God has solved the missionary problem, sending out new-tongued missionaries.”10

cite

An eyewitness 1906 report from Azusa said that missionaries:

“…each alike has received a definite Baptism of the Spirit. From here God has sent those living witnesses for Him up the coast for hundreds of miles across the continent; into China, India, Africa and Jerusalem – each able to speak in any language….” 11

With such glowing reports, how could any sane person not believe that the real Holy Spirit had been found and tapped into? Hadn’t the “proof in the pudding” verified the existence of the Holy Spirit’s baptism? Weren’t the Azusa tongues just like the Acts 2 tongues? If so, then Azusa was indeed the American Jerusalem – and Azusa’s tongues were indeed of the Holy Spirit! And certainly missionaries must now go forward to the ends of the earth!

Seymour, taught Parham’s message at Azusa. The result was phenomenal. Accordingly, early Pentecostals, by the boatload, went out immediately in mission work to speak in the understandable languages of foreign nations.12

9.3 Seymour vs Damballa: “Forked Tongues” Win!

But like every other false doctrine, tragedy stuck.

Seymour “the student” sent Parham “the professor” an invitation to attend Azusa’s revival. The teacher arrived in late 1906 and discerned