Frank Bartleman
1871–1936
Participant and eyewitness chronicler of the Azusa Street revival, the birthplace of modern Pentecostalism.
In his own words
In the Azusa Mission days the first thought for a suitable mission was the prayer room. Now it seems too often to be the last consideration. At Smale’s church one day I was groaning in prayer at the altar. The spirit of intercession was upon me. A brother rebuked me severely. He did not understand it. The flesh naturally shrinks from such ordeals. The “groans” are no more popular in most churches than is a woman in birth-pangs in the home. Soul-travail does not make pleasant company for selfish worldlings. But we cannot have souls born without it. Child bearing is anything but a popular exercise these days. And so with a real revival of new born souls in the-churches. Modern society has little place for a child-bearing mother. They prefer society “flappers.” And so with the churches regarding soul-travail. There is little burden for souls. Men run from the groans of a woman in travail of birth. And so the church desires no “groans” today. She is too busy enjoying herself. We were much pressed financially again, but the Lord delivered. We never made our wants known to any one but God, and never begged or borrowed, no matter how pressing the need might seem to be. We believed if the saints were living close enough to God He would speak to them. We trusted Him fully, and went without if He did not send help. I wrote my first tract at this time. It was entitled, “Love Never Faileth.” This was the beginning of a large faith tract ministry. I had to trust the Lord for the means. But He never failed me.
Quoted verbatim from the library, as an answer would quote it.
What we hold of him
Azusa Street
Classic
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