Trademarks of the Holiness Pioneers
By Rev. Morris Chalfant

"Near the close of the nineteenth century various individuals and groups felt the necessity of organized holiness churches. Their first reason was for more frequent meetings. The "holiness revivals" by and large were at first conducted in large tents or tabernacles during "camp meeting" times. These meetings were limited to certain seasons of the year, and as the people felt the need of more frequent meetings, they began services in the cities, towns, and in rural schoolhouses. Another reason for organized holiness churches was to escape the active opposition or the frigid indifference to the experience and testimony of churchmen within the various denominations. Lastly, many felt that through organized holiness churches the good which had been accomplished throughout the holiness movement could be conserved." "Many scores of people come to the church in time for Sunday school, at 9:00 a.m., and stay until 10:00 o'clock at night. They bring their food with them, and eat two meals in the church. Most of them bring enough to entertain one or two others. Between services, they have a real picnic to the glory of God. All are happy, and their conversation is in heaven, and not of a worldly character.

Now and then, even at these times, a soul is brought to the altar, and saved and sanctified. "Many second-and third-generation people in the holiness ranks are asking, What was the secret of the pioneers? Their outstanding characteristic above all others was that they were a people who prayed. One phrase found in their literature was "a burden for souls." Indeed, they prayed for that burden as if it were a great gift. They pleaded for anxious hearts. Their very carelessness made them careful! Sometimes they crept to the public altars or to their private sanctuaries and prayed that God would lay that burden upon them. They sought their own Gethsemanes. They appealed to God to give them the willingness to climb up their own little Calvaries. Sometimes they filled the night seasons with the longing cries for that holier interest in wayward and needy men.

Believing that Christ was the great necessity for every man, they rebuked themselves because they exalted the tiny interests and did not promote the one true interest of the souls. Thus did they call it a "burden," and thus did they regard the "burden" as a thing to be sought. They seemed to have a desperate urge to get men and women converted and sanctified. They had a passion for souls. Many times we have observed, especially in revival services, someone become entirely unconscious to everything about him and experience what was then called "travail for souls." Those periods of soul travail were usually effective, too, as many were the slain of the Lord. Raw sinners were brought to realize the need of God." This 25 page selection brings you a systematic and insightful overview of what made the churches of the Great Awakening tick! It becomes at the same time both instructional and entertaining.
 

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