After the terrible split in the church at Asuza Street, "Spirit-filled" or "Pentecostal" Churches gradually came into being. These have a different view of the place of the Holy Spirit in the Christian's life: All genuine conversions involve the Holy Spirit coming to indwell. This means that nothing new is given with the "laying on of Hands" to be "filled with the Spirit". Instead, this "stirs up" what was already there -to manifest in gifts of service such as miracles. More
If you come from a "Pentecostal" background you are used to a theology which is at root Baptist and opposed to Holiness teaching. This is revealed by some obscure history of Asuza Street: More Also see the story of John Fletcher below.
So please do not be confused by these unedited stories that use terms like "the Spirit came" to describe the moment when the Holy Spirit reaches down to cleanse the heart. Also they often just used the word "sanctification" - assuming that the reader understands the context enough to refer to the finishing sanctification rather than the initial one. Not theologically correct, but that is what they did to avoid repetition.
Throughout the website I have tried to edit this confusion out, but not here. I have also left the old-fashioned language intact to save work. Be aware.
W. B. Godbey
A fiery Preacher of the Holiness Movement.
Ben Abbott
In 1772 a 40 yr old Ben has two vivid life-changing dreams. First a dream about hell, and then one about heaven. He is saved and becomes a sanctified circuit rider.
Earnest Coryell
The neighborhood is shocked when this tough old sinner is saved. Later he is sanctified and leaves his beloved farm to go preaching.
Father Reeves
A much-revered Methodist Class Leader for 34 years.
John Fletcher
33 pages
John Fletcher's Full Story
A much longer and more detailed story of Fletcher's life. He would have been Wesley's successor except that he passed away first. 415 pages
The Calvinists and Baptists had been issuing vicious open letters denying the validity of Wesley's teaching. Fletcher defends Wesley until all the numerous Calvinists are finally left without a reply. These juicy letters were eagerly grabbed by the newspapers, and closely followed by the public.....See Fletcher's important Checks to Antinomianism
Why was it needed? Modern Baptists have had a lot of time to become reasonable. Before this, it was often very tough to get genuinely saved among the Calvinists. Read the amazing story about a "perplexed boy" and the weird "Hardshell Baptists": F. A. Powell
Note: Baptist opposition to Holiness was rebuilt on a different foundation by John Darby and his heretical Plymouth Brethren many decades later. See: Gnostic Church In turn, this rebuilt Baptist foundation was passed down to today's seminaries through John Durham .
Susan Fitkin
At 17 Susan was dying of cancer until the Lord raised her up and called her to the ministry.
Joseph Dempster
This Catholic seminary student reads the forbidden Douay Bible, sees through all the erroneous dogma of his church, and becomes a sanctified evangelist.
J. A. Wood
The much-acclaimed author of "Perfect Love" and other books on this website.
Charles B. Jernigan
A tireless Holiness worker and singer.
William Burke
Important pioneer Holiness preacher of the Thirteen Colonies and the Cane Ridge Awakening among the huge floods of new settlers come across the Appalachians replete with great poverty and religious ignorance.
Bud Robinson
This uneducated and handicapped hillbilly boy with a heavy pistol on his belt becomes one of the premier preachers in America.
William Carvosso
For Sixty years he was an admired Class Leader.
Rev. P. F. Bresee
"A Prince in Israel" Founder of the Church of The Nazarene 313 pages
H. C. Morrison
133 pages by himself. An itinerant Texas Holiness preacher who was persecuted and then taken to church court by the dead and formal M. E. Church. This encouraged even larger crowds to come....
M. W. Knapp
A Hero of Faith and Prayer 164 pages. A prominent author on the Entry page.
W. M. Tidwell
The Faithfulness of God 9 pages 1946
Adam Clarke
Together with Fletcher this early theologian and Greek scholar helped Wesley get the message of heart holiness firmly established. 119 pages
M. L. Haney
J. T. Hatfield