Ever since the Day of Pentecost, when the Gift of Tongues startled the multitudes of Jerusalem, and the Gift of Divine Healing, conferred upon the early disciples, drew attention to the Gospel, and attested it as coming from God, there have arisen repeatedly religious movements claiming the revival of these Pentecostal gifts.
Today many such movements are to be found, the United States of America furnishing the most of them. But of late the claim to Pentecostal gifts has also become prominent in Britain. Principal George Jeffreys, who styled himself "Founder and Leader of the Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance," is a leading exponent. The reader may be surprised that there are no quotations in this pamphlet from the writings of Principal Jeffreys, but we do not know of any volumes by him, setting forth his tenets and practices, from which to quote. But as his magazine advertised very prominently as one of their text books, " The Gospel of Healing," by A. B. Simpson, D.D., we are justified in taking this as setting forth the doctrines of the Pentecostalists. The movement in this country spread rapidly. Principal Jeffreys gathered a large band of workers round him, many of whom he ordained as pastors, and Foursquare
Gospel Churches were formed in various centers, though we understand he is now working independently of that movement, which he started.
There were in the early church undoubtedly Gifts of Healing and of Speaking with Tongues. The Scriptures give us ample confirmation of this. In regard to present-day claims, the question we have to ask is, DO THE TEACHING OF SCRIPTURE AND THE FACTS OF THIS MODERN MOVEMENT AGREE? If they agree, we can joyfully acknowledge the movement as of God, and throw ourselves unreservedly and wholeheartedly into it. But if there is a divergence between the Scriptural teaching on the subject and the facts of the movement, if that divergence is marked, and the movement is characterized by traits that Scripture manifestly condemns, then we may at once come to the conclusion that it is not of God, and that it is one of the latter-day deceptions, against which we are warned in the Word of God.
The Apostle Paul could appeal to his "doctrine" and "manner of life" (2 Tim. 3:1010But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, (2 Timothy 3:10)) as corresponding one with the other, placing him in contrast with evil men and seducers... deceiving, and being deceived " (verse 13).
Here we have an infallible, God-given test. We are on safe ground. For if the claim to a special infilling of the Holy Spirit of God is true, we should certainly expect the teaching and lives of those so filled to be in close correspondence with the teaching of Scripture. The Holy Spirit of God will not teach one thing as doctrine, and something quite different in practice. He will not stultify Himself. We should therefore expect specially infilled believers to be very deeply taught in and marked by obedience to the Word of God.
There are undoubtedly three influences at work in this world.