Charles F. Parham and the Evidence Doctrine

Abstract

The individual primarily responsible for the teaching that glossolalia is the evidence of a person having received the baptism in the Holy Spirit was Charles Fox Parham. Born in Iowa in 1873, Parham believed himself to have been called ‘to the ministry … when about nine years of age’. As yet unconverted, he began to read the Bible and while rounding up cattle preached sermons to them ‘on the realities of a future life’. Converted at thirteen years of age, Parham at sixteen attended a Methodist College to prepare for the ministry but soon changed his mind and began studying medicine. However, after a serious illness — during the course of which he took large quantities of morphine — it was ‘revealed’ to him that education was a hindrance in the service of God. He abandoned his studies and at the age of eighteen was licensed by a Methodist denomination. During the first year of an almost fruitless pastorate he came under the influence of a Quaker — his wife’s grandfather — who persuaded him to abandon the doctrine of eternal torment in favour of total annihilation. Parham also rejected water baptism, accepted sanctification as a second act of grace and regarded church membership and denominational affiliation as matters of indifference.

The Holy Spirit … reserves the speaking on other tongues as the evidence of His own incoming … modern leaders and Holy Ghost teachers all have their private evidence of their so-called gift of the Holy Ghost; while they have failed to seek, obtain and honor the only Bible sign given as the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Charles Fox Parham

One by one everyone who received the Holy Spirit began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. I felt satisfied that God was giving His own evidence to every one of us.

Agnes N. Osman