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Exerpts from the Diaries of A. J. Tomlinson

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Volume 1 1901-1923

Forward of Volume 1 written by Homer A Tomlinson, September 8, 1948

In the pages of the diary you will find in vivid description the beginnings and development of the movement, A. J. Tomlinson's intimate and full part in the unfolding of the pattern. And yet it does not appear that he knew or felt how much was being accomplished, but always the vastness of the work yet to be done. His first diary entrance was January 1, 1880, at the age of fifteen. His last entry, September 2, 1943, a month before his death:                 

The Assembly is coming close now, Sept. 8-14. Great things close by now!

That was it, looking forward!   

 

On September 16, 1943 at his home in Cleveland, Tennessee, he took me by the arm and led me into his bed chamber. He placed two arm chairs side by side. Seating me in the chair to his left, he sat down. He took a little time to formulate a question that was on his mind. At last he had it in a form which satisfied him. Then he asked a question of utter climax of ministry "Homer, have we found the way to take the whole world for Christ and His Church?"

 

Stirred by the enthusiasm of his leadership my whole life, burning with the zeal that flamed to new heights before such a question, I dared give answer without a moment's "hesitation: "Yes, we've found the way!" "What is it? he asked simply. "That we shall go ahead, and ask everybody to help!" My father leaped up from his chair in fullness of strength, shouting out, "That's it! That's it!"

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We spoke together for a full two hours of the details, came to perfect understanding in all particulars. Then he insisted I must relate this entire matter with witnesses to the assistant publisher, A. D. Evans, and the treasurer of the church, A. J. Lawson, which I did. At 3:00 pm of that day I met my father before his office ready to go back to New York. His last question was to inquire: "Did you tell Bro Lawson?" "Yes," I answered, "Did you have witnesses?" I assured him that I did. "Did you tell Bro. Evans?" he further questioned, "Yes," I continued to answer. "Did you have witnesses?" I answered that I did. They were standing beside me and my father at the time. Fully satisfied, he lifted up his hand saying, "Now, Go!" Those were the last words concerning the work of the church with my father for within a few hours he took sick in his office and was hastened home to his bed from which he did not rise. Sixteen days later, October 2, 1943, he died.                     

    

From the lives of the Apostles and of the saints of God in all ages all of us have drawn strength. In the climax of the church age, which so many of us feel is now upon us, surely the unfolding of the life of my father, from childhood, through the days of extremity, spiritually, financially, physically, as well as through the vast orphanages and revivals, earth encircling labors, can inspire hope and courage among those of us yet laboring in the vineyard of the Lord.           

         

Among background ministers will come A. B. Simpson, Carrie Judd Montgomery, Bud Robinson, B. Carridien, J. M. Pike, Charles G. Finney, Dwight L. Moody, W. B. Godbey, M. . Knapp, Seiss, Morrison, Gleason, Culpepper, Shellhamer, many others who led in the great Holiness movement which immediately preceded this vast Church of God, Holy Ghost, Pentecostal Day movement to which A. J Tomlinson gave such outstanding leadership.

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Associated with A. J. Tomlinson in the beginnings and part and parcel together, laboring side by side with him was E. N. Bell, founder of the Assemblies of God, J. H. King. Founder of the Pentecostal holiness Church, Aimee Semple McPherson, founder of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Mattie Crawford, founder of the Apostolic Faith, Portland, Oregon, Elder Charles H. Mason, founder of the Church of God in Christ, Elder Charles Seymour, B. F. Yoakum, William Hamner Piper, Leonard, Cossum, Caruthers, Goss, A. G. Garr and Thomas J. McIntosh were the first of the missionaries. In the great beginnings and moving through the pages of the diary are names of great meaning, whose labors cannot be forgotten: G.B. Cashwell, F.M. Britton, G. F. Taylor, M.M. Pinson, H.H. Rogers, John W. Buckalew, F. J. Lee, M.S. Lemons, W.F. Bryant, R. G. Spurling, Charles F. Parham.

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Among others were Smith Wigglesworth of England, Williams of Norway, Haywood of Indianapolis, the Nortons, India, the Lakes, Africa, Lillian Trasher, Egypt; Blanche Appleby, China; Mrs M. E. Sexton, Atlanta; fellow laborers all who with others went to every nation of the earth swiftly and with power.

  

In the diary will be found, as in the Acts of the Apostles, accounts of the good things and careful records of the events and circumstances which divided or hindered the movement. These were largely due to differences of doctrines and in the diary can be found both sides of the picture.

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The diary will set forth many differences between A. J. Tomlinson and other leaders of the movement, but these will not be more important than differences which arose out of the ministry of Luther, Wesley, Calvin and even the Apostles, Peter and Paul. The movements of Luther, Wesley and A. J. Tomlinson were big enough to divide.  

  

Chapter 1 - From a Quaker Meeting House ñ excerpt taken from Page 13

 

Appended in this work is a complete statement of the revelation and doctrine  Vouchsafed to A J Tomlinson as accurately and clearly as it can be set down. It is a pattern proven in the crucible of forty years. We would take occasion to commend to all sincere consideration of these doctrines and practices, comparing them with a careful study of the scriptures for foundation. Of course in many respects these will vary from the practices of many good churches who have wrought valiantly according to their revelation. But how many practices are now carried forward in churches just because it has been a custom or tradition, and how many are actually based on an earnest and sincere study of the Scriptures for our time? That is the question we can all ask ourselves, examining ourselves betimes to see if we be in the faith.

  

A. J. Tomlinson lived to see the whole earth filled with the doctrine and on the day of his death the press and radio of the world hailed him as the "Founder of the Church of God", this appearing in every newspaper of the U.S.A., overseas in press and radio. The city of Cleveland, Tennessee and from which he had carried forward his greater work, paid a tribute at his funeral such as had never been given to a citizen, public or private and in fullest recognition of their love and esteem by closing all stores and business and detouring thru traffic in his honor.

One asked him what degrees he held. Though he had founded schools, he had no degree. He said at the time that if he ever took a degree he would like for it to be "B.T." asked what it meant he said "Base Things" from the scripture. 

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1 - Great Division in the Church of God Movement

- Excerpts taken from Page 143 - 145

One of the greatest goals in the vision of the Church of God from R. G. Spurling, Sr. in 1886 and from the beginning in 1903 in the leadership of A J Tomlinson was that the church might be united, see eye to eye and speak the same thing. In such unity they hoped for the answer to the prayer of Jesus in the 17th Chapter of St John to the end that the world might believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. A. J. Tomlinson felt that there should be both organic unity and unity of doctrine.

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While he manifested utmost charity to all whose doctrine varied from the pattern as it had been delivered, and in which the Church of god had been confirmed by mighty signs and wonders, yet he cherished the doctrine more than anything else. Now he was to come face to face with whether he would hold the doctrine or allow for vast variations. Thos that knew him were sure he would hold to the doctrine, though all forsook him, and it would come to that.

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The Pentecostal Holiness Church - We have mentioned that there was a large portion who felt that there should never be a church, but all should be free. Among these leaders of this teaching there was now a great swing the other way ñ to have a very strict organization. Thus, J. H. King, who had taken issue on this subject in the Atlanta meeting in 1909, by 1911 had gathered a large group at Falcon, North Carolina and organized the Pentecostal Holiness Church, adopted by laws, and constitutions and set up a strong organization.

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The Nazarene Church & The Assemblies of God 

In 1912, William Durham of a Chicago, Illinois church of the movement, in close fellowship, but no enrolled as a minister of The Church of God, proposed a very direct departure in doctrine. That the experience of sanctification, hitherto taught as a second definite work of grace and in keeping with the teaching of John Wesley, the Free Methodists and the Holiness movement was error.       

                                      

Pastor Durham taught the "Finished work of Calvary" meaning that when one was saved he was as well sanctified at the same time and that it was a mistake to go back for the second blessing. An yet this teaching went further to say that nobody could be holy or sanctified here but that the experience of sanctification was a progressive work, starting at justification and continuing to the grave but none would attain such except through the grave. The meaning of this was to allow that no one could live without sin that we all sinned every day.

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Now we had the Nazarenes who had drawn away in a great division on the proposition that they had received the Holy Ghost at the experience of sanctification and without speaking with other tongues. Here was to come another division that would split the movement over the face of the whole earth denying the separate experience of sanctification but now would be giving peculiar emphasis to the baptism of the Holy Ghost with speaking with tongues.           

  

Many of the ministers accepted this doctrine. Among these was E.N. Bell, of the Church of God in Arkansas and leading in the work in that state. As A J Tomlinson felt he could only hold to the doctrine many of the ministers began to fall away. E. N. Bell invited a number of them to a meeting in Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1914 and inaugurated the Assemblies of God. This group incorporated that change in the doctrine and have maintained it for the most part since. It became the basis of a division of the movement which has brought sadness to many. A. J. Tomlinson talked kindly with all but felt he could not draw away from the pattern as it had been delivered in much suffering.

      

The Church of God in Christ - In this division there was another notable development. At first, Elder C H Mason, founder and yet Overseer of The Church of God in Christ, together with L. P. Adams, felt them rather drawn to the E. N. Bell group. But when they made that departure in doctrine, Elder Mason and L.P. Adams felt they could not give up sanctification, so they drew to themselves and formed The Church of God in Christ, maintaining the doctrine and making only some differences concerning the ministry of women in the pattern of church administration. Moreover, it gave occasion for the multitudes of colored peoples coming into the movement to unite with him, feeling they could be strengthened by having a movement among their own people.

 

The Jesus Only Doctrinal Division - Another great departure made itself felt by 1915. Many felt this suggestion came first from the same Pastor Durham of Chicago who had proposed the ìfinished workî doctrine, but Homer believes firmly, and he was in Indianapolis at the time talking with him, seeking to dissuade him, that George T Haywood, pastor of the colored church there gave first strength to this.

 

Pastor Haywood proposed that the "Name of God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost was Jesus". First it was a denial of the trinity, secondly, it denied the use of being baptized in water using the expression of being baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy ghost and enjoined upon all who had been so baptized to be baptized over again using only the name of Jesus. It took the form of being a doctrine of baptism, rather than making other departures as in the case of the "finished work". This caused a very great division in the work, a division which is still widespread and as the ìfinished workî touches the movement all over the world.

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As this was a departure from the doctrine in the revelation, A J Tomlinson felt he had no choice but to hold to the doctrine as it had been delivered and this "new light" he felt compelled to reject.

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The reader can observe that all these departures were a ìleaving out of somethingî of the revelation thus were surely of a negative nature. It is far easier to deny something than to establish it. Nevertheless, A. J. Tomlinson could count them as his children, and children of the Church of God where the great revelation had first come in a general way.

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Volume Two - 1923-1936

Brings in portions of the diary from 1880 to 1923 not appearing in volume One and which have a direct bearing on the second and far greater phase of the ministry of A. J. Tomlinson, 1923 to 1936.

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Cast out and disgraced by ten associate elders, charged with misuse of church funds, he started over again with a small group in the home of his son, Homer, in New York in January, 1923 and by 1936 had gathered a general Assembly of the Church of God at Cleveland, Tennessee with some 150,000 in attendance.

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To have all swept away and start over again in his 59th year in the face of bitterest persecutions, court actions, false accusations and build a greater church in the next twenty years that in the first twenty is one of the monumental labors in the history of ministers. Volume two also tells of the continuing rise of other groups which had separated: Church of God groups; Assemblies of God, free Pentecost, Jesus Only groups, father Divine Group, The Foursquare group, Pentecostal holiness Church, Church of God in Christ, etc.

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Volume three -1936-1943

Includes certain intimate experiences of his life as recorded in the diary earlier and the climax experiences of his last seven years.

His experiences when suffering a stroke at the age of 71 and fighting death face to face

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Of 3000 standing in line for prayer for healing at his service, of 3,000 receiving the Holy Ghost speaking with other tongues in a single month, a hundred in a single night; Of the appointment on two occasions before his death of his son Homer A. Tomlinson of New York to succeed him, projecting his strength like Moses and Elijah, a David to his successor

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