Stephen Jeffreys was born and raised in the valleys of South Wales, in a typical minning home. He went to work in the coal mines at the age of 12. He led a very typical mining lifestyle until 1904 when the great Welsh revival invaded those mines. For several days he was under deep conviction of sin and very sad. Other men working with him had been converted and filled with the joy of the Lord. Finally he came to Christ and became a totally changed man, he was aged 28. That year Wales was filled with the glory of God and new converts. Immediately he joined himself to Gods people, attending all prayer meetings and especially all open air meetings. He soon started preaching in the open air with great fire and passion. He continued working in the mines for some years as he became a witness and testimony to all. This is how God prepared His servant.
As far as Pentecostal things go, he had no time for them and even for a time preached against 'tongues'. But later being convinced this outpouring was of God he himself sought the same blessing of God. It was during special meetings, that he received his Baptism in the Holy Ghost accompanied with tongues. He had a mighty experience, and this made the difference in his life as a witness, he considered it an epoch in his life. He was invited a second time to hold a three day Gospel campaign near Swansea in 1913. When he was leaving the mine to go preach he turned to a friend and said, "Well, Billy, if God blesses me this time, I shall never return to the coal-mine." God did bless, these meetings continued for several weeks, with about 145 souls turning to Christ, bodies healed and a number of believers who had spoken in tongues. During these beginnings his brother George was found by his side in ministry. This was just the beginning of pioneer evangelism for him, he would enter towns where only a few people would turn up, but would pray, preach and persevere until a break came. In the early days he had prayed for the sick but seen few healed. But that changed the day a young girl diseased in both feet who was under threat of amputation sent for him to come pray. He anointed her with oil and laid hands on her in the name of Jesus, instantly she was healed and that night testified in the meeting. Great faith came into his heart to believe God for greater things still.
In 1913 men like Cecil Polhill and A.A.Boddy hearing about these early campaigns came to see for themselves. While talking personally with Boddy, these two Brothers made known their passion and burden to see the ministry of the Evangelist raised up in the young Pentecostal movement and to see it grow by soul winning. As a result the testimonies of the meetings were reported in such publications as Confidence and of course invitations came to preach elsewhere. Stephen's great burden was Wales, after holding a campaign in Llanelli, he decided to settle there, raise up a work and use it for a base for the next seven years. During that time he would head of on short trips, often to struggling missions to help break ground. Shortly after he came to Llanelli, on a Sunday night in July 1914 as he preached, there appeared on the wall behind him as it were a vision, all could see it, only when Stephen finished preaching did he go and sit down and also saw it. First it was a picture of a lamb which then turned to the appearance of the face of Christ as the man of sorrows. This lasted for about six hours with many hundreds being witness to it. Those who were at first sceptics tried everything to explain it but finally had to confess it was God. Two weeks later he preached on Christ as the "Man of sorrows", that week the First World War broke out lasting for the next five years.
In 1919 a powerful move of God took place under his ministry in Aberaman, when he arrived it was a fellowship of nine believers, when he left it had over 300 believers. Then to London at the invitation of Polhill and again God bore witness to His word with mighty conversions and miracles. In 1922 he joined the Elim Pentecostal Alliance and pastured their first Church in Britain. Together with his brother they filled the largest and most famous halls in the land. In 1924 He was in Canada and America for several months of ministry with his brother, then back to Britain. In about 1926 He left Elim and became the pioneer evangelist for the young AoG, holding mighty campaigns throughout Britain establishing this new movement and giving it an evangelistic thrust. When he visited Parr’s Church, 50 believeers sat in a 600 seater building, when he left it was bunged. He then took a world tour covering New Zealand, Austraila, south Africa and America arriving back in 1931. At this time his son who had travelled and ministered with him in the 20's, came to the fore in the 30's with the same ministry. In 1933 he had the great privilege to minister in Sweden at Lewi Pethrus’s Church and in Norway at T.B.Barratt’s Church.
This fearless and tireless, rugged preacher who was often said to be like one of the Old Testament Prophets, had worn himself out in abundant labours. Quite suddenly he came to a standstill with failing health. Crippled with arthritis he spent his last days in his beloved Wales, preaching his last message just one month before he died in 1943. In those last days, friends and family stood grieved as they looked upon his form, frail and bent and hands twisted by arthritis which once were laid boldly on the sick. Truly he was known as 'The beloved Evangelist'.
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Saturday, 2 October 2010
The Mighty Move of God’s Spirit in Southampton.
News of what God was doing in 1926 was becoming known elsewhere. At the beginning of the year there had
been a great time of blessing in the campaign at Plymouth and this was followed by a short campaign at St.
Peter Port, Guernsey. The Bournemouth campaign started in July and people flocked to the meetings by bus
and tram. The following year George Jeffreys came to Southampton and held a great campaign. After the
initial meeting at which a number of people were saved and several healed, the meetings grew in size as
people gathered at the Central Hall to hear this powerful evangelist who preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ –
the Saviour, Healer, Baptiser and Coming King. As they came, people accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour
and as the healing lines took place, wonderful miracles were effected by the power of God. A number of
remarkable miracles were recorded during that campaign. One was Miss Florence Munday, who had been an
invalid for about fifteen years and had to be wheeled about in a bath chair. Her knee was completely
destroyed and in splints. The doctors had told her that she would never walk again, but after prayer she was
able to walk across the hall, healed by the power of God. My mother had fallen down some steps at
Winchester and had become paralysed. She could not look after a small boy and so I had to live with my aunt
across the road. My father was in business and one of his customers, Mr. Frank Hurst of Awbridge, told him
of the meetings in Southampton. We lived at Romsey, but he decided to go and laid my mother across the
back seat of a taxi. On arrival at the meeting she was laid on the platform and when George Jeffreys prayed
for her, she was completely healed and went home on the bus! Many other healings took place during those
meetings and almost a thousand souls came to know the Lord as their Saviour.
The Formation of Pentecostal Churches in the Area.
A phrase which came into existence in those days was: ‘George Jeffreys always pens his sheep.’ This was
true, as after every campaign a church was established in the area. The Southampton church was opened at
Park Road, Freemantle and another was opened by Miss Munday at St. Monica Road, Sholing. On returning
to Romsey my mother and father were instrumental in the formation of an Elim church in that town. Another
church was soon to be established in Eastleigh and before long the Pentecostal message took root in Andover.
In the years which followed, Mr. Wellstead of Totton obtained a piece of ground at the top end of Water Lane
and a church was eventually opened, although at the time of its commencement it was independent. Other
believers who had been moved by the power of God in the Southampton meetings started a work on the
Western side of Southampton Water, meeting at Dibden Purlieu and finally at Hardley Green. Many other
churches were affected by the Pentecostal message, but not all moved on in the blessing. One notable
exception was The Gospel Hall at Canada Road, West Wellow, which joined the Elim movement as an affiliated
church and is still in operation today.
Little is known of the history of the small assembly which had originally existed in the town, but it must have
joined the number of autonomous churches which became known as Assemblies of God in Great Britain and
Ireland after its formation in 1924, Mr. Tilling becoming Missionary Secretary-Treasurer in 1929. Its work
continued throughout the years. Meanwhile the Elim work in Freemantle continued apace and there was a
rich variety of ministry both from Pastor Trevor who was the first minister after the formation of the church
and those who followed in the general turn-round of pastors in the Elim churches. Many missionaries
regularly visited the port of Southampton on their way to the mission field and on their return for a time of
furlough. Often they would be present for a meeting and would share their experiences.
The Great Southampton Campaign in 1937.
In the early part of the year news filtered through that Principal George Jeffreys was planning to hold another
campaign in Southampton and it took place in the Summer of that year. There was a large open space in
Commercial Road at the back of some shops on the corner of Morris Road and here a huge tent was erected
to house the ‘Revival and Divine Healing Campaign.’ George Jeffreys and his Revival Party arrived and the
meetings commenced with hearty Pentecostal singing led by Mr. R. E. Darragh with Mr. A. W. Edsor at the
piano. Crowds gathered nightly to those meetings and many young people attended to hear the message.
The Pentecostal Work in Southampton.
Night after night the Gospel went forth in the Holy Spirit power and anointing and there were meetings in the
afternoons. Once again people were born again of the Spirit of God and many healings took place. Although
we do not have the actual numbers it is known that God moved in a mighty way to save and heal and many
nominal Christians returned to faith in Jesus Christ. God had moved again in revival power in Southampton
and the intense longing of many people for more of the Holy Spirit was satisfied as they began to speak in
tongues and manifest the gifts of the Spirit. Revival was in the air and the Gospel was proclaimed on the
trams and buses and in the open air, particularly every Sunday afternoon outside the Cowherds Inn on
Southampton Common. At the close of the campaign the meetings continued in the Elim Church at Park
Road, Freemantle under the ministry of Pastor Lemuel Morris. Many new faces were to be seen in the
meetings and the church was packed to capacity. One of the new converts was a man who had been a
‘blackshirt,’ a follower of the radical political group led by Sir Oswald Mosley. He was fearless in the open air
meetings which were common in those days. The theatres did not open on Sundays at that time and because
the meetings were so packed with people, often on Sunday evenings they were held in the Grand Theatre,
which was near the bus station opposite the Civic Centre, or in the Palace Theatre in Above Bar.
The Pentecostal Work in Southampton in the War Years.
This was the pattern in the late 1930’s in Southampton, but things were to change as time drew on. The
political situation in Europe was causing great concern as Germany was re-arming and making demands upon
neighbouring states. War clouds were gathering and with the German invasion of Poland, we were at war
with Nazi Germany on 3rd September, 1939. Things went on much as usual in Southampton in those days,
and it was not until the miracle of Dunkirk that things began to change. Nothing significant was happening in
the local churches for a time, but trouble was taking place nationally in the Elim movement. Just before the
war, George Jeffreys had been to Sweden and saw the great Pentecostal work which had taken place under
the ministry of Lewi Pethrus in Stockholm. He came back to this country, determined to change the structure
of the Elim movement. This met with considerable opposition and there was a division in the churches. There
was a lot of propaganda as leaflets were printed and distributed throughout the country and as no agreement
could be reached, George Jeffreys left the Elim movement which he had brought into being and formed.
‘The Bible Pattern Church Fellowship.’ Churches were now forced to make up their minds and in July 1940 the
Southampton Elim church was changed by a vote of the membership into the Bible Pattern Church.
The war was now reaching
a crucial stage and many young people had been called into the armed forces. Southampton and other cities
suffered a terrible bombardment and the church at Park Road was struck by a bomb, rendering it unfit for use
as a place of worship. The meetings then took place in the minor hall and a few rooms outside the main
building. Meanwhile, the argument continued with the Elim Headquarters over the legal entitlement of the
building and this continued for some time.
A Time of Change was now taking place.
Due to the need for a minister at the Middlesbrough church, the Bible Pattern Church Headquarters
transferred Lemuel Morris to that city and someone had to be found to take over the Southampton church.
Robert Smith was a friend of George Jeffreys and had originally been the Dean of the Elim Bible College. He
had resigned from the movement and for some time was living in Cornwall as a chicken farmer. He was called
back into the ministry and took over as pastor of the Southampton church. He was a strong and forceful
preacher and was well liked by the congregation. He was originally a miner at Dowlais in South Wales and
soon found that an old friend of his, William George, who had also been a miner at Merthyr Tydfil was the
pastor of the Romsey Elim church. Thus they renewed their friendship and worked in harmony, despite their
denominational differences. Robert Smith was an honourable man and it was not long before he realised that
there was something amiss. They were worshipping as a Bible Pattern church in a building which was legally
owned by the Elim movement. In fact, this had been the bone of contention since the beginning of the split
between the two groups, and Elim had repeatedly tried to get the building back. Robert Smith told his
oversight that he was not happy with the situation and said they should do the honourable thing and get out
of the building. He therefore began to look for another place in which to worship.
The Pentecostal Work in Southampton.
Some time in 1945 the Bible Pattern church moved into the Oddfellows Hall in St. Mary Street, near the Kingsland Square Market.
been a great time of blessing in the campaign at Plymouth and this was followed by a short campaign at St.
Peter Port, Guernsey. The Bournemouth campaign started in July and people flocked to the meetings by bus
and tram. The following year George Jeffreys came to Southampton and held a great campaign. After the
initial meeting at which a number of people were saved and several healed, the meetings grew in size as
people gathered at the Central Hall to hear this powerful evangelist who preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ –
the Saviour, Healer, Baptiser and Coming King. As they came, people accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour
and as the healing lines took place, wonderful miracles were effected by the power of God. A number of
remarkable miracles were recorded during that campaign. One was Miss Florence Munday, who had been an
invalid for about fifteen years and had to be wheeled about in a bath chair. Her knee was completely
destroyed and in splints. The doctors had told her that she would never walk again, but after prayer she was
able to walk across the hall, healed by the power of God. My mother had fallen down some steps at
Winchester and had become paralysed. She could not look after a small boy and so I had to live with my aunt
across the road. My father was in business and one of his customers, Mr. Frank Hurst of Awbridge, told him
of the meetings in Southampton. We lived at Romsey, but he decided to go and laid my mother across the
back seat of a taxi. On arrival at the meeting she was laid on the platform and when George Jeffreys prayed
for her, she was completely healed and went home on the bus! Many other healings took place during those
meetings and almost a thousand souls came to know the Lord as their Saviour.
The Formation of Pentecostal Churches in the Area.
A phrase which came into existence in those days was: ‘George Jeffreys always pens his sheep.’ This was
true, as after every campaign a church was established in the area. The Southampton church was opened at
Park Road, Freemantle and another was opened by Miss Munday at St. Monica Road, Sholing. On returning
to Romsey my mother and father were instrumental in the formation of an Elim church in that town. Another
church was soon to be established in Eastleigh and before long the Pentecostal message took root in Andover.
In the years which followed, Mr. Wellstead of Totton obtained a piece of ground at the top end of Water Lane
and a church was eventually opened, although at the time of its commencement it was independent. Other
believers who had been moved by the power of God in the Southampton meetings started a work on the
Western side of Southampton Water, meeting at Dibden Purlieu and finally at Hardley Green. Many other
churches were affected by the Pentecostal message, but not all moved on in the blessing. One notable
exception was The Gospel Hall at Canada Road, West Wellow, which joined the Elim movement as an affiliated
church and is still in operation today.
Little is known of the history of the small assembly which had originally existed in the town, but it must have
joined the number of autonomous churches which became known as Assemblies of God in Great Britain and
Ireland after its formation in 1924, Mr. Tilling becoming Missionary Secretary-Treasurer in 1929. Its work
continued throughout the years. Meanwhile the Elim work in Freemantle continued apace and there was a
rich variety of ministry both from Pastor Trevor who was the first minister after the formation of the church
and those who followed in the general turn-round of pastors in the Elim churches. Many missionaries
regularly visited the port of Southampton on their way to the mission field and on their return for a time of
furlough. Often they would be present for a meeting and would share their experiences.
The Great Southampton Campaign in 1937.
In the early part of the year news filtered through that Principal George Jeffreys was planning to hold another
campaign in Southampton and it took place in the Summer of that year. There was a large open space in
Commercial Road at the back of some shops on the corner of Morris Road and here a huge tent was erected
to house the ‘Revival and Divine Healing Campaign.’ George Jeffreys and his Revival Party arrived and the
meetings commenced with hearty Pentecostal singing led by Mr. R. E. Darragh with Mr. A. W. Edsor at the
piano. Crowds gathered nightly to those meetings and many young people attended to hear the message.
The Pentecostal Work in Southampton.
Night after night the Gospel went forth in the Holy Spirit power and anointing and there were meetings in the
afternoons. Once again people were born again of the Spirit of God and many healings took place. Although
we do not have the actual numbers it is known that God moved in a mighty way to save and heal and many
nominal Christians returned to faith in Jesus Christ. God had moved again in revival power in Southampton
and the intense longing of many people for more of the Holy Spirit was satisfied as they began to speak in
tongues and manifest the gifts of the Spirit. Revival was in the air and the Gospel was proclaimed on the
trams and buses and in the open air, particularly every Sunday afternoon outside the Cowherds Inn on
Southampton Common. At the close of the campaign the meetings continued in the Elim Church at Park
Road, Freemantle under the ministry of Pastor Lemuel Morris. Many new faces were to be seen in the
meetings and the church was packed to capacity. One of the new converts was a man who had been a
‘blackshirt,’ a follower of the radical political group led by Sir Oswald Mosley. He was fearless in the open air
meetings which were common in those days. The theatres did not open on Sundays at that time and because
the meetings were so packed with people, often on Sunday evenings they were held in the Grand Theatre,
which was near the bus station opposite the Civic Centre, or in the Palace Theatre in Above Bar.
The Pentecostal Work in Southampton in the War Years.
This was the pattern in the late 1930’s in Southampton, but things were to change as time drew on. The
political situation in Europe was causing great concern as Germany was re-arming and making demands upon
neighbouring states. War clouds were gathering and with the German invasion of Poland, we were at war
with Nazi Germany on 3rd September, 1939. Things went on much as usual in Southampton in those days,
and it was not until the miracle of Dunkirk that things began to change. Nothing significant was happening in
the local churches for a time, but trouble was taking place nationally in the Elim movement. Just before the
war, George Jeffreys had been to Sweden and saw the great Pentecostal work which had taken place under
the ministry of Lewi Pethrus in Stockholm. He came back to this country, determined to change the structure
of the Elim movement. This met with considerable opposition and there was a division in the churches. There
was a lot of propaganda as leaflets were printed and distributed throughout the country and as no agreement
could be reached, George Jeffreys left the Elim movement which he had brought into being and formed.
‘The Bible Pattern Church Fellowship.’ Churches were now forced to make up their minds and in July 1940 the
Southampton Elim church was changed by a vote of the membership into the Bible Pattern Church.
The war was now reaching
a crucial stage and many young people had been called into the armed forces. Southampton and other cities
suffered a terrible bombardment and the church at Park Road was struck by a bomb, rendering it unfit for use
as a place of worship. The meetings then took place in the minor hall and a few rooms outside the main
building. Meanwhile, the argument continued with the Elim Headquarters over the legal entitlement of the
building and this continued for some time.
A Time of Change was now taking place.
Due to the need for a minister at the Middlesbrough church, the Bible Pattern Church Headquarters
transferred Lemuel Morris to that city and someone had to be found to take over the Southampton church.
Robert Smith was a friend of George Jeffreys and had originally been the Dean of the Elim Bible College. He
had resigned from the movement and for some time was living in Cornwall as a chicken farmer. He was called
back into the ministry and took over as pastor of the Southampton church. He was a strong and forceful
preacher and was well liked by the congregation. He was originally a miner at Dowlais in South Wales and
soon found that an old friend of his, William George, who had also been a miner at Merthyr Tydfil was the
pastor of the Romsey Elim church. Thus they renewed their friendship and worked in harmony, despite their
denominational differences. Robert Smith was an honourable man and it was not long before he realised that
there was something amiss. They were worshipping as a Bible Pattern church in a building which was legally
owned by the Elim movement. In fact, this had been the bone of contention since the beginning of the split
between the two groups, and Elim had repeatedly tried to get the building back. Robert Smith told his
oversight that he was not happy with the situation and said they should do the honourable thing and get out
of the building. He therefore began to look for another place in which to worship.
The Pentecostal Work in Southampton.
Some time in 1945 the Bible Pattern church moved into the Oddfellows Hall in St. Mary Street, near the Kingsland Square Market.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)