History of Elim in Ireland

by Pastor Stephen Hilliard
Elim had its beginnings in the town of Monaghan, now in the Republic of Ireland, and grew indirectly out of the Welsh Revival at the start of the twentieth century.
During that Revival, a young Welshman called George Jeffreys was converted and, shortly afterwards, experienced the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. He began to preach, at first in small places near his home and then, as his reputation grew, further and further afield.
While preaching in Sunderland, he was heard by two young brothers from Belfast, George and William Gillespie. They were so impressed that, on their return home, they wrote inviting him to speak at meetings they were organising in Bangor. They thoughtfully enclosed the fare - three ten shilling notes - and George Jeffreys duly arrived in Northern Ireland. Whilst there, he was asked to meet with a group of young men from Monaghan who shared his passion for evangelism and his belief in the power of the Holy Spirit.

A MEETING IN MONAGHAN
Those young men had a deep concern for the spiritual welfare of their native land and had been meeting to pray for revival in an old loft over the bottling store of a public house. On 7th January 1915, they met with George Jeffreys in Knox's Temperance Hotel to discuss how they might reach Ireland with the message of the Full Gospel.
They resolved that night that they would band together, under George Jeffreys' direction, to establish a permanent evangelistic work in Ireland, and would begin by holding a Gospel mission in the town. This they did, in a tent erected at North Street.
Though no church was established in Monaghan at that time, George Jeffreys considered those meetings to be the origins of the Elim Movement. He wrote later, "I regard Monaghan ... as being the birth place of this work." It was there that he first engaged in evangelism with the men and women who were to become his co-workers in Elim.

BUILDING IN BELFAST
After the Monaghan mission, the focus of the work shifted to Belfast. Meetings were held in a disused laundry in Hunter Street, and a congregation was formed, with George Jeffreys as pastor. The building was old and decrepit. There was hardly an unbroken pane of glass, and many of the holes were blocked with rags to keep out the wind and rain, as new glass was too expensive for the meagre resources of the evangelists. The street itself had an unsavoury reputation. Frederick Farlow, one of the young men from Monaghan, wrote, "The surroundings are anything but beautiful, in fact it is situated in one of the worst streets in the city, the name of which has had to be changed several times owing to the sinfulness of its inhabitants."
In 1917, George Jeffreys was officially ordained by a visiting Welsh Congregational minister, Rev. Moelfryn Morgan. Shortly afterwards, a church constitution was drawn up giving the newly formed fellowship the name Elim Christ Church.
Meanwhile, Elim was reaching into other parts of Northern Ireland. In February 1916, George Jeffreys began meetings in a tent in Ballymena. Over a period of five weeks, 120 people were saved and many were baptised in the Holy Spirit. During their time in Ballymena, George Jeffreys and his fellow workers first called themselves The Elim Evangelistic Band.
In July 1919, a disused church building in Melbourne Street at the bottom of Belfast's Shankill Road was acquired and refurbished. George Jeffreys and many of the Hunter Street congregation moved to this new and larger location and the Melbourne Street Church was recognised for years as the mother church of Elim.

THE SPREADING FLAME
Although it had not originally been George Jeffreys' intention to establish a denomination, the Elim Movement grew rapidly and was soon established as a legally recognised charity under the name 'Elim Pentecostal Alliance.'
Meanwhile, the work was extending to other parts of the Province and beyond. By the close of 1920, there were over twenty churches, including those in Armagh, Ballymena, Bangor, Belfast, Cullybackey, Lurgan, Moneyslane and Portadown. In 1919, the first issue of a new magazine, The Elim Evangel, appeared, to spread the news of what God was doing. Those early magazines were basic in format but the contents were exciting - a record of the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of ordinary men and women. The pages read like extracts from the Acts of the Apostles. New Testament Christianity was alive and well in Ireland.
The issue for December 1920 lists the Elim workers of the day. In Ireland, there were twenty in total, six recognised as pastors, including George Jeffreys himself, twelve described as evangelists, and two deaconesses. In addition, there were three workers in Wales and three missionaries in the Congo. By the close of 1922 the number of workers exceeded thirty, including seven ladies. In a letter written at that time, George Jeffreys commented, "No salary is paid to any pastor or evangelist. Each one has to trust God individually."
Elim's founders knew their work was only part of the new, rapidly expanding Pentecostal movement that was sweeping across the world. God was doing something remarkable of which Elim was a small but significant part. Looking back, we can see how that tiny seed has developed to become the world-wide Pentecostal movement of today, the fastest growing section of Christianity. There are now over 550 million Spirit-filled believers across the world - almost 30% of all Christians.

CROSSING THE IRISH SEA
In the early 1920s, the decision was made to extend across the Irish Sea to England. This was a big step for the leaders of the newly formed Elim Movement. Some feared that England would provide a less favourable environment for their message. However, George Jeffreys readily accepted the new challenge.
The First World War had brought dramatic changes to life in Britain. Many of the old certainties and values had gone forever. Thousands of men had died in the trenches leaving penniless widows and fatherless children at home. Demobilised troops, many disabled in body or mind, came home, not to the 'land fit for heroes' they had been promised, but to unemployment and grinding poverty. The darkness deepened as western society moved into the period of economic chaos known as 'The Great Depression.'
The historic churches and their clergy could offer no satisfactory answers. Many of the latter were unbelieving liberals, denying the fundamentals of the faith, and were seen by ordinary people as no more than an arm of a discredited and uncaring establishment. Church-going, once an integral part of the British way of life, plummeted.
Into this vacuum stepped George Jeffreys and the Elim Movement. They proclaimed a clear message in days of confusion. Unlike the liberal clerics who paraded their unbelief before their dwindling and disillusioned congregations, they preached the Gospel with conviction. They offered a warm, vibrant style of worship that appealed to people alienated from the traditional forms of orthodox religion. They demonstrated the reality of the message they preached by praying for the sick and seeing them healed.
Ordinary men and women could see and feel that the Gospel was relevant to them and they flocked to Elim meetings in their thousands. The early years of that Elim 'invasion' of England were marked by outstanding growth and blessing, and some of the greatest evangelistic meetings Britain has ever seen. During the 1920s and 30s George Jeffreys and his Revival Party filled the largest public halls across the nation, often in the face of opposition from existing Christian bodies.
Frequently, they would arrive in a town without any advance publicity, with no known supporters there, and begin preaching to a tiny handful of the casually curious who drifted in. As miracles of healing took place and the Gospel was preached in power, word would get round and, within days, hundreds would be queuing for admission. This pattern was repeated in many towns and cities.

Holyhead Elim Church

Back in 1935 a team of evangelists came to Holyhead to hold a tent campaign sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and salvation to the people. A marquee was put up on a field at the back of Newry Street. Pastor Edward Jeffries was the leader of the team. Edward’s father Stephen and brother George had already been touring the UK and overseas preaching the gospel and also praying for sick people to be healed.

A great impact was made on the people of Holyhead and large crowds attended meetings every night for many weeks. The pubs and cinemas were left half empty. Lives were changed, people were converted in large numbers and many were healed of their sicknesses. Some are still alive today and can testify to the healing and saving power of Jesus Christ.
Following the outcome of such times of blessing, it was felt that a building was needed to enable people to meet on a regular basis to worship God. A place was chosen in Trearddur Square and was built by uncle and nephew team David and John Williams. The new church was called ‘Bethel Temple’. A minister was appointed to care for the congregation by the name of Pastor Rees Edwards of Ammanford in South Wales. This new pastor worked along with his wife to further the proclamation of the Gospel and extending of the kingdom of God.

Not long after this time, the Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance stepped into the work in Holyhead and appointed Pastor Lesley Hawes and his wife in 1945 to lead the church They had a son Gaius and a daughter Pearl. The format of the meetings continued as set out in the beginning. Sunday morning and evening services with Sunday School in the afternoon. Prayer meeting on Tuesday afternoon and Bible study on Thursday evenings. There was a ladies fellowship on Tuesday afternoons and Sunshine Corner meetings ‘For Children under 99’ Also there were Saturday evening celebration gatherings each week and also an after church meeting at 7.30 on a Sunday evening. This enabled members of other denominations who desired to join in the Pentecostal experience to come along and hear words of testimony and song. The singing af the Moody and Sankey Hymns was thrilling for the congregation as they praised God for the wonderful work done in their lives.

Thank you

We would like to thank you for logging on.

We pray that these testimonies have encouraged those of you that are already saved to gain a greater understanding of the Gospel message and renew a desire to seek the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. In doing so that you also may be better equipped to share the greatest news in the world, as we have been given the greatest commission to do so by the King of Kings.

If you have not yet received the Lord Jesus Christ as you Personal saviour we trust that you will read these stories with an open heart, mind and soul to begin to answer the big questions in your life and know the true meaning of what your life is all about.

For those of you, who are unwell at this time, answer for yourself these questions which Pastor Stephen Jeffries would often ask as he prayed for the sick. Do you Love the Lord, do you believe that He can heal you, cry unto the Lord for His mercy at Christmas time and remember; Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.

If you have been helped or would like know more please feel free to respond to any of the articles at the bottom of each story by using the comments envelope.

We look forward to continuing the series of stories again in 2010.

The Love of the Lord Jesus Christ to you all

Kensington Temple London City Church

George Jeffreys birthed the Elim Pentecostal denomination and was also the founder of Kensington Temple, indeed it was he that chose its name. George Jeffreys had blazed a revival trail across Britain and beyond since 1915.

Some of the most remarkable miracles and healings this nation has ever experienced flowed out of his ministry. Not only did the crowds flock to his meetings, but he planted churches for the new converts. He was, in the opinion of many, the most effective British Evangelist since the time of Wesley and Whitfield. National and local papers often covered his crusades and the miracles stood the test of time and criticism. George's brother Stephen, also a successful evangelist, held powerful healing meetings at Horbury Chapel (later Kensington Temple) in 1921.

The Daily Sketch newspaper carried a front-page picture of Stephen Jeffreys together with a lady and child miraculously healed in the meetings. By 1930 George had opened a number of churches in London but was still looking for a `flag ship' for his work in the city. In that same year he purchased the disused Horbury Chapel and renamed it Kensington Temple.

Our Apostolic Foundation
The launch of Kensington Temple began in 1931 with a two week healing revival campaign, the seating capacity was increased to 1,100 and the crowds began to flock. Miracles and conversions flooded the meetings at the Temple and the apostolic foundation for our present day ministry had begun. The Daily Express on 1st August said this: "Revival in a London street Foursquare Church with tip-up seats". Hours before the ceremony people had gathered from all parts of London and the ground in front of the Temple was packed with more than a 1,000 people. A short service of thanksgiving was conducted - then the congregation moved inside, sitting and standing in the passages of a church which had "tip-up seats".

Such crowds attended George Jeffreys meetings right up to his death in 1962 whenever he held campaigns at the Temple. Often George would have to persuade the people to go home at the end of the services so strong and powerful was the anointing.

Albert Edsor was one of the members of George Jeffreys Revival Party he remembers the type of meetings held at KT under George Jeffreys: "He (Jeffreys) had a vision of going out to the lost and bringing them to the Temple to get saved. His ministry at KT and elsewhere was always based on the Foursquare message: Jesus the Saviour, Jesus the Healer, Jesus the Baptiser in the Holy Ghost, and Jesus the Soon Coming King. There was a marvellous atmosphere at the meetings, sometimes during the worship George Jeffreys would go into the middle of the congregation stand on a seat and lead the meeting from there. Sometimes just as a new song was going to begin he would say `Just a minute!' He sensed the presence of a holy atmosphere coming into the meeting, he knew the presence of the Lord was there to heal".

Kensington Temple was soon known as the "Church of the Great Physician" due to constant ministry in miraculous healing. Another phrase George would use to indicate a strong healing anointing was "the Master is here".

Kensington Temple was the apostolic base for George Jeffreys' world wide ministry. He was never the Pastor but had men to look after the week by week ministry of KT whilst he traveled with the Revival band. Jeffreys would often preach at KT on a Sunday when he was in London, but he mainly used the church for revival healing campaigns, Pentecostal unity conferences, ordination services and deeper spiritual life conferences. Other larger buildings like the Royal Albert Hall, the Crystal Palace and Westminster Central Hall were used year by year by Jeffreys, but Kensington Temple was very much his regular outreach centre in London. He would often hold evangelistic meetings at KT and have packed meetings every night. Many powerful conversions took place under Jeffreys at KT. An example is that of Marjorie Lancaster a famous Polo player from Uruguay who had come to London in 1936. Her Christian mother persuaded her to come to a Revival meeting at KT. Marjorie stood in the balcony. During the service the power of God came upon her and she fell to floor and by the end of the service she was born again. Marjorie went back to Uruguay under George's covering as a missionary and planted three churches. As in Jeffreys' time so today we continue to convert people who become missionaries and church planters all over the world.

From 1942 to 1961, Easter time at KT was an especially powerful time. George would be at KT on Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Sunday. On Easter Monday he would hold powerful meetings at Westminster Central Hall. Jeffreys would invite such speakers to KT as Smith Wigglesworth and Gladys Aislewood to minister.

When George Jeffreys died in 1962 his ministry was as powerful as ever. He was planning the Easter Monday meeting at the Westminster Central Hall when he ministered for what would be the last time on earth at Kensington Temple. It was a powerful service, and as usual George made a strong altar call and people were saved. George led the congregation in the hymn `Forgiveness is free' both in English and Welsh. As he began his ministry so he ended it calling lost sinners to repentance unto new life. Ten days later he died.
As we enter the new Millennium we at KT recognise the apostolic foundations of our ministry today. More than any movement or modern spiritual trend our future is tied up with foundations dug at KT by the apostolic work of George Jeffreys. Salvation, healings, miracles, missionary work, church planting, releasing ministries, and revival - this was the vision of George Jeffreys that launched the ministry of KT and it is the same vision. To see more infomation see church website.

http://www.kt.org/apostolicfoundation/

Greenock Elim Church

Greenock Elim possesses a strong heritage and a proud history. As a church we believe in ‘Honouring the Heritage of the House’ encouraged by the promise that
‘The glory of the present house will be greater than the former’.

Please see the lower part of the web page to see a picture

Leeds Elim Church

Leonard Ravenhill said “we have to travail in prayer before we can triumph with power”. This was beautifully portrayed in the city of Leeds in 1920 where God used the Pastor of a small Pentecostal church to seek the face of the Lord in Prayer for a move of God. He fasted often and prayed boldly. He along with others, laid siege to the throne of God Almighty because they believed the biblical promise, “call to me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not” (Jeremiah 33:3). They laid a foundation of prayer for great revival.

Welsh evangelist George Jeffreys was then invited to the small church where he preached Christ crucified. In three weeks 3000 people were touched by the power and love of God and many healings took place. This move of God because there was the travail of souls, days and weeks of prayer by daring Christian in spite of criticism. It was in 1910 that Thomas Henry Jewitt became the pastor of Mount Tabor Mission. At that time the church was in Mount Tabor Place in the Burmantofts area of the City. The church grew steadily and in 1921 moved to Bickerdyke Street, off York Road, where it became known as Mount Tabor Pentecostal Church. In 1927, Pastor Jewitt invited the evangelist George Jeffries (seen with his hand on the foundation stone) to conduct a two week mission. This was to be a defining time in the life of the church. The Salem central hall was booked for two weeks where meetings were held every afternoon and evening; the crowds coming to the meetings were so big that many had to be turned away! More than 2000 people responded to the gospel during this fortnight. The church became so large that they could no longer meet in Bickerdyke Street. For the next four years from 1927 to 1931 they rented different buildings in the city, including the Albert Hall in Cookridge Street, (now the Carriageworks Theatre). During this time, Pastor Jewitt and the leaders bought some land in Bridge Street.

The church building we are in today was built and officially opened on Saturday 30th May 1931. It was called Bridge Street Pentecostal Church. Pastor Jewitt passed away in 1940 having served the church for 30 years. The church has been on its present site since this time and during that time has planted a daughter church in Boston Spa. We have purchased the adjoining three-storey building to help with expanding community works. To see more information see the church website

http://www.bridgestreetchurch.org/index2.php?id=12

ELIM CHURCHES PLANTED

To continue our look at the lives of Steven, Edward and George Jeffreys I thought it would be good to look at a series of stories of how different churches were planted.

Please see the lower part of the web page to see a picture of the laying of the foundation stone in leeds.