At the turn of the century suddenly the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the world.
The promise of Joel the prophet is repeated in the twentieth century. All over the
world people are receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit as recorded in the second
chapter of Acts of the Apostles. Many mighty miracles are done among them. Thus
a Holy Ghost revival is launched in this world.
For the main part, the roots of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada came out of
the Holiness Movement and Methodist soil. This was very evident in the early preaching
of such ministers at Rev. Solomon Eby, Rev. G. A. Chambers, Rev. R. E. McAlister,
Rev. R. E. Sternall, and others. No better basis could have been found by the Holy
Spirit to launch a spiritual revival movement.
In 1919 there was a preliminary gathering of seven ministers at Mille Roches, Ontario,
to consider organization. Those present were R. E. McAlister, R. E. Sternall, C.
E. Baker, W. L. Draffin, H. A. Goss, C. L. Cross, and G. A. Chambers. Later that
same year another meeting was held in Montreal. Arising from this second meeting,
application was made to the Canadian Government for a Dominion Charter which was
granted on May 17, 1919, recognizing The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada as an
official body of Christian believers, functioning as a church. The first meeting
of the Provincial Trustees and Charter Members took place in Ottawa, Ontario, May
26, 1919. From this historic date The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada has been
recognized by the Canadian Government as a religious organization.
Ontario was included in God's sovereign move of the Holy Spirit. "Several streams
of Pentecostal blessing, beginning independently of each other, gradually increased
in size and power. Soon they converged into a great Pentecostal revival that has
brough untold blessing to the entire Dominion." I have quoted from page 35 of Third
Force, written by Rev. G. F. Atter.
One of these streams of blessing was the Hebden Mission in the City of Toronto under the leadership of Pastor and Mrs. Hebden. A Pentecostal revival broke out in which
many were filled with the
Spirit, including Rev. George A. Chambers. He came from
a Mennonite background to become the General Superintendent of The Pentecostal Assemblies
of Canada. By 1907 the message from the Hebden Mission reached such centres as Ingersoll,
Norwich, Markham, Simcoe, Stratford, Vineland, Wingham, and Woodstock.
In 1909 a small group of Christians gathered in the first Pentecostal convention
in Berlin, Ontario, now Kitchener. Prior to this convention the Holy Spirit had
fallen in the United Missionary Church. This caused division, with the result that
eight ministers resigned from the Missionary Church.
Their names are as follows:
A. G. Donner, J. T. Ball, G. A. Chambers, C. R. Miller, E. M. Guy, M. M. Heisey,
M. Holmes, and M. E. Ward. Along with these ministers were 80 members of the United
Missionary Church. These people formed four assemblies at Toronto, Berlin (Kitchener),
Markham, and Vineland, the nucleus of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada in Ontario.
Some of the first missionaries of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada went out
to the foreign field from the Hebden Mission in Toronto. Among them were A. M. Atter,
Charles Chawner, Robert Semple (husband of Aimee Semple McPherson), and Thomas Hindle.
There were other streams as well, such as the Revival in London, Ontario. In 1910,
meetings of the first Pentecostals were held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Wortman
(parents of the late Dr. C. M. Wortman). By 1912 property was purchased at 557 Dundas
Street and another church was founded for the glory of God.
The first General Assembly of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada convened in the
Scott Street Mission in Kitchener, Ontario, November 25-28, 1919. By 1920 there
were 16 affiliated churches in Ontario, three in Quebec and nine in Western Canada.
Thus, from this small beginning came one of Canada's largest districts with approximately
160 churches and three camp meetings.
At the beginning, the denomination was divided into two districts for all of Canada—Eastern
and Western. From the minutes of September 10, 1929 of
the conference held at Evangel
Temple, Toronto, we learn that Rev. G. A. Chambers was named General Chairman.
On August 26, 1932 the following resolution was presented and passed:
"Whereas our Eastern District Conference, composed of Ontario and Quebec, has become
so large that it is difficult to handle the delegates in one Conference, BE IT RESOLVED
THAT THIS TERRITORY BE DIVIDED INTO TWO CONFERENCES, THE BOUNDARY LINE OF SAID CONFERENCES
BE DETERMINED BY THE GENERAL CONFERENCE."
It would appear that Rev. W. L. Draffin served as the Superintendent of Western
Ontario District from 1929 until 1933. On September 5, 1933 the Western Ontario
District Conference was held at Central Tabernacle in Hamilton, Ontario. At this
time Rev. J. H. Blair was elected Superintendent, a position he held for more than
33 years.
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