R. G. Spurling
Richard Green Spurling (28 July 1858 - 24 May 1935)[1] was an American Christian minister. Born in Monroe County, Tennessee,[2] he was one of the founders of the Church of God.[3]
His father, Richard Spurling (1810 - 1891) was an ordained Baptist elder, who presided over the founding of the church on August 10, 1886. R. G. Spurling was chosen as its minister and ordained a month later.[3]
Career[edit]
The Spurlings held a meeting at their family grist mill in Tennessee on Thursday, August 19 1886, to see if there was interest in starting a new church in the area. At that meeting, a new Christian Union church was established.[4]
Spurling Jr held a Revival meeting in Liberty, Tennessee in 1892 during which some members spoke in tongues.[5]
In summer 1896 the CU led to a ten-day revival in the Shearer Schoolhouse in Camp Creek, North Carolina.[6] The meetings brought a “spirit of revival”[7] with more speaking in tongues. Meetings continued in people's homes after the ten days. Methodist preacher W. F. Bryant joined the Spurlings at this revival.[8] The Shearer Schoolhouse Revival predated the Azusa Street Revival by nearly a decade and may be seen as the start of the Pentecostal Movement.
On May 15,1902 the CU changed its name to the “Holiness Church at Camp Creek”.[9] In 1903, Quaker preacher Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson joined the church.[10]
In 1907, Tomlinson changed the name from "Holiness Church" to "The Church of God".[11]
Personal life[edit]
Spurling Jr was born to Spurling Sr and his wife Nancy. He was the youngest of eight children. Spurling Jr was married to Barbara Hamby and they had seven children.[12] Barbara's brother Billy was one of the preachers at the Shearer Schoolhouse Revival.[13]
References[edit]
- ^ Pentecostal Theology website
- ^ "The Church of God observes centennial; Camp Meeting begins". The Greenville News. Greenville, South Carolina. June 28, 1986. p. 22. Retrieved October 12, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Church of God Celebrates 125 Years". Charisma News. 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
- ^ Beautiful Feet website
- ^ Clark (1949), p. 101.
- ^ Faith News Network website
- ^ Think Revival website
- ^ Shulman (1981), pp. 273-274.
- ^ Evangel Magazine website
- ^ R.G. Robins (2004). A.J. Tomlinson: Plainfolk Modernist. Oxford University Press. pp. 15, 117, 127, 168.
- ^ Robins (2004), p. 183.
- ^ Find a Grave website
- ^ Faith News Network website
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