William J. Seymour

William Joseph Seymour was a central figure in the early Pentecostal movement.

Born on May 2, 1870, in Centerville, Louisiana, he was the second of eight children. His parents, Simon and Phyllis Salabar Seymour, were emancipated slaves. After his father died from an illness in 1891, Seymour became the primary provider for his family. He lived at the poverty level while growing subsistence crops to support them. His early life was shaped by these hardships and a period of heightened racism in the United States.

Seymour's religious journey involved many different locations and belief systems. In 1895, he moved to Indianapolis and became a born-again Christian at a Methodist church. He later worked as a waiter in Cincinnati. At a Bible school there, he experienced a rare environment where Black and white students studied together. During this time, he contracted smallpox and was blinded in his left eye. He eventually moved to Houston in 1903, where he met various holiness leaders, including Charles Parham.

Charles Parham was a minister who led a growing movement in the Midwest. Parham taught that speaking in tongues was a sign of receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit. He believed this gift was xenoglossy, meaning unlearned human languages used for evangelism. In 1901, a student named Agnes Ozman reportedly became the first person in modern times to experience this. Seymour studied under Parham, though he eventually broke with him in 1906. Seymour rejected Parham's views on the annihilation of the wicked and the use of tongues for evangelism.

In early 1906, Seymour moved to Los Angeles to pastor a mission founded by Julia Hutchins. He faced immediate opposition from local holiness leaders. They rejected his teaching that the baptism of the Spirit was distinct from sanctification. After being removed from his pastorate, Seymour started a prayer meeting at the home of Edward Lee. The group included about 15 African Americans, including five children. On April 9, 1906, members began speaking in tongues after a period of fasting and prayer.

The movement soon moved to an old African Methodist Episcopal church at 312 Azusa Street. This location became known as the Azusa Street Mission. The revival grew rapidly, attracting crowds of up to 1,500 people. During its peak, meetings were held seven days a week from mid-morning until midnight.

The revival was famous for being racially egalitarian. Black and white worshippers gathered at the same altar, defying the segregation norms of the era. Seymour also welcomed women and Latinos into the worship services.

Seymour used various tools to expand the influence of his message. He published a newspaper called The Apostolic Faith, which began in September 1906. Within one year, the paper reached a circulation of 40,000 issues. He also delegated authority to twelve overseers and various missionaries. While Seymour attempted to organize the Apostolic Faith Movement, he faced power struggles with other ministers. Figures like Florence Crawford and William Howard Durham challenged his leadership. These conflicts damaged the unity of the movement and reduced Seymour's influence.

Despite these challenges, the Azusa Street Revival acted as a global catalyst. It helped spread Pentecostal practices across the world. Many prominent holiness preachers made pilgrimages to Los Angeles to participate. Although the revival passed its peak by 1914, Seymour continued to pastor the Apostolic Faith Mission. He remained a dedicated leader until his death on September 28, 1922. His work helped establish the foundations of modern Pentecostalism.