Early Pentecostal Leaders Baptized in Jesus' Name

The following is a list of some prominent figures in the early Pentecostal movement who were baptized in Jesus' name. They were well-known leaders at the time of their baptism, or would be shortly thereafter. Charles Parham is not included here, for there is no direct evidence that he himself was baptized in Jesus' name, although his testimony implies that he was.

Andrew H. Argue (1868-1959), a convert of William Durham, a pastor in Winnipeg, and an influential leader in western Canada. He did not enter the Oneness movement but was an early leader in the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. A grandson, Don Argue, served as president of the National Association of Evangelicals.

Leanore "Mother Mary" Barnes (1854-1939), an early evangelist in the Midwest, associate of "Mother" Mary Moise in rescue mission work in St. Louis, and a charter member of the Assemblies of God.

Frank Bartleman (1871-1936), historian of the Azusa Street revival and an international evangelist. Bartleman never joined a Pentecostal organization but maintained fellowship with both Oneness and trinitarian believers, although he remained committed to Oneness beliefs.

Eudorus N. Bell (1866-1923), the first general chairman of the Assemblies of God (1914). He later repudiated his baptism in Jesus' name and served as chairman a second time (1920-23).

William Booth-Clibborn, a grandson of William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army) and an evangelist. He was active in early Oneness organizations but later returned to fellowship with trinitarians, although he never renounced his Oneness views. He penned the words of "Down from His Glory."

George A. Chambers (1879-1957), an early Canadian leader. He was a minister in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World in 1919. He soon repudiated the Oneness position, however, and became the first general chairman of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada.

Glenn A. Cook (1867-1948), business manager of the Azusa Street Mission, evangelist who brought the Pentecostal message to Indianapolis and to the Church of God in Christ, and assistant to Frank Ewart in Los Angeles. He brought the Oneness message to St. Louis and Indianapolis, baptizing Mother Barnes, Mother Moise, and Ben Pemberton in St. Louis and L. V. Roberts and G. T. Haywood in Indianapolis.

Frank J. Ewart (1876-1947), assistant pastor and successor to William Durham in Los Angeles. He was the chief proponent of the Oneness doctrine in 1914, in conjunction with Glenn Cook. At his death he was a minister in the United Pentecostal Church.

Elmer K. Fisher (1866-1919), associate of William Seymour and then pastor of the Upper Room Mission in Los Angeles. He did not enter into the Oneness movement. His son-in-law, Wesley Steelburg, was a minister in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, but he later became general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. A grandson, Stanley Horton, became a well-known Assemblies of God theologian.

Howard A. Goss (1883-1964), a convert of Charles Parham in 1903 and onetime field director of Parham's work in Texas. He and E. N. Bell were the chief organizers of the Assemblies of God in 1914, and he served as one of its first executive presbyters. He later became the general superintendent of the Pentecostal Church, Incorporated and the first general superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church.

Lemuel C. Hall (1867-?), a convert from Zion City and an evangelist. He later became the first chairman of the Pentecostal Ministerial Alliance (a Oneness organization). Eventually, he accepted the pastorate of a trinitarian church, but he never abandoned his Oneness beliefs.

Thoro Harris (1874-1955), black gospel songwriter. His songs include "Jesus Loves the Little Children," "All That Thrills My Soul Is Jesus," and "He's Coming Soon."

Garfield T. Haywood (1880-1931), black pastor of a large interracial church in Indianapolis, outstanding Bible teacher, author, songwriter, and one of the most influential leaders in the Finished Work camp. He later became the presiding bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World and served until his death. His songs include "I See a Crimson Stream of Blood," "Thank God for the Blood," "Jesus the Son of God," and "Baptized into the Body."

Bennett F. Lawrence (1890-?), author of the first history of the Pentecostal movement, The Apostolic Faith Restored (1916), and first assistant secretary of the Assemblies of God in 1914.

Robert E. McAlister (1880-1953), Canadian evangelist and pastor in Ottawa, Ontario. He helped found the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada and became its first secretary-treasurer. He stayed with his organization when it embraced trinitarianism and denounced the Oneness belief.

Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944), missionary and evangelist. In 1923 she left the Assemblies of God and founded the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Believing that the Oneness movement to be devisive, the Foursquare church maintained neutrality concerning the correct form of baptism.

Charles H. Mason (1866-1961), co-founder of the Church of God in Christ and general overseer when the group was reorganized as a Pentecostal body. According to numerous sources in the black Apostolic movement, he was baptized privately in Jesus' name in Chicago in 1930. When the leaders under him did not accept the message, he did not proclaim it but stayed with his organization. He continued to have some fellowship with black Apostolics.

"Mother" Mary Moise (1850-1930), a pioneer in Pentecostal social work and operator of a rescue mission in St. Louis for social outcasts. She received a first prize at the World's Fair in St. Louis in 1904 for her work with homeless girls.

Daniel C. O. Opperman (1872-1926), a founder of the Assemblies of God, one of its first executive presbyters, and its first assistant chairman. He had formerly been superintendent of the high school system in Zion City, Illinois, under Alexander Dowie. He was an early leader in Pentecostal education, conducting short-term Bible training programs. He soon became the chairman of the General Assembly of the Apostolic Assemblies, the first group to be founded as a Oneness organization.

L. V. Roberts, pastor in Indianapolis and evangelist who baptized E. N. Bell in the name of Jesus. He later returned to trinitarianism.

H. G. Rodgers, an early leader in the South who received the Holy Ghost under G. B. Cashwell. He briefly led a loose association of ministers called the Church of God (Dothan, Alabama) but soon merged that group with Howard Goss' wing of the Church of God in Christ. One of the founding members of the Assemblies of God, he never withdrew. He maintained fellowship with Oneness ministers and continued to baptize in Jesus' name, however. His daughters became part of the United Pentecostal Church.

Franklin M. Small (1873-1961), Canadian evangelist and one of the founders of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. After it adopted trinitarian theology, he withdrew and founded the Apostolic Church of Pentecost, of Canada.

George B. Studd (1859-1945), younger brother of missionary C. T. Studd, an associate of Dwight Moody, and an organizer of the Worldwide Camp Meeting at Arroyo Seco in 1913. He served as Frank Ewart's assistant pastor in the Los Angeles area for many years. He was a noted supporter of missions who gave away his inherited fortune.

Andrew D. Urshan (1884-1967), immigrant from Persia and international evangelist. He brought the Oneness message to Russia and was rebaptized there in 1916. He served as foreign missions secretary of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World and of Emmanuel's Church in Christ Jesus. At his death he was a minister in the United Pentecostal Church. His son, Nathaniel A. Urshan, became general superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church, International.

Harry Van Loon, associate of William Durham and Frank Ewart in Los Angeles.

Maria Woodworth-Etter (1844-1924), well-known Holiness evangelist who accepted the Pentecostal message and who preached at the Worldwide Camp Meeting in Arroyo Seco, California, in 1913. She never became part of the Oneness movement.

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