A DISTINGUISHED dupe and de fender of the “Tongues” movement de lusion has been delivered. When we were holding our mission in England, we formed the intimate acquaint ance of Mr. H. Musgrave Reade. Mr. Reade had been very prominent in infidel societies and had spoken on the platform with some of the best known infidels in Eng land, but he had had a wonderful conver sion before we met him, and a member of his family was converted during our meet ings in Manchester. Mr. Reade gave him self, with his whole heart, to proclaiming the Gospel which he had once derided, and after a while went to Madras, India, to help in the printing department of mission work there. He was greatly used in cir culating the Bible Booklet. Returning to England after some years of service in India, he came in contact with the so-called “Pentecostal Movement.” He believed it was of God and separated him self from some of his former associates who could not see eye to eye with him in the matter of these modern claims of “gift of tongues,” “gift of prophecy,” etc. In fact, he became quite bitter in his separation . from those who would not go the same lengths that he had gone in these matters. Some time ago we received an earnest re quest from one who had been associated with him in his old days, to remember him in prayer that his eyes might be opened to see that he was in error. God has answered these prayers of ours and of many others. In the issue of “The Life of Faith,” March 10, 1915, is found the following “Con fession” by Mr. Reade, dated at the Bible Booklet House, Bingham-road, Bourne mouth, and addressed to the editor of that publication: A CONFESSION. Dear Sir:—I think it is only due to the
readers of The Life of Faith who have been somewhat interested in the Bible Booklet work to which I was called in 1914, in con nection with Mrs. Penn-Lewis, and those who followed with interest the articles that appeared in this paper recounting my work in India, and subsequently the continuance of the work in Leicester, that I should make the following confession. It was to many, I know, a matter of regret that I became associated with the so-called Pentecostal movement, and thus limited the usefulness of the Bible Booklets. I want, therefore, to make a public confession that I have been greatly deceived in this movement. Some seven months I felt drawn to the Apostolic Faith Church, Bournemouth. There all al leged the gifts of the Holy Spirit were in full exercise. I had been much engrossed in the study of the Early Church, and felt that it was possible that God would restore the gifts and miracles again to the Church before the translation took place. This, of course, was all theory to me. I had no gifts my self, nor had I ever spoken in tongues, but I was assured that others were in posses sion of them at this mission in Winton. I left Leicester and took up my abode amongst these so-called Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers, and came into close contact with the “gifts.” I soon found that the Holy Scriptures were secondary to the remark able “revelations” of these so-called gifts. The doctrines I had learned at Keswick were nullified by others given by the “in spired teachers,” to which I was asked to give unquestioned belief. Preaching was discountenanced, and ■ any study or prepa ration before delivery was denounced as carnal. The Apostles (uneducated men) gave forth that .which first came to their lips, and we were obliged to believe that it was Christ who spoke through them. Man ifestations in tongues and so-called inter pretations were the things most sought after. Aggressive soul-winning was some thing below the plane upon which the “saints” lived. I never saw a sinner brought to Christ whilst I was there. The assumption that these Apostles were endowed with all the gifts kept the meet ings ever on the lookout for miracles to take place, which, we were assured by
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker