coeditor, and the monthly paper carried seats were arranged in a nearby grove tions. Beginning in 1907, G. B. Cashwell
the motto, “‘I am the way, the truth, and for the morning service. That afternoon, edited one of the best-known Pentecostal
the life’—Jesus” on the front page. After a seven were baptized in a nearby creek and publications, The Bridegroom’s Messenger.
year, the number of pages increased from five received into the church. Tomlinson invited Cashwell to Cleveland
four to eight and the subscription price In September 1905, the editors made and received the baptism of the Holy
from 10 to 25 cents. a surprising announcement. They wrote, Spirit following Cashwell’s sermon on
In June 1903, Tomlinson had joined “On account of the demands of evangelis- January 12, 1908.
and been chosen as pastor of the Holiness tic and pastoral work, we have decided to When Cashwell recruited Tomlinson
Church at Camp Creek—the as a corresponding editor
name of the Church of God of The Bridegroom’s Messen-
from 1902 to 1907. The pages ger, the publication became
of The Way reflected Tomlin- widely read by Church of
son’s leadership of a growing God members. It became a
movement. Members of the vital source of information
Holiness Church did not con- about Church of God people
sider themselves a denomina- and activities. Evangelist
tion but rather part of the Ella Clyde Cotton reported
church that God was building. in the September 15, 1908,
Tomlinson published The issue about the 10-week
Way for “the spread of the Cleveland, Tennessee, revival
simple gospel of Jesus in its in the fall of 1908. Other
fullness, without making a Church of God ministers
specialty or ‘hobby’ of any one contributed sermons and
of His doctrines.” There were reported their revivals. W. F.
clear emphases reflected in its Bryant sought support for his
pages, however. R. G. Spurling mountain missionary work
wrote about the importance in the pages of the Messenger.
of love and the dangers of Despite the availability of
creeds. R. Frank Porter, who The Bridegroom’s Messenger,
with Spurling had organized Church of God members
the Holiness Church at Camp desired their own periodi-
Creek, wrote a Bible lesson on cal. The need to communi-
sanctification. Other emphases cate both the gospel and
included foot washing, divine what God was doing in the
healing, evangelism, revival, Church of God soon led
the Second Coming, and Sun- Tomlinson and the General
day school. Later installments Assembly to establish the
carried the motto: “‘Jesus Christ the sameh
yesterday, and today, and forever.’ He
A. J. Tomlinson published
Church of God Evangelh h f .
saves, sanctifies, heals.”
The Way for “the spread of
Note: All available issues of Samson’s Foxes,
The ministry of the editors was espe-
the simple gospel of Jesus in
The Way, and the Church of God Evangel
cially highlighted in The Way. One issue
its fullness, without making
(through 1923), along with other pub-
lists places where Tomlinson and Lemons lications, are available on the CD-Rom
were preaching. These included Camp
a specialty or ‘hobby’ of any
Church of God Publications, 1901-1923. To
Creek, North Carolina; the Jones’ resi-
one of His doctrines.”
purchase one, send $49.95 to Dixon Pen-
dence in Fannin County, Georgia; and tecostal Research Center, 260 11th Street
both Drygo and Union Grove in Tennes- discontinue publication of The Way and NE, Cleveland, TN 37311.
see. Each of these congregations later sent give our time to the other work.” They
delegates to the first General Assembly informed readers that unfulfilled subscrip-
David G. Roebuck is
in 1906. Other preaching stations were tions would be transferred to a Missouri
director of the Church of God
Luskville, Tennessee, and Ballknob, Geor- weekly, The Church Herald.
Pentecostal Research Center in
gia. A May 29, 1904, meeting at Drygo Without their own paper, Church of
Cleveland, Tennessee.
proved too large for the schoolhouse, so God members turned to other publica-
EVANGEL • MAR 2010 19
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