Revival on the East Coast of Canada: The 1920’s.
As many of us are well aware the Holy Spirit was poured out according to Joel 2 in Topeka, Kansas and on Azuza St. in LA back at the turn of the 20th century. 1906 was when things the Baptism with speaking in heavenly languages (tongues) and other miracles became very prevalent under the leadership of William Seymour at Azuza Street. It wasn’t long before the Holy Spirit was moving in similar ways in Canada. From Toronto West in those early years but not until nearly two decades later did these miraculous experiences come to the east coast. But when it did; like other parts of North America, it resulted in revival. To be clear this is less about ‘signs and wonders’ and absolutely about souls coming into the kingdom of God and new churches being planted.
At the centre of the Lord bringing Pentecost to the Maritimes were two sisters, Carro and Sue Davis who were instrumental in the Holy Spirit moving in NB and NS.
Their story is powerful. Like many of us they were serving Jesus yet hey lived in a time when they were counted out as pastors let alone church planters because they were women, and yet they submitted themselves to God and He used them as in both of those ways. Upon the insistence of their Aunt the sisters attended revival meetings in the early 1920s in Chicago. There they experienced the Holy Spirit in ways unlike they had ever known before. They had a second experience apart from salvation that was empowering and fueled their efforts to share the story of Jesus’ love with people. They set out from Kentucky and travelling across the south eastern US holding revival meetings, seeing many people respond to Jesus message in positive ways. This led them to plant churches in a number of places where they week after week of nightly meetings.
Far away from the US, and from the moving of the Holy Spirit in the US, a group of people were humbling praying in In New Brunswick, Canada. Arthur Saunders, son of missionaries to South Africa, and a group of spiritually hungry people at the Reformed Baptist church were seeking the Lord for revival. Separate from them; in an unlikely and uncoordinated by human effort; Carro and Sue Davis received a prophetic word about their next adventure. God was calling them North to parts of the continent they did not know. Through discernment and prayer they came to settle upon New Brunswick as this place.
While prayers were being lifted; while people humbly asked God to come and heal their land in New Brunswick; God was answering by calling the Davis Sisters north.
14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Eventually they found themselves in the NB holding revival meetings. It wasn’t long before church was established by the Sisters in Saint John; out of it many experienced Christ for the first time; miracles took place night after night; and people were called into ministry.
It should be noted that this came at an enormous cost to the Saunders Family and others who were run out of their Reformed Methodist churches at the time for accepting the new teaching of Pentecost. But that didn’t stop them. Through the Davis sisters churches were planted in New Brunswick, that otherwise would not have been; but the prayers of Saunders and others were catalytic in the move of the Spirit coming and of which we still benefit today.
A similar story played out here in Halifax. After the moving of the Spirit in NB; many were praying for the Lord to establish a Pentecostal church in Halifax; and the Lord answered with a bank robber. Well, a former bank robber: Ray Watson. Ray, a convicted criminal, came to know Jesus and accepted the Lord’s call to ministry. Prior to coming to Halifax in the late 192’0s, Watson ministered all across Canada with his wife and others assisting--- there were unbelievable miracles that happened (you can read more about what happened in this report from Rev. CN Slauenwhite ). The Watsons had gone wherever the Lord had led them and opened a door. They eventually found themselves in Halifax, NS holding revival meetings at the Mayflower Arena in 1929. The meetings went on for a number of weeks and ultimately led to a Pentecostal congregation being established at Simon’s hall; that Congregation became Faith Pentecostal Tabernacle Church; which in time has become Faith City Church.
This all came about because of the humble prayers of people, just like you and me; ---people believing for the Holy Spirit to come in a greater way; and being willing to jump into what He was up to.
