Missing GPH songbook: Songs of Light and Life (1926)

You may remember that in January 2007 we discovered a new (old) Assemblies of God hymnal that we had not seen before. It was published by Gospel Publishing House in the 1940s, but somehow disappeared from sight and mind for decades before re-emerging. It is now safely stored in the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center vault! Click here for the announcement of that exciting find.

It happened again! At least, we hope it will. A search through old issues of the Pentecostal Evangel yielded yet another GPH songbook that we do not have in our collection. We have never seen a copy of it, and we do not know of any other person, archive or library that owns a copy.

The Pentecostal Evangel, from June 19, 1926 through Aug 13, 1927, advertised a new GPH songbook — Songs of Light and Life. One advertisement, published in the June 19, 1926 issue (page 15), stated that the songbook, which contained 165 songs, was well-suited for revival services and camp meetings. The ad warned readers that they should order quickly because of the limited quantities on hand. The price? It cost twelve cents per copy; fifteen cents postpaid.

If you have a copy of Songs of Light and Life or if you know where one is located, please contact the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center at archives@ag.org.

Amanda Benedict remembered after 82 years

Participants at the Amanda Benedict memorial service (l-r): Assistant Archivist Glenn Gohr; Rev. Hubert Morris of Central Assembly; FPHC Director Darrin Rodgers; Dr. James Bradford, pastor of Central Assembly; General Secretary George Wood; Jewell Woodward, adminstrative assistant to George Wood; National Prayer Center Director John Maempa; and Archivist Joyce Lee.

Front of marker

Back of marker

Photographs by Sharon Rasnake

As part of the celebration of 100 years of Pentecost in Springfield, Central Assembly chose to honor one of the early leaders in the church, Miss Amanda Benedict, who is remembered as a fervent prayer warrior.

Educated in New York, her home state, she later conducted a rescue home for girls in Chicago and was connected with a faith home for children in Iowa. She moved to Springfield, Missouri, sometime before 1910 and met Mrs. Lillie Corum while working as a door-to-door salesperson. The two ladies and others began praying together regularly, and soon Amanda Benedict received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. She had a burden for lost souls and that God might bless the gospel work in Springfield, Missouri.

Sister Benedict would fast and pray for days on end, until a burden was lifted or victory came. Often, like Napoleon, she would say, “There shall be no Alps!” She had a tremendous burden that God would make Springfield a center from which his blessings would flow to the ends of the earth. At one point she felt led to fast and pray for Springfield for one entire year — living only on bread and water.

Dr. David Allen Lewis (1932-2007), noted author and lecturer, passes away

Dr. David Allen Lewis of Springfield, Missouri, well-known author and lecturer on eschatology and Israel, passed away Saturday, June 2, 2007 at the age of 74. Dr. Lewis was ordained with the Assemblies of God in 1956 and served in the ministry for over 50 years. He graduated from Central Bible College in 1954 and subsequently earned a master of arts in theological studies and a doctorate of theological studies.

As a clergyman, lecturer, researcher, and publisher, he had been active in national and international circles in promoting the welfare of the Church, of Israel, and of the Jewish people. He felt God called him to be a Christian ambassador to the nation of Israel. And in 1975 he founded Christians United for Israel (CUFI). He also was one of the founders of the National Christian Leadership Conference for Israel, and was the current chairman of the board.

He authored over 40 books, produced 39 television documentaries on location throughout Israel, and traveled to the Middle East 67 times, promoting the welfare of the Church, Israel and the Jewish people. He is remembered for his radio program, God’s Word For Today’s World, and his publications, Jerusalem Courier and Prophecy Digest, Prophecy Watch, Audio Prophecy Digest, and his Tape of the Month Service. He also operated the Prophecy Research Center and directed the Springfield Regional Eschatology Club.

Dr. Lewis is survived by Ramona, his wife of 52 years; daughters, Rev. Rebecca J. Brimmer and Rev. Cassandra Lewis Howell; two sons-in-laws, several grandchildren; and a multitude of family, friends and loved ones.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, June 8 in Cornerstone Church, Springfield, Missouri with Reverends Thomas Trask and Jess Gibson officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to David Allen Lewis Ministries for the establishment of the David Lewis Memorial Research Library in Israel.

Additional information can be found in the Springfield News-Leader, June 6, 2007.

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Central Assembly of God in Springfield, MO: 100 years of ministry

This past weekend Central Assembly here in Springfield, Missouri (Pastor James Bradford), held an all-church banquet on June 1, 2007 and special services on Sunday, June 3rd. The banquet commemorated to the day, the 100th anniversary of the church. It was during the wee hours of the morning of June 1, 1907 when Lillie Harper Corum was baptized in the Spirit in her living room in Springfield, after praying with her sister, Rachel Sizelove, an evangelist who had come from the famed Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles.

Further details of this testimony and much of the early history of Central Assembly is contained in a book produced by the Corum Family called The Sparkling Fountain. The book is still available for those interested. (See the Seen in Print section of the FPHC website.)

FPHC Director Darrin Rodgers and Assistant Archivist Glenn Gohr sold copies of The Sparkling Fountain, and Central Assembly sold copies of its new history book, Windows Into Central’s 100 Years of Ministry: Ordinary People God Used to Build an Extraordinary Church. This brief history contains vignettes of some of the former pastors and important families in the church as well as a time line of significant events in the church’s history. Central, now located on the block south of the AG Headquarters, became the mother church for several of the 30 AG congregations now in Springfield.