Jonathan Goforth - Revivalist in China

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

September 19, 2012


 *2012-09-17 - JONATHAN GOFORTH - Revivalist in China*

*(Written by David Smithers - forwarded by Andrew Strom)*


 “*You must go forward on your knees,” was the advice Hudson Taylor gave to
a young Canadian missionary named Jonathan Goforth. Mr. Goforth faithfully
and fervently followed this advice throughout all his missionary endeavors
in China. Yet, after thirteen years of faithful praying and preaching, and
what most would consider a very successful ministry, Goforth became
restless and dissatisfied. It was at this time an unknown party from
England began sending pamphlets on the Welsh revival of 1904. Goforth was
deeply stirred as he read these accounts. “A new thought, a new conception
seemed to come to him of God the Holy Spirit...” He then gave himself to
much more prayer and Bible study. Goforth now found himself being driven by
a fresh vision, a vision for a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit.*


 *Soon he began to meet daily with other missionaries to pray for revival.
These men vowed to God and to one another that they would pray unto revival
came to China. In 1908 Jonathan Goforth’s prayers and dreams began to be
realized. Goforth began going to different missionary stations and simply
led his fellow missionaries in prayer. Then suddenly earnest prayer gave
way to the open confession of sin.*


 *It was when the Christians came clean, confessed and forsook their secret
sin, that the Holy Spirit rushed in like a mighty wind. Truly it was this
open and honest confession of sin that was the most striking feature of the
revival. Everywhere Mr. Goforth went revival would spread, and almost
always in the same way. First prayer was encouraged among the Christians,
which then spontaneously led to heart-breaking confessions of sin. And then
like a flood, the lost were brought into the kingdom by the thousands. “Men
were searched as with fire.” One after another broken-hearted believers
emptied themselves through the uncovering of all secret sin. Mr. Goforth
clearly identified unconfessed sin among Christians as a major hindrance to
God-sent revival.*


 *Walter Phillips describes for us one of Mr. Goforth’s revival meetings;
“At once, on entering the church one was conscious of something unusual.
The place was crowded to the door and tense, reverent attention sat on
every face. The people knelt for prayer, silent at first, but soon one here
and another there began to pray aloud. The voices grew and gathered volume
and blended into a great wave of united supplication that swelled until it
was almost a roar. Now I understood why the floor was so wet - the very air
was electric and strange thrills coursed up and down ones body”*


 *When Mr. Goforth preached, “The cross burned like a living fir in the
heart of every address.” It was the person of Jesus Christ who was exalted
throughout the entire revival as a King and Savior who must be reckoned
with. In the midst of this great revival Jonathan Goforth clearly saw that
all of his previous sweating and striving had reaped only frustration. He
came to the firm conviction that revival is only born through humility,
faith, prayer and the power of the Holy Ghost. Goforth writes, “If revival
is being withheld from us it is because some idol remains still enthroned;
because we still insist in placing our reliance in human schemes; because
we still refuse to face the unchangeable truth that ‘it is not by might,
but by My Spirit.’”*


 *NOTE**: This article **on Jonathan Goforth by David Smithers is very
helpful from a “Revival Standpoint”. Dr. J. Edwin Orr followed much along
the same line, with excellent results.*


 *Mr. Goforth spent 6 weeks in Korea at the beginning of their entrance as
a nation into Christianity. Multitudes came to Christ at that time.
Unfortunately, Goforth felt he had to return to China, God’s appointed
commission for him. The new Korean believers did not have grounding in the
essential Foundation Truths of Hebrews 6:1-2. They were perplexed what to
do about “baptism”! The older men among the new believers decided that if
all went home and had a bath in Jesus’ Name, this should be satisfactory.
(Billy Graham’s baptism formula is: “I baptize you in the Name of Jesus, in
whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily: Father, Son and Holy
Spirit!” That seems to cover all bases!) The new Korean believers all did
so with great blessing, and the Church of Korea then took off.*


 *The above article by Goforth was made available by “Revival List” <
prophetic at revivalschool.com> - Moderator Andrew Strom of New Zealand. Mr.
Strom is a believer in “Proving all things - holding fast to that which is
good.” One of his areas of proving - took place with the 1948 “Latter Rain”
Visitation at North Battleford, Saskatchewan; and he takes a pretty strong
stand against this Visitation. God led me in 1945 to Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan to the Bible College founded and directed by George R. Hawtin.
In 1947 they moved to North Battleford, and in February of 1948 this
unusual visitation took place. It majored on the restoration of the City
Presbytery with the laying on of hands; the 5-fold ministries of Ephesians
4:11-12; and the Heavenly Choir seen in the meetings of Mrs. Maria
Woodworth-Etter. 12 Embryonic Revival Principles came together at that
time, and can be reviewed on our Website <www.2rbetter.org>, and clicking
on “Embryonics”. Under “Interlinear”, the full “Outlined Interlinear NT”
can be found. It has not been updated and Proof-read, but does have
Strong’s numbers attached to the significant Greek words, plus my personal
notes. These do not appear in the proof-read and updated printed version,
which can be obtained by contacting <www.BTJohnsonPublishing.com>.*


 *Like many revivals, this Northern Canada 1948 Visitation, has “pros and
cons”. John Wesley experienced the same in England. Dr. John Roddam came to
our home in 2008, the 60th Anniversary of the 1948 Visitation, and under
ten 30-minute segments - recorded the Pros and Cons of this Visitation by
interviewing Marie and me. The 3 DVD’s can be obtained from contacting
“Norlynn Audio Visual Services <www.reason-for-hope.com> under “The Fire
Continues - Sixty Years Later”.*


 *My personal view-point on this as one who had part in the leadership of
the 1948 July Camp Meeting there is - “We shouldn’t throw the baby out with
the bath-water!” God told Jeremiah, “If you take forth the precious from
the vile, you shall be as my mouth” (ASV-01)!*


 *All** is **not bad! - I believe Andrew Strom could profit from following
God’s counsel to Jeremiah. Yes - point out the vile - but first see what is
precious! Every revival has both! In the DVD’s on the 60th Anniversary -
Marie and I point out first the pros of the 1948 Visitation; we then follow
that up with 6 “Cons”. So we agree with Andrew Strom in part - but only in
part.*


 *There are others in our nation that Andrew Strom has taken to task - but
again - as he did with the ‘48 Visitation of which I had a part - he deals
almost exclusively with the “Cons” and fails to follow God’s word to
Jeremiah - “Take the precious (Pros) from the Vile (Cons) - and then you
shall be as My mouth.”*


 *When Shimei cursed David - David would not allow his nephew Abishai to
kill him. David felt that if he received this cursing - in the end God
would vindicate him - and He did! At the time of his death, David
instructed his son Solomon how to deal with Shimei and Joab - which he did.*


 *Dr. Norman Vincent Peale had a word I like: “Before you shave a man -
first lather him!” This makes the shaving much more bearable!*


 *So for those like me who are under the “Cons” of Andrew Strom - like
David under Shimei - take it! None of us are perfect, and as Marie and I
did for the 60th Latter Rain Anniversary with the 3 DVD’s of “Pros and
Cons” - the Andrew Stroms will help us all to look carefully whether all we
are associated with is truly “Word-based.” The summer of 1948 I was doing a
Word Study on the Greek Word “do-reA” at one of the tables. George Hawtin
came and looked over my shoulder at what I was doing. He then said to me,
“Jimmy, I wish to God I could do what you are doing.” I thought to myself -
“What will happen to this Revival - if you don’t!” Not too long after, he
got off from the Word on a number of points: Ultimate Reconciliation;
extreme “Manifest sons of God” teaching; Replacement Theology of the church
taking the place of Israel - because of “British-Israel” teaching; a
tendency to put the prophetic, revelatory word (REma) - above the written
(LOgos) Word of the Bible. Revelation that cannot be justified by the Word
- needs the attention of the Andrew Stroms - as well as ourselves! And we
need like John Wesley to understand areas of our association that do not in
all points correspond with the Word! - make adjustments, and like David -
use the Shimeis to keep us open and humble; so that in the end - we too
merit the full blessing of God! - Jim Watt*



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