Spirit-Filled, The Life of
The Rev. James Blaine Chapman, D.D.
By
D. Shelby Corlett
Permanent Council Organization which was perfected in November of the following year at Pilot Point, Texas; the united organization being known as the Holiness Church of Christ.
It was the Independent Holiness Church which J. B. Chapman joined in the second year of his ministry. The very circumstances which brought him into this organized holiness church formed deep convictions in his heart regarding holiness denominations. This conviction carried through his entire life. He had little time or energy to devote to any effort or organization which did not further the work of a holiness church.
Although he was very young in the early days of this holiness church he filled places of responsibility and had great influence in the movement. At the first convention of the Independent Holiness Church held at Blossom, Texas, in February of 1903 — the convention where he and Miss Frederick were married — James B. Chapman, although only eighteen years of age, was the preacher at one of the evening services. In the Second Council Meeting of this church held in Greenville, Texas, in November of 1903, it is said "the leading men of this work were Rev. C. B. Jernigan, who had organized the work; Rev. J. B. Chapman, who had done a great work in eastern Texas and Oklahoma in revivals and organization; and others." J. B. Chapman was elected secretary of the Council at this convention. The third annual council meeting met at Blossom, Texas, October 5, 1904. Rev. C. B. Jernigan reports this council meeting thus: "This was a splendid gathering of representative holiness people, many of whom were in attendance to see if the church was a success.
The revival tide ran high, and many people were blessed in this council. Twenty-seven churches were represented at this council." At this session of the annual council, delegates (one of whom was J. B. Chapman) were elected to represent the Independent Holiness Church at the annual council of the Church of Christ that met the next month at Rising Star, Texas, at which plans for union were laid.
Pilot Point, Texas, which was destined to become famous in the history of the organized holiness churches, was the meeting place, November 7 to 12, 1905, of the Independent Holiness Church and the New Testament Church of Christ to form a permanent organization, known as the General Council of the Holiness Church of Christ.
At this time James B. Chapman was twenty-one years of age, but the places he filled in this convention indicate the ability he possessed even as a young man; he was a member of the committee to formulate a plan on Permanent Organization — evidently this was the committee appointed at the Rising Star meeting in November of 1904; was chairman of the Committee on Worship and Rules of Order; a member of the Ways and Means Committee, and was elected on the Commission on Bible Institute.
The attitude of James B. Chapman toward organized holiness churches and the value of such organization is stated in an article he wrote which was printed in the Highways and Hedges of December, 1906. He said: "There is a growing interest in holiness churches among our people everywhere. Holiness churches are no longer an experiment but they are now an existing reality. The day has come when the holiness people must organize or the work will suffer. Scattered among all denominations the usefulness of the holy people is greatly hindered, when out of all organizations
they are branded as 'Come-outers,' thus shutting many doors of usefulness in their faces. The bands, which are substitutes for churches, have seen their day and proved a failure. In a disorganized state, we are prey to great impositions. Many people are beginning to see and confess these things and are finding a solution in the organization of local holiness churches. In the past few years this work has grown to an extent surprising to everyone. We have now reached the point where something must be said upon this important subject and to keep still would be detrimental to ourselves and an injustice to others. It (which was the first issue of the Highways and Hedges, the organ of the Holiness Church of Christ) will champion the organization of holiness churches and will consider all questions of general interest to the church."
The Holiness Church of Christ functioned under three annual councils: the Texas Council, Arkansas Council, and Tennessee Council. The General Council brought together the delegates from these annual councils to consider and act upon matters of importance to the whole church. The Texas Council, of which Rev. J. B. Chapman was a member, met at Abilene, Texas, in November of 1906.
At this time Rev. Chapman served on the committees on Worship, Memorials, and Publications; he was elected delegate from the Texas Council to the General Council meeting to be held in Texarkana, November 20 to 25, 1906.
He manifested great interest in the work of the councils. Writing in the second issue of Highways and Hedges, October 1, 1906, he said: "The councils should lay plans for a more aggressive mission movement another year. We will soon have missionaries on the field ourselves. There are numerous other questions of vital importance for both Annual and General Councils and what we need and must have is decisive action and such as will leave no room for questioning. A great future is before us. We are a church and as such we have a reason for existing. We have nothing to be ashamed of.
Let us live in much prayer and be valiant in the fight; not against one another or anything else that is good, but let us show the devil and the world an unbroken front, a clean, clear, red-hot, aggressive people who know what we are doing."
In his report of the Texas Council meeting of 1906, he says, "As to the future of the Holiness Church of Christ no one need fear. God is with us, who can be against us?"
The Annual Texas-Oklahoma Council met November 5 to 10, 1907. The Council elected James B. Chapman as its president. He undertook this task with the same vision and efficiency which he had demonstrated in his pastorates. One of his first announcements as president read: "Beginning January 1, I expect to spend several months visiting among the churches, encouraging the work, organizing new congregations, helping to secure pastors, and in doing whatever I can for the advancement of the cause. It will be understood that this is a new undertaking and I earnestly desire the co-operation of 41 the churches to make it a success for God and our work. Let no place think it is too small or too poor, if you need me. I will come on the promise of God, and if you all do the best you can I am sure I shall not miss a place." Signed, J. B. Chapman, President, Texas-Oklahoma Council of the Holiness Church of Christ.
The April 1, 1908, issue of The Holiness Evangel — successor to Highways and Hedges — carried this note from J. D. Scott, its associate editor: "J. B. Chapman, our Council President, has
recently moved his headquarters to Pilot Point. He will visit as many of our churches as he can and will do them great good. Brethren, stand by this holy man with both your prayers and your means.
The President of Texas-Oklahoma Council, J. B. Chapman, in The Holiness Evangel, June 15, 1908, exhorted the congregations to show proper regard and respect for their pastors. He also urges the pastors to "visit your people." His attitude and work were very near to that now done by the district superintendents of the Church of the Nazarene.
The movement toward union of the holiness churches was being promoted on a wide scale. The brethren of the South had heard about the efforts toward union on the part of the Pentecostal Association of Churches of America and the Church of the Nazarene. The Holiness Church of Christ elected delegates to attend a meeting, at which union of these above mentioned churches was to be considered, to be held in Brooklyn in April of 1906. J. B. Chapman was among those chosen as delegates, but due to the lack of finance, none of the delegates could go. Representatives — J. B.
Chapman was not in the group — of the Holiness Church of Christ attended the union of these two churches to form the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene, held in Chicago in October of 1907. The brethren from the South invited the united body to hold a general assembly at Pilot Point, Texas, in 1908 for the purpose of bringing the Holiness Church of Christ into this larger union.
Prior to the meeting in Pilot Point, J. B. Chapman writing of "Church Union" in The Holiness Evangel of September 15, 1907, said: "I heartily endorse the sentiment expressed in your (C. B.
Jernigan's) recent editorial on 'Church Union.' It will be much better to have one good strong Holiness Church than to continue on with a number of weak ones. Then we could have a strong church organ with a large circulation, and would be able to keep in touch with the people of God all over the land Let us by all means send delegates to the Chicago convention in October. There is no vital difference, either in doctrine or church polity, between the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene and the Holiness Church of Christ. Even the name is the same in substance. Pentecostal means Holiness; Nazarene means Christ. Hence, The Holiness (Pentecostal) Church of Christ (Nazarene).
Then why not be one?
"If the president and secretary of the General Council will state this matter in the paper and give us the names of the delegates, I am ready to contribute for the expenses of their trip. Give their names, and open your funds and let's send the representatives to Chicago, with instructions to determine the basis of union between the above named churches. I am for the union of all holiness churches who are straight in doctrine and clean in life, the world over."
He never lost interest in this union of churches. Often in his editorials of the Herald of Holiness he would state the desire for a union of all the holiness churches; and as a general superintendent he was interested in any move which would bring the holiness denominations to a closer co-operation and affiliation.
When the date came for the General Assembly of the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene, and the General Council of the Holiness Church of Christ, namely October, 1908, it was a time of great rejoicing. J. B. Chapman reported to this General Assembly on his year's work as president of the Western Council (the Texas-Oklahoma Council) of the Holiness Church of Christ. During the eleven
months of his service as president he had visited twenty churches, held fourteen revival meetings, preached 362 times, prayed in 155 homes, and had witnessed 250 professions. He had accomplished this at an expense of $250. This Council reported 48 churches with 1,675 members at that time.
It was a high day in the life of James B. Chapman when he witnessed the marriage of the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene with the Holiness Church of Christ on October 13, 1908. It was a great day in the history of the Holiness Movement when this union was perfected.
Spirit-Filled, The Life of
The Rev. James Blaine Chapman, D.D.
By
D. Shelby Corlett