Exhibit of History of General Assembly Opens
A formal unveiling of a display which commemorates 75 Church of God General Assembly events opened at the Pentecostal Research Center in the Squires Library, a shared facility on the campus of Lee University and the Pentecostal Theological Seminary.
Dr. David Roebuck, director of the PRC, welcomed a group of guests and church leaders who attended the opening on September 30. Items in the exhibit were first displayed collectively at the recent 75th International General Assembly, which took place in July in Orlando, Florida.
The display is titled, “It Seemeth Good to the Holy Ghost and Us: Celebrating 75 General Assemblies.”
Dr. Floyd Carey (center right), chairman of the Historical Commission, looks over a display of themes of past general assemblies (click on photo to enlarge)
“I am thankful for the staff of the Dixon Pentecostal Research Center for creating this exhibit, the Church of Historical Commission under the leadership of Dr. Floyd Carey for recommending this exhibit, and the International Executive Committee for funding this exhibit,” Roebuck stated. He went on to explain the significance for the title which comes from the first General Assembly.
“When that first Assembly finished their work in 1906, delegates affirmed their decisions with reference to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15,” Roebuck said. “They concluded, ‘It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us…to recommend these necessary things and that they be ratified and observed by all the local churches.’ This exhibit tells their story and those of the 74 General Assemblies that have followed.” A publication of the same name was released at the General Assembly and contains photos of many of the items on display at the exhibit.
Two significant artifacts were on display that afternoon and included a ledger with the original minutes of the 1906 Assembly in the handwriting of A.J. Tomlinson.
“As the local pastor, he served as both moderator and clerk of that Assembly,” Roebuck explained. He also called attention to a hand-drawn chart by R. G. Spurling he used to illustrate his sermons. The chart represented Spurling’s illustration of God’s church as a train traveling on the golden rails of love of God and love of neighbor. But at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. Christians divided over creeds and chose man-made narrow gauge rails instead of the golden rails. The two items were placed back in a vault for safe-keeping following the ceremony.
The brief ceremony included a short program of speakers including Dr. Mary Ruth Stone who shared her account of the1992 Assembly, when delegates agreed to return to an earlier practice of full participation of women in the Assembly. Executive Committee liaison, Dr. J. David Stephens, greeted the audience, followed by a benediction from General Overseer Marl L. Williams.
The exhibit will remain on display for several months.
