FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF GEORGE JEFFREYS AS REVIVALIST

Taken from “The Yesteryear Memories series” of a dear brother in Christ who has been generously sharing with us during the last few months.

In 1943 as a boy, then a young convert, I was taken to the Easter Monday Meetings held in the Westminster Central Hall. Arriving by train, we entered the Hall at about ten minutes to eleven A.M. climbing the great staircase and hearing Pastor Albert Edsor playing the organ with bass notes vibrating around the stairs and then entering the Hall – what joyful singing welcomed us!

At the morning Service a telegram of Greetings and Prayers was read out to be sent to King George VI from the Bible Pattern Church Easter Celebrations. At the Evening Service, the reply would be read out and the National Anthem sung. The Principal would then lead the congregation in singing “Crown Him Lord of All”. As Ron Landau wrote: someone he interviewed said that attending the Meetings at the Albert Hall and Crystal Palace was like re-charging our batteries and the blessings lasted for weeks. That, too, was my experience as well as in those smaller gatherings that I attended at Portsmouth, Southampton, Brighton and the Big Tent at Hove. The same George Jeffreys – the same powerful preaching! Many times we would see him lift his Bible, open up under his chin and then say “listen to the Word of God! He that believeth ……. Hath everlasting life”! Hearing, Believing and Taking!

I have ‘sat on both sides of the fence’ of the Bible Pattern Church and Elim – one a free self-governing assembly and the other centrally controlled.

Character Assassination
While taking an active role at Elim for a number of years “The Great Evangelists”, a book written by Desmond Cartwright which was published with the backing of the Elim Evangel and Headquarters. With such a based portrayal from the official historian of the Elim Movement one can understand Pastor Albert Edsor (private secretary to George Jeffreys and fellow member of the revival party during George Jeffreys ministry in Elim and the Bible Pattern Fellowship), Posting his “Open Letter” to all the Elim, Bible Pattern and Assembles of God Ministers, refuting some of the false points made.

Roy Livesey in his book “Understanding Deception” writes ‘George Jeffreys went off course’ – pages 194/195 under the heading “George Jeffreys” (quotes Desmond Cartwright) – what a load of trash he writes about the Principal; where did he get it from? There was also a shocking attack in his book “Restoring the Kingdom” by Andrew Walker.

I am glad to say that after the passing of George Jeffreys many, including myself, felt led to keep in touch and encourage Pastor Edsor to continue to insure that the truth was told until his passing.

Roy Livesy also portrays the Principal as an Evangelist packing the largest Halls and then believing the lie of British Israelism; diverting his attention not only to doctrine but to a group of influential and wealthy people from whom support was expected- (page 194). I would contend that the Principal held the National Historicist School of prophecy viewpoint as a very young man when in Northern Ireland. In 1943/4 at the London Easter Meetings he was preaching on the “Second Coming” and said that students of Bible Prophecy were expecting 1917 (according to the prophetic clock) the time of the Gentiles to end with tube deliverance of Jerusalem. He also quoted Isaiah 31:5 “As birds flying, so will the Lord of Hosts defend Jerusalem, defending also He will deliver it; and passing over He will preserve it”.

In November 1917 the British Army under General Allenby took Jerusalem without a shot being fired and the British Air Corps flew over (like birds flying) the city and dropped no bombs. The city was taken intact – the Turks had fled! The Principal said he received a telegram from his friend and co-worker and President of the Elim Evangelistic Band (1915) Mr John Leech, M.A. LL.B. K.C. which read “Hallelujah! Another prophecy fulfilled”.