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Citation: 

Accepted Manuscript (AM) citation: Noel, Bradley Truman. Review of When the Spirit
Came Upon Them: Highlights from the Early Years of the Pentecostal Movement in
Canada, by Douglas Rudd. Pneuma 25, no. 2 (Fall 2003): 1-3.

This is a pre-copyrighted, author-produced version of the article accepted for 
publication in Pneuma 25, no. 2 (Fall 2003).

Version of Record (VOR) citation: Noel, Bradley Truman. Review of When the Spirit
Came Upon Them: Highlights from the Early Years of the Pentecostal Movement in
Canada, by Douglas Rudd. Pneuma 25, no.2 (Fall 2003): 322-324.

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Note: This Work has been made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely
for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced
except as permitted by the copyright laws of Canada without the written authority from
the copyright owner.

Accepted Manuscript (AM) citation: Noel, Bradley. Review of When the Spirit Came Upon Them: 
Highlights from the Early Years of the Pentecostal Movement in Canada, by Douglas Rudd. 
Pneuma 25, no.2 (Fall 2003): 1-3.

This is a pre-copyrighted, author-produced version of the article accepted for
publication.

Version of Record (VOR) citation: Noel, Bradley Truman. Review of When the Spirit
Came Upon Them: Highlights from the Early Years of the Pentecostal Movement in
Canada, by Douglas Rudd. Pneuma 25, no. 2 (Fall 2003): 322-324.

[ Citation Page ]



Douglas Rudd, When the Spirit Came Upon Them: Highlights From the Early
Years of the Pentecostal Movement in Canada (Burlington, ON: Antioch Books,
2002). 413 pp., $24.95, paper.

Reviewed by Bradley Truman Noel

	Douglas Rudd has compiled a fascinating account of the early Pentecostal movement in
Canada. For more than half a century, he has been involved in Pentecostal ministry and, at over
80 years of age at the time of publication, was personally acquainted with many of the
individuals profiled in his book. His long-time ministry within the Pentecostal Assemblies of
Canada (PAOC) culminated in 1986, when he was asked to serve as denominational Archivist, a
position he held for more than 12 years. With the wealth of material afforded him in that
position, he felt compelled to record the beginnings of the Canadian Pentecostal movement up to
1925.

	Rudd’s account is collected under five sections. Section I, “Pentecostals,” is subtitled,
“Who They Are and What They Believe.” As with many Pentecostal historians, Rudd traces the
development of the Pentecostal movement from the Book of Acts to Azusa Street. Curiously, the
initial thing Rudd notes is that Pentecostals are first and foremost Christians. For me, this was a
remarkably telling insight into the world of early Pentecostal leaders. After a brief explanation of
the doctrines of subsequence and initial evidence, Rudd concludes this section by listing the
PAOC statement of faith.

	Section II, “The Pioneers,” contains the biographical accounts of more than 80 early
Pentecostal leaders in Canada. Indeed, it encompasses half of the book, Rudd’s intention being

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clearly to focus on the men and women of God used within Canadian Pentecostalism. While
some names, such as A.H. Argue, G.A. Chambers and R.E. McAlister, will be readily known to
anyone familiar with Canadian Pentecostal history, Rudd includes many lesser-known pastors
and workers. In doing so, he vividly tells the story of the spread of Pentecostalism in Canada
from the days following the Azusa Street revival up to 1925. His is no dry, theoretical
recounting of those early years, but a dynamic account, full of tales of the working of the Holy
Spirit, told him personally by many of the pioneers.

	Rudd moves in Section III (“The First Churches”) to the first churches of Canadian
Pentecostalism. Province by province, starting with British Colombia and moving eastward to
Newfoundland, Rudd gives an account of each church in Canada opened by 1925. Church
historians will find captivating Rudd’s account of churches from Broadway Pentecostal Church
in Vancouver, BC, to Bethesda Pentecostal Church in St. John’s, NL. Perhaps no other church
history monograph has so richly preserved the Spirit’s powerful work in establishing places of
worship for His people. Miracle after miracle is related and celebrated as Rudd recounts the
Spirit’s moving in Canada almost 100 years ago.

	Section IV, appropriately entitled “Branching Out,” comprises another large portion of
Rudd’s work. Surveying the development of Pentecostal publications, camp meetings, colleges,
church activities, and missions, the author seeks to provide the reader with a larger picture of
Pentecostal ministry in Canada. The prominent place of printed publications within early
Pentecostalism is noted and explored. For a movement known to be somewhat anti-intellectual in
its approach, the pioneers knew the value of the printed word and, from the beginning, sought to

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make their message known through tracts, magazines and pamphlets. Through the development
of Pentecostal colleges and camp meetings, the young movement found its voice and place
within Christendom.

	Finally, Section V takes stock of contemporary Canadian Pentecostalism. The author
seeks to evaluate the current state of affairs for Pentecostals in Canada. Through his survey of
PAOC colleges, missions and ministries, he notes the bright future of Pentecostalism in Canada.
His warnings concerning pride, complacency and false doctrines betray his concern and hope for
a movement he has proudly promoted for over 60 years.

	The stated purpose of this work is to “.. .make the present generation aware of the price
paid by...brave and faithful pioneers.” (p. 55). Rudd achieves his goal admirably. “When the
Spirit Came Upon Them” is a tremendous account of the cooperation between faithful believers
and the Holy Spirit, resulting in the birth of a revival movement.

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