WHAT WE LEARNED IN LATTER RAIN

WHAT WE LEARNED IN LATTER RAIN

I believe you folks are sincerely interested in knowing what has paved the way for what the world is experiencing today-- a mighty movement of the Spirit of God all over the earth. Most of it can be traced back to the LATTER RAIN movement, which began in the tiny town of North Battleford, Sask. in 1948.
The Canadian brethren did not like the term LATTER RAIN, and rebuked us sharply for using it. To a great extent, they tried to dis-associate themselves from anything that was called LATTER RAIN. It was just as well that they did, for by April of 1951, when I attended the FEAST OF PENTECOST gathering up there, they were already showing strong signs of wanting to exercise control over what God was doing. They were beginning to teach "Apostolic Succession" and "Apostolic Authority". This was in direct contradiction to the first expression of purpose in 1948. They had vowed to NEVER try to control what God was doing.

But, when large Centers began springing up for the purpose of helping to spread the news of the Revival, it created an unbearable strain on those first brethren. Detroit had a huge Center, as did Los Angeles, Portland and Vancouver, BC. Others were to follow, but those were the main ones at first.

Christians came together under one Banner-- that of Christian Love and Fellowship. They were willing to lay aside the divisive doctrines of the past, and collectively enjoy the Blessings of the Lord.

Under that canopy, mighty revelations were received, mighty healings took place, and lives were profoundly changed. In fact, under the banner of Love, Bro. Reg Layzell, Pastor of the Vancouver, BC. Center, received light on the Oneness of God, and Baptism in the Name of Jesus. He, and the whole church (several hundred) were baptized again. A similar thing took place in Everett, WA. So much so, that the Pastor at Everett told me that he doubted that I had ever had the revelation-- I had never mentioned it to him. I assured him that, indeed, I did have it, but had determined to let the Holy Ghost reveal it to whom He would. I was busy trying to digest what the Lord was showing me at the time-- brand new things which would change the course of my life forever, but not increase my popularity in the Fellowship. I was, indeed, "Hearing a different drummer", but didn't know what to do with what I was hearing.
My wife, Pearl, and I began publishing some of those things in 1954, and soon were mailing them across the nation. Later, almost as suddenly as it began, the Lord caused us to cease the publications and we began intensive teaching in the little assembly we were serving at the time. We will never know just why the Lord drove us into obscurity at that time, but we know He had a purpose in doing it. He made it possible in 1992 for us to resume the writings which were interrupted for several years. Most of them are on the Web Pages created for me by Christine Harbord of Stoney Creek, Ont.. Gturner has created a LINK to them. You can also find them by “Googling” Marion Fretwell
Reg Layzell was the one responsible for teaching those of us in the Pacific Northwest the inestimable value of copious praise to the Lord in our services. We will always be grateful to him for that. I guess I should also have been grateful to him for disfellowshipping me later because he could not agree with some things I was teaching. Indirectly, it was a great benefit to me, for it made me re-prove to myself that I was, indeed, hearing the voice of the Spirit.
Others brought us the message of "Worship", which has had a much harder time becoming established than the message of "Praise" did. That is due, partly, to the human reluctance to expend what is necessary for us to be exercised in true worship. People still do not grasp the vast difference that exists between the factors of "praise" and "worship". They are BOTH necessary, but they are vastly different, and produce different results in the assembly and in the lives of the individuals. But, that is another topic altogether.
The LATTER RAIN movement served as a springboard for other facets of what has developed through the years. The FGBMFI spearheaded the CHARISMATIC RENEWAL movement which made its way into Notre Dame and other large universities. It caused the knowledge of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost to be spread far and wide. It is traveling like wildfire in Third World countries-- people receiving the Holy Ghost at approximately one every minute of every day of each week of every year (1997).
"Who hath despised the day of small things? Zec 4:10

SPIRIT CONTROL IN LATTER RAIN

One of the first things we learned, after embracing the LATTER RAIN revival in 1950 was the difference between the APOSTLES OF THE LAMB, and the APOSTLES OF THE FIVE-FOLD MINISTRIES-- the ASCENSION GIFT MINISTRIES.

The APOSTLES OF THE LAMB were those chosen by Jesus Himself, to be witnesses of His Life and Death. They WALKED with Him, and TALKED with Him. They were TAUGHT of Him. They were to become the PATRIARCHS of the New Covenant, as the twelve sons of Israel had been the PATRIARCHS of the Old Covenant.
Each set of PATRIARCHS would have a PERMANENT place in the CELESTIAL CITY which is being formed now by the SPIRIT OF GOD. One set of twelve were to be the FOUNDATIONS OF THE CITY, the other set of twelve were to be GATES OF THE CITY. It was strongly suggested that the FOUR AND TWENTY ELDERS around the Throne in the book of Revelation are these two sets of twelve Apostles
We went through several phases of misunderstanding and mis-use of what we were learning, and many became discouraged and returned to the safer environment of the denominations.
Personally, I have never regretted the mistakes which were made, for each mistake was mute evidence of an honest attempt to learn more of the ways of the Spirit. We knew we were in uncharted waters, and that we had to be VERY CAREFUL of every move. Those who rushed headlong into something new usually ended up as a broken hull somewhere, and contributed to the growing stigma on the movement in general.
It was a genuine move of the Spirit, however, and became the springboard for greater things by far than had initially been anticipated by any of us.

Later, we were to learn of the difference between PRAISE and WORSHIP, and the unique purpose of each of them.
We would also learn about SPIRIT CONTROL of our meetings, and how to reap the benefits from it. It was a real TEST OF OUR FAITH, and many failed the test.
We have been so very THANKFUL to God for having let us taste of what He did in the very late 40's and the early 50's. We praise Him for His Mercy to us.