D.C.

Opperman: Pentecostal Pioneer

September 15, 1926, Daniel Charles Owen Opperman was tragically killed in a car accident on his way to preach an evening service in the Baldwin Park area of Los Angeles. After the Sunday morning service, Bro. Opperman was invited to dinner at the home of the Hoag family. A daughter-in-law of the couple was driving a carload back to the church. Crossing a track, the car was struck by a train. Bro. Opperman was thrown from the vehicle, and his neck was broken. His Bible lay beside him, and the coroner remarked at his dignified appearance, suspecting he was a doctor or lawyer. So departed a great Pentecostal pioneer who was a dedicated teacher, evangelist, and pastor. Charles Owen Opperman was born in Goshen, Indiana on July 13, 1872. His parents, German immigrants, were members of the Dunkers, a sect that had left Prussia because of religious persecution. Charles was raised to be God-fearing and developed a sober spirit. When his father died, Charles was only fifteen and assumed responsibility for his widowed mother, two brothers and one sister. Charles Opperman was hungry for knowledge. In 1890, he graduated from Manchester College in North Manchester, Indiana, where he met Ella Syler, who he married on March 10, 1890. Charles Opperman taught in several schools from 1892. In 1899, Opperman was attending the famous Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and became acquainted with the work of John Alexander Dowie, an Australian evangelist whose meetings attracted thousands nightly. In 1900, Dowie began Zion City, Illinois as a permanent home for his Christian Catholic Apostolic Church and a spiritual haven for his followers. Drawn to Dowies message of holiness and healing, Opperman joined the community and added Daniel to his name. He began teaching in the Zion school. He also taught in the citys college and was later named the Superintendent of Zions schools. On the first Sunday in January 1902, John Alexander Dowie ordained D.C.O. Opperman as a deacon in the Chicago Auditorium. Bro. Opperman said: God confirmed with a remarkable healing on the following Wednesday. Mr. J.J. Smith was instantly healed of the grippe [influenza] in answer to prayer. Opperman was very active in the Zion work. He was part of Dowies monumental campaign in New York City in October 1903. Suffering from tuberculosis, D.C.O. Opperman resettled for a short time in San Antonio, Texas and worked alongside a Zion elder named Lemuel C. Hall. Despite his failing health, Bro. Opperman was determined

to preach. He describes his miraculous healing in San Antonio: In March 1905 went to San Antonio, Texas. Health in a very dangerous condition. Climate helped me some, but God helped me more. Partial deliverances [sic] in answer to prayer. On April 8, 1905 at about 7:30 P.M. stepped into Houston St. San Antonio near P.O. [post office] to herald the gospel of the kingdom. God marvelously healed me and sanctified me. God gave me great joy in my ministry in the street. He returned to Zion in April but went back to Texas in March 1906 to preach at Zion gatherings in Houston. In Houston, he became acquainted with Charles Fox Parham, who had moved Apostolic Faith operations from Topeka, Kansas. Parham was preaching the Pentecostal baptism, and Opperman believed the message, though he did not initially receive the actual baptism. He sent letters to Zion, urging followers to accept the Bible teaching of speaking in tongues. In June 1906, Bro. Opperman traveled with Charles Parham to an Apostolic Faith convention in Galena, Kansas. After those meetings, Parham accompanied Opperman to Kansas City, Missouri and spent five weeks preaching the Pentecostal message to the Zion faithful there. In October 1906, Bro. Opperman began joint meetings of Zion and Apostolic Faith people in San Antonio. He says: Turned work over to Bro. Farr in November. About 15 saved, several sanctified, several healed, and seven Pentecosts. Bro. Opperman did not personally receive the Holy Ghost until 1908. His grave personality may have hindered him from yielding to God; but on January 13, 1908, he spoke in tongues privately for the first time in Belton, Texas. Bro. Opperman recorded twenty other Pentecosts during the nine-week Belton campaign. But on March 5, 1908, he spoke publicly in tongues at a meeting in San Antonio in an American Indian language that was translated. On July 28, 1907, D.C.O. Opperman, who had lost his first wife in childbirth, married Hattie Ruth Allen, a young Pentecostal from San Antonio. A year later, in July 1908, Bro. Opperman assumed duties as the State Director of the Apostolic Faith Movement in Texas and began traveling throughout the district, encouraging the fledgling missions and spurring revival. Bro. D.C.O. Opperman is probably best remembered for his role in beginning Bible training schools for Pentecostal workers. He conducted many short-term schools where Holy Ghost-filled saints were transformed in Gospel missionaries. Many future leaders in the Pentecostal movement attended Oppermans schools, including Ralph M. Riggs, who later became a General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God. Originally known as Schools of the Prophets, Oppermans training centers were run along the faith lineno tuition. Attendees prayed for what they got and got what they prayed for! He assembled schools in such diverse places as Houston, Texas, Joplin, Missouri, Anniston, Alabama, Des Moines, Iowa, and Hot Springs, Arkansas. In October 1915, Bro. Opperman organized the Ozark Bible and Literary School, a permanent Bible training institution under the auspices of the Assemblies of God, which he served as an executive presbyter. When the revelation of the mighty God in Christ spread throughout the Pentecostal movement, Bro. Opperman accepted the message and was rebaptized in Jesus Name on

September 12, 1915. Interestingly, a final announcement of the Ozark school still appears a year later in August 1916 in The Latter Rain Evangel, a Trinitarian Pentecostal publication. Bro. Opperman began publishing his own paper, The Blessed Truth, propagating the Oneness message. With the exodus of the Jesus-Only faction from the Assemblies of God in 1916, Opperman assumed the role of chairman in the General Assembly of Apostolic Assemblies. The Ozark school followed D.C.O. Opperman into the Oneness movement and became the Pentecostal Bible and Literary School with the GAAAs merger with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World in 1917. Bro. Opperman continued to labor for the Lord and led a German congregation in Lodi, California from 1923 to 1925. His untimely death was sadly remarked by Bro. Howard Goss, who described him as a handsome and commanding figure amongst us, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. Eternity will measure the extent of his Godly influence on the Pentecostal movement and the multitude of lives changed through the seeds of faith and knowledge that he sowed throughout his remarkable life.

DC Opperman: Pentecostal Pioneer 15 de septiembre 1926, Daniel Charles Owen Opperman muri trgicamente en un accidente de coche en su manera de predicar un servicio de la tarde en el rea de Baldwin Park de Los Angeles. Despus del servicio dominical, Bro. Opperman fue invitado a cenar a la casa de la familia Hoag. Una hija-en-ley de la pareja conduca un coche lleno de nuevo a la iglesia. Cruzando la pista, el coche fue golpeado por un tren. Bro. Opperman fue lanzado fuera del vehculo, y su cuello estaba roto. Su Biblia yaca junto a l, y el mdico forense seal en su apariencia digna, sospechando que era un mdico o un abogado. As que se fue un gran pionero pentecostal que era un maestro dedicado, evangelista y pastor. Charles Owen Opperman naci en Goshen, Indiana el 13 de julio de 1872. Sus padres, inmigrantes alemanes, eran miembros de la Dunkers, una secta que haba salido de Prusia a causa de la persecucin religiosa. Carlos fue educado para ser temeroso de Dios y desarroll un espritu sobrio. Cuando muri su padre, Charles tena slo quince aos y se hizo cargo de su madre viuda, dos hermanos y una hermana. Charles Opperman tena hambre de conocimiento. En 1890, se gradu de la universidad de Manchester en North Manchester, Indiana, donde se reuni Ella Syler, con quien se cas el 10 de marzo de 1890. Charles Opperman enseado en varias escuelas desde 1892.

En 1899, Opperman asista al famoso Instituto Bblico Moody en Chicago y se familiariz con la obra de John Alexander Dowie, un evangelista australiano cuyas reuniones atrajo a miles cada noche. En 1900, comenz Dowie ciudad de Zion, Illinois como un hogar permanente para su Iglesia Cristiana Catlica Apostlica y un refugio espiritual para sus seguidores. Dibujado a Dowie mensaje de santidad y de curacin, Opperman uni a la comunidad y ha aadido Daniel a su nombre. Comenz a ensear en la escuela de Sin. Tambin ense en la universidad de la ciudad y ms tarde fue nombrado superintendente de las escuelas de Sin. En el primer domingo de enero de 1902, John Alexander Dowie ordenado DCO Opperman como dicono en el Auditorio de Chicago. Bro. Opperman dijo: "Dios confirma con una curacin extraordinaria el mircoles siguiente. Sr. JJ Smith fue sanada instantneamente de la gripe [gripe] en respuesta a la oracin. " Opperman era muy activa en el trabajo Sin. l era parte de la campaa monumental Dowie en Nueva York en octubre de 1903. Aquejado de tuberculosis, D.C.O. Opperman reasentados por un corto tiempo en San Antonio, Texas, y trabaj junto a un anciano llamado Sin Lemuel C. Hall. A pesar de su delicado estado de salud, Bro. Opperman estaba decidido a predicar. l describe su curacin milagrosa de San Antonio: En marzo de 1905 se fue a San Antonio, Texas. La salud en una condicin muy peligrosa. El clima me ayud un poco, pero Dios me ha ayudado ms. Liberaciones parciales [sic] en respuesta a la oracin. El 8 de abril de 1905 en aproximadamente 19:30 entr en Houston St. San Antonio, cerca de P.O. [Oficina de correos] para anunciar el evangelio del reino. Dios me san maravillosamente y me santifica. Dios me dio una gran alegra en mi ministerio en la calle. Volvi a Sin en abril, pero regres a Texas en marzo de 1906 a predicar en las reuniones de Zion en Houston. En Houston, conoci a Charles Fox Parham, quien se haba mudado operaciones Fe Apostlica de Topeka, Kansas. Parham estaba predicando el bautismo Pentecostal, y Opperman cree el mensaje, a pesar de que inicialmente no recibir el bautismo real. Envi cartas a Sin, instando a los seguidores a aceptar la enseanza bblica de hablar en lenguas. En junio de 1906, Bro. Opperman viaj con Charles Parham en una convencin Fe Apostlica en Galena, Kansas. Despus de esas reuniones, Parham acompaado Opperman a Kansas City, Missouri, y pas cinco semanas predicando el mensaje pentecostal a los fieles Zion all. En octubre de 1906, Bro. Opperman comenzaron las reuniones conjuntas de Sin y la gente Apostlica de Fe en San Antonio. l dice: "Turned trabajar a Bro. Farr en noviembre. Alrededor del 15 salvados, sanados varios santificado, varios, y Pentecosteses siete. "Bro. Opperman personalmente no recibir el Espritu Santo hasta 1908. Su personalidad tumba podra haberle impedido de rendirse a Dios, pero el 13 de enero de 1908, habl en lenguas en privado por primera vez en Belton, Texas. Bro. Opperman grabado veinte otros "Pentecosteses" durante la campaa de nueve semanas Belton. Pero el 5 de marzo de 1908, habl pblicamente en lenguas en una reunin en San Antonio en un idioma indio americano que fue trasladado. El 28 de julio de 1907, D.C.O. Opperman, que haba perdido a su primera esposa en el parto, se cas con Hattie Ruth Allen, un pentecostal joven de San Antonio. Un ao despus, en julio de 1908, Bro. Opperman asumi sus funciones como Director Estatal del Movimiento de Fe Apostlica en Texas y comenz a viajar por todo el distrito,

alentando a las misiones en ciernes y estimular el renacimiento. Bro. D.C.O. Opperman es probablemente mejor recordado por su papel en el inicio de las escuelas bblicas de capacitacin para los trabajadores pentecostales. Dirigi un corto plazo, donde las escuelas Holy Ghost llenos de santos se transformaron en misioneros del Evangelio. Muchos futuros lderes en el movimiento pentecostal asisti a escuelas Opperman, incluyendo Ralph M. Riggs, quien ms tarde se convirti en un Superintendente General de las Asambleas de Dios. Originalmente conocido como escuelas de los profetas, los centros de formacin Opperman se llevaron a cabo a lo largo de la lnea-no fe matrcula. Los asistentes oraron por lo que tienen y de lo que oraron por! Reuni a las escuelas en lugares tan diversos como Houston, Texas, Joplin, Missouri, Anniston, Alabama, Des Moines, Iowa, y Hot Springs, Arkansas. En octubre de 1915, Bro. Opperman organiz la Biblia Ozark y la Escuela Literaria, una institucin permanente Biblia capacitacin bajo los auspicios de las Asambleas de Dios, que sirvi como un presbtero ejecutivo. Cuando la revelacin del poder de Dios en Cristo dispersos por todo el movimiento pentecostal, Bro. Opperman aceptaron el mensaje y fue rebautizado en el nombre de Jess el 12 de septiembre de 1915. Curiosamente, un anuncio final de la escuela de Ozark sigue apareciendo un ao despus, en agosto de 1916 en El Evangelio Lluvia Tarda, una publicacin pentecostal trinitario. Bro. Opperman comenz a publicar su propio peridico, la bendita verdad, propagando el mensaje de la Unicidad. Con el xodo de la faccin Solo Jess de las Asambleas de Dios en 1916, Opperman asumi el rol de presidente en la Asamblea General de las Asambleas Apostlicas. La escuela Ozark seguido D.C.O. Opperman en el movimiento de la Unidad y se convirti en la Biblia Pentecostal y la Escuela Literaria con la fusin de la GAAA con las Asambleas Pentecostales del Mundo en 1917. Bro. Opperman continu trabajando para el Seor y dirigi una congregacin alemana en Lodi, California desde 1923 hasta 1925. Su muerte prematura fue tristemente coment por Bro. Howard Goss, quien lo describi como "una figura elegante y dominante entre nosotros, lleno de fe y del Espritu Santo." Eternity medir el grado de su influencia piadosa en el movimiento pentecostal y la multitud de vidas cambiadas a travs de las semillas de la fe y el conocimiento que l sembr a lo largo de su extraordinaria vida.