Canadian Pentecostal History quiz

"Cary & Audrey Robison" (robisonc@telusplanet.net)
Wed, 14 Oct 1998 12:05:21 -0600


Frank Vandenburg wrote:

> He was a suitor to one of
> the sisters (Susie, I believe) but when they considered their life
together,
> she was called to Eastern Canada, and He to travel the US, so they
realized it
> was not to be. The suitor was AD Urshan long before NA was a twinkle in
his
> eye. That ends this installment of "Love lives of the Rich in Grace and
Truth
> :-) "

Well, if you ever want a second installment, Frank Small's marriage proposal
letter is great reading. In this instance, the suitor succeeded.  ;-)

> BTW, Bro. Cary, do you happen to know if Bro. Goss' church still exists,
and if
> so where would I find it? I'm thinking of travelling up that way and would
like
> to take a look.

Although he pastored a couple of other Ontario churches early on, Bro.
Goss's longest pastorate was at Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle in Toronto,
where he served from 1921 to 1937.  And yes, last I heard, the building was
still standing, at the corner of Chatham and Euston. (I've heard it called
"the Danforth church" because of its proximity to Danforth Ave.) I'm not
sure what its current use is, though.

Bro. Goss then pastored in Brockville, ON for a couple of years. In 1939, he
was elected superintendent of the Pentecostal Church Inc. and moved to
Missouri, where of course he remained as the first general superintendent of
the UPC when it was formed in '45. He held the position until 1951.

Although he remained active in ministry, I'm not sure if Bro. Goss actually
pastored again after returning to Canada. Certainly the Toronto church was
the one he was most identified with as a pastor.

It's interesting that this church was never affiliated with the UPC or its
forerunners. It belonged to the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. Although
the PAOC officially became a Trinitarian organization in 1920, Bro. Goss and
several other Oneness ministers in Ontario remained in the PAOC for years
afterward. In fact, Bro. Goss was a district presbyter with the PAOC in the
late '30s, and quite likely held that position at the time he was elected
superintendent of the PCI. It wasn't until 1940 (after Bro. Goss had left
for the U.S.) that these Oneness brethren were forced out of the PAOC.

The Toronto church remained with the PAOC after the 1940 rift, and became
that organization's headquarters. The Oneness believers left and formed a
new church, which eventually joined the UPC and was pastored for decades by
Bro. Carl Stephenson.

Cary Robison