Charles Fox Parham (1873-1929) is often referred to as the "Father of Modern Day Pentecostalism." Rising from a nineteenth century frontier background, he emerged as the early leader of a major religious revivalist movement. He emphasized the role of the Holy Spirit and the restoration of apostolic faith. With his evangelistic zeal, he also advanced the concept of "speaking in tongues." Though his influence in the movement diminished later in life, his enormous impact on the development of Pentecostal faith was widely recognized.

Early Life

Charles Fox Parham was born June 4, 1873, in Muscatine, Iowa, the third son of William and Ann Parham. He lived the American frontier experience, reared on the tenets of populism. In 1878, William Parham packed his family into a covered wagon and moved to Anness, Kansas, where they lived comfortably on a profitable 160-acre farm.

Parham was a sickly youth, suffering from encephalitis and tapeworms...