The Story of Ma and Pa Sweeney
Early Pentecostal Pioneers in Maine.
Written by: Bro. Daniel T. Rideout - 2023
Charles and Mabel Sweeney
Charles ExSmith Sweeney
- b. 9/4/1871 in Selma, Nova Scotia
- d. 8/10/1962 in St. Petersburg, FL - age 90
Mabel V. (Vincent) Sweeney
- b. 1884 in Fall River, Massachusetts
- d. 2/7/1971 in St. Petersburg, FL - age 86
Burials: Memorial Park Cemetery, St. Petersburg, FL
Cenotaph: Forest City Cemetery, South Portland, Me.
The Story of Ma and Pa Sweeney .....
To God Be ALL The Glory !!!!!
Sis. Mabel Sweeney wrote a book, a sort of "auto-biography" of their travels in The Gospel Ministry, entitled: "From Egypt To Canaan." This book is now out-of-print, but the excerpts of this account of their life, shared from various sources, as well as accounts of memories of them, recorded by others, helps us get a glimpse, if possible, of The Life and Ministry of "Ma" and "Pa" Sweeney. Ma and Pa Sweeney were "Circuit Riding Preachers," of their day.
Bro and Sis. Sweeney lived in a little house in West Garland, Maine. lt was still standing around 1987/'88. Sometimes they would set up tables on the lawn, to have a picnic, and afterwards have an Old Fashioned, Holy Ghost, Pentecostal service. In those days, these types of meetings were called "Open Air" meetings. Ihey were very poor folk in the natural, but RICH In The Holy Ghost!! They travelled much, up and down the East Coast, from Maine to Florida, sometimes sleeping in tents, to Preach The Gospel! They didn't always own their own car, so they had to get rides anyway they could.
Bro. and Sis. Sweeney were originally trinitarians, but because of The Love Of The Brethren, they later came into the Understanding of Jesus Name Baptism.
Sis. Sweeney recalls an account c1930. She was asked to go start a Pentecostal Work in the Auburn Maine area. She felt it was The Lord's Will, but she said: "Pa and I will Inquire of The Lord, and IF it is Auburn, rest assured I will be there." They fasted and prayed about it. They also put out a "fleece" to The Lord, that IF it was His Will to go there, that He would have a place to hold services in by Sunday. It was Tuesday, on Saturday, she got a card in the mail that read, "Will you come for Sunday? We have a Hall, and are waiting for the Preacher." They Knew it was God, and went. They went and stayed three months there. Bro. Sweeney went along with her, Helping Faithfully financially in the Work, and in Preaching too. They had The Favour Of God!! Folks were Saved and Filled with The Holy Ghost. Bro. George Rix, a Christian Missionary Alliance Minister, and his wife, started coming to the services to see what was going on. They'd climb up the baok stairs, so no one would see them. One night after the meeting, Sis. Rix told her husband, "George, Bro. and Sis. Sweeney has something we ain't got. l think we had better look into it." They soon Received their Baptism In The Holy Ghost and Spoke In Other Tongues as The Holy Ghost Giveth the utterance. They got "On Fire" for Jesus. Bro. Rix later became the pastor of that Assembly. That Work after many changes, moves, and pastors, was what was known as the L/A Church Of God. The last pastor of that Assembly was Bro. Robert Derocher, Jr., a Graduate of the Deliverance Bible Institute, that was in Portland, Maine. F.M.I. on this Work, please see my book entitled: "Pentecostal Pioneers of Auburn and Lewiston."
Bro and Sis. Sweeney visied the Sailoft Mission church in Portland, quite often, during their travels, and she said they had good services. In the 20's, she recalled being at the Sailoft, when a Bro. Tatman was pastoring, at the time. During that time, he left for California. She said: "The meetings went on just the same, and God Blessed us by sending us other Spirit-Fiiled workers, such as Sis. Christine Gibson of E. Providence; Bro and Sis. Tan Ditter; and Sis. Minnie Clark, and let me tell you, they were On Fire for God. God Bless them." Sis. Sweeney later wrote, "Sis. Minnie Clark was our pastor (at the old Park St. church), and a good one, too, Filled with The Spirit Of God."
In the late 1920's, Ma and Pa Sweeney visited the Lincoln Center Church of God often. Bro. Wesley Ayers started that Work there, in a School house building. Sis. Sweeney writes of one of their visits there: "We left Auburn for Lincoln Center, Maine, to be with Bro. Ayers, and his good wife, and their daughter Dorothy. We spent four weeks with them, holding meetings every night, and God Blessed us, and souls were Saved. We stayed at the pastor's home-he sure is a Firebrand! If you ever want to get a Good Blessing, be sure and visit his Assembly; you will always find a warm welcome for the children of God."
Sis. Sweeney writes of early Pentecost in Medway, Maine: "... we went to Medway, Maine. Bro. and Sis. Lyons were there to meet us, and believe me, God did Glve us a wonderful Revival: the Hall would be packed to the doors every nlght. Many souls were Saved and between 25 and 30 were Filled with The Holy Ghost and Fire! Glory To God! Our little Sister Amy Baily was with us and God did Make her a Blessing among the young people. I'll never forget the wonderful Water Baptism we had in the river, just at the end of the bridge. The shore was lined with people, and on the big bridge the folks were crowded - they were even sittihg away up on the iron girders that they might get a good view. Pa, Under The Anointing Of The Spirlt Of God, preached a mighty message on what we ought to be before we are Buried Into Water Baptism With Christ, and how we should Walk after. As the five brothers walked into the water one after the other, the Saints would begin to sing, "Shall we gather at the river," and it seemed as if this beautiful song that came from those throats rose higher and higher and higher, 'till it was lost in Heaven. What a sight, in these days, to see men and women follow The Footsteps Of Jesus. Bless Hls Name, it was hard to tear ourselves away from these dear Saints on both sldes of the river. We visited Brother and Sister York's Assembly on the other side of the river, and i never was in an Assembly where God had so many wonderful singers in alI my llfe; when they would sing Under The Anointing Of God, it seemod as if the very rafters would ring, and we knew God was there. Dear old Uncle John Thompson, and his dear wlfe Aunt Deborah, how everybody loved them! Uncle John was the Pioneer Circuit Preacher and these Assemblies 'round about are the fruits of his Labour. May God Bless them in their old age, and stlll Make them a Blesslng 'till He calls them home."
She writes of her memories in 1929, at the old Newburgh Centre Pentecostal Church, where The Holy Ghost was first Outpoured in Maine, during the 1906 Azusa St. Revival: "God Bless the dear Saints at Newburgh. We counted it a privilege to be in that little town, since we have learned that this little place was where The Latter Rain first fell and the first person was Baptized with The Holy Ghost And Fire According To Acts 2:4 (kjv), in the State of Maine."
In Searsport Bro. Perley 0. Andrews started a Full Gospel Misslon there. The original church building was on the corner of Leach and Main Sts. It is still standing today. However, the cougregation moved down the Street to a larger facility, later on. This Work was started as a Jesus Name (not Jesus Only) Work, but in later years was affiliated with the Assemblies of God. Bro. Chester Staples held a Revival there in Searsport, and they had a big Water Baptism through the ice! Ma and Pa Sweeney also visited this Assembly cl930. She writes: " ... held meetings in Searsport, Maine, for Brother Perley Andrews. It was while we were there that The Lord allowed us to buy a new Chevrolet car through our dear Brother Robert Carle, who was a dealer in cars, by allowing his Commission toward a payment. We had been without a car for a year, and we had prayed and God had heard and we knew He would send us one, Glory To His Dear Name. And The Lord always sent the rest of the payments just on time; sometimes it would be almost the last day before it was due. Pa would say, "Tomorrow is the last day, Ma." I would say, "Praise The Lord, Pa, He Said He would supply our needs, but i have never read that He would supply them in advance!" And let me tell you, He has never failed us - always on tlme. After the Searsport meetings were over, we started for Patten, Maine ...*"
Sis. Sweeney recalls an account of early Pentecostal History in Lewiston, Maine, maybe about 1924: "Thanksgiving Day we got ready to go to Lewiston, to hold a meeting at the Berean Mission. Pa had worked hard all week preparing a sermon for that day. He had it all fixed what he was gonna say and what he wasn't gonna say, but The Holy Ghost had Prepared Another, which he knew nothing about! What a happy day that was! When we got to Lewiston, we stopped at Brother and Sister Harvey Robinson's. There Sister Lottie, who was a worker at Berean Mission, was ill. We went in. Pa, Under The Anointing Of The Spirit, laid hands on her, And In Jesus' Name Commanded this fever to leave, and immediately Jesus Made her Whole, and she get up and came to the service with us, All Glory Be Given To Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Pa's testing began there. There were two Assemblies in that building, and, of course, Pa had to go in the wrong door, but God had a purpose in it! Brother Bedford, who had charge of this Assembly at that time, has since fallen asleep in Jesus. We expect to see him when Tbe Great Trump Of God Sounds. He saw thee great happiness that had come over Pa, and said, "Brother Sweeney, tell us about it." Pa did hot have to be coaxed. He told them all what had happened, and it made them so hungry that he said to his congregation, "What do you say if we close the door and all go in Brother Prescott's Assembly and hear this Brother tell about his experience, and all Worship together?" Pa took the Brother by the arm and walked in. Pa didn't notice anything; he felt so good, he thought everybody else did. Pa brought a message (not the one he wrote out, he lost that one; we never have seen it since), but one Inspired By The Holy Ghost. After the selvice was over it seemed as if everyone was Blessed. We got ready to go back to Portland. Mr. Prescott who had asked us to come and hold meetings for one week, didn't seem to give us such a good handshake as the week before; something was wrong. We found out later that these two Brothers had not been on very good terms, and two days later we received a postcard saying, "I have decided your service will not be needed next week. I did not approve of your walking in as you did Thanksgiving Day." What a shock, after you thought you were doing your best. But this was a little thlng." I mention the Berean Misslon in my book: "Pentecostal Pioneers of Auburn and Lewiston." Note: i had to make an edlt note on that church. The edlt note ls near the back of my book. Through research, the two pastors she mentioned of these two Assemblies, in Lewiston at that time, were: Elder Charles H. Bedford, and Mr. Albion S. Prescott. The Berean Mkssion was located at that time, at 204 Main St. Bro. Bedford's Assembly was located at 202 Main St., and was called "The Gospel Mlssion."
Sis. Sweeney wrote again of another account. 'Twas in Thorndike, Me., in the 1920s. "Our next call was to Thorndike, Maine, where Pentecost had not been preached much. Brother Gordon and his dear wife had been to one of our meetings and came and asked us if we would go and hold some special meetings in the Grange Hall. He felt that it was God's time... We arrived in thorndike, I'll never forget how God Undertook for us there: 70 were Saved, four or five Filled with The Holy Spirit, many were Baptized in water; the crowds were so big that the Grange Hall could not hold them. The Masons let us hold our meetings in their Hall. They came from far and near, and it seemed as if the whole town cooperated with us. We had a wonderful Water Baptism in Unity Lake. What a gathering it was that stood on the shore! It was a beautiful day as the sun shone from a beautiful sky and was reflected in the placid water of the lake. The very Spirit Of The Almighty Jehovah was brooding on the water as Brother Harold Taylor began to sing softly, "Shall we gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river?" The rest of God's children picked up the sweet strain, and as it increased in volume and floated across the waters of the lake. there was a rustle among the trees: Pa was coming down the little path that led ftom the woods to the shore of the lake with a crude staff in his hand which had been cut from a limb of a tree. He stood there for a few moments and offered a prayer, and with upraised hand toward Heaven, he walked out in the water, turned around, and leaning on his staff, he began to Address the crowd, Explaining to them what Water Baptism meant. After he had finished, the gathering started to sing: Holy. Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee: Holy, Holy, Holy, Merciful and Mighty, God in three persons, blessed trinity. And from across the lake an echo came back, "blessed trinity." Glory to God!" It was many years later, that a Graduate, fresh out of Zion Bible lnstitute, Bro. Bernard Elliot, along with his dear wife, Sis. Evelyn, went to Thorndke, Maine, and opened up a Pentecostal Work, there, in an old closed up church building! That was thelr flrst pastorate.
In the winter of 1925 and '26, Bro. F. Harold Bickford went to St. Petersburg, FL. There, Bro Bickford started the first Pentecostal Assembly there. It later became an Assembly of God church. Ma and Pa Sweeney visited St. Petersburg at that tlme. Young Donald, Bro. Harold's son, remembers that Ma and Pa Sweeney peddled eggs, at that time. Ma and Pa Sweeney would see little Donald walking to School, and give him fifty cents.
Just to name a few more memories of this precious couple, IF The Lord Permits ...
Sis. Sweeney wrote/mentioned of tent Meetings in Ashland, Maine, around the late 1920s: "The rain came down in buckets, the lightning flashed, the thunder just roared; the tent began to shake and leak, and the people began to move from one place to another to dodge the streams that would pour through the tent. One Sister began to holler, "Look out for my piano!" Folks tried to run out, but had to run back. Pa stood there wlth the raln running down hls face, Preachlng for all he was worth. He was above the storm and sald, "You mlght as well Listen to The Word Of God, and it ain't pianos we want to Save, it is souls!" When Pa would slack down, The Spirit Struck the song leader, Brother Bouchard, and he began to sing, Oh, Lord, send The Power just now, Oh, Lord, send The Power just now, Oh, Lord, send The Power just now, and Baptize every one. And let me tell you, I never heard Brother Samuel Thompson play his saxophone or Sister Kathleen Gardner play the piano as they did that day. It was not natural playing singing, preaching, or praying, but It was A Demonstration Of The Holy Ghost before sinners to prove to them that the devil is mighty BUT God IS Almighty. The enemy would have frightened them out, BUT The Power Of God Held them fast, and out of it all, Saved three souls. Why shouldn't we praise God? We came out of the battle Victorious, THROUGH Jesus Christ Our Lord!"
Francis (Craig) Cook, and her sister, Erma (Craig) Adams, recall Ma and Pa Sweeney attending meetlngs at tbe Pentecostal Mission in Bradford, Maine, as well as the Conventions at Dexter. The Group in Dexter were "Life Advents." They were Holy Ghost Filled Christian Advents.
Ma Sweeney held special services for Sis. Christine A. Gibson, at The School Of The Prophets in East Providence, Rhode Island, that The Lord had Helped Sis. Gibson Establish there. The School Of The Prophets later became known as Zion Bible Institute. Bro. Billy Washington and his brother, Eddie, were Converted on March 10th, 1930, during those special meetlngs with Sis. Sweeney. Then, in 1931, in March once more, during more special meetings with Sis. Sweeney, the boys were Filled with The Holy Ghost. Bro. Leonard Heroo, and others, were also Filled with The Holy Ghost, at that time, as well. Bro. A.A. Augut, that did the Baptizing for Sis. Gibson, back in those days, Baptized the Washington twins in the tank there.
There are so many things we could say of Ma and Pa Sweeney, but the books could not contain it all. They visted many early Pentecostal Assemblies in Maine, etc., in their travels, including in Winterport, Maine, at the old Full Gospel Assembly there, pastored by Bro Fred and Sis Gladys MacLaughlin. l have seen pictures of them sitting in the old seats there, in the original church building, downtown by the Fire Statlon. In the 1940s, Bro. F. Harold Blckford mentloned attending a United Pentecostal Fellowship Meeting in Carmel, and that Bro. and Sis. Sweeney were among those who attended the service. In the early days, the Jesus Name and trinitarians Fellowshipped together. They just Llfted Up Jesus, but after the UPC was formed in 1945, the hierarchy of the UPC told their ministers that they could no longer Fellowship with anyone who was not "Jesus Name," then later, added, anyone who was not UPC. Bro. Harold Bickford held Ministerial Conventions each year in Mars Hill. Every preacher, Jesus Name and trinitarian were Ordained under his group, The Full Gospel Ministerial Fellowship, until the UPC was formed. In the early days, Bro. Bernard Patton was president of that group. Bro Bickford always took a humble position and was just Secretary/Treasurer. Many precious friendships were severed after the UPC made thelr Decree. Bro. Bickford was broken hearted.
This is the account of the life of Bro and Sis Charles Sweeney. IF i have forgotten anything important, it ls not intentional. If any info is incorrect, i apologlze, i'm going by Documented accounts of their life ...
"Pa" & "Ma" Sweeney
No Comments