As they turned the corner, the little three-year-old

could see the dingy white warehouse that people crowded

into 24 hours a day. Although she was just over three

years old, the journey was a daily affair and with the

evening dampness in the air, she couldn’t wait to get

inside the Azusa Street meeting place. Now a daily

tradition, she would take in all the excitement that filled

the room, marveling and wondering about all that was

happening around her. Although the child didn’t

understand why people were shouting and crying, nor the

miracles that were taking place, she liked the

atmosphere. But, what she liked most was that in a few

minutes after entering the room, Mom would find her seat

and she would be able to crawl under the pew, get

comfortable, and take a nap.

     This toddler had also become comfortable with the

thick mist that filled the room. Being in a playful mood

when she woke up from her nap, she would try to gather

the mist into her arms. She loved the cloud that filled the

Azusa Street Warehouse for almost three and one-half

years during what is now historically called the Azusa

Street Revival. It would be a few years before she was old

enough to understand that she was trying to capture the

Shekinah Glory of God.

Shekinah Glory into her young, developing lungs. She

experienced Azusa through the eyes and mind of a young

toddler. Although her mind could not comprehend all

that was going on around her, she knew she was in a very

special place among some very special people at a very

special time.

     As she grew older, she would learn of the miracles

and Presence of God in the form of the Shekinah Glory—

so thick during those meetings—where she found comfort

under the pew. She would be able to tie together the

experiences recalled by family and friends with the

experiences her heart captured but her mind was unable

to comprehend at that tender age.

     This story was told by Jean Darnall, who followed

in the steps of Aimee Semple-McPherson. Without

question this story had a profound effect on her life and

ministry. When I met her, she was in her early forties,

and I was a somewhat permanent fixture at Pisgah. A

dark haired woman, with a few streaks of gray accenting

her attractiveness, Sister Darnall was quiet and softspoken,

standing about five feet and four inches. Anyone

that met her fell in love with her sweet, gentle nature.

I share her story of this child because it illustrates

how Azusa impacted even the youngest of children. But

also to introduce Jean Darnall (Darnell). Jean played an

important role in my life for she also was the person who

told me something forty years ago that was finding

Azusa Street Revival.

     The impact of the story of the three-year-old would

be life-long for Sister Darnall. Her exposure to God and

His mighty works would come throughout her youth as

her mother took her to meetings such as those at the

mission on Eighth and Maple led by Frank Bartleman.

Although the great Shekinah Glory was unique to Azusa,

and the story of the child happened some fifteen years

prior to her birth, young Miss Darnall loved to hear the

stories of Azusa and the time she spent at Eighth and

Maple.

     In 1944, she found herself to be one of the

successors to the pulpit of the famed Aimee Semple-

McPherson at Angelus Temple. I personally had attended

many of her meetings at Angelus Temple and marveled at

her anointing when she preached the Word of God.

This mighty preacher of God would often talk of

the three-year-old’s experience at Azusa and about the

Shekinah Glory that she had fallen in love with and tried

to capture. That experience was so profound that it would

be a part of her very soul.

     Although Pastor Jean was not as demonstrative as

Aimee Semple-McPherson, she was in many ways a better

preacher. Normally quiet and soft-spoken, when she

began to preach or teach, an anointing would come upon

her and you could feel God’s power within her. I will

never forget what it was like to have Pastor Jean pray for

hands on me and prayed for me, I felt the Spirit of God

through her touch and tender words.

     Pastor Darnall had taken a special liking to some

of the young people around Pisgah, including me.

Whenever she came to Pisgah to speak, she always made

it a point to come early to spend time with some of my

friends and me. Because of her willingness to talk with

us on a personal level, I had the privilege of knowing and

spending time with Pastor Darnall on several occasions.

     Once, when I asked her why she chose to spend time with

Mike and me, she said, “You two men are very young, but

you know what you are doing and you know God!”

Coming from her lips, I took that as a great compliment.

My relationship with Pastor Darnall was one that

I cherish to this day. Her compassion and care were

instrumental in helping me develop as a young Christian.

     Today, I have no doubt that God ordained our

relationship. In fact, Pastor Darnall is indirectly

responsible for this book being written forty years later.

In 1966, the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship

was having its international convention at Angelus

Temple and was planning to celebrate the sixtieth

anniversary of the Azusa Street Revival. Demos

Shakerien, the founder of the Full Gospel Businessmen’s

Fellowship, had come to Pisgah to talk to Brother Smith,

who oversaw the Pisgah ministry. Shakerien wanted to

get some of the Azusa Saints who were living at Pisgah to

come to Angelus Temple and tell their stories.

to Pisgah. While waiting for some envelopes to be

visited with some of the Azusa Saints about coming and

telling their stories at the convention. One of the Saints

Pastor Jean talked to was Lucille, her former secretary.

She explained what Shakerien was wanting and Lucille

told Pastor Darnall, “If you really want to know all the

stories, all you need to do is to get Brother Tommy

Welchel to go to the convention and tell the stories. He

knows all the stories down pat.” Then Sister Carney, who

we will introduce in the next chapter, said, “He knows

them better than we do.”

     Jean Darnall left these Saints and came over to

envelopes I was addressing for her. As she drove over,

she pondered what she had been told about me and my

knowledge of the stories about Azusa, and during a time

of prayer, the Lord spoke to her concerning my future. I

came out to put the addressed envelopes in her car, and

while she was getting out of the car to open the trunk, she

called for me. Her words were simple but stunning.

“Brother Tommy, come over here; I have a word from the

Lord for you. The Lord is showing me that all these

stories that the Azusa Street Saints have been telling you,

and you have been learning and memorizing will someday

be put into a book.”

intentionally tried to make it happen. I told a few of the

Saints and Brother Smith about Pastor Darnall’s word

from God, but other than that, I just kept her words in my

heart. I want to be clear that I did not personally seek

out anyone to write these stories. In fact, I was surprised

when my pastors suggested that we make a record of

these accounts. When we began to record the stories, I

finally told one of my pastors about the prophesy from

forty years ago. God is not slack in His promises. His

revelation to Pastor Darnall now finds fulfillment

according to His perfect timetable.