The following account comes from the Azusa Street Revival magazine, The Apostolic Faith, Jan. 1907.
PENTECOST IN TORONTO :
On December 8, the writer came to Toronto, Canada, to assist in two mission meetings. The first is in the northwest part of the city and closes tomorrow night. There the Lord as met us in full salvation power. We praise Him!
But we wish to write especially of what our eyes have seen and our ears have heard of God’s work elsewhere in this city, particularly at 651 Queen East. Bro and Sister Heb[d]en being in charge. Here is three-story building all separated unto the Lord. A public assembly room, not large, is on the first floor. The second floor is occupied by the superintendent of the work. And the third floor is for rest for those who need help from the Lord. At the present time, it costs about $75 a month to cover all expenses. No collections are taken and no help asked for, except for old clothes for the poor. God supplies all the needs. Of course He does. Here there are held three services on Sunday, a Bible reading on Monday evening, and all-day prayer meetings on Wednesday, and divine healing on Friday evening. It was my privilege to attend two of these all-day meetings, save at night. Here God is pouring out His [S]pirit. Several have been definitely baptised with the Holy Ghost and speak with tongues. It all came about in this way: Mr and Mrs Hebden began praying for more power to heal the sick and cast out demons. The Lord said to Mrs Hebden, :: [“]Tongues, tongues.” She answered, “No, Lord, not tongues, but power, power.” The Spirit was grieved. Then she replied, “Anything, Lord, tongues or anything.” Soon after this the power came upon this yielded woman and she began to speak in an unknown language. And now the Holy Spirit speaks and prays in a tongue through her and sings and writes and makes sketches which appear like landscapes. Paul exhorts, “Let him […] pray that he may interpret.” She has prayed and now interprets. One of the sketches was a cloud rolling up from the earth. Two days after this was given, it was interpreted to her to mean the resurrection of the saints. I heard Mrs Hebden speak yesterday interpreting what she said. It was this: “God’s people should pray for more humility.” Another sentence was, “On the seventeenth of September, the Lord baptized me with the Holy Ghost and gave me the Bible evidence.”
Bro Hebden received his Pentecost last Sabbath morning, while quietly meditating on the word of the Lord, not thinking of the baptism. He praised Jesus, and the Holy Ghost fell upon him. He prayed in a tongue yesterday in my hearing. The meetings are heavenly. They are conducted informally. A stranger could scarcely discover who is in the lead. Christ is the head. The Holy Ghost leads. There is a divine hush in the home. There is seriousness without rigidity, quietness without death and formality, joy and much praise without flippancy, liberty without license. How anyone not right with God can come into these meetings and not get under deep conviction, are conundrums. Pentecost has begun in Toronto.
One young woman who was very nice and precious in the world was marvelously saved. She had been under deep conviction for days. When once surrendered, she seemed to sweep with one bound from the altar of burnt offering into the most holy place, from the cross to the Pentecostal chamber, sealed with the Bible evidence. ([see]Ac. 10:46.) She laughed incessently for hours and hours. Sometimes she speaks in a tongue while at her work.
May the dear Lord hasten to get us humble enough to trust us with His gifts, and simple enough to receive all He so freely offers, for His own glory.
Going on with the Lord, I remain,
your unworthly servent, A. S. Copley, Cambridge, O.
from “Way of Faith.”
The Apostolic Faith Vol. 1, No. 5, January 1907 (Los Angeles: The Pacific Apostolic Faith Movement).
In the April, 1907 edition of The Apostolic Faith, there is a further article on revival in Toronto. It
reads:
MANY WITNESSES TO THE POWER OF THE BLOOD AND OF THE HOLY GHOST –
IN TORONTO, CANADA.
The Lord is wonderfully blessing the work in 651 Queen Street, E. Toronto. For five months it has gone on without a break. Nearly 80 have received the baptism with the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues. Four workers have gone out from here to preach the full gospel. Many are being healed. Last Sunday we had a glorious time all day, especially in the afternoon service, when the power of God prostrated two brothers and came upon many at the altar. The whole meeting place was used as an altar, everyone using their seats and getting down before the Lord. One brother who began speaking in tongues staggered to his seat exclaiming: “This is glory, glory, glory!” And before he had got through a sister rose under the power of God and commenced saying: “This is glory, glory.” A spirit of great rejoicing seized everyone. It was a time of magnifying God. Truly He has done great things. A band of workers from this mission went to a place just outside of the city limits and held services, and the power of God came down upon the people. We are believing for a mighty oupouring upon the people in that district. – Sister Hebden.
The Apostolic Faith Vol. 7, No. 1, April 1907 (Los Angeles: The Apostolic Faith Mission).