What Happened To Agnes Ozman?
Her story is one that boasted a glorious beginning but a conflicted ending. Her time under the ministry of Rev. Charles Parham made her the first to experience this beautiful revelation, but, like so many who have fallen away, her destiny is uncertain.
Let us begin at the beginning of her experience: Having received the glorious infilling of the Holy Ghost, along with her fellow students and teachers, she at once set about spreading the Word of God.
Her initial, firm conviction that the Holy Ghost was always evidenced by the utterance of tongues was substantiated by the following passages of the early church, recorded by members of the school:
* Acts 2:1-4 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
* Acts 8:14-18 Simon saw evidence of the Holy Ghost immediately: “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money.”
* Acts 10:44-46 The Jews knew the Gentiles had received the Holy Ghost because they heard them speak with other tongues! “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.”
* Acts 10:47-48 The apostles reveal that the Gentiles received the Holy Ghost in the same manner that the Jews did on the Day of Pentecost, marking a continuance in the way it is poured out. “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”
* Acts 11:15-16 As Peter explains to the Jews why he baptized the Gentiles that received the Holy Ghost, he once again confirms that they received the Holy Ghost in the same manner as the Jews on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. “
* Acts 15:7-9 Once again Peter is recounting how that the Gentiles received the Holy Ghost in the same manner as those on the Day of Pentecost; he seems to have had to explain this a lot! “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
* Acts 19:1-6 Paul, passing through Corinth, differentiates between disciples who have simply ‘believed’ and those who have the ‘Holy Ghost.’ A verbal profession of faith does not give the Holy Ghost. Instead, they were expected to be baptized in Jesus’ name and receive the Holy Ghost, speaking with other tongues, as in the beginning! “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”
* Romans 15:16 states that we are “sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” It is needed for sanctification—or in our terminology, saving!
Evangelist Agnes Ozman
Shortly following Agnes’ experience, she married Rev. LaBerge and began evangelizing with him. Their road was a tough one, assisting struggling congregations for many years.Agnes Ozman later recanted her belief that speaking in tongues was necessary for spirit infilling because she could not understand how many people struggled to submit; she could not understand or agree that good people who simply never broke through in prayer could be unsaved.
She and her husband joined the Assemblies of God, another organization that denied the need for spirit infilling early on as they also denied the deity of Jesus Christ and the biblical need for baptism in Jesus’ name.
Having received such divine revelation and an experience beyond compare, Agnes Ozman forsook all to assuage her burden, losing the miraculous revelation of truth.
Passing from this life early in 1937, one can only speculate how many souls were impacted by Sister Agnes Ozman—for good and for bad. You see, her burden for the lost was so great that she eventually compromised, rather than believe the foundation of her faith.
What will you do with your revelation?
