The MacDonald Family- Early Tongues and Secret Rapture

Around 1830, miraculous healings were reported through James Campbell, first of his sister Margaret MacDonald and then of Mary Campbell (through James's letter to Mary). Shortly thereafter James and George MacDonald manifested the speaking and interpretations of tongues, and soon others followed suit in prayer meetings. These charismatic experiences garnered major national attention. Many came to see and investigate these events. Some, such as Edward Irving and Henry Drummond, regarded these events as genuine displays from the Holy Spirit. Others, including John Nelson Darby and Benjamin Wills Newton, whom the Brethren sent on their behalf to investigate, came to the conclusion that these displays were demonic. WIKIPEDIA

1830 – James MacDonald

and Edward Irving

Edward Irving, Presbyterian

As early as 1830, Scottish Presbyterian minister Edward Irving and a group of English evangelicals had predicted the restoration of tongues (as well as the other gifts of the Spirit) as signs of the end of the age.

On April 20, 1830, in the first recorded instance in modern times, James MacDonald spoke in tongues, and his twin, George, interpreted: "Behold He cometh—Jesus cometh— a weeping Jesus." In fact, almost all the subsequent interpretations in England centered on the theme "the Lord is coming soon; get ready to meet him."

Margaret MacDonald's Vision

Margaret MacDonald was the younger sister, who in 1830, at 15 years old, is said to have had a vision of what later became known as the “Secret Rapture”. Her older brothers, James and George, were the ones involved in the first modern “tongues”.

EXERPTS: Margaret MacDonald’s Vision of 1830

(which you may credit to either the Holy Spirit or to devils according to your preference!)

“”It was first the awful state of the land that was pressed upon me. I saw the blindness and infatuation of the people to be very great. I felt the cry of Liberty just to be the hiss of the serpent, to drown them in perdition. It was just 'no God.' I repeated the words, Now there is distress of nations, with perplexity, the seas and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them for fear. Now look out for the sign of the Son of Man. Here I was made to stop and cry out, O it is not known what the sign of the Son of Man is; the people of God think they are waiting, but they know not what it is.”

It is by being filled with the Spirit that we shall be kept. I frequently said, Oh be filled with the Spirit - have the light of God in you, that you may detect Satan - be full of eyes within -be clay in the hands of the potter -submit to be filled, filled with God. This will build the temple.

All power that comes not through the blood of Christ is not of God. When I say, they are looking from the cross, I feel that there is much in it - they turn from the blood of the Lamb, by which we overcome, and in which our robes are washed and made white. There are low views of God's holiness, and a ceasing to condemn sin in the flesh, and a looking from him who humbled himself, and made himself of no reputation.

Oh! it is needed, much needed at present, a leading back to the cross. I saw that night, and often since, that there will be an outpouring of the Spirit on the body, such as has not been, a baptism of fire, that all the dross may be put away. Oh there must and will be such an indwelling of the living God as has not been - the servants of God sealed in their foreheads - great conformity to Jesus - his holy holy image seen in his people - just the bride made comely by his comeliness put upon her. This is what we are at present made to pray much for, that speedily we may all be made ready to meet our Lord in the air - and it will be. Jesus wants his bride. His desire is toward us. He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. Amen and Amen Even so come Lord Jesus."

John Nelson Darby, who developed the dispensational eschatology emphasizing the Rapture, was Irving's friend, and his ideas were ardently supported by many Holiness leaders. "Every fully-developed Pentecostal experience includes this Pentecostal expecting of the coming of the King," said one.

1849 – Brother Ralph (Adventist)

According to records still kept by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in their historical archives, in a periodical titled Present Truth Vol. I Issue 5 – An early Adventist named Hiram Edson relates how he attended a prayer meeting at a conference in Centreville, New York in November, 1849.

The subject of this prayer meeting was a proposed visit to a former Millerite Adventist evangelist named Rhodes who was despondent and living in the wilderness. Brother Ralph had secretly prayed for the Holy Ghost to show them a sign at this prayer-meeting. This sign was given as Brother Ralph spoke in a “new tongue” no one at the prayer meeting understood, then Ralph himself interpreted this outburst in tongues to mean – “Yes, go invite Elder Rhodes to return to us.”