F.F. Bosworth Mentioned in P.C. Nelson's book, Does Christ Heal Today? (1941)

By Roscoe Barnes III
Author, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind Christ the Healer
Copyright (c) 2018

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Image courtesy of Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (iFPHC.org)

Every once in a while you come across an out-of-print book that is so important and so well-written, it should be read by a new generation. Does Christ Heal Today? by P.C. Nelson is such a book.

Nelson was a master linguist, healing evangelist, and prominent educator in the Assemblies of God. He published his 96-page book on divine healing in 1941 through his own publishing house, Southwestern Press of Enid, Okla. (A copy of the book is available at Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.) At some point in the 1940s, possibly the latter end of the decade, Jack Coe began publishing the book. According to Coe, "This book contains the most scriptural, yet simplified method to receive healing from God of any book I have ever read."

In the same vein as A.B. Simpson and A.J. Gordon, Nelson makes a compelling argument for divine healing in the modern era. His book features detailed healing testimonies and instructions for those in need of healing. The book includes Nelson's personal testimony of healing and his entry into the healing ministry. It also includes mention of F.F. Bosworth, which is not surprising, given the impact that he had on Nelson's ministry. 

The content in the Appendix is pure gold -- and well worth the price of the entire book. It provides tried-and-true methods for participating in the ministry of healing.

For the most part, the book is a compilation of articles, letters, lectures, and other material related to church doctrine and theology. (See Contents below) Several chapters first appeared as stories in newspapers in the early 1920s in Kansas and Oklahoma. The chapter that mentions Bosworth is titled, "God's Call to a New Ministry," and it first appeared in 1922 in the Wood County Republican of Bowling Green, OH. The piece is an interview of Nelson who was holding a campaign in the amory in Bowling Green. In response to a question about his reason for leaving his pastorate and becoming an evangelist, Nelson explained:

I made a new study of the Bible concerning divine healing, and saw clearly that the healing of our bodies as well as the salvation of our souls was included in the sacrifice of Calvary. This message I had never preached. I felt that God wanted me to preach it everywhere.

I heard of the wonderful, miraculous cures in the Bosworth meetings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and went down there to investigate for myself. I saw many deaf who had received hearing, blind who had regained sight, lame who had been made to walk, and I heard scores of people testifying to the wonderful healing power of Christ. I saw the multitudes flocking to the meetings, and scores daily turning to Christ as their Savior. I said, 'This looks like the revivals we read about in the New Testament.'

Nelson's mention of Bosworth is brief but still significant. It gives readers a glimpse of the role that Bosworth played in Nelson's own healing ministry.

Image courtesy of Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (iFPHC.org)

At the beginning of this article, it was suggested that Nelson's book is worthy of being reprinted for a new audience. The idea brings to mind a publishing project that involved Kenneth E. Hagin. When Hagin came across T.J. McCrossan's book, Bodily Healing and The Atonement, it had been out of print for many years. But seeing its value and its relevance to another generation, he and Roy H. Hicks reedited the book and republished it in 1982 via Kenneth Hagin Ministries. Perhaps it is time now for a publisher to follow Hagin's example and publish Nelson's book for today's church.

Related article:
What P.C. Nelson Saw in the F.F. Bosworth Revival Meetings: How the Experience Moved Him to Begin His Own Healing Ministry. See here.

References:
Coe, Jack. Introduction to Does Christ Heal Today? Messages of Faith, Hope and Cheer For the Afflicted

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (iFPHC.org)

McCrossan, T.J. Bodily Healing and The Atonement. Reedited by Roy H. Hicks and Kenneth E. Hagin. Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1982.

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For more information:
Visit the F.F. Bosworth page here. Questions about the research and commentary on F.F. Bosworth may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on F.F. Bosworth history, simply follow this blog or @Roscoebarnes3 on Twitter. #ChristTheHealer