The roots of the “hard gospel” style Mahalia Jackson perfected can be traced to the Pentecostal / Holiness movement at the turn of the century, when the “shout songs” became synonymous with the holy ghost possessing a soul. Churchgoers spoke in tongues, rolled in the aisles, waved their arms wildly, shouted “Hallelujah” and clapped their hands in sanctified percussion as the pianist pounded away on an untuned upright. As the preachers wailed and raged, the music matched the mood.

But an increasing number of people- both black and white – were becoming interested in the Pentecostal doctrine and the new worship services that urged emotional release. The vortex of this impassioned twist on faith was at the pilgrimage of Pentecostal leaders to the Apostolic Faith Gospel Mission in Los Angeles in 1906. Being “saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost” by speaking in tongues was the theme at the event now commonly referred to as the Azusa Street Revival. Musical instruments, once considered the tools of the devil, were used to punctuate the testimony and wild foot-stomping dances called “shouting” broke out at will. A one-eyed black man named William Seymour preached the message of Pentecost in Acts 2:4 of the New Testament, which tells the story of the Holy Ghost descending on a gathering of Christ’s disciples in the form of tongues of fire. At Azusa Street, those overcome by the spirit talked in a Hebraic-sounding language (called “gloss-ola-lia”) which was translated by the preacher.

"Let's Go To Church / Gospel Choirs" - GOSPEL TRAIN on KLJN 107.7 - w/LadyJaz

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