Rev. Howard Archibald Goss

Howard Archibald Goss was born March 6, 1883, near Steelville, Missouri. He was the fifth of seven sons born to Clinton and Margaret Goss who had moved to Missouri from Tennessee. His early childhood was spent on a farm, and the forest around the homestead abounded with wild game. In his own words, Howard stated, "Books we had, but no shoes. They had to be made in our locality. Only the older boys had shoes bought for them. I was 12 years old when I got my first pair." In those days it was common for people to work from the peep of day until the darkness had settled down. Christmas and the 4th of July were their only holidays. In 1898, Clinton Goss sold the farm near Steelville, and moved to Galena, Kansas, where a boom was surging in the lead and Zinc mines. Howard was a practicing infidel until he met Charles F. Parham. In 1903, he was invited by his school teacher to visit the revival that was taking place in Galena, under the direction of Brother Parham. After hearing some young girls speaking in tongues, he was converted to Christianity and accepted the Apostolic faith message. He was baptized in Jesus' name by brother Parham in Spring River near Galena in 1903. Soon after, he began to feel a call to the ministry. In 1905, he sold all his belongings, and went with Charles Parham and a group of 22 workers to Houston, Texas. In 1906, a band of Gospel workers in Houston, boarded a train to conduct a revival in nearby Alvin. As they traveled and worshiped God, the Holy Spirit began to be poured out on the workers. As the train was pulling into the Alvin Depot, Howard began speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave him the utterance. It was during that same year (1906) that Howard was ordained to the ministry. On February 24, 1907, Howard and Millicent McClendon (a well known evangelist) were united in holy matrimony. She died in 1910 due to complications during child-birth. In the Fall of 1911, Howard married Ethel Wright, who died on December 3, 1963. To this union was born six children - three boys and three girls. In 1912, he took his gospel tent to Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he settled there as pastor. In the Fall of 1913, he rented the Grand Opera House and moved his congregation into it. In November of that same year, together with E.N. Bell, Howard issued an invitation to hold a convention in order to organize the Pentecostal work. E.N. Bell was elected Chairman and Howard was elected the Secretary. Out of this meeting came the organization known as the Assemblies of God. It was about this time (1913) that the truth of baptism in the name of Jesus and the Oneness of God was revealed to the Pentecostal constituents. Howard Goss, along with many other ministers, accepted this truth. In 1916, 153 ministers, including Howard Goss left the Assemblies of God, and formed the first known Oneness organization in modern times. In 1919, he moved to Canada, where he was instrumental in organizing the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, originally a Jesus' name organization. In 1920, he founded Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle in Toronto, Canada. He pastored this church until 1937. In 1939, Howard Goss returned to the United States, and was elected General Superintendent of the Pentecostal Church Incorporated. In 1945, he was elected the first General Superintendent of the newly formed, United Pentecostal Church, and held this position until 1951. Following this, he labored as a Bible teacher and spiritual advisor. Though, almost 80 at the time of his death, he was active in the work of God until illness prevented. Howard A. Goss' long and useful life in the service of God came to an end on July 13, 1964, at his home in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Bishop Howard A. Goss was inducted into the Apostolic Ministerial Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2002.