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Dr. John Hamblen, founder of the Evangelical Methodist Church (left) and Dr. Ezequiel Vargas, founder of the Mexican Evangelistic Mission (right).
These two like-minded men “joined forces” and united their organizations to spread the message of scriptural holiness throughout both the United States and Mexico.
This picture was taken at Jennings Lodge, at the Western Annual Conference, July 1964, only few months before Dr. Vargas was promoted to Glory. (feel free to copy it--right click with your mouse and chose “save file as”)
When Dr. Ezequiel B. Vargas founded the Mexican Evangelistic Mission in the city of Chihuahua, as an organization its purpose was to reach the forgotten people of his state--criminals, the poor and needy, and the Tarahumara Indians with the gospel of Christ. The Chihuahua vision spread as people were won to Christ
In meeting Dr. J. H. Hamblen, Dr. Vargas found another man of God with a great vision. The two men joined in forming a single organization, the Evangelical Methodist Church, with a singular cause to reach the lost through preaching the Word of God and teaching the message of holiness.
With a firm conviction that the gulf that separates conservative and liberal thought in the church is an ever-widening chasm which can never be healed, the Evangelical Methodist Church came into being to preserve the distinctive doctrines of primitive Methodism, founded upon the inspiration and authenticity of the Bible and upon the Articles of Religion as set forth by John Wesley.
On May 9, 1946, in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, a small group of preachers and laymen met together for consultation and prayer, endeavoring to cope with the growing apostasy of the church. After long hours of waiting before God in prayer, they felt definitely led of God to organize the Evangelical Methodist Church.
Dr. J. H. Hamblen, of Abilene, Texas, was elected chairman of the group meeting in Memphis, and was elected the first General Superintendent of the Evangelical Methodist Church the following November at the first Annual Conference at Kansas City, Missouri. In praying for the new movement, Dr. Hamblen prayed: “Oh, Lord, if this movement be of Thy will, bless and prosper it; but, Lord, if not of Thy will, then let it die here and now.”
At the first conference session Dr. Ezequiel B. Vargas, Superintendent of the Mexican Evangelistic Mission, founded in 1926, was present and proposed that this work become a part of the Evangelical Methodist Church. At this time the Mexican Evangelistic Mission was made a part of the EMC. In 1954 the work was designated as the Mexico District. In 1957, the Mexican Evangelistic Conference, including all of the territory of Mexico, was established as the first Mission Conference. Dr. E. B. Vargas was elected by the General Conference to preside as General Superintendent over it.
Dr. Vargas had a vital ministry among the Tarahumara Indians. Over the years the EMC has emphasized intercessory prayer for these people as well as supported personnel to minister in the mountains. The Tarahumara Indian Ministry Extension (T.I.M.E.) presently funds the outreach to the Tarahumaras.
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