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Arthur Vess
Arthur Vess, born circa 1895, died circa 1970, was an American preacher and author whose ministry within the Holiness movement emphasized sanctification, holy living, and bold scriptural preaching during the mid-20th century. Likely born in the rural South—possibly Tennessee or a neighboring state, given the Holiness movement’s strong foothold there—Vess emerged as a voice for uncompromising faith, though precise details of his early life, such as exact birth date and family background, remain elusive due to limited documentation. His work suggests a modest upbringing, steeped in evangelical Christianity, leading him to a calling as an itinerant preacher and writer focused on equipping believers and ministers alike. Vess’ ministry centered on delivering practical, no-nonsense sermons and writings, many preserved through platforms like RaptureReady.com and oChristian.com, including titles such as How To Preach And Teach Holiness and Youth’s Three Great Choices. He pastored and preached across Holiness churches, advocating for a life of prayer, discipline, and separation from worldly compromise—themes evident in his exhortations to preachers to “live what they preach” and maintain “secret contact with God” for effective ministry. His booklets, like The Bible on the Tongues Doctrine, tackled contentious issues within Pentecostalism, reflecting his engagement with theological debates of his era.
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Arthur Vess preaches on the evangelistic importance of true holiness, emphasizing that only holiness can awaken sinners to the seriousness of sin and lead them to desire deliverance and restoration in the sight of a holy God. He highlights the impact of old-fashioned holiness preaching in sparking revivals and converting sinners, contrasting it with modern compromises. Vess draws from Isaiah's encounter with God to illustrate the need for personal holiness and the recognition of our own sinfulness. He concludes with a call to embrace the missionary vision given by Jesus, empowering every believer to be a soul winner and spread revivals locally and globally through the work of the Holy Ghost.
Preach Holiness Evangelistically
Preach Holiness evangelistically. "True holiness' has always produced great revivals.Only holiness makes sinners conscious of the terror and awfulness of sin, and produces a longing desire within to be delivered from sin and restored to holiness of heart in the sight of a holy God.Old-fashioned holiness preaching has produced more revivals and converted more sinners than allthis modern or ancient compromise or sinning religion. "When Isaiah saw the Lord, high and liftedup," and heard the angels crying, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, he saw himself andcried out, "Woe is me, for I am undone -- unholy. I am a man of unclean lips and dwell in the midstof a people of unclean lips." (This describes many of our modern churches.) A church withoutrevivals is a church without God and holiness. In His final message, Jesus Christ cried out, "All power is given unto me, both in heavenand in earth. Go ye therefore unto all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all thingswhatsoever I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."Here we have a mighty missionary vision, or the Great Missionary Alls: I. "All Power" II. "All the world" III. "All Creatures" or Individuals. IV. All the Trinity, "Father, Son and Holy Ghost," to back our salvation campaign. V. All Things, "Teaching them to observe all things." VI. Always, "And lo I am with you always, even unto the ends of the world." Every preacher and evangelist, and every member, a personal soul winner will spreadrevivals through our own town and around the world. See our recent booklet on "United SoulWinners." The mission of the Holy Ghost is to produce revivals, as was the purpose of JesusChrist. "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and you shall bewitnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts ofthe earth." I. The Promise of Power. "Ye shall receive power." II. The Person of Power, "The Holy Ghost." III. The Purpose of Power, "Ye shall be witnesses." IV. The Projection of Power. "From Jerusalem unto the uttermost, or outermost parts of the earth." From your home town to continents and islands around the world. If we were half as muchinterested in souls, as we are in statistics, revivals would break out all over our communities,conferences and denominations, and around the world. We all have to be careful, lest we get sowrapped up in material things until we forget the spiritual realities -- the only realities.
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Arthur Vess, born circa 1895, died circa 1970, was an American preacher and author whose ministry within the Holiness movement emphasized sanctification, holy living, and bold scriptural preaching during the mid-20th century. Likely born in the rural South—possibly Tennessee or a neighboring state, given the Holiness movement’s strong foothold there—Vess emerged as a voice for uncompromising faith, though precise details of his early life, such as exact birth date and family background, remain elusive due to limited documentation. His work suggests a modest upbringing, steeped in evangelical Christianity, leading him to a calling as an itinerant preacher and writer focused on equipping believers and ministers alike. Vess’ ministry centered on delivering practical, no-nonsense sermons and writings, many preserved through platforms like RaptureReady.com and oChristian.com, including titles such as How To Preach And Teach Holiness and Youth’s Three Great Choices. He pastored and preached across Holiness churches, advocating for a life of prayer, discipline, and separation from worldly compromise—themes evident in his exhortations to preachers to “live what they preach” and maintain “secret contact with God” for effective ministry. His booklets, like The Bible on the Tongues Doctrine, tackled contentious issues within Pentecostalism, reflecting his engagement with theological debates of his era.