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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 emphasizes the importance of preaching with seriousness and eternal significance, rather than focusing on amusing or entertaining the congregation. He highlights the danger of neglecting the spiritual hunger of souls by resorting to jokes and light-heartedness in the pulpit, which can leave individuals feeling disappointed and starved for truth. Vess stresses the need for sanity and seriousness in delivering the message of holiness, cautioning against using humor as a substitute for the weighty matters of salvation and sanctification. He challenges preachers to prioritize the impartation of a holy nature and the deliverance from sin over mere entertainment, especially in a world that is increasingly distracted by amusement and entertainment.
Preach It Seriously
Preach it seriously, not as a joke, but as a serious eternal issue. There is too much chaff inour modern pulpits. Many try to tickle and amuse people rather than bless them. If we are blessed,we do not need to be amused and entertained. It is all right to be cheerful, but not chaffy. They saidthat Jesus often wept but never laughed. How could He? A young man was seriously affected by anevangelist's message, and went over to the parsonage after the service to inquire more about thetruth; but the pastor and evangelist cracked jokes and cut up so much that the hungry soul wentaway grieved, disappointed and starved, wondering if there was anything to it after all. No onewas ever saved or sanctified in a jocular mood. We must be sane and serious. There may be anoccasional use of wit to embarrass the adversary, but holiness is not a joke. Some cowards in thepulpit crack a joke and explode their occasional denunciations of the world. Many, or most, of ourmodern once-holiness preachers vie with each other in keeping their hearers laughing and roaring with fun. Is this why the "glory has departed?" The world stresses amusement and entertainment,while the world is lost, and communism is rushing in on us. They want to forget their sins and sorrows. They need deliverance from slavery of sin, and the impartation of a holy nature so thatthey can live a holy, happy life free from all sinful strife. Only miserable people have to beamused and entertained.
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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.