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Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Constitution of Celestial Church of Christ (Nigeria Diocese), drafted from 29 February 1976 to 29 February 1980 and promulgated on 29 March 1980. Web copy reproduced from the Celestial Church of Christ, Promise of God Parish, Brussels (source). This is not an official publication; for the authoritative text, consult the Church’s headquarters.
The Celestial Church of Christ Constitution
The following is a list of all officers (Board of Trustee) of the Church that signed the Constitution:
Certificate of incorporation
Enactment of deed of Constitution of Celestial Church Of Christ
First Schedule- Executors of the Deed of Constitution
Second Schedule-
The Church
Divine Order
Foundation History
Divine Order
Open Air Meeting
Entry into Nigeria
Appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ
Supplement to Foundation History
Injunction to found a new Church
Covenant with Christ
Heavenly Song of Praise
Injunction about Holy Communion in the new Church
Injunctions about Candleholder
Injunctions about Pajaspa
Injunctions about call to Worship
Christ administration of Holy Communion to Pastor/Founder 26
Injunctions about ringing of the bell to worship
Injunctions about praises facing the four corners of the earth
Songs of entreaty for Gods power and Glory
Injunctions for Monthly (New Moon) Watchnight service
Historical Reflection
Registration of the Church
Particulars of Registration
Miracle behind registration
The Church under the absolute dictate of the Holy Spirit
Name of the Church
Tenets and Mode of worship
Tenets
Mode of Worship
Order of Service
Announcement and Sermon
Holy Rites or Sacraments
Baptism
Holy Communion
Annual Washing of Feet
Annual Convocation at Porto Novo at Christmas Eve
Annual Easter Congregation at Makoko
Annual Harvest Thanksgiving Service
Holy Mary’s Day
Church Literature
Membership
Solemnity of Church Services
Church structure
International Headquarters
Diocese
Districts
Parish
The Pastor
Succession into the Office of Pastor
Church Administration
Church functionaries
Pastors representatives
Appointment of Pastors Representatives
Parochial Committees
General Committee
Constitution of the General Committee
Officers of the General Committee
Secretary to the General Committee
Treasurer to General Committee
Other officers of general Committee
Meetings of general Committee
Defect in qualification or other irregularity
Regulatory procedures
Board of trustees
Functions of the Board of trustees
Meetings of the Board of trustees
office of the secretary to the Board of Trustees
Office of the Treasurer to the board of trustees
The Pastor in Council
Composition of the Pastor in Council
Functions of the Pastor in Council
Meetings of the Pastor in Council
Office of the secretary to the pastor in council
Office of the Treasurer to the pastor in Council
Establishment of new Parishes
Discipline
Take over of Churches of other denominations
Church Buildings
Church property
Pastors share
Final Authority on the Interpretation of the Constitution
Procedure for altering the constitution
Ranks and Robes
Role of Female members
Marriages
Annointment
Significance of Annointment in Celestial Church of Christ
Precedence of members of the board of Trustees
Appendix
List of persons raised from the dead by Christ through Rev. S.B.J. Oschoffa
in Republic of Benin
in Nigeria
The drafting of this New Constitution, which was commenced on the 29th day of February, 1976, was, by the Grace of God, completed on the 29th day of February, 1980. The New Constitution was promulgated on the 29th day of March, 1980.
No. 489
N I G E R I A
The Land (Perpetual Succession) Ordinance, Cop. I07
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION of the Registered Trustees of CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST, MAKOKO VILLAGE YABA
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT:
SAMUEL OLATUNJI AJANLEKOKO,ALEXANDER ABIODUN BADA, ALFRED FOLABI BABATUNDE OWOAJE the duly appointed Trustees of CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST MAKOKO VILLAGE YABA have this day been registered as a corporate body, subject to the below mentioned conditions and directions.
Given under my hand at Lagos this.. …. ………. day of November 19..58.
Governor.-General.
Conditions and Direction
THIS CERTIFICATE is liable to cancellation should the objects or the rules of the body as set out in the annexures hereto be changed without the previous consent in writing of the Governor General or should the body at any time permit or condone any divergence from or breach of such objects and rules.
THE DEED OF CONSTITUTION OF "CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST, NIGERIA DIOCESE" formerly registered as "CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST MAKOKO VILLAGE YABA" under The Land (Perpetual Succession) Ordinance, Cap. 107, made
the 29th day of March, 1980 and duly executed for and on behalf of CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST, NIGERIA DIOCESE (hereinafter referred to as "THE CHURCH") by persons whose names are set out in the first Schedule to this Deed having been authorised to do so by the Reverend Pastor Prophet Founder in whom resides the authority of the Church.
WHEREAS the Church has its National (Diocesan) Headquarters at 12/15 Church Street, Makoko, Yaba, Lagos State and the world-wide International Headquarters of Celestial Church of Christ is at Mission House, Ketu, Lagos State.
AND WHEREAS the Church was duly incorporated in Nigeria on the twenty-fourth day of November 1958 under the Land (Perpetual Succession) Ordinance CAP. 107,as a Spiritual Community of Christian believers and worshippers.
AND WHEREAS the Constitution under which it was incorporated was by a notice dated the 28th day of March, 1980 amended and replaced by this New Constitution which is of a more comprehensive nature based on the set of rules, regulations and Christian tenets forming the body of worship of the Church and of its evangelical mission of redemption.
BE IT ENACTED and it is hereby enacted that the New Constitution of the Church to be known as "CONSTITUTION OF CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST (NIGERIA DIOCESE)" as set out in the Second Schedule to this Deed is hereby inaugurated.
IN WITNESS whereof each and every one of us duly accredited so to do in the capacity aforesaid hereunto set our respective hand and seal.
Samson Olatunde Banjo
SAMSON OLATUNDE BANJO.
Oluremi olusoga ogunlesi
OLUREMI OLUSOGA OGUNLESI
Josiah Kayode Owodunni
JOSIAH KAYODE OWODUNNI
Olayinka Afolabi Adefeso
OLAYINKA AFOLABI ADEFESO
Samuel Olatunji Ajanlekoko
SAMUEL OLATUNJI AJANLEKOKO
Alexander abiodun bada
ALEXANDER ABIODUN BADA
SAMUEL BILEHOU JOSEPH OSHOFFA
SAMUEL BILEHOU JESEPH OSHOFA
First Schedule
Names of persons accredited to execute the Deed of Constitution on behalf of Celestial Church of Christ (Nigeria Diocese):
1. SAMSON OLATUNDE BANJO
2. OLUREMI OLUSOGA OGUNLESI
3. OLAYINKA AFOLABI ADEFESO
4. JOSIAH KAYODE OWODUNNI
5. SAMUEL OLATUNJI AJANLEKOKO
6. ALEXANDER ABIODUN BADA
7. SAMUEL BILEHOU JOSEPH OSHOFFA
Second Schedule
The Church
1. The Name of' the Church is "Celestial Church of Christ (Nigeria Diocese)". Celestial Church of Christ (Nigeria Diocese) is part of the one spiritual, world-wide, united, indivisible Holy Church which came into the world from heaven by DIVINE ORDER on the 29th of September 1947 in PORTO NOVO, REPUBLIC OF BENIN (formerly REPUBLIC OF DAHOMEY) through a single individual, a man who is the founder of the Church, the Reverend Pastor Prophet Founder SAMUEL BILEHOU JOSEPH OSHOFFA. The Church is a Diocese of the world-wide Celestial Church of Christ with National (Diocesan) Headquarter-, at 12/15 Church Street, Makoko, YABA, LAGOS STATE, the Supreme Headquarters in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin and with International Headquarters at Mission House, KETU, I.AGOS STATE, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
Divine Order
2. On the 29th of September, 1947, in the deep mystery of the divine appearance, during prayer, of the winged angel bathed in intense light, word came from God to the Founder:
"It is the wish of God to send you on an errand of preaching to the world. Many nominal Christians there are who, when confronted by difficulties and problems of this world, they run after fetish priests and other powers of darkness for all kinds of assistance. Consequently, on their death, they cannot see Christ because, by their action, Satan has left his spiritual mark on them. To assist you in your work so that men may listen to and follow you, miraculous works of Holy divine healing will be carried out by you in the name of Jesus Christ. These works of divine healing and God's spiritual mark on you will testify to the fact that God sent you". Thus was born the world-wide CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST.
3. The name of the Church came down from Heaven by divine revelation through MR. ALEXANDER YANGA, who was at that time undergoing spiritual healing at the residence of the Pastor Founder and who was held in trance for seven days. At the end of the seventh day, he asked for a piece of chalk and wrote the name of the Church on the wall thus.. "EGLISE DU CHRISTLANISME CELESTE", meaning "Celestial Church of Christ".
4. Apart from also being a prophet, the Founder was allowed by DIVINE ORDER to use the name "EPASTORAL" in angelic language, which was also translated for him' as "PASTOR". This was after he had spent the first five years since the birth of the Church as "EVANGELIST".
He is thus Reverend Pastor Prophet Founder (hereinafter referred to as "Pastor"), whose unquestionable authority on earth on all matters of the Church symbolises the oneness, unity and indivisibility of the Church. "Pastor" shall refer not only to the present Pastor but also to his successors in eternity.
5. The final sole authority in the Celestial Church of Christ Nigeria Diocese is vested in the Pastor or the person who succeeds him on his death.
6. Whoever is chosen to succeed as Pastor should have his Headquarters in the land set aside for the Pastor in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin.
7. The Prophet Pastor Founder Reverend S. B. J. OSHOFFA asserts that if he should die in the Republic of Benin, he should be buried in the land he had pointed out in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin.
8. If he should die in Nigeria, he should be buried in the town of IMEKO in Egbado Division of Ogun State near his mother on the family land given to him.
9.The Pastor asserts that his burial ground wherever it is should be set aside as Holy ground and a place of pilgrimage.
Foundation History
10. Herewith the English Translation of the history of Celestial Church of Christ as told by the Reverend Pastor Prophet Founder S. B. J. OSHOFFA during evening service on Wednesday, 18th January 1969 at MAKOKO, the headquarters Church of Celestial Church of Christ, Nigeria Diocese. The History was related in place of the regular sermon for the Church service.
11. "It is a thing of pleasure that I am still alive today twenty one years and some months after the birth of Our Church. "Right here today at MAKOKO, the Headquarters Church of Celestial Church of Christ in Nigeria, I have been asked to give a short history of the Church for posterity. But before doing so, I shall start by giving a short history of myself to clarify matters.
12. "My father was a Methodist born and bred in Dahomey (now Republic of Benin). His Father, OJO, and his mother, KOSHINA, came from Abeokuta in Nigeria to Dasatre where they settled. The artificial boundary between Nigeria and Dahomey set up by Europeans meant that my father was – a Dahomean. His name was OSHOFFA (this is obtained from 'OJU KI ISE OFA TI OTA LE TA BANI KA SUBU, or, for short, 'OJU KO SO FA", which was shortened further to OSOFA' in Yoruba' language; and it means, in English, 'the human eye is not a missile that an enemy can fire at one to make one fall'). He had many wives each of whom bore him up to five to six children. All the children were, however, female and only one survived. This made him entreat God according to Methodist doctrine:
'0 Lord if, thou would give me a boy, I shall give him up to thy service just as Hannah and Elkana did". As a result, I was born in 1909 in Porto Novo of a Nigerian mother named ALAKE IYAFO from IMEKO Egbado Division,' Abeokuta Province. I was named SAMUEL and also BILEWU (BILEAIYEBAWU KOGBE, SUGBON MO MO WIPE MO TI TORO RE LODO OLORUN) which means 'if you prefer to live in this world, then you are welcome but if you prefer to live above in heaven, then you are equally welcome to go, but I know I specially requested for you from God'.
13. "In fulfilment of my father's vow to God, I was sent at the age of seven for God's service to a Methodist Catechist MOSES YANSUNU, father of Evangelist NATHANIEL YANSUNU of our Church. Because my father was not happy with the way I was treated he brought me back home and later sent me at the age of thirteen to stay with Revd. Bishop David Hodonu Loco, the Methodist Bishop of Porto Novo, formerly of Methodist Church, Olowogbowo, Lagos, Nigeria. I was there with some other children. After a number of years, Rev. D. H. Loco was replaced by Bishop Garner from London. The new Bishop ordered that we pupils should participate in making blocks for a new College building. We all refused and so he sent us all back to our parents.
When I got back home, my father admonished me that I was different from the others because he had specially requested for me from God and so I had to do the work. Whereupon he took me back to the Bishop, but the Bishop would not reverse his decision. Whereupon, my father said there was no alternative but that I should learn to be a carpenter like himself.
14. "I became proficient as a carpenter. I was good at roofing buildings, wood planing and working with ebony which I bought regularly from a friend. I kept on working happily as a carpenter until my father died on June 15th, 1939.
15. "After my father's death, I continued to bear the burden until December 1946 when I decided that I would henceforth trade in ebony. I would myself go into the forest to purchase ebony and bring this into the town to sell to carpenters. I began this trade, going into the forest areas in search of ebony. I bought it cheaply and brought it to town to sell at a premium. I continued this lucrative trade until one such trip in May 1947 during the floods. As usual I had my Bible with me. I also loved much to pray.
16. "On the 23rd May 1947, the day of the eclipse of the sun, as I was praying in the forest on this trip, I heard a voice and could not open my eyes. The voice I beard was 'LULI', and the same voice told me 'This means The Grace of Jesus Christ'. When I opened my eyes, I saw a white monkey with two teeth each top and bottom with winged hands and feet like those of a bat. When it wants to fly, it flaps its wings forward. But it was stationary. I saw a bird with yellow feet, yellow beak and long tail. It would sometimes fan out its tail like a peacock does, and it was rnulti-coloured. It was also stationary. I also saw a short snake about one foot long. As it stood stationary, it was coiled and its mouth was puffed like a cobra.
When I heard this voice, I noticed I felt quite different from my normal self. I now found myself toying with the snake. The bird stood for a time and then went into the bush. The monkey also flew away and I then noticed that there was a complete change in me.
17. "I had been rowed to the forest by a canoe paddler I hired from TOFFIN in GANVIE. I always gave him money for his own food. But he stole some of my soup. Soon after, he began to have stomach pains and groaned to my hearing. I ran to him enquiring what was the matter. He said all he did was taste some of my soup. I then admonished him that he should not have eaten any of my soup since I gave him money for his own food. I lay my hand on his stomach and the pains left him. He ran away leaving me alone and saying that he did not wish to stay with this odd man who lives in the forest and whose soup he tastes only to find he has stomach pains which this odd man removes simply by placing his (odd man's) hand on his stomach.
I was thus left with a canoe without paddler, and I myself did not know how to paddle. This was precisely why I wandered about in the forest for three months.
18. "During these three months, I did not cook and I could not paddle the canoe. But I soon discovered a hole in a tree into which bees flew. I soon made fire by lighting two pieces of dry wood together. I would take a dry leaf, light it and stick it in the hole at night. Once the bees have run away, the bees' honey was my food. My drinking water was the flowing stream nearby.
19. "But there I saw many visions and experienced many changes in me. The forest was so thick that one looked up and saw no skies but trees, snakes, boar, monkeys and birds singing. In the midst of all this, I prayed a lot. I did not hunger, I felt no fear and I had no illness but basked in the glory of Jesus Christ.
20. "As I wandered about in the forest, I came to a hillock called FAGBE (after the township of ZINVIE) where I met a man who became Senior Leader MICHEL when he subsequently joined Celestial Church of Christ. It was he who told me the name of the village. I saw a lot of children and prayed there. I returned into the forest wandering round looking for the canoe and soon came by a lake called GODRO near which there is a village named HUNGON. I continued my wandering past WHEDO and on to AGLANGOUN until I found the canoe tied up along an isthmus (narrow stream) from AGLANGOUN well into the forest.
21. "Not knowing how to paddle, I got into the canoe and just allowed myself to be carried down stream by the current of the stream which was then in full flood. While the canoe was thus carried from side to side by the current, snakes fell from trees into the canoe, but I carried them from the canoe with my hand back into the stream unhurt. I continued my trip down the river and soon got to AGANGE. There I found a Methodist young man called KUDIHO at the point of death who was reported to have been very ill for a long time. I touched him and Jesus raised him up. He is alive today and so are his children, all in AGANGE.
22. "I now went to collect more ebony wood from the forest. On my return after five days from the forest, the whole of AGANGE was in ferment. 'What kind of a man is this?' They said, 'We will certainly follow him in his Church'. I told them I did not have a Church. They would not listen and I prayed for them. I stayed with YESUFU in AGANGE who was a neighbour of mine back in Porto Novo. After the miracle of raising KUDIHO on the first day of my arrival in Agange and before my return from the forest, YESUFU had gone back to Porto Novo to tell my relations that he had seen me at Agange, that I looked very odd and like a mad man, that my hair was long, unkempt and matted, that even my dress was rough and untidy and that I touched the dead and they rose up, he did not know what was the matter.
with me. My relations replied him that the reason for my untidy appearance could not be anything but laziness.
23. "I began to prepare to return home to Porto Novo on the fifth day. I engaged ZINSOU as my new paddler. On my return there, all those who had known me before were curious. I began to have crowds of visitors. "About three days after my return to Porto Novo, my elder sister, ELIZA.BETH EKUNDAYO, came to me to say that her son, EMMANUEL MAWUYON (i.e. O'LORUNDARA) GUTON, had died. I went to him and found native doctors there who had tried unsuccessfully to bring him back to life. When they saw me, they quickly packed out of the room. What the native doctors failed to do, Christ did: for I touched the deceased, and he came back to life all in the name of Jesus Christ. It was this miracle that made my sister leave U.A.M. (Eleja) Church and follow me.
Her son, Emmanuel, immediately received the holy gift of prophecy and thus became the first prophet of the Church. It was through him that a lot of our worship was revealed such as PAJASPA, the specially designed receptacle for taking collection at services (with a candle lit at one end).
Divine Order
24. "On the 29th of September 1947, while, I was praying in my house with some visiting friends, I saw a strong ray of light rather like that from the headlamp of a car. I then saw a winged being whose body was like fire and whose eyes were tiny flying towards me behind the beam of light. As it approached me, the beam of light shortened until the being stood about a yard from me. This being then proceeded to say to me: 'God wishes to send you on an errand of preaching to the world. Many Christians there are who, during their lifetime, when confronted by problems and difficulties of this world they seek after fetish priests and other powers of darkness for all kinds of assistance.
On their death, they think they are Christians, but they are no longer Christians because Satan has left his mark on them. For this reason, such people, after death, cannot see Christ. God wants to send you to the world on a mission of preaching and exhortation, but the world will not believe you. To assist you in your work so that men may listen to and follow you, miraculous works of holy divine healing will be wrought by you in the name of Jesus Christ. These works of divine healing and God's spiritual mark on you will testify to the fact that God sent you.
25. "Immediately after I got this message, MARRIE, the wife of FREDERIC ZEVENU, one of those present, exclaimed that she saw Jesus. I asked her how? She said she saw a cross made of wood, tall, big and wide. She said He came down from the cross, stretched His hand, and she could see blood oozing out of both left and right hands where nails had been driven in, she could see the same on the feet and from other parts of the body. She said Jesus then displayed His sides and she could see where He had been speared and that Jesus came down from the cross, stood before him (Pastor) and took him (Pastor) into a room.
When they both re-emerged, the woman continued, he (Pastor) was dressed in a white tunic full of stars, and the Pastor's eyes were so full of blinding light that she could not look at them. But now, she continued, she was surprised to find him (the Pastor) without the tunic or the blinding light. I also related to her what I had seen and heard. She, her husband and others all departed.
26. "I could not sleep all night; various heavenly visitors came and spoke with me. At ten o'clock the following morning, FREDERIC ZEVENU, husband of MARRIE, a Roman Catholic, in Porto Novo, met a group of young people playing 'ayo' (a game) in a quarter in Porto Novo called JOGREY. He related to them what had happened in my house the previous day, what I had seen and what his wife had seen as we knelt down to pray. He told them that his wife was at home and had not slept all night, but had been talking all the time, and the things she said were rather mysterious and far above her. About twelve of those young people ran to my house in disbelief that such things could still happen.
Seven of them were possessed by the holy spirit delivering different messages about the tenets of the Church and could not move, the remaining five retraced their steps and went back to ZEVU in Porto Novo to spread the news. Those who heard them again ran to my place in disbelief that in this day and age such things could happen. But they also experienced some of the things the first lot experienced.
27. "This led to gossips throughout Porto Novo that I had commissioned and bought magic. All the Churches were bewildered, the Methodist Church was shaken to its foundations and alive with gossips that I was dealing with the powers of darkness and so on. When I found that thirteen days passed by without my being able to sleep because my house was full of Moslems, Catholics, Methodists, idol worshippers (some two hundred of them) I sent word through DOMINIC ADANDE on the Friday to the expatriate police officer in charge of the town at the time that I, whom he must remember as a music player in the town, implore him to dispatch police officers to my house to drive away all these people in my house because I have not been able to sleep for the past thirteen days.
Dominic confirmed to him that I was a citizen of the town and he asked to see me. I went to see him and related to him the entire episode. He replied that he had no right to send police officers to drive people out.
Rather, since he suspected that God wished to use me for a certain purpose, he would suggest that I arrange an open air meeting the following Saturday to which I should invite people all round by means of notices to offices and other forms of publicity. He said that he himself would be there. As his own father was a Christian, he did not have the power to drive away anybody. This reply made me thoroughly fed up with the whole situation. But those who were with me agreed readily to the officer's suggestion and those among them who were literate went and prepared notices and distributed them throughout Porto Novo.
Open – Air Meeting
28. "On reading these notices, many people who had earlier only
just heard rumours, now congregated on my premises anxious to see
what would happen. We erected a wooden dais on which I sat, with a
prophet seated either side of me. I was spiritually guided to open a Bible before me but not to read it, and to light three candles before me which I did. Whenever a question was asked, the reply I should give usually came to me from Him that sent me. I sat down.
29. "The first question was from one man whom we called Alex Aganyimi, a member of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church. He was a Togolese. Whenever a question was asked, one of my ears gave a high pitched noise while the other was silent, the noisy ear did not hear what was being asked, while the quiet one did. Alex said he understood that Moses Orimolade was sent by God and he performed all kinds of spiritual works, now I came along again and claimed that God sent me, which should they accept? The noisy ear became quiet and I heard as follows: 'With regard to your question, John the Baptist came before Jesus; you must surely know that Cherubim and Seraphim’s are angels all of whom wait upon and worship our Lord Jesus.
The Celestial Church of Christ is Christ’s Church , while the Cherubim and seraphim’s belong to the angels and is no more than a fore runner to prepare the way for Celestial Church of Christ. Whether the world likes it or not, its glory will soon become known to all mankind". As I heard this, I relayed it to Alex.
30. "Catholic and other Churches were there because the publicity had kindled interest in the answers I would give to the various questions they would put to me. And I myself had no idea how to answer except to transmit the answers given to me. A Catholic said that it was common knowledge that St. Peter and St. Paul took the Catholic Church to Rome, and he knew that it was by the authority of Jesus. Would the same Jesus again send me as I claimed there then? Which should they follow? As he spoke my ears went into action, the noisy one gave out its high pitched noise, while the quiet one listened. I then heard as follows: 'Young man, we gave you one Kobo to hold to, and you held on to it;
now we are telling you to reject the one kobo and accept two kobo, because the glory of two kobo is more than that of one kobo. But if you refuse to relinquish one kobo in time, when in future you come to see the glory of two kobo, you will want to retrace your steps and embrace it, but it will be too late as others will have taken your place'. I answered as I was instructed, and so on for subsequent questions left and right. We left the gathering that day glorifying God. Also as a result of the success of the meeting, many more people began to join me. That marked the beginning of the Church and its growth.
31. "Now, I was born a Methodist. I now wish to speak about the visit of REV. PARRINDER, A Methodist Pastor, who had been transferred from Porto Novo (where I was under him) to an Institute in Ibadan. He was a tall man. He heard about me and came to see me. The Church was about three months old then. He asked me why it was that, since I was a Methodist, I did not deploy this spiritual power that had just been bestowed on me for use within the Methodist fold. I replied that his point was well taken, but the Methodist Pastor in Porto Novo at the time named GBEYANGBE was the one who went on the pulpit and preached that no Methodist should come to my house because I had acquired magical powers by purchase and was deceiving people about.
This turned many Methodists against me and they did not come near me. Moreover, my dear Reverend, I continued, if the Methodist Pastor at the time had sent word to me to inquire truthfully and diligently about me don't you think that I would quite gladly have joined forces with the Methodist Church because I myself had no understanding of the whole episode as shown in the fact that I sent to the police to help to send multitudes away from my. house.
32. "However, before you came, I continued, He who sent me told me that a European will be coming to see me and that I should speak with him patiently and calmly. I was then asked to tell you that you should stay awhile until next Sunday and worship with them at the Methodist Church in Porto Novo. After service, position yourself at the exit with one half of the door closed so that they can also shake your hand as they file out. Note their fingers for any rings which are not engagement or wedding rings and which are made of metal or such like, you should know for sure that in such peoples homes are to be found idols, witches and other powers of darkness and that they are idol worshippers. It is they who use the powers of magic.
And those who would truly worship and serve him must serve no other god. The message given to me is that many Christians there are who on their death do not see Christ because they had become idol worshippers before their death. This is the task entrusted to me. After giving him this message, he stood speechless for some half-hour in thought beating his forehead with a pen and with one leg crossed over the other. He then went out to the doorway of my father's house (which is where it all started, not my present house), stood by his car for another half-hour with ADIHU another Pastor from Republic of Benin (formerly Dahomey) who had accompanied him on the visit. After consulting for some time he promised to come back but I did not see him before he returned.
33. "But, according to God's promise (and God never fails to fulfil His promise), at the same time that these things were happening, a woman in Porto Novo called TINAVIE from ZEVU district died in hospital after a short illness. The Church was barely two months old. Tinavie's younger sister, MAWULOWOE (God will oblige), it was who prophesied that Tinavie's dead body should be brought to me and that Jesus would raise her from the dead. Church members in. the area came to tell me of her death and I asked them to bring her dead body to my house. When it was brought on a stretcher, I told them to put it on the bare floor.
34. "Now all my relations in our compound were all Moslems.. Only my father was a Christian. But we were all Yoruba. We have eight marks on our cheeks according to Yoruba tradition. When the dead body was brought in, my relations, who were all Moslem’s, exclaimed in Muslim fashion 'I-LAHILA, HILALAWU, what has this boy done again? Brought in a corpse!' But I asked them to leave the dead body on the floor. In short, Jesus Christ my Saviour raised TINAVIE from the dead. She became alive and I asked that she be taken to the hospital to greet the doctor who had treated and certified her dead. The doctors name was Alexandre. When the doctor saw her alive, he ran slamming the door thinking that a dead person was about to speak to him.
He did not realise that it is God the King who brings the dead to life again. It was also MAWULAWOE who at the first seaside Christmas festival gave the song (in Yoruba):
Jesu emi yio sin o (2ce)
Nibi mimo yi
Larin ‘jo nla re
Emi yio sin o titi d’opin
Emi yio mu ‘bukun rele’ .
Meaning in English:
'Jesus, I shall worship thee (2ce)
In this holy place,
Amidst thine large Church,
I shall worship thee until the end,
I shall go with blessings from Thee' .
35. "Another miracle related to a friend of mine MOISE SURU AFOYAN from ZEVU district of PORTO NOVO who died. His relations came to tell me that my friend had died and that they had come to buy the coffin with which to bury him but had merely called to let me know. I went to the house of MOISE and I saw his dead body lying on the floor. He was my friend. I was wearing three sets of clothes. I took one off, covered the dead body with it and told everybody to leave the room. When it was the wish of Jesus, MOISE SURU was brought back to life at twelve midnight.
36. "I went back the following day. MOISE SURU said he very much wished to tell me what happened. He said he saw an old man with hair and beard all white standing on the balcony of a storey building. The old man brought me to show him (MOISE) and asked him whether he knew me. He said he replied that he did. The old man then told him that he (MOISE) was already dead but because of and to honour me (PASTOR), he would be returned to life; and moreover, he (MOISE) would not die again until the person (PASTOR) who raised him from the dead shall have built a storey building.
37. "It was thus MOISE SURU who foretold the event of my building a storey house. And yet, at this time, I did not even have the financial strength to buy a single brick. I went along with it because I knew that my God's word never fails. I am thankful to God that MOISE SURU and his children are still alive today, and the storey building has been built in his lifetime as he foretold.
38. "The next notable event was at the town of GRANPOPO where the sea had overflows its banks thus constituting a serious problem. Because of the news reaching him of various miracles wrought by Christ through me, the chief of the town sent word to me in PORTO NOVO that the sea had penetrated the town and had destroyed all their houses. He sent word that they believed that God had sent me and that there was nothing that God could not do. He implored me to come and stop the sea washing away their entire township. I prepared to go, taking six people with me including Wolida AFOSE YANGA, his wife Elder SILVESTIN, YAMAN and Leader MATHIAS from DANNU.
.39. "When we got to the sea front at GRANPOPO, I saw a European Catholic Reverend Father carrying a curved shepherd's staff standing by the sea, and the sea pushed him back as he prayed with the staff. But when I got there, I was told by HIM that sent me that to HIM the entire world was like an egg and that similarly the sea was like a needle. I was further instructed that I should, therefore, insert a needle in an egg in full view of all the inhabitants of GRANPOPO and throw the egg with the needle into the sea which would carry it away. I did as I was instructed as it was not my wish but that of HIM that sent me. A miracle happened, the sea receded completely.
40. "It was noteworthy to record a further development of this event. There was a Lagoon in the town (Granpopo) which normally emptied into the sea. The Point of entry was dangerous as many boats had been carried away there. The sea had now receded so much that the whole area at the Point of entry of the lagoon to the sea was dry. When the idol worshippers in the town who did not accept Jesus Christ saw what happened, they became annoyed and protested that the recession of the sea had gone too far. They brought cows to offer as sacrifice and dragged them along until they-threw them in the sea. Because of this faithless act, the sea returned with doubled fury after three months and did more havoc than before.
41. "The fame of these deeds spread far and wide. Consequently, people in TOFFIN rushed to join the church. From AGANGE, the Church spread to GBEKO, from GBEKO to GOGBO. As the Church spread far and wide, the Catholics in Porto Novo, the Moslems and Methodists began to plot and mobilise against me. They all had informants in my house – the Catholics had theirs, the Methodists had theirs and the Moslems also had theirs. Any Catholics who worshipped in my house were immediately informed upon by the Catholic agents. Any Methodist who worshipped in my house were immediately informed upon by Methodist agents. Similarly, any Moslem who worshipped in my house were immediately informed upon by the Moslem agents. Consequently, I moved to WEME, a district of TOFFIN.