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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.
Entry into Nigeria
42. "When my detractors did not see me in Porto Novo, they imagined that the Church was reducing in strength. But the opposite was happening among the few I left behind. Meanwhile, some of the members in TOFFIN established another branch in GBAJI from where it spread to Lagos in Nigeria. Those who introduced the Church into Lagos were fishermen, about seven in number – people like the present LEADER SAMUEL FRANCOIS, the present Senior Leader Leyon who is right here among us, people like JOHANA from GBAJI and the late SEPO.
43. " Their unique church and spiritual works which people in Lagos noticed about them led to persistent demand to see me. I was then already back in Porto Novo where the Church had then grown and become big and firmly established. When word came that LAGOS wished to see me, I feared to go either to LAGOS or indeed anywhere in Nigeria. Being the only surviving male of my father, I feared for Nigeria which I understood was a fast and difficult country. The emissary from LAGOS was always MOSES AJOVI from IJOFIN, Nigeria, now a Senior Leader. After refusing twice to go to Lagos, I relented the third time on the understanding that MOSES AJOVI would be with me always. And so we both travelled to LAGOS together during the Passion Week 1951.
44. "Soon after my arrival here in LAGOS I learnt of a young woman who was mad and laid up in a room. I went to see her and Jesus cured her instantaneously. This caused a stir, and by Maundy Thursday word had gone round of this famous miracle.
45. "A number of clergymen from various Churches sent for me to meet them on the Good Friday in a hall in YABA which had a piano in one corner. They told me they had heard stories of miracles of the dead rising and so on. Although they were all Christians, they wished to make it clear that I should consider them to be thorough-going doubting Thornases. They very much wished to believe that God sent me, but they would not unless they saw miracles performed there right before their eyes. I agreed. I asked them which of them would like to see the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and to know that God sent me. They all replied that they would.
46." I then selected two women from among them, one married, the other unmarried and asked them to lie down. I removed two of the clothes I was wearing, placed one each, on the two women. After about one hour, nothing happened. I asked them both to get up. The elder one said she seemed to notice something brush past her, but she looked up and saw nothing. The other said she felt something about to happen to her but she saw nothing. At this stage, they began to think they would not see any miracles.
47."I then remembered and sang the song which the eleven month old child of MARIE ZEVUNNU gave, the world through the HOLY SPIRIT some time before which runs thus (in Yoruba):
'Emi Mimo sokale sarin wa, S:s:d:m:-:-d:r:d:t:l:s:-:-:-:-
Awa nse ireti re s:s:d:m:-:-d:r:-t:-d.-:-:-:-
Wa wonuwa ko wa fun wa I'agbara s: s: 1: s: m: s: f : m: r: m: -m:
Agbara t'awa yio fi segun, 0 ki ise 'Ieri re lai mu u se, Ranti ileri re to se'.
meaning in English:
'0! Holy Ghost descend thou upon us,
We wait upon thy coming down,
Come enter us and give us thy holy strength,
The strength with which we shall overcome,
Thou never makes a promise without fulfilling it.
Do thou remember thine promise!'
They all began to sing this song with me.
s: s: d: m: -d: r: -t.: -d:
s: s: 1: s: -: -m: s: f : m: r: m: -m:
s:s:d:m:-:-d:r:-t:-d:-:-:-:-
48. "Suddenly, as they sang, the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Among them, somebody said: 'He is my beloved. I sent him, hear ye him'. Another said: 'you married woman, you are in your menstrual period, you want to see the glory of Jesus, do ask her whether or not she is in her period'. Still another said: 'you young woman, you know very well you have just had sexual relations and you have not bathed to cleanse yourself. I am a selective God'. They were all bewildered at all they saw and heard coming from among them. The whole hall shook and they saw the power and glory of God.
49. "Now, these people at Yaba that day knew many Christian songs of their own denominations; they were so impressed with what they saw that they declared that they would do nothing but sing when they saw Jesus. So they began to have a feast of songs. After sometime, I told them it was time to go home. They said I should not go home and they would not stop singing until day break. And moreover, they continued, it was raining and once it started raining in those parts, they said, it was a long time stopping. I replied that what they took for raining was indeed part of God's work; it was a special down pour which would stop as soon as I wished to go home. When I saw that they had contributed a lot of money, I told them I wanted no money.
One woman among them gave me two shillings loaves of bread which I accepted, saying 'Jesus said a worker deserves to have his food'. I then said I was going and they said I could not go yet. I peeped out, stretching my hand in the rain. It stopped and I left. This fresh miracle really startled them and started a rush of people to the Church here. That was how the Church really started in Nigeria.
50. "Next occurred here the miracle of the rising from the dead of HUNSU, a seven-year old boy. He was found in a room clasped to the bosom of an old. woman. The body of the boy was forcibly removed from the woman and brought to me in front of the Church. As directed by the Holy Spirit, I sprinkled holy water on him and he rose lip immediately. This caused a sensation. The Chief Imam of Lagos who was on his way to dedicate a new mosque (Owodunii Mosque at lwaya) stopped by together with his followers determined to see whether or not the name of "ANOBI YISA" (Jesus Christ) would work miracles as had often been claimed. After seeing the miracle happen, he and his followers exclaimed: 'LAIIAILA HILALAWU' (God is mighty).
51. "Shortly after this, word came of the death of another young woman named THERESA HUMPE. She had died early that morning in the fishermen's quarters. Because they could not find a doctor to certify her dead and issue a death certificate, they intended, as was often the case in Makoko at the time, to wait until dark and secretly have her buried. Makoko at the time was largely bush and this was not difficult. But the Holy Spirit was with me and I asked for the dead body to be brought to me. The body was carried to me in broad daylight in full view of everybody. But He who sent me was fully behind me. I placed my hand on THERESA and she instantly rose up. This THERESA is alive today and is a mother of children.
52. "This was why the owner of Makoko, the late RAMOTU EMMANUEL, a Moslem woman, approached me to say that she had a dream that a holy man had just entered Makoko, and that if she wished the landed property of Makoko to be hers, she should go and see the man. She told me that I was the man and requested me to pray for her so that Makoko could remain hers and she wanted to know my terms. She came with her son RAIMI, her clerk and BALOGUN, her caretaker. I replied that I took nothing. I asked her to bring a single white candle which I used to pray for her. Her prayers were heard. The town of Makoko became her undisputed property during the third month from then.
Even though she was a Moslem she remembered that God had helped her through this Church and so she gave the Church the land on which the present Church is situated. Because of future possible litigation after her death, she conveyed the property to the Church (although it was in my name) and obtained one KOBO in payment. It was thus a gift because of the miracles observed. May God bless the family. RAMOTU EMMANUEL died on 23rd March 1952, Easter Sunday.
53. "The miracles performed by our Lord Jesus Christ through me were numerous. I shall now make particular reference to that of the young woman named OLUSOLA who died and whom Jesus raised from the dead after the third day.
54. "A young member of the Church who was fond of saying 'Please say Halleluyah with me' and who, for short, was nicknamed 'Halleluyah' came one Sunday morning and reported the death of a woman at 3.00 p.m. the previous day (a Saturday) in a house which belonged to him. He said that in view of the many miracles performed by Jesus through me right there in Makoko, particularly those of IIUNSU and THERESA, he felt sure that OLUSOLA could be raised from the dead. He first spoke to me at ten o’ clock on the Sunday morning as service was about to start. Service finished at three o'clock in the afternoon and he kept on worrying me but I still did not answer him.
Owing to his persistence, however, at 4 o'clock that afternoon, I sent Evangelist BADA (then a LEADER) with one of my robes to follow the man called 'Halleluyah' to the house and put the robe on the dead body and tell the relatives that if and when the body moved, it should be brought to the Church. On the way there, 'Halleluyah' was to go in front and Evangelist to follow behind.
55. "Evangelist returned and reported that he had carried out my instructions. At about five thirty that afternoon, they brought the dead body in a car because they were amazed to see the body actually turn over although it was still lifeless. I asked that the body be placed in the Church vestry for women.
56. "Now there was a young man from Ondo who came with them. He belonged to one of the other spiritual Churches, but I do not know which. When he saw that we left OLUSOLA's dead body in the vestry for hours without bothering to pray or go near it but that we went on talking generally, he came to me and counselled that instead of doing nothing we should pray for the dead body as it was already stinking. I replied that I was not the one going to bring OLUSOLA back to life and that he should be very careful and not go near the dead body. I told him that if he did, he would have to accept responsibility for whatever happened to him. But he would not listen. He continued to pace up and down. Finally at about twelve midnight, he suddenly went to have a look at the dead body.
He ran back to me startled, and reported that he had seen a man clad in white with his hair parted into two standing at the head of the corpse. I retorted to him that I had warned him not to go near the dead body. He ran away and I went to bed. OLUSOLA's mother also went to bed. I did not bother about the dead body. These miracles are not done with my own power I am no more than a servant for HIM that sent me. There was therefore no need for me to go into a bout of prayer or staying up all night or fasting or such flagellation.
57. "In the morning of the third day of OLUSOLA's death, her mother, watching the hours go by, became restless. At nine o'clock in the morning she came to me and said in despair that as the body of OLUSOLA was still as dead, stinking and lifeless as ever, and already covered with ants, she should be allowed to take the body home for burial. As she said this her loin cloth fell off her. This aroused my sympathy and I got up and followed her to where the dead body lay. I asked her the name of her daughter and she replied that her name was OLUSOLA. I struck the body and called 'OLUSOLA' and the dead girl replied 'SIR'. I struck her again and said: 'In the name of Jesus Christ rise up and walk'. She immediately got up and walked. She is still here with you, you all know her.
Her younger sister is Sister IPADEOLA-
Appearance of Our Lord Jesus Christ
58. "With regard to our LORD JESUS CHRIST, LORD of heaven and earth, who sent me, it was time for HIM to reveal HIMSELF in all HIS power and glory right here in Makoko. This happened in 1954 on the Friday following the Harvest Thanksgiving Service for that year which was the third Harvest Thanksgiving service in Nigeria. For three months previous to HIS coming, spiritual messages had been pouring out of our prophets to the effect that the Lord Himself would soon pay us a visit, suddenly walking into our midst, and that we should always be prepared to be able to identify Him on arrival.
"At about 3.00 a.m. on the day of his arrival, I was possessed by the Holy Spirit and, as reported to me later, I continually uttered the following words, until about 5.30 a.m. during which time the whole house reportedly shook to its foundations: ’Jesu, Jesu eniti iri re dabi iri oju omo kiniun, eniti nti ori ekanna re tan imole', that is, in English ‘Jesus, Jesus, thou whose eyes are like those of a lions cub, and from whose finger tips light beams out’.
"This was reported to me later in the morning by Evangelist Bada (then Leader) who was sleeping very close to me in the Church together with some of :the 'other Members.
59. The Lord came, as a blindman. He appeared walking towards the Church at about 9.00 a.m. He spoke first to my wife CHRISTINE and asked her for tobacco. She replied that she had none. Then He asked her for cigarettes, and again. she replied that she had none. Then He asked her for kolanuts,to which she replied angrily that she should be left alone, particularly as the three things He asked are forbidden to Celestians. At this point YAMAN, who was nearby, intervened and offered Him some money to buy the things He wanted will never be empty. He, then, told YAMAN to caution her daughter CHRISTINE to beware because the world is delicate. He left them.
60. ‘ I was not there, I was in the other house some fifty yards away. I saw a man coming towards me. He was tall and graceful and covered Himself with a single piece of white cloth wrapped round His whole body from Head to toe. As He approached. I saw spiritually a sudden beam of light before Him and recognised at once that He was the Lord whose coming had been foretold.
61. "I went to meet Him. He was blind, the usual black spot being totally absent from the eyeball which were totally white. I then asked:' 'My Lord, whence cornest thou and whither goest thou?' He replied: 'the son of Man comes from nowhere in particular nor does He have any destination but goes wherever the wind guides HIM" I replied: 'I thank you my Lord'. I then said: 'Very well, my Lord, would you not like to come with, thy son into the house?' He replied as He walked with me: 'Art thou not the prophet? You had been given to know me because of your loving kindness. I will come with you to your house'. As we walked, I put my hand in my pocket and offered HIM money as aims. He declined and said: 'Mine is, not money but Love. May it be so for you as well'.
62. "We walked together, I on the left, He on my right. Now, them was a trench at the time near the entrance to the Church to drain away underground water oozing from under the Church into the lagoon. As we got to the trench, I said: 'My Lord, take care here, there is a trench, let me take your hand so that you can cross safely'. He replied: 'Not at all, the Son of Man may not have visible eyes, but He has spiritual eyes which see better than yours'. Before He had finished, He had smartly crossed the trench ahead of me. We walked along and entered my house together.
63. "When we entered, He asked me for water, and I gave Him water in a bowl. He asked for sugar. Makoko was not as developed as it is now. I saw this as an opportunity to please Him. He did not accept alms from me, but perhaps I could please Him with a whole packet of sugar. I searched through Makoko for sugar to buy, but there was none came back to tell Him I could find no sugar. He then said the lumps in my room would do. I went into my room and searched and indeed found seven lumps there and brought them to Him. He asked me to put them in the water and said; 'As from today, let there always be sugar in your house'. He stirred the water with his hand, sipped seven times and gave to me saying. "Men will, rush to you with various problems.
and went on to tell the various uses to which water could be put. I also sipped seven times and kept the remaining water which I retain till this very rnoment.
64. "He then asked for a cloth large enough to wrap, around a dead body. I looked round and could only get a yard of white material from my wife CHRISTINE. I wrapped it with paper, and as l was approaching him from behind, He asked: 'Could this be enough to cover my whole body from head to toe?' I became baffled, and was going to return it. But He said :Since you intended it as a gift ,for me, do not take it away. Leave it and go look for something bigger'. Then Evangelist BADA who was nearby drew my attention to a new- soft white cotton material which was wrapped round the altar for the Harvest the previous Sunday. Then our Lord cut in and said: 'Yes, that will be big enough to wrap' round me from head to toe'.
Whereupon I went into the, Church, removed it from the altar, folded it, wrapped it in paper and brought it to HIM. He said: 'Yes, this is my own portion (share) of this year's Harvest'. He did not touch it, but asked me to pack it together with the earlier material. Also present at this time was EMMANUEL YANSUNU who was a Methodist and had only escorted his brother Evangelist Nathaniel Yansunu.
65. "He spoke many things with me. Among other things, He confirmed: 'All your services of worship in the Church are acceptable unto the Father. Tell all members of the Celestial Church that they should be steadfast in their services of worship because worship will be the ultimate salvation of mankind. The love of money will constitute the downfall of many in their bid to enter the kingdom of God". He said I should fix my eyes on Him as much as I could because I would not have the opportunity again of seeing Him as I saw Him then and talking to. Him in this fashion. He said I would surely see Him again, but how He could not tell me at that point in time. This referred to the time when I myself would leave this world.
He then sought to take leave of us and urged us not to announce his departure. Evangelist BADA, who remained present throughout, then rejoined: 'Who can fail to see the glory of this sunshine?' To which our Lord replied in surprise: 'What?' Then, BADA repeated: 'FATHER, who can fail to set the glory of this blissful sunshine?' Then our Lord chanted: "Halleluyah seven times. Evangelist NATHANIEL
YANSUNU from Porto -Novo (he was not even Leader then) was sleeping in the other room. He was paralysed on one leg. But as soon as he heard us talking in the other room he woke up and sprang up his leg straightening at the same time. It will be recalled that this NATHANIEL YANSUNU was the son of MOSES YANSUNU with whom I stayed when I was at the age of 7.
66. "Continuing, He said He came to talk to me because there was a lot to talk about but I would have to walk with Him a little, just the two of us. We left the house, leaving the others behind. He asked me to bring both cloth parcels 1 had brought for Him. I brought them along. We walked along Church Street in broad daylight and yet we met not a soul all the way to Makoko bridge. He talked to me a lot giving explanations and specific injunctions on a number of matters relating to the Church. One of these injunctions was that we should hence forth celebrate Holy Communion at our annual Christmas gathering at Porto Novo beach and that He Himself would be present and partake.
Previous to this we had not celebrated Holy Communion at our Christmas gatherings which was the seventh in the history of the Church.
67. "At that time, logs of palm tree were positioned either side of the bridge to retain the road and stop it being washed away by the stream. We stood on the palm tree log to the right and we both faced
the West. He then requested me to bring out the clothes and drop them in the mud. I did so and He put His left foot on the cloths while His right foot remained on the log. I remained standing on the log. Then with His left foot still remaining on the cloths which were bubbling under His foot, He said: 'SON OF MAN, HERE AT THIS SPOT WE PART. GO AND DON'T LOOK BACK'. I turned round and started to go. After taking three steps, I felt curious to know how He would go. I turned round and could no longer see Him. He had disappeared.
68. "On the third day, there was an incident concerning a particular woman who professed to be a member of our Church, but had secretly been visiting and seeking for help from the powers of darkness fetish priests and so on. Apparently, as she was passing by APENA CEMETERY ' the white robed man who had appeared to me here earlier also appeared to her and she was frozen stiff and could not move. She was taken into a house nearby. As this was happening there, it was being prophesied to me here in the Church at Makoko that there were those who came to me claiming to be Christians but who were worse than idol worshippers; that one of them had just been caught and would be brought to me.
On her arrival, I should inquire from her why any member of the Celestial Church of Christ should still seek help from herbalists and other Satanic agents. I should inform her that it was He, CHRIST, who appeared unto her.
69. "True enough, some time later, they carried in the woman unconscious. When I put my hand on her, she became conscious and got up. What I was asked to tell her I did exactly and she confessed.
70. "Another appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ was at the Lagos Bar Beach in 1954 on the occasion of the anointment of some members of the Church in Nigeria amongst whom were LEYON, SAMUEL and a few others. (It is pertinent to mention that LEYON and SAMUEL were the first to be elevated to the rank of LEADER in the Church in Nigeria). Our Lord appeared from the sea. "As had happened prior to His first visit to us in Makoko, I was possessed by the Holy Spirit at about 3.00 a.m. on the day and reportedly prophesied His coming in my sleep. At about mid-day while we were on the beach performing the anointment, a boat suddenly appeared lying far out to sea. In the twinkling of an eye, it came within about two hundred yards from the beach.
The next moment we saw a man on the beach in a reclining position wearing a piece of blue loin cloth round His waist reminding one of the one on Him in the usual picture of Him on the cross. His body showed signs of having come out of the sea. He had by His side a well worn old Bible wrapped round with a piece of string, a copy of the Koran and some sun-dried crayfish. I knew it was our Lord and I went immediately towards Him. He spoke to me giving me further injunctions and explanations on a number of things. In particular, He directed me not to engage in any form of eye service to any one.
-While this was happening, a woman wearing a simple apparel moved around Him, coming not too close, to look at Him with some concern, then moving away again. She did this repeatedly. I knew it was MARIA, the gracious mother of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. It was midday and the sun was high and we had sought to assemble under the shade of the trees which were still on the beach at the time. As I walked towards Him, the sand burned under my feet, but immediately I got near to Him, everything became cool as if under a shade. After He spoke to me, I returned to the congregation of our members and disclosed to them that He of whom I had prophesied had arrived and was reclining up there. Members present rushed towards Him and He spoke to many of them. Notable among them was a particular lady, Mrs.
Adedoyin Adekoya, who was gorgeously dressed in Yoruba attire. When she related her own experience, she told us that our lord queried why she came naked. This puzzled her. At this juncture, YAMAN cut in and pointed out that it was because she was not dressed in her sutana like the others. Some members of other spiritual Churches worshipping on the beach that day also saw Him and many of them rolled on the sand in spiritual turmoil, digging the sand with their hands and testifying to His identity and presence. Various fishes, whales and other animals of the sea dipped in and out of the water in salute.
71. "We went on with our prayers and all the time , l kept an eye on Him and continued to see Him. We closed our eyes to say the grace. After the grace, we opened our eyes and discovered that He had disappeared. So also had the woman MARIA and the boat. Members searched up and down for Him but He was nowhere to be found.
72. "The miracles that take place daily are too numerous to mention. Before God and man, prior to 1958, several persons had been raised from the dead. And in 1958 alone three were raised from the dead two in ABEOKUTA and one in IBADAN. They are all with us here. Glory be to God in HEAVEN. HALLELUYAH.
73. "The blind see by the GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST, sometimes as many as eighteen, a day, the dumb speak, the lame walk, the sick (too numerous to count) are healed, the barren become mothers, those who are pregnant but are prevented from giving birth to their children by the powers of this world are released from these powers -one of such, you all remember, is. NIMBE's mother who is with us here. When she was brought to the Church, medical opinion said she was not pregnant and so did everybody, you all remember what I am talking about. But by the power and .glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, it was disclosed that the woman was pregnant. She eventually gave birth to the child whom we all call OLUWAMBE (that is, God is indeed present). He has now become a young man. Similarly Mrs.
SOMORIN whose pregnancy was denied by medical opinion, also gave birth to a female child named MOJISOLA.
74. "Miracles are indeed an everyday occurrence with us. These testify to the fact that He who sent me and who promised that these miracles will happen through me so that the world may believe that He sent me – that He is still with me. Glory be to His name in Heaven. Halleluyah. May the Celestial Church of Christ continue to wax strong. Amen".
SUPPLEMENT BY THE PASTOR FOUNDER TO THE HISTORY AS TOLD ABOVE AT HEADQUARTERS, MAKOKO.
75. The Pastor Founder was asked at a meeting of the Board of Trustees held on Tuesday 22nd May 1979 at the International Headquarters, Celestial Church of Christ, Mission House, Ketu, Lagos State, Federal Republic of Nigeria, to give in greater detail how actually the various aspects of the Church's worship were handed down together with the surrounding events. The Pastor Founder replied in the following paragraphs.
76. "A few days after my return to Porto Novo from my sojourn in the bush through AGANGE where, you will recall, KUDIHO was raised from the dead by our Lord Jesus Christ through me, word came from my elder sister (ELIZABETH OSHOFFA married to GUTON) that her only child and son, EMMANUEL MAWUNYON GUTON (who later became our Evangelist in Ivory Coast) had died. I was in my praying attire and I sent word that he was not dead. On my arrival, I found the dead body and I sent everybody out of the room. The idol worshippers, who had earlier been trying to revive him, hurriedly left the room and, as I touched him, Jesus raised him and he immediately received the gift of the Holy Spirit and became the first prophet in Celestial Church of Christ.
Injunction to Found a New Church
77. "During the first week in October,1947 and on the fifth day after I received the DIVINE ORDER on September 29, 1947, we were gathered together early in the morning when word came to me (I regularly heard voices and still do) that the DIVINE COMMISSION I was given was to found a new Church and that I should start it right there in my house. The first song given to us was (in Yoruba).
Enyin ara 'nu Kristi d:s:s:m:l:s:-
E gbe orin soke d:m:s:-f:m:r.-..
Ke e si gbo ohun ti d:s:-ml:s:-d:
Jehovah n'so m:s:-f:m:r:-:-
Ere di re te fi wa s: d: d: t: 1: s: s:
Ninu Ijo Mimo yi? m:m:f:m:r:f:m:-:-
Ere di re t'e fl wa s: d: d: t: 1: s: s:
Ninu egbe nla yi? m:m:f:m:r:f:m:-:-
Ki Maria lya wa s:d:d:t:l:s:-
Le e wa a sin wa lo m:s:f:m:r:f:m:-:-
K'Eni mimo rere yi s:d:-t:l:s:-m:s:
Wa ma sin wa lo f:m:r:r:d:-:-
We all sang this song together early that morning.
Covenant with Christ
78. 'Later the same day, in the evening, while I was alone in an inner room of my father's house, I heard a voice (I still regularly hear the same voice until now) telling me to go and bring a short strip of wood.
I went out and cut a short length of wood from the first tree I saw. Being a carpenter, I planed it neatly and brought it inside. I was then instructed by the voice to put it down somewhere as He Christ wished to make a covenant with me and I was going to be betrothed as a bride of Christ. I then saw a hand which indicated the sign of the cross. I was instructed to use the cut stem of a leaf (fetched from outside) and purple ink to make the sign of the cross in remembrance of Christ. I was told: "THIS IS THE SYMBOL OF THE COVENANT BETWEEN YOU AND ME". I dipped my finger thrice into the ink we used and was then asked to pray for the most wonderful and unfathomable power of the Holy Spirit. I slept late that night because of visits from heavenly visitors talking to me.
Heavenly Song of Praise
79. "Mawunyon, my elder sister's only child, was directed by the Holy Spirit from his father's house about a mile away to my house. He arrived singing a song (in an unknown language) which we seem to have forgotten lately:
'Yah rih gorimah s:l:d:d:d:-
Yah rih goriyeh S'I:m:m:m:-
Ngo yeh d:r:s:-:-:-
Yah rih yah', r:m:d:-:-:-
at the same time translating it into Egun (a major language of the Republic of Benin).
'Mi pa oku na
Won di pa emi
0 ji re lo
Ko soso';
in Yoruba, 'E yin OluWa
Enyin omo ogun
Asiko
Na tide
Translated into English, it reads:
O Praise ye the Lord
All ye heavenly hosts
The great hour
Is at hand'.
He sang this song kneeling down.
Injunction About Holy Communion in New Church
80. "It was also Mawunyon who that same night gave us an injunction that we should not use wine for Holy Communion but rather a mixture of
(a) pineapple
(b) oranges and
(c) coconut milk.
He did a lot of work by way of spiritual messages that night.
Injunctions About Candleholder
81. "Mawunyon it was who gave the injunction that we should worship with seven candles and also took a piece of wood and drew out the shape of the candle holder. In this connection, he also gave us a Powerful song which we seem to have also forgotten lately.
Awon agba tan fitila meje
Wa gbadura wa, etc.
Injunctions About Pajaspa – Collection Pouch
'Mawunyon it was who also gave us a description of what we should use for collection at services and named it PAJASPA – a metal ringed Pouch with a handle and a socket for a candle which should be lit during collection.
Injunctions About Call to Worship
83. "Mawunyon it was who indicated how in heaven a pot of incense was being swung accompanied by the following song:
'Yah Rah Sah Rah) 2ce
Yah Rah sah, Mattah) and translated into Yoruba
E tan fitila mimo latorun wa' 2ce
He also that same night gave us that this song should be followed by:
'Yah Rah Mah
FE Yah Rah Mah
Yah Rah Mah
Yah Man Yah Rah Mah!.
translated into Yoruba:
'Wa ka. lo
Sodo Oluwa
Wa ka 1(?
Sodo Oluwa'
But he said that, before singing this last one, we should build a box which we should call MATTAH. At the bottom should be kept the cross and stick which is the symbol of Christ's covenant with me topped by candles for use at the altar. Having thus removed our shoes, worn our white sutana or tunic, taken the candles one by one from Mattah (thus becoming candles used in heaven above) and having lit them in Position, we should wholeheartedly sing above song and ring the bell to worship (this came much later) and draw near to God forgetting all about this world, kneeling on our knees and our forehead touching the floor in obeisance to Almighty God and in readiness to commune with Him. Mawunyon did not leave that night until about 2.00 am.
Christ Himself Administers Holy Communion to Me.
84. "Soon after that night, I was in a trance (1 was wide awake) with my eyes closed. I saw. myself climbing steps in-space towards the sky until I got to the top where I saw a table top suspended. I knelt on one side of it while on the other side standing was my Lord and Master, my Creator. He gave me Holy Communion – I ate and drank from His hand. Then, all of a sudden, the table top dipped and I realised for the first time that below me was bottomless space. As I exclaimed in fear, I grew wings which I used to navigate my descent.
The following morning, before I had a chance to relate this incident, a woman told me that on her way from the toilet the previous night, she suddenly saw me with wings while my eyes and body were fiery. She ran shutting the door only to see me again in similar fashion and she then ran to bed and covered herself in fear wondering that I was surely not yet dead. I replied by telling her the story of the incident of the previous night. She died within three months of seeing me like that.
Injunctions. About Ringing the Bell to Worship
85. "This came through me seven years after the birth of the Church. You will remember., Supreme Evangelist Bada, that when 1 related this incident to the congregation at Makoko, I held a Bible in my hand as witness. I was in a trance and saw in space a house without solid walls or roof, but a house nonetheless. Some were on the upper floor and we were on the lower floor, both floors not being solid but suspended in space and real nonetheless. As a bell ring three times, both those on the upper floor and we on the lower floor knelt down touching our forehead to the floor and said in Yoruba
‘Mimo, mimo, mimo si Oluwa awon omo ogun’
meaning (in English)
'Holy, Holy, Holy to the Lord God of Hosts’.
The bell ringing three times and our response was done three times. It was after this that we started the service in my trance. This is how it formed part of our service of worship in Celestial Church of Christ.
Injunctions About Praises Facing the Four Corners of the Earth
86. "This came through JOSEPH AWANGONU, Baba Martha. He said that he saw a Church without walls or roof but apparently with four entrances in the four cardinal directions, and as a bell rang, he saw people of all races running into the Church from the four corners of the earth. As they ran, they were singing (in Yoruba):
'E yin Jesu, E yin Jesu s:-:-s:l:s:m:d:d:-:-:-1:-:-:-
Fun 'jo kehin to sokale
Enyin Jesu, E yin Jesu'
Fun 'jo kehin to sokale
Enyin Jesu, E yin Jesu
Fun 'jo kehin to sokale
Enyin Jesu,eyin Jesu s:-:-s:I:s:m:
Fun 'jo kehin to sokale s'.-d:m:r:d:t:d.-.-.-.-
The more the multitudes, the more room the Church seemed to have.
Songs of Entreaty for God's Power and Glory
87. "The following song came as I was travelling on a boat in mid-sea from IGBESU to the spot where I prayed onto God and the tree I had specifically come to destroy burnt for seven days and seven nights. As my boat was about to land, I heard a song which it appeared I was singing with others (unknown and unseen) as follows (Yoruba):
'Baba a a
Ni wakati yi
Gbe ise owo o re e ga a a
Ki gbogbo a'iy'e le' mo
Ni 're lo I ran mi nise
Lasan a a I'aiye ngbe ogun
Wakati na de t'aiye o wa riri
L'abe agbara Mimo Jesu'.
It is a powerful song which should not be sung lightly.
Injunctions for Monthly Watchnight Service
88. During a service in remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ's prayer at Gethsemane shortly before his death, we were told that the following song, which came again through MAWUNYION, was the song which our Lord actually sang Kneeling and with forehead touching the ground at Gethsemane when he besought his disciples to watch while he prayed (in the song, he seeks to draw them into his prayer of worship of the Lord God unaware that they has fallen asleep):
'Yah Gol Lah Mari Yah Nga Rih Yeh
Ya Gol Lah Mari Yeh'
Translated immediately (Yoruba)
'e foribale fun Oba Oluwa Mo foribale fun'
meaning in English: Bow ye before the Lord God
I bow myself before him'.'
That was Jesus speaking. This was the only song Jesus-sang in the Garden of Gethsemane that night. As he sang and prayed intently, he sweated so much that the drops of sweat began to fall from his body like blood and a voice answered our Lord Jesus on that occasion thus 'I have, glorified you on earth and in Heaven'. We sing this song in Celestial Church of Christ during the monthly watch night services (on the first Thursday night/Friday morning of each month) in remembrance of the occasion and also during Easter at the watch night service of Holy Communion on Holy Thursday/Good Friday
" Another song used on the same occasion and which came at another time was:
Hi Ram Jah Mah
Jari Barn
Hi Ram Jah Mah
Translated immediately (Yoruba) so that we can understand the song we are being taught:
, Emi Mimo
Adaba Orun
E sokale wa'.
Historical Reflection
89. "It is interesting to note that, although my father firmly believed that my birth was in answer to his prayers referred to above, none of us (including my father) had any inkling whatever that the nature of service to God to which I would be called would be such a very important one. In hindsight, the nearest my father came to predicting this important future was on his death bed when he called me and prayed thus (in Yoruba):
' Wa joko ninu owo,
Wa joko ninu omo,
Enia ni yio ma sin o'.
Meaning in English,
You will be established in money,
You will be established in children,
Men will serve you'.
It later proved not merely a prayer but a prophecy because at that particular time, I had not had an issue'.
Registration of the Church
90. Particulars of Registration: The Church was duly registered under the Land (Perpetual Succession) Ordinance, Cap. 107 on November 24, 1958. The Certificate of Registration, whose number is 489, was signed by the then Governor-General of the Federation, Sir James Robertson.
Miracle behind Registration: It is noteworthy to relate the circumstances of the registration of the Church. The application for the registration under the relevant ordinance was forwarded to the Government in 1958 (during the colonial era). Initially, the Government was not disposed to grant the application presumably because no spiritual Church of African origin had up to then been registered.
Churches in Nigeria accorded official recognition at that time were those which had their origins in Europe or America.
On being told of the reluctance of the authorities, the Pastor remarked that there was no cause for anxiety because He who owned the Church (i.e. our Lord Jesus Christ) would reveal Himself to the official concerned. A few days later, the Pastor asked the late LEADER OWOAJE to check on the application. When he got there, he had a pleasant surprise in that the Certificate of Registration, signed and sealed, had been waiting for him for a few days. He was also informed that the then Governor-General Sir James Robertson, had related that, in his dream, a tall white man with long hair parted in the middle and robed in white, appeared to him and instructed him to sign the certificate of registration of Celestial Church of Christ because the Church was His.
The following morning he signed the certificate. This was the miracle of the registration.