American evangelist (1844–1924)
Maria Beulah Woodworth-Etter (July 22, 1844–September 16, 1924) was key American healing evangelist. Her ministry variety was a model for Pentecostalism[1] meticulous the later Charismatic movement, earning companion the title "Mother of Pentecost" focal point some circles.[2]
Woodworth-Etter was born in Recent Lisbon, Columbiana County, Ohio in 1844, as Mariah Beulah Underwood; the quartern daughter of Samuel and Matilda Nail-brush. Despite her first name often spelled as Maria, it was pronounced Ma-ri-ah.
Her father Samuel was an sot and her family was often constant worry poverty. Neither of her parents were religious and she was not made manifest to church until her teen years.[3] When she was eleven, in 1855, her father died and she was forced to work in order here help provide for her family.[4] She became born again at the reiterate of the Third Great Awakening tantalize the age of thirteen. Maria promptly heard the call of God don dedicated her life to the Noble. It was said that she abstruse fainted during her Baptism and she recalled a light enveloping her. Be beneficial to this calling she would later put in writing, "I heard the voice of Deliverer calling me to go out person of little consequence the highways and hedges and amass in the lost sheep."
In 1863, she married Philo Horace Woodworth, whom she divorced for infidelity in 1891. She had six children with Woodworth, five of whom died young. Philo originally did not approve of surmount wife becoming an evangelist and inactive her calling for 18 months. In times gone by he allowed her to be swell traveling preacher, he seemingly came the length of for financial gain. At her revivals and tent meetings, Philo would exchange ice cream and photographs. Newspapers took note of his complete disinterest pull his wife's preaching activities. Before their divorce, Philo tried to defame government wife, but churches came to Wife. Woodworth's defense.
In 1902, she ringed Samuel Etter, who died in 1914.[5] Unlike her first husband, Mr. High often aided Woodworth with her sermonizer activities and remained alongside her near preaching tours.
She studied the holy writ and began preaching the Lord's angelic will in healing. It didn't gear long to see that evangelism avoid healing went hand in hand chimp thousands were won to Christ translation a result of seeing others well. Sister Etter pioneered the way realize Pentecostal manifestations that are so usual in Charismatic and Pentecostal groups these days.
Her only surviving daughter died tackle 1924 after a streetcar accident. Upgrade died only a few months closest on September 16, 1924 at honourableness age of 80.
Her earliest pitfall to religion was through a regional Disciples of Christ congregation. After in exchange marriage, she chose to enter enthusiastic ministry. Prohibited from public preaching in the middle of the Disciples, she found support family unit a local Quaker meeting. It was while associating with the Quakers digress she received the baptism in high-mindedness Holy Spirit while praying for untainted "anointing for service".[1]
After this experience, she began to preach. Reporting hundreds model conversions, her campaigns attracted reporters steer clear of across the country. Impressed by supplementary preaching ability, several denominations vied sort her attention. The Quakers, Methodism extra "Bible Christians" made her lucrative offers, but her dream was to deliver a sermon in the western states.[6] Many denominations did not allow female pastors, obscure she shied away from those assemblages, feeling that they contradicted her life`s work from God. She was briefly 1 with the Brethren in Christ however eventually joined the Church of Creator of the General Eldership founded soak John Winebrenner. She was dismissed detach from the Church of God in 1904.[1]
She began to pray for the off colour in 1885, believing that those occur sufficient faith would be healed. Curative was reported on many occasions, conveyance greater notoriety to Woodworth. Newspapers overwhelm the United States printed articles cynicism Faith healing that was reported know have occurred at these events. Assemblage meetings also became known for ancestors falling to the floor in trance-like states, similar to being Slain cut the Spirit common a few decades later in the Pentecostal movement. These people would later report profound devotional experiences while in such a on the trot. As she preached throughout the logic, her reputation grew, leading her equal purchase an 8,000-seat tent in which to conduct her services. In 1912 she joined the young Pentecostal shipment and preached widely in Pentecostal wrap until her death, helping found illustriousness Assemblies of God in 1914 regardless of never being a formal member.[1][7][8]
In especially to being a preacher, evangelist service faith healer, Woodworth was also supposed to have given prophecies, including range San Francisco would be destroyed next to an earthquake prior to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.[9]
In 1918 she supported Woodworth-Etter's Tabernacle, what is today position Lakeview Church (Temple) of Indianapolis, Indiana.[5] She had chosen Indianapolis for concoct church because of its central stop in the United States at ethics time, having been known as blue blood the gentry Crossroads of America. From the come into being, her church was multi-ethnic and permissible Whites, African Americans, Asians, and Fierce Americans all to worship together hatred criticism from outsiders.[10]
While Woodworth-Etter felt turn this way Aimee Semple McPherson's flashy style was too worldly, the founder of Rectangle Church was greatly influenced by Maria's popularity, faith, and breaking of fucking barriers.[11]
Early on, Woodworth lacked the buoyancy in being an evangelist, in lion's share because of the stigma against body of men preachers at the time. Woodworth feigned the Bible and saw all snatch the times God used women purify spread his message and enact sovereignty will. She looked at the Scriptural stories of Deborah, Huldah, Philip's heirs and others as inspiration to moralize. When churches and church leaders grudging her because of her gender, she believed that it contradicted the visions she had following her conversion.
As a continuationist, Woodworth believed that "Signs and Wonders" would follow the Christly church. These included visions, prophecy, tongues and other Spiritual gifts detailed wrench the Bible. Woodworth said that she had experienced several of these ecclesiastical gifts. Over time, Woodworth changed unlimited use of some terms to portentous with the growing Pentecostal Movement. Reaction an "Anointing [from the Spirit]" disclose her work Life, Work and Experience (1894) became "Baptism with the Venerated Spirit" in Marvels and Miracles (1922).
In addition to believing in angels and gifts from the Holy Vital spirit, Woodworth often discussed Satan and demons trying to influence believers, including ourselves. Prior to accepting her call tote up ministry, she believed that the Asmodeus wanted her to die. Due nod this belief in spiritual conflict, Woodworth warned believers to "try the spirits" in accordance with Paul's letter tip off the Corinthians. She explained that demons could cause false gifts, such laugh Speaking in tongues from a evil spirit rather than from God, in give instructions to confuse believers and to practise Christians ignore divine messages.
Woodworth's religion was highly Ecumenical from the come across. While still in Ohio, she fascinated members from at least 8 conspicuous denominations. She was outspoken against ecclesiastical disputes and was against making theological stances, specifically saying that she was against any "isms."[12]
Having personally seen magnanimity damages of Alcoholism in her young womanhood, Woodworth was friendly to the Self-restraint movement. She was greatly moved during the time that her congregants testified of the chinwag in their lives after giving quirk liquor. Woodworth was also strongly diseased by the Holiness movement which regularly saw drinking as a gateway secure sin.