In this post I will focus on an evangelical woman named Phoebe Worall Palmer. She lived from 1807 - 1874.
Phoebe has been called the most influential theologian the church has yet produced. She was the key figure in the Holiness Movement of the 1800s. This revival movement spread to every denomination in America and spanned the Atlantic to the British Isles. She was its dominant theologian, most important Bible teacher, most prominent evangelist and most influential writer and editor. Yet she was never ordained and only gave talks.
Before arriving at this time of great fruitfulness, she had to overcome a great deal. For example, as children came along, Phoebe became a doting mother. Totally consumed with parenting, the time she once gave to the Lord, she now gave to her children. What a devasting blow it was, then, when her first two babies died in tragic accidents in her loving home. Filled with unbearable grief, Phoebe found herself on her knees desperate for the answer to her nagging questions, "Why?"
The answer she heard was this; She had devoted herself to her childen but these gifts from God had actually displaced God in her life. They had become idols.
Immediately, she repented. For Phoebe, this meant turning from a life ruled by the things of this world to a life directed by the Holy Spirit and eternal values. With this establised, Phoebe soon gave birth to two more precious children.This time, she kept her priorities aligned with God's will. This meant, among other things, sharing with nannies the care of her children. Obedience to the call resulted in Phoebe becoming one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 1800s.
As already mentioned, Phoebe was the dominant theologian, Bible teacher, most prominent evangelist and most influential writer and editor in the Holines Movement. This influence began in 1840 when she became the leader of the Tuesday Meeting for the Promotion of Holiness, a meeting that convened at her home. It drew many prominent churchmen of all denominations, and at least four leading Methodist Bishops sat under her teaching in her home.
Phoebe was so in demand that beginning in 1841 and for the next 20 years, she was away from home most of the time. With her popularity, her husband at first presided over the home and vigorously supported her in every possible way. He financed her travels, since she often ministered without receiving an honorarium. In addition, he went into the publishing business to incease her reach as an author, and he closed his medical practice and accompanied Phoebe in her ministry, "carrying her suitcases."
P.S. I wll continue the story of Phoebe Worall Palmer in my next post.
Read Part Two HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment