EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1800; LUCY TURNER SMITH P/63

In this post I will focus on a woman named Lucy Turner Smith. She lived from 1875- 1952. Lucy was born in Woodstock, Georgia. She was one of six children and was raised by her mother alone. 

Lucy married William Smith in 1896, and together they had nine children. The family moved to Athens, Georgia, in 1908. Shortly thereafter, her husband left, and Lucy began to earn a living by taking in sewing. She moved to Atlanta, and then to Chicago, where she arrived in 1910. Her husband rejoined the family in Chicago.

Lucy had joined the Baptist Church when she was twelve years old. In Chicago she discovered Pentecostalism, and by 1912 was attending Stone Church, a Pentecostal Assembly. She believed she had a gift for faith healing, and in 1916, she started prayer meetings in her home with two other women. As the meetings grew, Lucy established the Langley Avenue All Nations Pentecostal Church in 1920. At first the church did not have a permanent building but was modelled as a “tent meeting.” In the mid-twenties, Lucy decided to build a new church building on Langley Avenue, and construction was completed in December 1926. This would be the first church in Chicago ever established by a woman pastor.

In addition to her faith healing ministry, Lucy was a dynamic preacher. She developed an active community outreach program, feeding thousands during the Great Depression. She also developed a robust gospel music ministry. All Nations was one of the first African American churches to broadcast worship services on the radio. 

Lucy sold the Langley Avenue church building in 1938, and built a new church building. At the height of its popularity, All Nations had a membership of 3,000. By the end of her ministry Lucy estimated that she had prayed for more than 200,000 people, during her weekly faith healing sessions.

Lucy died in 1952. Over 60,000 people attended her funeral.