Peter and Catherine Marshall

Peter was a Scots-American preacher who was elected to be the 57th Chaplain of the United States Senate in 1947.

He died young (46) in 1949. He is remember because his widow Catherine wrote a moving, biography of his life A Man Called Peter (1951), it rose to the top of the best selling list and turned into a film

Peter’s father died when he was 4. His step-father was an alcoholic so he tried to run away to sea at the age of 14. He was inspired by David Livingstone. When his step-father kicked him out he offered himself for mission work in China.

He had already made a definite commitment to work full time in the Lord’s service. He started night classes but he sometimes failed courses. A cousin suggested going to the USA and he would pay the fare. He prayed for 3 weeks- God meant him to go.

Peter Marshall left Scotland, with a ticket but no money, to emigrate to the USA in 1927. In the beginning he had to dig ditches, no friends and no church.

God sent him an offer to work in Alabama. In a matter of weeks he had a church - the First Presbyterian, recommended as ministry candidate, spoken at a prayer meeting, elected president of the young peoples league, involved with Boy Scouts and the teacher of the men’s Bible class.etc.

He graduated from Columbia Theological seminary in 1931 and became pastor at a church in Covington, Georgia. In 1933 accepted a call to Atlanta’s Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Married Catherine Wood ,aged 23 when he was 35, on 4th November 1936.

1937 became pastor at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church ( also known as Abraham Lincoln’s church) in Washington DC. He launched a new ministry at the historic congregation, a ministry that would reach around the world.

He demonstrated to young and old alike that Christianity can be fun. His sermons, many written with anonymous research by his wife, revealed a rock-ribbed faith, clarity of conviction and a poet’s pen.

During WW11 he drew 1000s each week to the church to listen to his prophetic voice with the soft Scottish burr. Despite 3 services the sanctuary overflowed leaving 100s waiting in long lines hoping for a seat He painted word pictures to convey the gospel message stories. He spoke of his personnel experiences His goal in preaching was always to make Jesus real to people.

Peter never thought his sermons were good enough to publish. Catherine was persuaded by parishioners and publishers to publish them. In 1949 * Mr. Jones, Meets the Master came out with 12 sermons and became a best seller.
To Live again tells of her life after Peter’s and more details about the church.

Catherine married Leodard LeSound, then editor of the 'Guideposts Magazine ’ in 1959. In total she wrote 21 inspirational books. She died in 1983 but her books, carrying Peter and Catherine’s outreach, have sold over 20 million copies.

Sunday, May 29th, 2016 their church celebrated that 80 years earlier
Dr. Peter Marshall and Catherine Marshall had joined them.