I am a retired teacher who wrote 7 photocopiable books for Teachers and one book for children Union Jack Colouring Book.
The 7books covered Geography, History (Medieval/ Tudor/ Stuart), Travel and Transport, Myself and Events (this included diaries), Race Against Time Stories (SATS based), Church Dates for Children plus Nature and Seasons (including Sport). These 7 books have been mainly broken into a number of segments.
Challenging the Physical Elements, my Geography book, is complete.
I am a retired teacher who wrote 7 photocopiable books for Teachers and one book for children Union Jack Colouring Book.
The 7books covered Geography, History (Medieval/ Tudor/ Stuart), Travel and Transport, Myself and Events (this included diaries), Race Against Time Stories (SATS based), Church Dates for Children plus Nature and Seasons (including Sport). These 7 books have been mainly broken into a number of segments.
Challenging the Physical Elements, my Geography book, is complete.
John Frith (1503-1533 was an English protestant priest, writer and martyr.
As his ministry progressed he took greater risks with his stance against the Roman Catholic teachings of Purgatory ( a temporary place or condition of suffering or torment) and Transubstantiation ( that bread and wine at Communion change to Christ’s body and blood).
John was born in 1503 in Westerham, Kent. The font where he was baptised is still in use today.
He went to Sevenoaks Grammar School. He then went to Eton (1520-20and Queen’s College, Cambridge. He received his degree from King’s in 1525. He became proficient in Latin, Greek and mathematics
After graduating he was called out of Cambridge to attend Oxford University by Thomas Wolsey who personally gathered young men who excelled in learning and knowledge (1525-8).
Met influential William Tyndale.
Married in 1528
Oxford was the first place in which John was apprehended and committed to prison under the suspicion of being in favour of Martin Luther’s doctrine and had books in his possession considered ’ heretical’. He was released roughly 6 months later and fled to Antwerp.
From Antwerp he travelled to Marburg where he translatedPlaces by Patrick Hamilton. In 1529 he translated other pieces. He also had *A Dispotacion of Purgatoryr, *published.
(See ‘Residence in continental Europe’)
The second place he was imprisoned was on a visit to Reading. in Berkshire. He went to see the Prior at Reading because he had run out of money. He was imprisoned as a vagabond and rogue, arrested and put in the stocks He was released with the help of Leonard Coxe, a local schoolmaster.
On His return to England, Thomas More, the Lord Chancellor, issued warrants for his arrest. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London for about 8 months.While there he wrote his final book The Bulwark - his thoughts on the Communion.
John was tried before many examiners and bishops. He produced his own writing as evidence for his views but they were deemed as heresy. He was asked whether he believed in purgatory or transubstantiation he answered that neither could be proved by Holy Scripture.
23rd June sentenced to death as a heretic and moved to Newgate Prison.
4th July, 1533 publicly burned at the stake in Smithfield, London
Master Frith was a young man noted for his godliness, intelligence and knowledge. In the secular world he could have risen to any height he wished, but he chose, instead, to serve the church and work for the benefit of others and not himself.
Harold Chadwick
John’s works were posthumously published in 1573 by John Foxe
John Frith played an influential role in the Protestant Reformation
John Alexander Dowie (1847-1907) was a Scottish-Australian minister known as an evangelist and faith healer. He started his career as a conventional minister in South Australia, After becoming both an evangelist and faith healer he immigrated with his family to the USA in 1888
He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 25th May 1847. In 1860 the family immigrated to Adelaide, Australia.
He found work with his paternal uncle, Alexander Dowie in a prosperous bootmaker retail and factory business.
In 1868, aged 21, he returned to Scotland to study theology.
Back in Australia he was ordained in 1872 as pastor of a Congregational church at Alma, South Australia. 1873 moved to Manly, New South Wales. In 1875 moved to Newton.
On 26th May 1876 he married his cousin, Jane Dowie, they had 3 children.
About this time he became an independent evangelist. He held meetings in a theatre and claiming powers of healing. He was briefly involved with the Salvation Army. In early 1880s he went to Melbourne and attracted many followers.
1882 invited to Sackville Street Tabernacle, Collingwood. He forceful leadership caused a split in the church. He was fined and jailed briefly for leading unauthorised processions. His church was burnt down - arson suspected. Insurance paid off debts. By this time he had published 3 books based mainly on his lectures.
In 1888 John immigrated with his family to the USA. He settled in San Francisco where he built a following by performing faith healings across the state. His ministry- International Divine Healing Association (IDHA), was run largely as a commercial enterprise. All members were expected to tithe (10%) - this made them eligible to request Dowie’s aid to heal their ills. Not all of his business was legal and 2 women sued and won their cases.
As a result he moved to Chicago in 1890 to take advantage of the crowds attracted to the 1893 World Fair. At the fair he staged ‘Divine Healings’ -he used audience ‘plants’ and other dubious methods.
Numbers continued to grow and in 1894 he established the Zion Tabernacle downtown and many Zion buildings. He held services at Chicago’s Auditorium building ( See notes). He launched Zion publishing and started a weekly newsletter- Leaves of Healing (See notes)
In 1896 IDHA, renamed Christian Catholic Apostolic Church in 1903. (See CCC)
With a following of 6,000 he secretly bought land 40 miles north of Chicago and founded in July 1901 the city of Zion, Illinois. He personally owned all the land and all the property. Followers forced to to deposit their funds in the Zion ‘bank’-never registered. His family lived in luxury but Zion was continually in debt.
His wife and family left him in 1903 because of his questionable practices
1904 visited Australia. Deposed in 1905.
He suffered a stroke and recuperated in Mexico.
John died on the 9 March 1907 and is buried in Lake Mound Cemetery, Zion, Illinois.
Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889-1929) was an Indian Christian missionary. He is believed to have died in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Sadhu was born into a Sikh family in the village of Rampur district, Ludhiana in northern India. He attended the Ewing Christian High school in Ludhiana to learn English.
His mother died when he was 14. In his anger burnt page by page the Bible while his friends watched. He felt suicidal. He decided to a go to a railroad track but that very night he had a vision of Jesus.
This changed every thing. He told his father Sher Singh that he would convert to Christianity and become a missionary. His father rejected him and his brother tried several times to poison him. Snakes were thrown into his house.
He was rescued from this cruel treatment by nearby British Christians.
He spent sometime working in the Christian Missionary Home with leprosy patients at Sabathu.
On 16th birthday he was publicly baptised in the parish church of Simla.
In 1906 Sundar set off on his life as a new Christian. He wore a saffron turban and robe as a Christian sadhu, a holy man. He knew Indians would not be converted unless in an Indian way.
When he returned home he received an unexpected warm welcome.
He then travelled through the Punjab, over the Bannihal Pass into Kashmir, through Muslim Afghanistan and into the brigand infested North West Frontier and Baluchistan. He was called ‘the apostle with bleeding feet’.
He suffered arrest and stoning for his beliefs, and experienced mystical encounters.
In 1908 he went into Tibet - appalled by conditions. Tried to visits Palestine but refused permit.
December 1909 began training for ministry in Anglican college in Lahore. He left after only 8 months - ostracised for being different - the course was irrelevant to the Gospel message India needed - expected to wear ‘respectable’ European clerical clothing- rejected the mixing of Jesus and British culture.
On his travels in 1912 he met Maharishi of Kailas and spent some weeks in deep fellowship.
During his 20s Sundar’s Gospel work widened greatly, Before he was 30 his name and picture were familiar all over the Christian world. He was described as always human, approachable and humble. His talks and personal speech were informed by his habitual early morning meditation.
In 1918 he toured South India and Ceylon. In 1919 he visited Burma, China and Japan.
In 1920 his father gave him the fare so he visited Britain, USA and Australia
1922 visited Europe again. He was appalled at the materialism, emptiness and irreligion in the West after WW1
Back in India he continued to spread the Gospel but he was getting physically frail.
In 1923 visited Tibet but came back exhausted. He gave himself to meditation, fellowship and writing.
In 1929 set out for Tibet again! He reached Kalka. What happened next is a mystery.
Sundar is revered by many as a formative, towering figure in the missionary conversions of the Christian church in India.
Eric John Hewison ‘Bash’ Nash (1898-1982) was an evangelical Church of England cleric. His work with Christian evangelism with Scripture Union
(1932- 65) was with the camp ministry in the top 30 public schools in the UK. From 1932 onwards he was highly influential in the post-war British evangelical resurgence. Over 7,000 boys attended camp under his leadership.
Eric was born on 22nd April 1898. He was educated at Maidenhead College, an independent school for boys. On leaving school he worked for an insurance company
In 1917, now aged 19, on a train journey back to Maidenhead, he finally faced and responded to the claims of Christ upon his life He *had a vision in a railway carriage that he was to win Britain for Christ.
One or two years later he fully acknowledged Christ as Master and Lord.
In 1922 encouraged and supported by Arthur Winnington-Ingram, Bishop of London he went to Trinity College, Cambridge and then Ridley Hall.
1927 made deacon and served 2 curacies - Ealing and Wimbledon
1929 applies to work for Scripture Union - rejected.
He spent a period as a chaplain at Wrekin College
1932 reapplies to Scripture Union - accepted (1932-65)
Eric made it his business to preach the Christian Gospel at the top 30
British public school. John Stott describes the meeting at Rugby as strictly off the record and conducted with a good deal of secrecy. His message was not necessarily welcomed by everyone.
He began a camp ministry. By 1940 it was based at Clayesmore School in the village of Iwerne
Attendance was only by invitation. He used military terms. He used Christian staff from the schools. He used the ABC formula
Admit your need of Christ
Believe that Christ died for you
Come to Him
His influence stretched to University Christian Unions in the Inter-Varsity Fellowship (IVC) Between 1935-9 all CICCU’s presidents were ‘Bash’ campers.
His camps influenced many peoples lives. (See ‘Associated with his work’)
In 1969 it could be said that much of the leadership of the British Evangelical church had been ‘Bash campers.’
Called ‘Bash’ for his forthrightness. Nash was always courteous.
When Eric retired from the Scripture Union in 1965 he continued to have a fruitful ministry until he was 80. His health began to fail.
Eric died, aged 83, peacefully in his own home on 4th April 1982.
*Bash’… was a quiet, unassuming clergyman who never sought the limelight, hit the headlines or wanted preferment; and yet whose influence within the Church of England…was greater than any of his contemporaries … Those who knew him well, and those who worked with him, never expect to see his like again, for rarely can anyone have meant so much to so many, as this quietly spoken, modest and deeply spiritual man * John Eddison
if it were not for him and i might have made shipwreck of my life
Source used
Wikipdeia
William Williams Pantycelyn (1717-1791) is generally seen as Wale’s premier hymnist. In religion he was among the leaders of the 18th century Welsh Methodist revival along with the evangelists Howell Harris and Duncan Rowland.
He is also rated as one of the great literary figures of Wales, as a writer of poetry and prose.
He was born on 11th February 1717 in the parish of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Wales. His parents were John and Dorothy Williams. When John died in 1742 Dorothy moved to a farm called Pantycelyn ( William was often referred to by that name).
His family were nonconformists. He was educated locally at the nonconformist academy in Talgarth, He had intended to study medicine but following conversion in 1937/8, after the preaching of the evangelical Methodist revivalist Howell Harris, he choose to preach.
In 1740 he took deacon’s orders in the established Anglican Church ( now called Church in Wales). His first appointment was as curate to Theophilus Evans in Llanddewi Abergwesyn.
By this time he had become involved with the Methodist movement and in June 1742 his disapproving parishioners reported him to the Archdeacon’s court at Brecon. In 1743, when he applied for ordination, he was refused.
He became a Methodist minister instead. He travelled through Wales preaching the doctrine of Calvinistic Methodism. he needed to be not only a theologian and an advocate for the new era but also an organiser and administrator. His reward was seeing the community grow and thrive over the years.
Runnng parallel to what was happening in Wales we have the Wesley brothers , John and Charles and George Whitefield.
William wrote over 900 hymns in his lifetime, the majority in Welsh. He started publishing in 1744. The best known undoubtedly is *Guide me ,O Thou Great redeemer ** written originally in Welsh. ( See’Hymns’)
His poetry included 2 long poems on theological and religious themes (See ‘Poetry)
His prose include his writing about the 1762 revival.
He never wrote either a diary or autobiography.
A short 12 page biography ’ The Spiritual Treasury’ was written by Thomas Charles
In 1867 J.R. Kilsby Jones wrote *All the poetic and Prose work of William Williams *-846 pages !
He is acknowledged as one of the leaders of the Methodist revival in Wales during the 18th century,
For much of his life William stayed in Llanfair-at-y-brn. He died on the 11th January 1791, aged 74. He was buried in the local parish churchyard
In 1811 The Welsh Calvinistic Methodists broke away from the Anglican Church.
See separate TES entries for Daniel Rowland and Howell harris
Source used
Wikipdeia
Howell Harris (1714-1773 was a Calvinistic Methodist evangelist.
He was one of the main leaders of the Welsh Methodist revival in the 18th century
along with Daniel Rowland and William Williams Pantyselyn.
Howell was born on the 23rd January 1714 at Trefeca, naer Talgarth, Wales.
He underwent religious conversion in May 1735 having heard Rev. Pryce Davies preach on palm Sunday on the necessity to take Holy Communion. After several weeks of self examination it reached a climax on Whit Sunday, May 1735, He felt convinced that he had received mercy through the blood of Christ.
He began immediately to tell others. He held meetings in his house to encourage others to seek the same assurance.
The Church of England were unwilling to accept him for ordination because of his ‘Methodist’ views so he became an itinerant preacher and travelled far and wide in Wales and England. He was tirelessly determined to spread the Word especially in Wales. His preaching led him into personal danger, persecution and hardship before he gained support. From 1738 Marmaduke Gwynne, a local squire and early convert, supported him.
Howell became friends with Daniel Rowlands in about 1737.
In 1750 he retreated to Trefeca after becoming the subject of a public scandal for his close friendship with ‘Madam’ Sidney Griffith. In 1752 he founded a religious community known as Teula Trefeca - The Trefeca family with himself as ‘Father’.
His friendship with Daniel broke down when Howell became involved with Motavian errors.
In 1763, 13 years later, friendship with Daniel renewed after reconciliation. They resumed their former activities.
Howell died 10 years later on 21st July 1773. 20,000 are said to have attended his funeral. he was buried close to his birthplace in Talgarth.
Howell Harris was effectively the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Wales, also known as the Calvinistic Methodist Church.
In 1811 - not without much heart searching- the Welsh Calvinist Methodists broke away from the Church of England.
He kept a detailed diary and filed letters sent and received. For years they gathered dust! These papers, some in Latin, offer a first hand account of the Welsh Methodist revival. In 2000 Howell Harris: From Conversion to Separation 1735-50 was published. ( Read ‘The papers of Howell Harris’)
Daniel Rowland(s) (c.1711/3 - 1790) was an Anglican curate who became a Methodist evangelist. He was one of the foremost figures in the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist revival. along with Howell Harris and hymnist William Williams Pantycrlyn. For 55 years Daniel was one of the leading evangelists in Wales.
Daniel was born early in the 18th century in Pantybeudy, Wales. He was ordained into the ministry aged 20. He was inducted as curate in the parishes of Natewnile and Llangeitho where his older brother was rector (he left the preaching and the work to Daniel). When his brother died he expected to be named rector but the bishop of St. David’s , to his surprise, named Daniel’s own son as the new rector. He was now curate to his son!
Aged 20 he had no idea of the evangelical gospel. After a service he would enter with gusto into games and sports and end the day in a state of drunkenness.
Daniel, in 1935, came under the influence of Griffith Jones who preached at Llandewibrefi and was converted. He was now 22 and married to Elinor(nee Davies).
In February 1938 he met his counterpart Howell Harris, together they worked as leaders of the Methodist revival but in 1952 they fell out.(Howell had become involved with Moravian errors - they made up 10 years later).
By 1742 a complete change had happened and he became one of the outstanding preachers of the evangelical awakening. Llangeitho memorably became a centre for Calvinistic Methodism in Wales.
On Sundays the locals played sports and games.He went to them - he interrupted a cock-fight. He addressed them powerfully. No one opposed him and the Sabbath desecration stopped. From then on he never hesitated to preach in the open air.
In 1760 the Methodist built a chapel in the village.
The Anglican church in about 1763 deprived him of his Nantewnile curacy.
In 1764 a new chapel was built.
By 1770 he was attracting congregations of up to 10,000. His preaching now emphasised the saving work of Jesus on the cross, originally he had paid attention to God’s judgement,in his sermons.
For nearly 55 years Daniel expound the Word of God in the village of Llangeitho and towns and villages close by. He would start with a verse from a hymn, read out his text and then in a calm and deliberate manner deliver his sermon. He would finish with a short prayer and give the benediction
One morning he prayed 1935 ?
*By Thine agony and bloody sweat, by Thy Cross and passion,by Thy precious death and burial, by Thy glorious resurrection and ascension, and by the coming of the Holy Ghost, good Lord deliver us.
The minister and congregation were overcome by the presence of the Lord. The Holy Spirit had visited Llangeitho and soon the whole of the country would know
He continued his weekly ministry for the next 55 years.
On 16th October 1790, aged 77, he died. All agreed his ministry had been blessed
In 1811, not without much heart searching, the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists broke away from the Church of England
Jane Mathison Haining (1897-1944) was a Scottish missionary for the church of Scotland in Budapest, Hungary. On 17th July 1944 she died in the infamous German concentration camp of Auschwitz.
Jane, born on 6th June 1897, at Lochenhead farm, Duncore, Dumfrieshire, Scotland was the fifth child of Thomas and Jane Mathison. Her mother died giving birth to their sixth child in 1902, Jane was about 5.
She grew up as a member of the Craig Church in Dunscore, part of the United Free church of Scotland. In 1909 she won a scholarship to Dunfries Academy where she boarded in the Moat Hostel for Girls. She graduated as the school’s dux (top pupil).
After graduating she trained at the Athenaeum Commercial College in Glasgow. From 1917-27 she worked in Paisley for J.and P. Coats Ltd, a thread manufacturer, first as a clerk then as a secretary. She attended Queen’s Park West United Free church and taught Sunday School. This is when she thought about becoming a missionary.
In 1927 she attended a meeting in Glasgow of the Jewish Mission Committee where the Rev. Dr. George Mackenzie discussed his missionary work.
I have found my lifework! she reportedly said to a friend.
Jane continued to work at Coats for nearly a year and a half - her manager at work was ill (5 months) and it took a year to train her replacement.
She then did a 1 year diploma course at Glasgow College for Domestic Science in domestic science and housekeeping.
After this she worked temporarily in Glasgow and then in Manchester as a matron.
In 1932 she saw an ad in Life and Work for a matron in a Jewish girls’ mission school in Budapest, Hungary. ( See ‘Secretarial work, retraining’)
She went for further training at St. Colm’s Women Missionary College in Edinburgh. her dedication service happened on 19th June 1932. The next day she left for Budapest. Jane liked Hungary and Budapest and soon became fluent in the language. She dedicated herself to helping helping her pupils
Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany on 30th January 1933.
She was well liked by both her pupils and colleagues who regarded her as the best matron they had ever known.
WW11 broke out on 3rd September 1939. Jane was on holiday in Cornwall with Margit Prem, the head of the school in Budapest. They immediately returned to Budapest. In 1940 she was advised to return home. She stayed saying Hungary was neutral.
In 1941 Jewish refugees, from all over German occupied Europe, fled to Hungary to escape the Holocaust.
On 19th March 1944 the German Wehrmacht invaded Hungary.
Late April, early May, 1944 the Gestapo arrived. ( See ‘Arrest’ for charges)
15th May deported to Auschwitz - given no. 79467.
Selected for work rather than gas chamber.
17th July died in hospital of cachexia and intestinal catarrh.
In 1997 Jane was recognised by Yad Vashem in Israel as Righteous Among the Nations.
Bapa Timmy (1897-1988) lived in a mountain village on Buru, one of 1000s of islands that make up the republic of Indonesia.
Bapa as a young boy practiced animism. He worshiped his ancestors and did his best to please the evil spirits he believed were in the trees, rocks and other objects. Tragedy struck when 10 of his sisters and brothers died.
In his sorrow he began to search for the unknown God he believed must exist. God began to reveal himself to him and he gave up his former religion. He asked God to forgive him his sins.
Several years later he met an Assemblies of God believer. He then went to Bible school in Indonesia.
On his return tn his village they were unhappy because he had rejected the local customs.
One day 30 men came out of the mountains and attacked him. He was nearly beaten to death but within a week he had recovered but 24 of his attackers had died. The other 6 were afflicted with various sicknesses - they went to Bapa and joined him in following Jesus .
One year, for 9 months, no rain fell on his village. Crops failed A recent forest fire had the left the land charred. The witch doctors efforts failed…
Bapa saw this was an opportunity to show his village that the Lord Jesus was the one true God. He prayed to God for rain - he gave the witch doctors the day and the time.
Like in the time of Elijah (1 Kings 18 verses 41-6) the rain poured down. Everywhere was wet except where Bapa and the witch doctors stood!
He went to Danu Rana, a village nearby. 100 were waiting. They had already decided to accept God- the Holy Spirit fell and all began to speak in tongues.
This happened in 1953. Bapa died in 1988 aged 91. His influence lives on in the 13 churches started through his influence.
Enjoy reading out the story and showing the pictures.
Source
Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge from Assemblies of God World Missions
Demos Shakarian Jr. (1913-1993) was an American businessman of Armenian origin from Los Angeles. He founded the Full Gospel Business men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI).
The Happiest People on Earth (1975) is his story and the story of FGBMFI.
A large group of Pryguny (Christian Sect in Russia), including the Shakarian family, began to arrive in Los Angeles in 1905. They settled within a mile of the Azusa Street Revival and were delighted to meet spiritual faiths in America similar to theirs.
Demos was born 8 years later. When he grew up he entered the family business of dairy farming. Their milk herd grew to become the largest in the world at that time.
He used organizational abilities to facilitate Evangelistic campaigns with Charles S. Price and others.
He spent most of his adult life building the FGNFI (started 1952) for free. Honorariums and monies from speaking engagements he deposited back into the ministry. Every year he would resign his position as president, step into the hall, and allow the 200 board to vote for the next president!
He noted from his tent campaigns that they mainly attracted women. He wanted FGNFI to establish and encourage more participation by men by providing a platform for businessmen to give religious testimonies. The fellowship grew to 190 countries.
He also played a key role in working with Paul Crouch to help launch Trinity broadcasting network (TBN), working to fund Joel Olsteen’s father John Olsteen’s ministry and played a key role in helping grow the Voice of Healing Revival.
(Read ‘Healing Revival’)
For the full story of Demos Shakarian and FGNFI the book need to be read.
(See Amazon advert)
The FGB today, has 6,000 chapters in around 160 countries worldwide. The FGB allows for men and women an opportunity to come together, from any church or non-church background to hear something of the reality of the presence of God and His power at work within our lives. (Read ‘About FGB’)
Source used
Wikipedia
Elizabeth Prout, a Shrewsbury born nun, is on course to become Britain’s first female non-martyr saint in 800 years after the Vatican ruled she had lived a life of ‘heroic virtue’. Her sainthood cause was submitted to the Vatican in 2008.
Elizabeth Prout, also known as Mother Mary Joseph of Jesus (1820-1864) was the founder of the Roman Catholic religious institute originally called the Institute of the Holy Family, but known later as the Passionist Sisters or Sisters of the Cross and Passion.
She was received into the Catholic faith in her early twenties-parents opposed it.
The so called ‘Mother Teresa of Manchester’, i n 1848. aged 28, became a nun and was given a teaching post in some of th poorest areas of Manchester, working largely among Irish migrants and factory workers who were fleeing the Great Famine.
Parts of Manchester in 1844 were described as ‘this hell on earth’. An observer 4 years later described the place where Elizabeth worked - the Angel Meadow district as*the lowest, most filthy, most unhealthy and most wicked locality - the home of prostitutes, their bullies, thieves, codgers, vagrants, tramps and in the very worst sties of filth and darkness- the low Irish.
The life of Elizabeth and her female companions was strict They laboured for much of the day in prayer and working for the local poor. Her original companions found it too strict and left.
Father Gaudentius Rossi, who greatly influenced her, drew up ’ a rule of life’ for the Institute of the Holy Family. and new recruits joined. On 21st November 1852 the new sisters received a religious habit . At her clothing she became Mother Mary Joseph of Jesus - her religious name.
The new institute was criticised for its revolutionary ideas -the nuns had to earn their own wages to support themselves The nuns worked so they became ill. Unable to afford a doctor she nursed them back to health.
Conflict within the community took its toll on her work, particularly the finances of the Institution. She went to Ireland to beg for alms for her Institute. On her return things were even worse- the sisters were accused of irregularity. The resulting investigation proved extremely positive because it revealed the deep poverty of the sisters and the sacrifices they had made in their hard work.
She opened 9 schools for poor children and homes for the destitute women across the industrial region ( Read ‘Work in Manchester’)
The Vatican approved the new order in 1863. The institute was originally called the Institute of the Holy Family, but later known as the Passionist Sisters or the Sisters of the Cross and Passion. The deeply practical Elizabeth was the first Superior General.
Elizabeth, aged 43, died the following year,on 11th January, 1864.
Her body , with Dominic Barberi and Ignatius Spencer lies in the shrine of St. Anne’s Church, Sutton.
The latest up date on her possible saint hood.
Elizabeth declared Venerable by the Vatican in January 2021.
Thomas Ball Barratt (1862-1949) was a British born Norwegian pastor and one of the founding figures of the Pentecostal movement in Europe.
Thomas was born in Cornwall but his parents emigrated to Norway when he was only 4 - he was bilingual.
He began to preach at the age of 17. He pastored several churches in the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) in Norway.
In 1905 he travelled to the USA with the aim of raising funds to build a new premises in Kristiania.
The Azasa Street Revival had happened in Los Angles on 9th April that year which resulted in the forming of the Pentecostal movement.
Several ministers who were baptized in the Spirit at the Azusa Street Mission and who were passionate about helping others encounter God in this way, intersected with Barratt in New York when he was on his way home. He asked for prayer to receive the same blessing they had received. He was baptised in the Spirit on 15th November 1906 ( or 7th October if dif. source used) and thereafter spoke and even sang in tongues
( Read ‘T.B. Barratt and Revival in Norway’ which includes his personal, powerful, inspiring testimony, by Jan Miskov - her testimony - which follows, can be found on Wikipedia, is also worth reading!)
He returned to Norway in December without funds or support. Instead in 1907 he held revival meetings in Oslo at his newly formed Filadelfia assembly. This attracted international attention and he became one of the prime movers of the Pentecostal movement in Europe.
Thomas went to Kristiania in December 1906. On 23rd he told of his spiritual baptism, he stood and wept. Although he did not utter a word, it was of great importance, the spirit was present. On the 2nd Christmas Day more people experienced similar things. By New Year 1907 ten people had been baptised spiritually.
This is considered the beginning of the Pentecostal movement in Norway.
Alexander Boddy went to Norway and invited Thomas to visit his All Saints Church in Monkwearmouth in Sunderland. On 13th September 1907 Thomas wrote the eyes of the religious millions in Great Britain are now fixed on Sunderland. Alexander went onto become one of the founders of Pentecostalism in Britain.
Thomas continued to travel abroad visiting Sweden, Finland, Poland Estonia, Iceland and Denmark.
1909 the M E C terminated his membership.
He travelled to the UK to preach in Sion College, London and then to Sunderland for what became an annual Pentecostal celebration known as Whitsuntide Convention. He then went to Bournemouth to stay with Stanley Frodsham - another Pentecostal pioneer.
Thomas emigrated to the USA . He continued to travel overseas to Palestine and India.
1939 he was elected, unanimously, to be President of the Great European Pentecostal Conference in Stockholm.
On 29th January 1940 , aged 77, he died and was buried in Oslo. Up to 20,000 people lined the streets for his funeral.
Oslo
Christina 1624
Kristiania 1877
Oslo 1925
The Azusa Street Revival was a historic revival meeting place that took place in Los Angeles, California. The Holy Spirit came in waves in April 9th, 1906.
William J. Seymour, the one eyed 34 year old son of a free slave led the meeting at 216 North Bonnie Brae Street.
On April 9th, 1906, after 5 weeks of William’s preaching and praying, and 3 days into an intended 10 day fast, Edward S. Lee spoke in tongues for the first time. At the next meeting William shared Edward’s testimony and preached a sermon on Acts ch 2 v 4
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
and soon 6 others began to speak in tongues, including Jennie Moor- William’s future wife. After praying all night William spoke in tongues for the first time on 12 th April .
The news spread quickly and crowds gathered. They held their first meeting on April 14th, 1906. Services were held outside to accommodate the crowds, People were baptized in the Holy Spirit, the sick were healed and sinners received salvation.
To further accommodate the crowd an old dilapidated two storey frame building at 312 Azusa Street, in the industrial section of the city, was secured. In this humble Azusa Street Mission, originally built for an African Methodist Episcopal church, which had been turned into a livery stable, storage building and tenement house, and referred by a newspaper as a tumble down shack the Pentecostal church was born. (Read Azusa Street ‘Conditions’)
The revival was characterised by spiritual experiences accompanied with testimonies of physical healing miracles, worship services and speaking in tongues.
Proud, well dressed preachers came to ‘investigate’. Soon their high looks replaced with wonder, then conviction comes, and very often you find them in a short time wallowing on the dirty floor, asking God to forgive them and make them little children. Apostolic Faith
All sorts of people came in their 100s ( 300-1500 would attempt to fit into the building) to worship from a diversity of backgrounds and different ages. Some came with both skepticism and a desire to participate.
By the end of 1906 most leaders from Azusa Street had spun off to form other congregations. By the end of 1913 the revival at Azusa Street had lost its momentum.
There is so much more to read about -background, Azusa -Services and worship criticism , and Legacy
The revival is considered by historians to be the primary catalyst for the spread of Pentecostalism in the 20th century.
Today there are more than 500 million Pentecostal and charismatic believers across the globe. it is the fastest growing form of Christianity.
We continue to need more revival PENTECOSTS. ( Acts ch 2 v1-4)
Edward McKendree Bounds (1835-1913) known as E. M. Bounds was an American author, attorney and member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South clergy. He wrote 11 books, 9 on prayer, but only 2 were published before his death.
Edward was born on 15th August 1835. His parents were Thomas and Hester Bounds. It is surmised he got his middle name from the evangelist William McKendree. He was the fifth of 6 children, 3 boys, 3 girls.
His father was the first Justice of the Peace in Shelby County. As County Commissioner in 1940 he advanced the building of the First Methodist Church. He died in 1849 of tuberculosis
Edward, now aged 14, joined relatives in a trek to Mesquite Canyon in California following the discovery of gold. After 4 unsuccessful years they return to Missouri. He studied law at Hannibal Missouri. Aged 19 he became the youngest practicing lawyer in the area. Although apprenticed as an attorney he felt a call to the ministry during the Third Great Awakening. Following a brush outside revival meeting by evangelist Smith Thomas he closed his office and moved to Palmyra to enroll in the Centenary Seminary. 1859, aged 24, he was ordained and named pastor of Moticello, MIssouri Methodist Church.
12th April 1861-9th May 1865 the American Civil War.
Edward lived in the north, but did not support slavery so he was held with other non-combatants in a Federal prison in St. Louis for 18 months. He was then transferred to Memphis and released in a prison exchange.
On his release he became chaplain in the Confederate States Army. During the second battle of Franklin he suffered a sever forehead injury and taken prisoner.
On28th June 1865 he was released upon taking the oath of loyalty to the United States.
He felt compelled to return to war torn Franklin where he became the pastor of Franklin Methodist Episcopal Church. He was regionally celebrated for leading spiritual revival in Franklin. He eventually began an itinerant preaching ministry across the USA.
He served served important churches in St. Louis. He became editor of the St. Louis Christian Advocate for 8 years. Then assistant editor of *The Nashville Christian Advocate * for 4 years.
The trial of his faith came to him while in Nashville, and he quietly retired to his home without taking a pension.
His principal work in Washington was rising and praying from 4 am to 7 am.
He filled a few engagements as an evangelist during the remaining 18 years. While on speaking engagements he did not neglect his early morning time in prayer. No man could have made more melting appeals for lost souls and backslidden ministers then did Bounds. Tears ran down his face as he pleaded for us all in that room.Not a foolish word did we ever hear him utter.
The Rev. Claudius Lysias Chilton Jr., an admirer of Bounds, worked on preserving and preparing his collection of manuscripts for publication. By 1921 Homer W. Hodge completed additional editorial work. ( see ‘Published works’)
Ernest Gordon (1916-2002) was a soldier, a Japanese prisoner of War (POW) at the River Kwai Bridge, an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, a former Presbyterian dean of the chapel at Princeton University and an author.
Ernest was born on 31st May 1916 in Greenock, Scotland. His parents were James
Gordon and Sarah R. MacMillan.
He became a company commanding officer in the 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He fought in the Malayan Campaign and the battle of Singapore. He was captured in 1942. He was captured when trying to escape to Java. He spent 3 years in a Japanese POW - he helped build the Kwai bridge.
He became seriously ill following torturous events and was placed in the ‘Death Ward’ - left to die. But thanks to 2 soldiers- a Methodist named 'Dusty Miller and ‘Dinty’ Moore, and their 24 hour care, he recovered. They would boil rags and clean and massage his diseased legs every day. On recovering he started a university in the camp in order to add purpose and direction the lives of the men. Ernest had arrived an agnostic but thanks to their care left a Christian.
What happened to the 2 men who saved his life?
Dusty Miller was crucified by a Japanese guard who was frustrated by his calm in the face of hardship.
Dinty Moore died when the Allies sank his unmarked prisoner transport ship.
Ernest returned to Scotland and became an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland at Paisley Abbey in 1950.
He moved to the USA where he preached in Amagansett and Montauk. He then became the Presbyterian chaplain at Princeton, N.J. in 1954 and in 1955 he became dean (1955-81).
In 1962 Through the Valley of the Kwai was published which gave a first hand account of the story of the ‘railway of death’. This inspired the movie *To End All Wars. *
During his 27 year tenure at Princeton he was a frequent lecturer and author of articles on religion and morality on college campuses for theological journals and magazines.
He was the first President of the Church Service Society of America.
He served as trustee of the Purcell School and chaired the New Jersey Mental Health Research and Development Fund.
On retirement in 1981 he moved to Washington D.C. to be the president of the Christian Rescue Effort for the Emancipation of Dissidents (CREED). He helped 100s of dissidents get out of prison in the Eastern Bloc. He travelled the world as a visiting lecturer. He later moved back to Princeton.
Ernest died on 16th January 2002 aged 85. Thanks to the care of his two friends he lived another 60 years - years spent actively in the Lord’s service.
Source used
Wikipedia
Jeanne- Marie Bouvier de la Motte- Guyon (1648-1717) ( commonly known as Madame Guyon was a French mystic and was accused of advocating Quietism, although she never called herself a Quiestist.
Madame Guyon, born on the 13th April 1648, was the daughter of Claude Bouvier, a procurator of the tribunal of Montargis , in France. She was sickly as a child and her education neglected. Her childhood was spent between the convent and the home of of wealthy parents - moving 9 times in 10 years. Her parents were very religious and gave her a pious training.
In 1664, aged 15, she was forced into an arranged marriage to Jacques Guyon, aged 38. She was in an unhappy marriage being treated badly by the mother-in-law and maidservant. Relatives died -half sister, mother and father. She had 5 children, 2 of those died. Her husband died leaving her a widow at the age of 28.
During the marriage she was introduced to and instructed in mysticism by Fr. Francois La Combe. a Barnabite.
(Mysticism -popularly know as becoming one with God or the Absolute.
( See 'Mysticism)
Barnabite - religious order of clerics founded in 1530 (See Barnabites) )
After the death of her husband she lived quietly as a wealthy widower in Montargis.
In 1679 re-established contact with Francois. In 1680 felt need to go to Geneva. The bishop encouraged her to set up a house for ‘new catholics’ in Gex, Savoy. There were problems with the sisters and Francois sent to intervene. She became ill and asked her mother-in-law to look after her 2 sons. She left her personal possessions but kept an annuity for herself.
The bishop asked her to leave because of her ideas of mysticism. He expelled Francois.
They moved to Turin and then onto Grenoble in France. January 1685 she published
Moyen court et facile de faire oraison - A Short and Very Easy Method of Prayer.
Quietism - the elevating of contemplation over mediation was regarded as a heresy. (Read Quietism ‘Christian philosophy’)
The Bishop of Grenoble was perturbed- she left the city at his request. Francois was shut up in the Bastille. The arrest of Madam Guyon followed.
She was released 7 months later. Theologians examined her book and she made a retraction of the propositions. Her book resulted in secret conferences being held at Issy. The 34 articles of Issy followed and she signed submission to them and returned secretly to Paris.
On 24th December 1695 she was arrested again. She was imprisoned at Vincennes, then a convent at Vaugirard and then the Bastille. She signed another retraction on 23rd August 1699. After 7 years she was finally released on 21st March 1703.
She retired to live with one of her children in Blois. Many pilgrims visited her. She enjoyed writing. She died, aged 69, on 9th June 1717.
She never called herself a Quietist.
Her book is still available ( See ‘Amazon’)
Keith Gordon Green (1953-1982) was an American contemporary Christian music pianist, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his strong devotion to Christ and challenging others to do the same. Several of his compositions became standards.
He unfortunately died in a plane crash in 1982. !! in total died, 2 were children Josiah and Bethany.
Keith took to music at a very early age -age 3 ukulele, age 5 guitar. age 7 piano. Aged 8 he was noted by a major newspaper… Aged 10 he played the role of Kurt von Trapp in ‘The Sound of Music’.
In 1964, aged 10, he was youngest person to sign with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
In 1965 he signed a 5 year contract with Decca records.
Keith had Jewish heritage and was raised in Christian Science. He grew up reading the New Testament.
As a teenager he experimented in drugs but aged 19 he met a fellow seeker -Melody Steiner. They were inseparable and married in 1973.
In 1975 he renounced Christian Science and became a Jewish believer in Jesus, the Messiah. A week later Melody also became a believer.
They bought a small house in Los Angeles which became ‘The Greenhouse’ - the place where people grew. They were both staff songwriters for CBS Records in Hollywood and were able to support whoever came to their houses -they bought bought 1 and rented 5 more! This non-profit ministry becameLast Days Ministries.(LDM)
During his concerts he would often exhort his listeners to repent and commit themselves more wholly to follow Jesus.
When his music was in Christian book shops a second cassette was included free of charge to help spread the Gospel His recording took off. ( Read ‘Recording’)
In 1978 LDM started to published Last Days Newsletter - in mid 1985 renamed Last Days Magazine and sent to 500,000 worldwide.
The crash on 28th July 1982 happened according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) because the pilot Don Alan Burmeister unfortunately overloaded the plane beyond its operating limitations. (Read ‘Death in plane crash’).
Melody continued to lead LDM from Texas until 1996 when she moved to California. She launched LDM on line where all of Keith’s writings are free and his music can be found. The free LDM Newsletter is also sent by request. She maintains his facebook page in honour of Keith and shares her opinions on her page where she interacts with Green’s fans and LDM fans.
Sources
Wikipedia
Have also included Keith’s thought about * So You Wanna Be A Rock Star*
He finishes with these words
Amen. Let us die graciously together and endure to the end like brave soldiers who give their lives, without hesitation, for our noble and glorious King of Light.
Susanna Wesley (1669-1742) was the mother of John and Charles Wesley.
She is known as the Mother of Methodism because conscious or unconsciously would have applied the example and teachings and circumstances of their home life.
Susanna was the 25th of 25 children to be born into the Annesley Family. Her father Dr. Samuel Annesly was a Dissenter from the established church of England .
Aged 12 she stopped attending her father’s church and joined the Church of England.
She married Samuel Wesley on 12th November 1688 when she was 20, he was 27. They had 19 children. 9 died as infants - 4 were twins and one was accidentally smothered by a maid. When she died, aged 73, only 8 were still alive.
Her husband was a very authoritarian rector and unpopular with the people at Epworth - they tried twice to burn the rectory down. He was rescued from debtors prison by the personal intervention of Archbishop Sharpe of York. He left her for a year because of a minor dispute.
Susanna took responsibility for her children. She imposed s strict daily routine. From birth they were put into a regular METHOD of living. At a year old they were taught to fear the rod and to cry softly. They had 3 meals a day. At 6 in the evening, after family prayers, they had supper, washed and put to bed.
Aged 5 formal education began - they attended lessons for 6 hours a day. On day one they were expected to learn the alphabet - 2 daughters took a day and 1/2
She had the happy talent of imbuing a child’s mind with every kind of useful knowledge in such a way as to stamp it indelibly on the memory- grandson Charles.
After the second fire she was forced to place the children in different houses for nearly 2 years. She was responsible for their education and mortified that her children began to use improper speech and play more than study. She found time to spend time with each child during the week.
When her husband went to London to defend a friend, on charges of heresy, he appointed a curate. His sermon in the morning service revolved solely about repaying debts so she set up her own Sunday afternoon activities. The children read psalms, she read her husband’s sermons. The locals asked if they could join- The curate was unhappy and complained to Samuel. Susanna’s response was if he forbade her doing good, he would have to stand with her on judgement day and explain why he had issued this command. Samuel bowed to her challenge and the meetings resumed.
Samuel’s work on the Book of Job , his life’s work, had little impact on his family other than hardship.
Susanna practised daily devotions. throughout her life.
She wrote letters,meditations and scriptural commentaries. many were lost in the rectory fire but many survived. *Susanna Wesley, The complete writings
has been made accessible by Charles Wallace.
Susanna Wesley, the Mother of Methodism, died on 23rd July 1742 aged 73, and was buried at Bunhill Fields in London.
Alexander Alfred Boddy (1854-1930) was an Anglican vicar and one of the founders of Pentecostalism in Britain.
Alexander was born into an ecclesiastical family. His father was a vicar and his mother was a descendant of Mrs. Vazeille, who had been married to John Wesley.
He trained as a solicitor but following a religious experience at a Keswick Convention he was convinced he should be ordained into the Church of England.
Following several appointments the Bishop of Durham, J. B. Lightfoot, placed him in All Saints Church (ASC) in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland in 1884. In 1891 he married Mary Pollock.
Inspired by the Holiness Movement ( See notes) he had an intense religious experience in 1892.
In 1899 Mary experience healing for asthma and believed she she had the gift of healing through the laying-on of hands.
In 1904 he visited Wales during the Welsh Revival and Evan Roberts.
In 1907 visited Oslo where T.B. Barratt was leading a revival l based on the events at the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles.
Barratt visited ASC and Alexander experience speaking in tongues.People flocked to Sunderland to hear Barratt and Boddy speak.
ASC became a centre for British Pentecostalism. 28th October 1907 Mary laid hands on Smith Wigglesworth. From 1908-14 Alexander hosted a series of Sunderland Whitsuntide Conventions which gained national press attention
He exercised his leadership through 3 agencies - the Sunderland Convention, Confidence (1908-1926) and the Pentecostal Missionary Union (PMU) formed in 1909 led by Cecil Pollhill. Plus his worldwide travelling ministry.
He was the the most pivotal figure in the formative period of British Pentecostalism. His position as vicar, a highly respected position at the time, added respectability to the new element of Pentecostalism and gave him a leading role in the movement.
The outbreak of WW1 (1915-18) and the development of the Elim movement rapidly cut his leadership for 3 reasons. His ministry was limited to parish work and war related ministry, difference in attitude towards the war- he was patriotic they were for pacifism, and thirdly the rapid growth o fElim was a cause for diversity in leadership.
Also, as the movement grew, he could no longer represent the majority of Pentecostals. ( See Ku-Hyung Cho dissertation 260= pages -a few pages included)
Alexander stayed in the Church of England; he tried to discourage the creation of separate denominations.
Sources
Thesis by Khu-Hyung Cho The Move to independence from Anglican
` Leadership
Wikipedia
Evan John Roberts was mightily used by the Holy Spirit between 1904/5.
He was an evangelist and leading figure of the 1904/5 Welsh Revival.
Evan was born in Loughor, Wales on 8th June 1878. He was raised in a Calvinistic Methodist home. He attended church regularly and memorized scripture at night.
His father had a serious accident down the coal mine when his son was nearly 12. When his father was fit to work 3 months later Evan left school and began to work in the coal mines as a doorboy. He took his Bible underground and read it at every opportunity. He worked in the coal mines until 1902. Aged 21 he became an apprentice to his uncle - a blacksmith in Pontarddulais. For 15 months he worked at the forge but his desire was to preach.
Meanwhile Rev. Seth Joshua, from the beginning of the 20th century, had been praying for God to send an ordinary young man, who had worked in the mines, to lead a Revival in Wales.
In 1904 Rev. Joseph Jenkins prayed earnestly for change in the church. In February young Florrie Evans rose to her feet*I love Jesus Christ with all of my heart *
Immediately the whole meeting seemed to catch fire. Young people found it easy to pray and talk about their experiences. (Read ‘The origins of the Revival’)
13th September Evan and his friend Sidney Evans went to Newcastle Emlyn to attend Trefecca College to train for the ministry.
On September 29th he attended a conference at Blaenannerch where the Rev. Seth Joshua prayed that God would ‘bend’ the people in the congregation. Evan prayed God would ‘bend’ him. He was made utterly obedient and utterly willing.
(Read ‘Evan at Blaenannerch’)
The Holy Spirit urged him to return home to Loughor. Having sought permission to go home from Rev. Evan Phillips, the minister of Newcastle, he followed his advice and caught the train.
What followed was an incredible outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
From 31st October, in Moriah, he made pleas for people to rise and confess - each day the power of the Holy Spirit felt more powerful.
On 6th November Evan asked those attending a pray meeting in the vestry to pray the same pray.
O send the Holy spirit now for Jesus Christ’s sake.
**He descend with great fire upon the people present and they prayed until a late hour.
Read the rest of the 1904 sheets covering the Revival Meetings, The Effect of the Revival in Wales, The Out Pouring of the Holy Spirit in Wales. WONDERFUL.
This continued for 2 years. 100,000 Christians influenced the spiritual life of Wales and the world.
Evan in 1906, exhausted, mentally and physically, stayed in the home of William and Jessie Penn- Lewis.
He recovered in 1907 to became a prayer intercessor- praying up to 18 hours a day.
He occasionally spoke or counseled.
In 1930 he returned to Cardiff, Wales.
He died, aged 72, on 29th January 1951