Maria B. Woodworth - Life and Experience of Maria B. Woodworth (Pentecostal Pioneers)

by

Maria Woodworth-Etter

Pentecostal Pioneers Series

No. 1

Published by The Revival Library

www.revival-library.org

Although the original is in the public domain, this etext is the property of the Revival Library. We would be grateful if its use was restricted to private reading and research. For any other use (including publishing, storing or reproducing) please contact us at for authorisation.

Maria Woodworth-Etter was an outstanding preacher of the Gospel who saw amazing signs and wonders attending her ministry. By the time the Pentecostal movement was born in 1906 Maria, in her early sixties already had two-and-a-half decades of Pentecostal ministry under her belt!

She was an itinerant evangelist who travelled coastto-coast across the United States holding meetings in church halls, Gospel tents and public buildings. Though simply evangelistic in the early days it was in 1885 that supernatural signs began to accompany her service. People fell into trances, experienced visions of heaven and hell, collapsed on the floor as if theyd been shot or had died. Thousands were healed of a wide variety of sicknesses and diseases and many believers, even ministers, received mighty baptisms of the Holy Spirit.

This small book records the early beginnings of this powerful ministry before she married for the second time, adding Etter to her first married name of Woodworth.

This book contains the recollections of the most eventful periods of my life, written in a condensed form. It is not made up of simple and foolish narrations, which take place in the life of almost every person, in order to fill up space, and make a large and expensive hook, but is made up of an experience such as I believe not many are called upon to pass through. It is within the reach of every one; and with the alternation of peace and trouble, encouragement and discouragement, hope and fear, prosperity and adversity, joy and misery, I cannot help but think that it will be interesting and beneficial to those who may read it.

My object in putting this little work before the public is to show to its readers that it is useless to fight against God, but that they should lead sinners to the cross and to repentance, and induce those whom God has called to stand upon the walls of Zion to proclaim his truths to a dying world, and not to put off doing what God designs them to do because they feel weak and unworthy, but to trust him and go forward in the discharge of duty. This work is not designed to excite the mind, or lead it where it should not go, but to instil into the mind especially of the young something that will do them good in time and fit them for eternity.

And if this record of trials and triumphs, struggles and successes, shall stimulate any to the exercise of that energy, industry, and courage in their calling, which will surely lead to their happiness, and to the prosperity of the cause in which they are engaged, the mission whereunto this was sent will have been accomplished.

MARIA B. WOODWORTH.

WILLSHIRE, VAN WERT COUNTY, OHIO.

My childhood My fathers Death Commencement of lifes battles My longings for an education My desire for religious teaching and religious influence My conversion The voice of God calling me to go out and work.

I WAS born in New Lisbon, Columbiana County, Ohio, July 22, 1845, and was the fourth daughter of quite a large family of children. My parents were not Christians; therefore I was left without the religious teachings and influence with which so many homes are blessed. My father and mother joined the Disciple Chinch one year before my fathers death, which occurred in July, 1850. The death of my father was the first great sorrow of my life. He had gone away to harvest in usual health; and I will never forget the night he was brought home cold and dead. Some neighbor children and I were out watching a terrible storm raging when we saw two strangers approaching the house. They came to bring the sad intelligence of what had happened; and as we looked out we saw the conveyance approaching, bringing the remains of our dear father. It was a terrible blow to our young hearts to see our father carried into the house cold and stiff in death, and my mother fainting as fast as they could bring her to.

We children were screaming and the storm was raging in all its fury. But I must pass over this sad event. My mother was left with eight children to provide for, and almost destitute. Then began the battle of life with us all. Mother was obliged to seek work in various ways. My oldest sisters and myself had to leave home and work by the week. We had not only ourselves to clothe, but also to provide for our brothers and sisters at home. It was very hard for my sensitive nature to go among strangers. I was discontented and homesick. 1 wanted to go to school where I could learn, for I longed for an education; and I often cried myself to sleep over this matter. I would have my books in the kitchen, where I could read a verse and commit it to memory, then read another, and so on, thus improving every opportunity while at my work. I had no opportunity of going to church from my earliest recollection. My heart went out in strong desires to know of God when eight years old. Two of my sisters were converted in a Methodist meeting. I went once or twice. My heart was melted with the Saviors love; but they seemed to think children had no need of salvation, and I was kept back.

At the age of thirteen I attended a meeting of the Disciple Church. My family were all Disciples at this time. Dr. Belding was holding the meeting, and I believe he was full of the Holy Ghost. When I heard the story of the cross my heart filled with the love of Jesus. My eyes seemed to be fountains of tears. Then began my new life of peace and joy in a Saviors love. Then I was contented and happy, singing and praising God all the day long. I never went to any place of amusement; I attended four meetings on Sabbath and three or four during the week. I did not stay away from meeting once a year unless I was sick. I was more anxious now than ever for an education, for I wanted to work for Jesus and be useful in the vineyard of Christ. Soon after I was converted I heard the voice of Jesus calling me to go out in highways and hedges, and gather in the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Like Mary I pondered these things is my heart, for I had no one to hold counsel with. The Disciples did not believe that women had any right to work for Jesus. Had I told them my impressions they would have made sport of me. I had never heard of woman working in public except as missionaries, so I could see no opening except, as I thought, if I ever married my choice would be an earnest Christian, and then we would enter upon the mission-work.

The trials and discouragements of the first part of my married life The angel of Death at our home A second call by the angel of Death Conversion of our little daughter Georgie Georgies sickness and death Birth and death of little Girtie.

WE settled in the country, and thought by industry and honest toil to gain a little of this worlds goods to sustain these physical bodies; but my health failed, and everything we undertook seemed to be a failure. I was away from all Christian influence and could not often attend to the house

of God. Often when hearing the church-bells ringing, which had been the signal for me to repair to the house of worship, and knowing that I could not go, I would cry myself to sleep. My husbands health and mind were impaired while in the army, and now they both began to give way so much so that he was not capable of doing business a good part of the time. I had one trial after another, and temptations and discouragements besetting me on every side. The angel of Death came to our home, and after hovering around for a few days he bore away our only little boy, a bright, blue-eyed darling. As he was passing away he looked up and smiled. He looked like an angel, and seemed to say, Mamma, do not weep for me; I am going to a better world. It almost broke my heart to lay him away in the cold grave; but I could see the loving hand of God calling us to build up higher, to set our affections on heavenly things and not on the things of the earth. One year had hardly passed by when the angel of Death came again to our home and took away our baby Freddy, and at the same time I lay for weeks between life and death. In all this I could see the hand of the loving Father call me to leave all and follow him.