Saturday, February 29, 2020

Plans Underway for Marker Honoring Anne Moody

The civil rights pioneer will be featured on the Mississippi Writers Trail

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Chairman, Anne Moody History Project
Copyright (c) 2020

#AnneMoody
#VisitMississippi
#MississippiWritersTrail


Planning for Anne Moody Marker
Centreville Alderwoman Felicia Williams, left, talks to Anne Moody History Project member Michelle Higginbotham, and Visit Mississippi's Cultural Program Manager Maggie Lowery in the community park in downtown Centreville.
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A representative of the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) and Visit Mississippi came to Wilkinson County on Friday, February 28, to talk about Anne Moody and current plans to honor her on the Mississippi Writers Trail.

Maggie Lowery, the cultural programs manager for Visit Mississippi's tourism development division, said a marker honoring Moody is ready to be posted in downtown Centreville, Miss., pending approval by town officials.

The proposed site for the marker is the town's community park, across from the library. A special unveiling of the marker is expected in March.

Lowery shared the news during her visit to Centreville, where she met with Centreville Alderwoman Felicia Williams. They were joined by Dr. Roscoe Barnes III and Michelle Higginbotham, members of the Anne Moody History Project (AMHP) of MTC’s Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF). Barnes, who serves as AMHP chairman, said he and Higginbotham were happy to learn of the special honor being given to Moody.

"We're grateful to Ms. Williams for inviting us to participate in this historic event," he said. "We are thrilled to see Anne Moody receive this honor, which she so richly deserves."

From left: Felicia Williams, Michelle Higginbotham, and Maggie Lowery.


Moody, who was born and reared in Centreville, is the author of Coming of Age in Mississippi. She died in 2015 at the age of 74. At the time of her death, she was living in Gloster, Miss.

News of the marker was first shared by Williams in December 2019. She had been working with Lowery to secure a place for its location.

According to Lowery, funding for the project was made possible by a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities.

Official approval of the project by the town of Centreville means Moody would join the ranks of a few other famous writers from Mississippi. So far, markers have been created for Eudora Welty, Margaret Walker, Elizabeth Spencer and William Faulkner. Plans are underway to honor Tennessee Williams, Shelby Foote, and Walker Percy.

From left: Maggie Lowery, Michelle Higginbotham, Felicia Williams.

For more information on Visit Mississippi and the Mississippi Writers Trail, visit: https://visitmississippi.org/writerstrail

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Want to know MORE about Anne Moody?

Visit here to see the timeline of

important events in her life history!

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For more information:
See the Anne Moody page here. Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D. via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on Anne Moody history and the on-going work of this community service project, simply follow this blog or follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). #ComingOfAgeinMississippi

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Ern Baxter and the Article that Put Him at Odds with Other Healing Revivalists

A review of his blistering critique of the evangelists in the Post-World War II healing revival

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Author, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer"
Copyright (c) 2020

#FFBosworth
#BosworthMatters
#ErnBaxter



In a 1978 interview with New Wine Magazine, Ern Baxter spoke about an article he wrote that made him anathema among the healing revivalists of the 1950s. At the time, Baxter was an active member of the Voice of Healing organization. For several years, he had worked with William Branham, Gordon Lindsay, and F.F.Bosworth. After being intimately close to the preachers who boasted of having great healing ministries, Baxter apparently saw things that were inappropriate. He reportedly saw error, sin, and deception. He also believed the preachers were more concerned about “competition,” fame, and money, than they were about pleasing God. So he wrote an article to express his concerns. The article, which was titled, “The Case of Carnal Comparisons,” appeared in the June 1951 issue of The Voice of Healing. Baxter said in his New Wine interview that he wrote the piece out of his “conviction and concern.” He said that in his article, he noted “there was a good deal of Corinthianism already in the healing movement.” If things did not improve “by the healers to remedy it, this movement would self-destruct,” he cautioned.

In the article, Baxter used Paul’s writings to the Corinthians to support his argument. He acknowledged that God was doing a wonderful thing in the post-World War II healing revival. He suggested as much in his opening paragraph:

We thank god for such visitations of His power and blessing as are being experienced throughout the world at the present time. Entire cities are being stirred by great revival efforts which overflow the largest auditoriums, and in some instances, require the erection of special buildings to contain the crowds. The Gospel is the world’s only hope, and we pray that these great Gospel efforts will continue to enlarge in power and influence until the whole world feels the influence of the Spirit of God.

Despite all the good that was being done, he explained, there were serious issues that put certain ministries (or the movement) in jeopardy. These issues were of such significance that he felt compelled to issue a warning. He wrote:

There is, however, a great danger in such mighty movements where individuals are catapulted into places of prominence as leaders. Instead of humbly recognizing the hand of God in the whole, and the grace of God in equipping men for leadership, and thus giving all the glory to God, there is a tendency to humanly evaluate leaders, and compare and pick and choose favorites. Such an attitude indicates a limited vision. This robs God of His glory, is unfair to the leader, and contributes to the party spirit among Christians, which God so evidently deplores, as indicated in His word.

The reaction to Baxter’s article, for the most part, was not positive. “As a result of that article I was persona non grata from there on as far as the healers were concerned, so I confined myself to [William] Branham,” he said. “Tragically, as these men violated the principles of plurality, each of them had his turn at the pinnacle of fame, but most of them were easily picked off by the enemy. Satan’s aim is good.”

Because his article appeared on the pages of The Voice of Healing, one must assume that Gordon Lindsay, the magazine's editor, agreed with Baxter’s assessment. Other sources, such as Freda Lindsay and David E. Harrell Jr. have reported on Gordon's frustration and disgust with the men in the movement. Freda recalled how some of the evangelists actually “used” Gordon to their advantage. When they became big, they cast him aside. When they got into trouble, they came to him for help. Each time, she said, in loving humility, Gordon stepped in to help those in need. Still, he was disappointed.

In her memoir, My Diary Secrets (Christ For The Nations Inc., 1976), Freda recounted:

As Gordon and I reflected on the gradual change that became apparent, I recall his summing it up this way: “When ministers become successful and have large crowds, too often they forget to wait on the Lord daily and study His Word. They depend on their reputation. And instead of being men of God they become showmen.”

A copy of Baxter’s article is printed below. 

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The Voice of Healing
(June 1951, pages 10-11)


The Case of Carnal Comparisons

By J. Ern Baxter


2 Cor. 10:12 – “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measure themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”

1 Cor. 3:4 – “For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another of Apollos; are ye not carnal?”

We thank god for such visitations of His power and blessing as are being experienced throughout the world at the present time. Entire cities are being stirred by great revival efforts which overflow the largest auditoriums, and in some instances, require the erection of special buildings to contain the crowds. The Gospel is the world’s only hope, and we pray that these great Gospel efforts will continue to enlarge in power and influence until the whole world feels the influence of the Spirit of God.

Such moves as we refer to are, in most cases, spearheaded by certain men, obviously God-blessed and God-ordained for the task. It is our duty to pray for such men that they will be sustained in spirit, soul, and body, that they might be at their best constantly in this greatest of all battles.

There is, however, a great danger in such mighty movements where individuals are catapulted into places of prominence as leaders. Instead of humbly recognizing the hand of God in the whole, and the grace of God in equipping men for leadership, and thus giving all the glory to God, there is a tendency to humanly evaluate leaders, and compare and pick and choose favorites. Such an attitude indicates a limited vision. This robs God of His glory, is unfair to the leader, and contributes to the party spirit among Christians, which God so evidently deplores, as indicated in His word.

Each of these leaders, indeed every minister in the Church of God, has some distinctive features which makes him to differ from every other minister, and unless the great principle of ministerial oneness is recognized, there exists the constant danger of dividing God’s people into as many groups as there are ministers to give them leadership.

“There is no new thing under the sun,” and this seems especially true when considered in terms of error and defection among Christians. We can think of no modern system of error or trend of defection in the realm of professed Christian religion that had not appeared at least in germ form in the days of the apostles, and which was not given apostolic treatment in the sacred writings of the New Testament. The subject with which we are dealing received extensive attention from the Apostle Paul in the Corinthian epistles, as well as being referred to in other epistles. Although the directions given in the Corinthian epistle are intended primarily to meet the local conditions, they, nevertheless, are applicable on a body-wide scale.

The apostle declares the condition that exists in the Corinthian church by saying, “It hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cophas; and I of Christ.” (I Cor. 1:11, 12). There certainly had been a good deal of carnal comparison indulged here. Paul mentions himself first, for a group in the Corinthian church had chosen him as their preferred preacher, quite evidently without any encouragement from him. Paul indicates his sincerity in deploring and attempting to correct this party spirit by placing his name first on the list, and thus being the first to be demoted as a sectarian leader. No doubt, the Gentile believers clung to Paul as their leader, as against those Jews which preferred Peter with his background.

Then there were those who were followers of Apollos, described in the Scripture as “an eloquent man, and might in the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24). Apollos was an Alexandrian Jew, distinguished for literary culture and eloquence, and it is probable that the more highly educated among the Corinthian Christians were his peculiar followers.

Then there were the Cephasites, the followers of Cephas, or Peter, He, of course, had an apparent priority over the others, being one of the first followers of Jesus. His apostleship was well established, there being no argument as in the case of Paul. He was a “senior minister,” and there were those who felt that he deserved a superior place, and so were quite prepared to battle for his leadership.

Finally, Paul mentions the Christ party. This may at first seem strange, for we should all be “of Christ.” It has been suggested, however, that “this sect of Christ probably rejected the apostles, and professed to be admirers and followers of the traditional sayings of Jesus. They approved His ethics, but rejected the doctrines outlined in the Gospel, and more fully expounded in the epistles. Possibly, the apostle had this group in mind when he wrote, “Henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more.” (II Cor. 5:16)

The apostle counters this condition with three pertinent questions, the first one being, “Is Christ divided?” Of course, the answer to this is an emphatic “No!” The body of Christ is one, and knows but one head, the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ. The one head governs the body, instructing the various members concerning their duty, and appointing the various tasks for the individual parts of the body. Thus, instead of individual members of the body setting up an independent centre of government and control, they must at all times adhere to the authority of the head. The structure of the human body contains the equipment for controlling and directing the various functions of the body. It has the advantage as the highest part of the body of seeing the farthest, and thus from its high place being able to intelligently instruct and direct the action of those members which live on a lower plane, and are depending upon the head for direction.

If the body is to function normally, the authority of the head must be constantly recognized. This is true of every member of the body, and especially true of those who are ministers in the body. Such ministers may be likened to those parts of the body, such as the hands and feet which are most active, and play such a prominent part in the functioning of the body in its varied activities. Such members are tempted to think that they are indispensable, and thus can set up a new center of authority. This, of course, produces confusion.

True ministry gifts, being those men ordained by God to minister to His people, are the gifts of the risen Head to the body, for it is written, “When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men … He gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers,” (Eph. 4:8, 11). Such men are God-gifted and appointed. They are not placed in the body to further some certain division or sect, and use their God given abilities to enlarge a segment of the whole, but they are placed in the body “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,” (Eph. 4:12). Their interest is body-wide, they are affectionately disposed toward all God’s people, and are obliged by reason of the nature of their calling to seek to build up the whole body of Christ.

No, Christ is not divided! His body is one. There is but one head of the body, and that is the risen Christ. Thus, every attempt to promote a group of God’s people as a segregated section as opposed to all the rest of the people of God is to work at cross purposes with the diving programme.

“Was Paul crucified for you?” is the second question. Who deserves our first loyalty? All our fellow humans, much as we esteem and love them, must never come between our undivided loyalty to Christ and His word. Many of those who would divide and rend the body of Christ are certainly not prepared to die for anybody, and before we take a hand in promoting some injurious division, let us remember that those whom we are influencing are the purchase of Jesus blood.

The final question of the trio is, “Were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” If these party leaders were so important as to create a division among God’s people, then why did they take in public confession at their baptism a place of identification with the Lord Jesus? The argument is overwhelming. There is no place for the exaltation of human leaders, and much harm is done all around when such exaltation is promoted.

The divine ideal is beautiful, and we dare not despise it by saying, “It will not work.” Let us listen to it humbly as God’s pronounced desire for His people – “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (I Cor. 1:10)

That this condition of division is serious is clearly stated by the apostle as he continues his instruction, writing, “I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ … For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?” (I Cor. 3:1,3,4) It is evident therefore, that party-spirited people are incapable of receiving mature instruction, and will always be found singing the praises of human leadership, making pretty comments on pulpit mannerisms, and the personal appearance and personality niceties of preachers. They have little or no time for an industrious study of God’s Word, or a diligent seeking after the Lord. They are God’s undeveloped children, for while they are not babes in the matter of years of professed salvation, they are “as babes” in the mater of understanding and conduct. They have not developed normally with the years, and are a heartache to the Father. We can imagine the constant pain in a mother’s heart as she watches her growing child, noticing physical development, and yet aware that the mind is not developing with the body. How our Heavenly Father, too, must look with sorrow upon us as we go from year to year developing in religious activity and church attendance, and yet undeveloped in our knowledge of His will through the Word.

Paul, having dealt with the sin of schism and having scored it as being wrong, now proceeds to deal with the true evaluation of the minister and his ministry. “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos,” he says, “but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?” These men who lead you to Christ and serve you in the ministry of the Word are “but ministers” which means “servants,” and if they are able to help you, it is because “the Lord gave to every man (each one).” Each one of these ministers received their ability and particular ministry from God, and so Paul goes on to say, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” As in gardening, one plants the seed, another waters it, and the unseen forces of growth give the increase; so in the field of Christian service, one minister plants, another waters, and God, like the unseen forces of growth, gives the increase.

“So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither is he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” Compared to God, ministers are nothing. When the true power in Christian service is readily understood, then the ministry fades into insignificance. It is a human trait to always look at the things seen. God is everything. He is the One who imparts eternal life to believing sinners. He alone is to be recognized and worshipped as leader.

Furthermore, rather than ministers being competitors and leaders of individual groups, the apostle says, “He that planteth and he that watereth are one.” They are not rival leaders, each boasting of his particular sect. True ministry usually becomes divided when God ceases to be the supreme motive for service. When a denomination or a creed takes the place of God, then the ministry ceases to be experimentally one. It is decidedly wrong therefore, to speak of ministers as rivals, and is a sign of carnality.

“Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.” One minister is not better than another, and each shall be rewarded according to his labor. The humblest ministry will be as abundantly rewarded as the more popular type. Let this serve as a warning to all who seek for fame and applause. God will reward ministers according to their labor, not according to what is generally considered success.

“It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.” The minister need not fret and worry about his popularity with the crowd as compared to the popularity of his fellow-ministers. If he is faithful to Christ and His Word, he can enjoy the incomparable inner rest that comes from knowing that he is being a true servant, faithful to his Master, and faithful to his task.

Rather than treating the people’s opinion of himself as something important, Paul says “that to me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you.” He was doing the best he knew, and as he observed his labors, was able to say, “I know nothing against myself … However, I am not hereby justified.” The people’s opinion of him, and his opinion of himself was not the final opinion. The final word was the Lord’s. “For,” says Paul, “he that judgeth me is the Lord.” And the day is coming when the Lord will indeed judge our service, not on the basis of apparent success, but on the basis of our motives, for in that day He “will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” This is a very solemnizing fact, and ought to bring preacher and people alike to their knees in humble heart-searching to ascertain our motives and make sure that we are working on sound principles.

No minister has a right to boast, “For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?” Let us not indulge in carnal comparisons, but receive with thanksgiving every gift of God, thanking Him for His appointed evangelists, and pastors and teachers, and as they seek to feed us the Word of God, and thrill our hearts with their exhortation and comfort, let all the glory be His, Who is the head of the body, and the Lord of His church, and the King of His Kingdom.

Related articles:

What Ern Baxter Really Thought of William Branham: A look at his 1978 interview with New Wine Magazine. See here.

Why Ern Baxter Left the Ministry of William Branham: A Look at Problematic Concerns About Faith and 'Borderline Psychic' Phenomena. See here.

When F.F. Bosworth Joined the Branham Party: A Look at His Contributions to The Voice of Healing and the Post-WWII Preachers with Healing Ministries. See here.

Donald Gee's Unflattering Mention of F.F. Bosworth. See here.

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Reminder: "F.F. Bosworth History" is now on Twitter. Follow @bosworth_fred

Note: My book, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer," can be purchased here with a 25% discount. Use the discount code: bosworth25.

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Want to know more
about F.F. Bosworth?

Follow the Bosworth Matters blog!

You can start right here:

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For more information:
Visit the F.F. Bosworth page here. Questions about the research and commentary on F.F. Bosworth may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on F.F. Bosworth history, simply follow this blog or @bosworth_fred and @Roscoebarnes3 on Twitter. #ChristTheHealer #BosworthMention #BosworthMatters

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Gettysburg Times (1995): ‘Local writer has signed two book deals’

His early writings on art and World War II history



I recently came across this news clip from The Gettysburg Times (November 9, 1995). At the time, I was living in Gettysburg, Pa. and working as a reporter for The Record Herald (Waynesboro, Pa.) The report was about two books I’d written: Big Bucks from Little Sketches: Proven Ways to Earn Money with Portraits and Caricatures Using Little or No Talent (McKinley & Henson) and Off to War: Franklin Countians in World War II (White Mane Publishing). This was an important period in my development as a writer and editorial cartoonist.

Big Bucks was self-published. I had tried to sell it to traditional publishers but without any success. After a while, I decided to publish it myself. When I offered it to ICS (International Correspondence Schools), they agreed to purchase 1,000 copies a year. While promoting the book via mailorder, I learned about copywriting and soon fell in love with commercial writing. Off to War was my first book to be published by a traditional publisher. I had fun experimenting with its publicity campaign. Selling these two books allowed me to discover the world of marketing.

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ROSCOE BARNES III, Ph.D., is a writer, chaplain, historian, and former newspaper reporter. He is the author of more than a dozen books and Gospel tracts. For more information about his work and history, see his Personal Profile here or visit his website: 
http://www.roscoebarnes.net. Connect with him on Twitter (@roscoebarnes3) or by email: roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com.

Friday, February 21, 2020

Six Major Turning Points in the Life of F.F. Bosworth

Important factors in his work as a healing evangelist

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Author, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer"
Copyright (c) 2020


#FFBosworth
#BosworthMatters

Joybringer Bosworth: His Life Story
by Eunice M. Perkins

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Note: In my doctoral work on F.F. Bosworth, I examined the paths he took to become a famous healing evangelist. Specifically, I sought to determine how he developed from a small-town farm boy into a prominent leader in the Pentecostal and divine healing movements. The research revealed that his ministry was forged by a number of critical events, which I label “Turning Points.” Some of those turning points are presented below. Most of this material first appeared in my doctoral thesis, F. F. Bosworth: A Historical Analysis of the Influential Factors in His Life and Ministry. It can be viewed herehttps://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/26869
  
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Major Turning Points in the Life of F.F. Bosworth

In his book, Interpretive Biography (SAGE Publications, 1989), Norman K. Denzin
writes that “lives have objective and subjective markers and …these markers reflect key, critical points about the life in question.” He suggests that these markers are “turning-point moments” which leave “permanent marks” on a person’s life. Such was the case with F.F Bosworth. His life history includes a number of significant moments that may be described as turning points. These moments left indelible impressions on his life and ministry and undoubtedly helped to shape his development as a healing evangelist. While some of his experiences were indeed important, such as his discovery of music, his first sale, his spiritual conversion, his persecution, and his marriages, other experiences appeared to be more significant. The more significant experiences, which are noted below, are described in this study as major turning points.

1. First Major Turning Point: Healing of Tuberculosis

Bosworth’s healing of TB was a major experience for several reasons. It was because of his illness that he left Nebraska and Illinois, and traveled to Fitzgerald, where he met his first wife. While in Fitzgerald, he received a word of prophecy about his future ministry from a woman evangelist. This woman also prayed for him and he was healed. While in Fitzgerald, he grew as a musician and toured with a local band. He purchased a barber shop and also served as a city clerk. It was also in Fitzgerald that he read about John Alexander Dowie and decided to move to Zion City.

In short, had Bosworth not been sick, he probably would not have moved to Fitzgerald. Had he not been sick, he probably would not have met the woman evangelist who prayed for him and said that God had a great work for him. If he had not been healed, he would not have become a famous healing evangelist. It seems clear, then, that the healing he experienced served not only to prolong his life, but it also helped to establish his faith, while providing him a foundation for future ministry.

2. Second Major Turning Point: Pentecostal Experience

Bosworth’s Pentecostal experience, which he described as the baptism in the Spirit, was a critical experience that occurred at a critical time in his life. The year was 1906 and the place was Zion City.  Bosworth had been working as a band leader for Dowie, the founder of Zion City. However, near the end of his (Dowie’s) life, Dowie became more controversial and extreme in his theology. He also reportedly mismanaged his finances and suffered huge losses, even filing for bankruptcy. His health deteriorated and he died in 1907. His followers, who had traveled from many places to live in Zion, became disillusioned and distraught.

The timing seemed right for Charles Parham to come and introduce his message of Pentecost. His work in Zion resulted in many receiving what they called the baptism in the Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues. Bosworth was one who received this experience. He has stated it was at this point that he received a call to preach. Although prepared to become a professional musician or possibly a successful businessman, this Pentecostal experience brought about a profound change in his life. It was a change that fired him with a different outlook on life and a spiritual mission that became the central focus of his life to the end.

Another reason the Pentecostal experience was critical may lie in the way it bridged two spiritual encounters. Because of the works of Dowie, Zion was known for its acceptance of divine healing, which is also a gift of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12). However, through the works of Parham, Zion became known for other gifts and manifestations of the Spirit. In other words, Bosworth received his call to the ministry even as he benefited from two spiritual blessings: divine healing and divine power with the evidence of speaking in tongues. These two blessings, both spiritual encounters, became important features of his ministry.

3. Third Major Turning Point: Revival Meetings in Dallas

The revival in Dallas, Texas was an important moment that was due in a large part to the ministry of Evangelist Maria Woodworth-Etter, who held five months of meetings in 1912. The time of the meetings became a significant moment in Pentecostal history. In fact, it was compared to the revival meetings on Azusa Street in California.

Bosworth’s time with Woodworth-Etter was important on different levels. First, it was because of its educational value: It provided him an environment in which he could learn from the veteran minister, Woodworth-Etter, and see first-hand how miraculous healings could take place along with evangelism and other manifestations of the Spirit.

Second, this particular time in Dallas was important because of the success of the meetings. Because of Bosworth’s writing and promotional talents, the meetings were highly publicized and attracted people from across the United States. Instead of waning with time, they continued to grow. It is said that the revival meetings lasted 10 years.

Third, during the time of Woodworth-Etter’s visit, many well-known leaders and writers in the Pentecostal movement made their way to Dallas (Warner 1988). As a result, Bosworth’s name became well known. Fellowshipping with these leaders undoubtedly allowed him to network, and created opportunities and avenues for future ministry.

4. Fourth Major Turning Point: Position on Evidential Tongues

One can only wonder what would have happened if Bosworth had not taken a stand on the issue of tongues and resigned from the Assemblies of God. There is a possibility that he would have become a strong, pioneering leader in the AG. It is possible that his ministry would have been limited or maybe restricted to the churches within the AG denomination. Whether he would have reached the level of acclaim inside the AG that he achieved after leaving the denomination is something to ponder. At any rate, his decision to leave the AG was a vital moment in his career path to becoming a healing evangelist. For it was after he left the AG that he joined the C&MA. It was through the C&MA that he and his brother, B.B. Bosworth, held some of their largest and most successful evangelistic healing campaigns. While the resignation may have been painful at the time, it resulted in opportunities that helped to expand his ministry outreach.

It is also possible that his position on tongues paved the way for him to fellowship with churches, groups and individuals that did not hold the AG view. So instead of having a ministry that was restricted to classical Pentecostals or members of the AG, he found a ready audience among people of many different denominations and church backgrounds.

5. Fifth Major Turning Point: Epiphany in Lima

Among the many experiences that Bosworth encountered in his development were moments of revelation, which may be called “epiphanies.” According to Denzin (1989), epiphanies are “problematic experiences” in which a person’s character is revealed “as a crisis or a significant event is confronted and experienced.” He asserts that epiphanies may be major, minor, relived or illuminative. Denzin explains: “Epiphanies are interactional moments and experiences which leave marks on people’s lives. In them, personal character is manifested. They are often moments of crisis. They alter the fundamental meaning structures in a person’s life. Their effects may be positive or negative.”

One of Bosworth’s first recorded moments of revelation occurred in Lima, Ohio, where he was asked to preach on divine healing. He apparently had been uncertain about the will of God to heal all believers of all sicknesses and diseases. However, after prayer and study of the Scriptures, he became convinced that it was God’s will to heal all. He came to believe that healing is a part of salvation and that it can be received in the same way that salvation for the soul is received. He became an apologist on the subject and insisted that divine healing was in the atoning work of Christ.

This epiphany in Lima was a significant moment for Bosworth. It shaped his theology and allowed him to become grounded in his beliefs on healing. The revelation he received became the cornerstone of his ministry and the central thrust of his preaching throughout his career. It also resulted in the publication of his classic, Christ the Healer (1924), in which he offers instructions and makes numerous arguments in favor of divine healing.

6.  Sixth Major Turning Point: Epiphany in South Africa

Another time where Bosworth had a moment of revelation was in South Africa. This marked a major turning point in his life because of his change in healing methodology and the vision he developed for foreign missions. While in South Africa, he worked with Evangelists William Branham and Ern Baxter. Given the nature of their meetings, which consisted of many thousands of people in open fields, Bosworth could not minister individually to the sick as he had done in the United States. He decided to pray for the people en masse. In other words, he led the audience in a single prayer while encouraging them to trust God for healing. Using this method, many reported being healed at the same time.

Along with this method, Bosworth began using healing as an object lesson to build faith in his audience. He would typically call the deaf to the platform and pray for their healing. Once they were healed, he would turn to the audience and say the healings illustrate what can happen when one believes in the Word of God. Bosworth, like other evangelists who would follow him, also found that attendance at his meetings “increased significantly after spectacular cures were attributed” to his work.

In addition to implementing new methods for ministering to the sick, the trip to South Africa sparked a yearning in him to preach in other countries. His experiences in South Africa allowed him to see first-hand the desperation and needs of multitudes. As a result, he felt moved by compassion to take the message of salvation and healing to other nations.

Even though he was 74 at the time, and had semi-retired a few years earlier, he began a new phase of his ministry. It was a phase in which he traveled to such places as Japan, Germany and Switzerland. He continued to travel and minister until his death in 1958. He died shortly before his birthday at the age of 81.

Conclusion

These critical turning points in the life of Bosworth are reminders that growth or success in ministry is not necessarily based on an easy path or a life that is free of difficulties. Success often comes with a price. Sometimes it begins with a crisis and it may lead to an understanding or insight that would not have occurred without the crisis experience. Bosworth’s life also illustrates the view that epiphanies can be transformative and have a lasting impact on a person’s life. Although Bosworth’s teachings on divine healing may be questioned and even debated, one thing remains clear: His ministry has played a critical role in Pentecostal church history. Through his book, Christ the Healer, he continues to have a significant impact on today’s revivalists, church leaders, and people seeking divine healing.


Related articles:

F.F. Bosworth and the Role of Women in His life and Ministry. See here.

Experience as a Catalyst for Healing Ministry: Historical Evidence and Implications from the Life of F.F. Bosworth. See here.

F.F. Bosworth in South Africa: A Historical Analysis of His Later Ministry and Healing Methodology. See here.

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Reminder: "F.F. Bosworth History" is now on Twitter. Follow @bosworth_fred

Note: My book, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer," can be purchased here with a 25% discount. Use the discount code: bosworth25.

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Want to know more
about F.F. Bosworth?

Follow the Bosworth Matters blog!

You can start right here:
ffbosworth.strikingly.com

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For more information:
Visit the F.F. Bosworth page here. Questions about the research and commentary on F.F. Bosworth may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on F.F. Bosworth history, simply follow this blog or @bosworth_fred and @Roscoebarnes3 on Twitter. #ChristTheHealer #BosworthMention #BosworthMatters

Thursday, February 20, 2020

F.F. Bosworth and Black Gospel Groups: A Moment in Black History

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD

#FFBosworth
#BosworthMatters
#BlackHistory



F.F. Bosworth’s love for music contributed to his relationship with people of color. Music apparently served as a catalyst for race relations in his ministry.

In addition to working with Gospel songwriter Thoro Harris, who was African American, Bosworth shared the platform with the Tindley Jubilee Gospel Singers. In January 1928, the Tindley Jubilee Gospel Singers participated in a series of evangelistic meetings that Bosworth held at Paul Rader’s Chicago Gospel Tabernacle.

Bosworth also ministered with the Cleveland Coloured Gospel Quintette, a group that was said to represent the finest in black gospel music. Each of the group’s five members had become Christian through the Christian & Missionary Alliance (C&MA). Bosworth invited the group to sing for his meetings in several places, including Pittsburgh, Toledo, Chicago, and Toronto, Canada. The  Cleveland Coloured Gospel Quintette is mentioned in the book, All For Jesus: God at Work in the Christian and Missionary Alliance Over One Hundred Years (Christian Publications, 1986) by Robert L. NiklausJohn S. Sawin and Samuel J. Stoesz.

In my doctoral thesis on Bosworth, I wrote about Bosworth’s ministry during the Jazz Age. I noted, for instance, that some of his most successful meetings were held during this period, which was also known as “The Roaring Twenties.” This period, which lasted from 1920 to 1929, coincided with the Harlem Renaissance, a black cultural movement of the 1920s and early 1930s. At the time, I wondered if that time period (or the jazz music) had any influence on Bosworth. Specifically, I wondered if the music had any influence his music, his meetings, or the relationship he had with blacks. After much thought, I settled with the belief that more research was needed.

“However, there is a possibility that his relationship with the black singers and songwriter [might] have grown, in part, out of the recognition given to blacks during this time,” I suggested.

It is my view that while Bosworth’s ministry with black singers during this time might have been coincidental, it also might have been divinely appointed or simply a small part of a major trend. Either way, music appeared to be the catalyst through which his ministry crossed racial lines and reached people of different backgrounds. 

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Reminder: "F.F. Bosworth History" is now on Twitter. Follow @bosworth_fred

Note: My book, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer," can be purchased here with a 25% discount. Use the discount code: bosworth25.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Want to know more
about F.F. Bosworth?

Follow the Bosworth Matters blog!

You can start right here:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

For more information:
Visit the F.F. Bosworth page here. Questions about the research and commentary on F.F. Bosworth may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on F.F. Bosworth history, simply follow this blog or @bosworth_fred and @Roscoebarnes3 on Twitter. #ChristTheHealer #BosworthMention #BosworthMatters

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

WCCF News (2/2020): What’s Happening at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.
Chaplain, Wilkinson County Correctional Facility
Copyright (c) 2020

#MTCChangesLives


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This is a collection of news briefs I compiled for The Woodville Republican (Woodville, Miss.). The collection is set to appear as a quarter-page ad on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020. Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF), Woodville, where I serve as chaplain, is publishing its news in this format each quarter in the local newspaper.

What’s Happening at
Wilkinson County Correctional Facility


Pickett named Employee of the Month 

WCCF recognized Officer Richard Pickett as Employee of the Month for January. Human Resource Manager Kelly Pomeroy thanked him for his “dedication and a job well done.” Pickett has been employed at the facility since October 2015.

WCCF Forming Prison Bands

Executive Administrative Michelle Higginbotham is leading a new program that will feature bands formed by the men incarcerated at the facility. Higginbotham. WCCF has purchased instruments. Higginbotham is auditioning singers and musicians. She hopes to have at least one band organized and performing by March. “This is an excellent program,” Higginbotham said. “The men will be able to write music, script lyrics and express themselves through all genres of music.”

Alcohol & Drug Classes Graduate

Ten students in the Short Term Alcohol & Drug program graduated on December 10, 2019. They were followed by 18 students in the Long Term A&D program who graduated on January 15. In addition to Certificates of Completion, all of the students received incentive care bags, according to Substance Abuse Counselors Angela Coleman. “Three of the students had already made parole and would be released pending the completion of the class,” she said. “Those students were extremely excited and look forward to returning home.”

Staff Becomes Certified Firearm Instructors

Several WCCF staff members, including one from Marshall County Correctional Facility (MCCF), are now certified firearm instructors. They are, from left: Captain Micheal Anderson, Lieutenant Kirsten McCloud (MCCF), Lieutenant Harry Dawson, Training Lieutenant LaTonya Malone, CERT Sergeant Charles Pointe, and Instructor Dwayne Anthony. All of them attended the Total Control Training Institute in Yazoo, where they completed 40 hours of training in the Firearm Instructor Survival Training Course and the Shotgun Instructor Survival Training Course.

Christmas Care Packages Distributed

WCCF staff handed out care packages to 900 men for the Christmas holiday season. The packages, which are distributed each year, contained hygiene items, candy, and literature.

Christmas Concert Held By Sanctuary Choir

The Sanctuary Choir of Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in Natchez, held a Christmas Concert at the facility in December 2019. The annual event was coordinated by Deacon Frank Hill Jr. and Alvin Shelby, minister of music. The Rev. Wilsonni Johnson served as guest speaker. WCCF staff and offenders attended the event.

New Arts & Crafts Program Launched

Recreational Specialist Emily Guth said that she and the men housed at WCCF are excited about a new hobby craft program. “It’s in the beginning stages,” said Guth, who serves as director of the program. “We want to get men from each zone into the classroom where they can learn to draw and paint.”

New Program: ‘Thinking For A Change’

WCCF is introducing a new integrated cognitive behavior change program called “Thinking for a Change.” The program is being facilitated by Warehouse Supervisor Ruby Dixon, Zone Sergeant Tiffany Ware, Substance Abuse Counselor Angela Coleman, and Re-entry Coordinator Keyla Williams.

Reentry Program Receives Visit by Win Job Center Specialist

The WCCF Reentry Program is working to assist incarcerated men with a successful transition to their community. On Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, the offenders met with an Employment Specialist from WIN Job Center. The WIN Job Center has important resources that provide job placement assistance, job and skill training, career counseling and referral to many other valuable services.

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ROSCOE BARNES III, Ph.D., is a writer, chaplain, historian, and former newspaper reporter. He is the author of more than a dozen books and Gospel tracts. For more information about his work and history, see his Personal Profile here or visit his website: http://www.roscoebarnes.net. Connect with him on Twitter (@roscoebarnes3) or by email: roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com.