Thursday, December 24, 2020

F.F. Bosworth and the Role He Played in the Ministry of T.L. Osborn: An Interview with Dr. LaDonna Osborn

By Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.

#PneumaReview
#FFBosworth
#LaDonnaOsborn
Dr. LaDonna Osborn


Note: This article first appeared in The Pneuma Review: Journal of Ministry Resources and Theology for Pentecostal and Charismatic Ministries & Leaders. It is featured here with permission from the publication's editors.
Website: http://pneumareview.com
Date: October 30, 2020

Image courtesy of The Pneuma Review



F.F. Bosworth (1877-1958) was a central figure in the Pentecostal movement of the early 20th century and the Post-World War II healing revival. His impact as a famous healing evangelist was unmistakable, and his book, Christ the Healer, remains a popular text on divine healing. Pentecostal church history would be incomplete without his story. One of the most prominent evangelists to serve as his protege was Tommy Lee “T.L.” Osborn (1923-2013), who became a world-renowned missionary evangelist and the famous author of the classic, Healing the Sick.

As I sought to learn more about Bosworth and his relationship with Osborn, I reached out to the one person who would know more about their time together than any other source. That person was Osborn’s daughter, Dr. LaDonna Osborn, who graciously took time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions about her father. The interview was conducted by email in February 2016. It presents questions and answers about the influence of Bosworth on the life and ministry of T.L. Osborn. Other topics include Osborn’s views on Spirit baptism and tongues as the initial evidence of the Spirit baptism.

Dr. LaDonna Osborn is a well-regarded Christian leader. She currently serves as president and CEO of Osborn Ministries International, the world missionary organization founded by her parents in 1949.  As noted on her webpage, “She is founder and overseer of the International Gospel Fellowship (of churches and ministries), which includes more than 60 ministries, over 1,000 churches in more than 50 nations globally.” For more information on her work, visit her official website: https://osborn.org/about/ladonna-osborn -- Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D.


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ROSCOE BARNES III: Your father has been quoted as saying: “Old F. F. Bosworth used to share a lot of secrets with us.” What are some of the secrets that Bosworth shared with him?

LADONNA OSBORN: My father did not go into great detail concerning what exactly F.F. Bosworth shared with he and my mother. From various general comments and reflections, I believe that Brother Bosworth was a great encouragement in the areas of faith and praying for the sick in mass. During many of the events that were organized by Gordon Lindsay, where various healing evangelists were present to preach and pray for the sick, he had Brother Bosworth teach in the mornings. This strategy was significant in helping people to understand the biblical validity of divine healing. This was especially true when Brother William Branham prayed for the sick. Because of his unique gift and style, G. Lindsay felt that people needed teaching so that their faith would be in the Word of God, rather than in a person. As I look back on this, I thank God for this wisdom. Brother Lindsay did much to facilitate the healing revival that was spreading across the States during the late 1940’s and 1950’s.

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BARNES: In his book, Healing the Sick, your dad wrote that someone gave him a copy of Two Kinds of Faith by E. W. Kenyon. Who was the person that gave him this book and introduced him to Kenyon?

OSBORN: I do not remember my father ever saying who gave him the first Kenyon book.

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BARNES: Did your father and mother ever speak in tongues in the way that is taught by classical Pentecostals? In other words, did either of them have the experience where they spoke in tongues as the initial physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

OSBORN: My father was saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit in a Pentecostal revival meeting near his farm home in Oklahoma. He later traveled with a Pentecostal Church of God evangelist for three years (age 15-18). My mother was saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit in an Assembly of God church where she attended as a young girl. Both of my parents were saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit at the age of 12. Although we were out of the country most months of each year, we always had a home church in Tulsa. It was an Assembly of God church. Yes, both of my parents’ early spiritual experiences were in the classic Pentecostal context. Yes, they spoke in tongues, as was usual in the Pentecostal tradition.

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BARNES: If they did speak in tongues, did they continue to do so or did they stop at a certain point?

OSBORN: Yes, my parents always spoke in tongues. My brother and I were raised in the classic Pentecostal tradition and I am proud to identify with those who understood the power of the Holy Spirit and the emphasis on witnessing of Christ with effectiveness.

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BARNES: Is there a written record of their Spirit baptism? If not, can you provide a time frame for their experience?

OSBORN: I remember both of my parents telling the stories of their Spirit baptisms, but I’m not recalling if these details were included in their publications. Actually, I don’t remember additional details of their conversion either. Of course, within our family, we grew up hearing the stories of the dramatic changes that took place in their lives when they were born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit. I do recall that their Spirit baptisms were not on the same day as their conversions, but rather a few days after. So both would have been baptized in the Holy Spirit at the age go 12.

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BARNES: In your father’s book, The Purpose of Pentecost, he did not advocate evidential tongues as is taught by classical Pentecostals. What exactly was his position on this topic?

OSBORN: My father wrote The Purpose of Pentecost during a time in which the issue of tongues was causing great division within the Body of Christ. The focus had shifted from the role of the Spirit-filled believer to witness of Christ, to a rather Pharisaical attitude of boasting of speaking in tongues while doing nothing with that divine equipping to fulfill the mission of Christ on the earth. My father wrote the book to re-focus believers on the priority of evangelism for every Spirit-filled believer. If you read this book again in the historical context in which it was written, you will see this clearly. When the need for that emphasis ended, we discontinued publishing that book.

 

BARNES: Who or what influenced his views on the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues? Was he in anyway influenced by F.F. Bosworth or E.W. Kenyon?

OSBORN: The views of my father and mother (and myself) on the Holy Spirit were influenced by the Pentecostal environments in which we were saved and also from the Scripture. It is normative for the New Testament Christians to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to witness of Christ. I do not remember anything being said about Bosworth or Kenyon’s attitude regarding tongues. The influence of Bosworth was on the biblical foundation for divine healing; the influence of Kenyon was the redemptive work of Christ at the Cross. These redemptive truths were not understood so clearly prior to E.W. Kenyon’s teachings. Again, he made a great contribution to the Body of Christ at critical time.

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BARNES: Many evangelists during your father’s time wrote about Bible prophecy, gifts of the Spirit, and other topics. However, it seems that your father focused on topics related only to salvation, healing, evangelism, and prosperity. Is this a true assessment of his writings? If so, why do you think he avoided other topics?

OSBORN: My father was an evangelist. Everything that he wrote and did was to bring people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He did the work of an evangelist always in cooperation with the local churches, and he made it clear that it was their responsibility to teach new believers additional truths after their conversion. He never preached on the Holy Spirit, Bible prophecy, the gifts of the Spirit, or such other things that are important to the believer. He recognized that the gift of the evangelist is a gift to the Church. The gift of the pastor and teacher are also gifts to the Church. He was an evangelist and he fulfilled his part in bringing people to Jesus and directing them into local churches to receive guidance and further biblical instruction. Of course, he had personal views on every biblical topic. But his public ministry was evangelism.

I would say that a true assessment of his writings is that his life focus was to help people to see Jesus and to recognize that Jesus wanted to live in each of them in order to continue His work through them. That, in essence, was my father’s passion and all of his messages and writings reflect that. I would not say that he avoided any topic, but rather he was totally focused on the person, the work and the continuing ministry of Jesus Christ.

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BARNES: How would you describe the level of influence that Bosworth had on your father’s ministry?

OSBORN: Brother Bosworth was on the scene during a very critical time, in the early healing movement in the United States. No doubt, he influenced all of the young healing evangelists and kept them focused on the Word of God as the final authority concerning God’s will to heal. His book, Christ the Healer, was likely the primer on the topic. There is no way to estimate the extent of his influence through his teachings, his example, and his encouragement of a new generation.

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BARNES: William Branham once said that he introduced your father to Bosworth. He mentioned this in his sermon, “Faith,” which is posted here: http://www.williambranham.com/faith-56-0427/. Have you heard this story?

OSBORN: While I don’t remember this exactly, I do know that under Brother Lindsay’s influence, my father, Brother Branham, and Brother Bosworth were all involved in the same conventions.

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BARNES: A friend of mine, Rev. Ryan Miller, shared a letter from your father in which he seems to suggest Bosworth encouraged him to write books. Do you know if your father offered such encouragement?

OSBORN: Yes, Bosworth encouraged my father to write. It was another man who edited my father’s first manuscripts and taught him how to write properly and also to read editing symbols. Of course, as you know, writing and publishing has long been a central passion of this ministry.

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BARNES: Did your father attend Bosworth’s funeral in 1958?

OSBORN: I do not believe my father attended Bosworth’s funeral. During 1958, we were overseas in some of our historic crusades in East Africa.

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About the Author: Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., is a prison chaplain, former award-winning journalist, and independent scholar of church history. He holds a doctorate from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, a M.A.R. from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, and B.S. and A.S. degrees from East Coast Bible College, Charlotte, N.C. He is the author of numerous books including F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind “Christ the Healer” (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009), The Guide to Effective Gospel Tract Ministry (Church Growth Institute, 2004) and Off to War: Franklin Countians in World War II (White Mane Publishing, 1996). His articles have appeared in Refleks JournalThe Journal of the European Pentecostal Theological AssociationThe Africa Journal of Pentecostal Studies, and in numerous newspapers and popular magazines. He blogs at Roscoe Reporting and shares his F. F. Bosworth research at FFBosworth.strikingly.com. Professional: Roscoe Barnes III. Twitter: @Roscoebarnes3

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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!
Visit 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


Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Wilkinson Prison Featured in ACA’s Corrections Today Magazine

'This is my first article to be published in this prestigious publication'
 
By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Chaplain, Wilkinson County Correctional Facility
 
 #MTCChangesLives



I’m happy to announce an article I wrote about Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF) is published in the January/February 2021 issue of Corrections Today magazine, the professional membership publication of the American Correctional Association (See 
www.aca.org). The article, which focuses on a new fitness program at the facility, is titled, “Witness the Fitness Walking Club: How the staff of a Mississippi prison fights stress and stays fit in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.” It appears on pages 28-32 of the magazine.

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#PrivatePrisons #Corrections #MTCChangesLives

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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

Wilkinson donates water bottles to William Winans Middle School

#MTCChangesLives

Pictured: WCCF Investigator Michelle Higginbotham, left, Principal Curtis Ross, and Secretary Latoya McPipe

 Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF) recently donated 400 clear plastic water bottles to William Winans Middle School in Centreville. The bottles were valued at $500. Investigator Michelle Higginbotham presented them to the school on behalf of WCCF and Warden Scott Middlebrooks. The donation was one of several made by WCCF over the last few months. In September, the facility donated $1,200 to the Wilkinson County School District. That was followed by a donation of $500 in October to Catholic Charities Guardian Victim Services (formerly The Guardian Shelter for Battered Families). In November, WCCF staff donated four turkeys to the women’s shelter.

Principal Curtis Ross

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#PrivatePrisons #Corrections #MTCChangesLives

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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

Saturday, November 28, 2020

ON THIS DAY (November 21): Jack Moore Dies in Shreveport

He played a pivotal role in the early ministry of William Branham

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

#FFBosworth
#JackMoore

Rev. Jack T. Moore
(1905-1975)

On Nov. 21, 1975, Jack T. Moore, the man who introduced Gordon Lindsay to William Branham, died in Shreveport, La. He was 70.

It was Moore who said Branham's meeting with F.F. Bosworth was "love at first sight."

Moore was a oneness Pentecostal. In addition to being the founding pastor of Life Tabernacle Church, he had a lifelong career in construction. His company built many homes in Louisiana.

Moore played a pivotal role in the ministry of Branham, and he assisted Lindsay in the creation of The Voice of Healing. His support of Lindsay's ministry lasted for many years and it did not go unnoticed. His name is recognized to this day on the campus of Christ For The Nations, where the school's library is named, Jack Moore Hall. Freda Lindsay, Gordon's wife, has been quoted as saying, "There wouldn't be a Christ For The Nations if it wasn't for Jack Moore."

Moore learned about Branham, a Baptist preacher, in 1947. When he attended Branham's meeting, he reportedly saw first-hand Branham's amazing gift in the ministry of healing. Impressed, he welcomed Branham to his own church for ministry. Despite Branham's effectiveness in praying for the sick, his ministry fell short in some ways because of his lack of education and his inability to organize and promote his ministry. Moore stepped in to help Branham find a wider audience. After promoting Branham and arranging meetings for him  in several states, Moore reached out to Lindsay for help.

It was in March 1947 when Moore contacted Lindsay by letter and invited him to see Branham in Sacramento, Calif. At the time, Lindsay was pastoring a church in Ashland, Ore. He accepted Moore's invitation and drove to California to see Branham. What he saw in Branham"s ministry proved to be life changing as it altered the course of his own ministry. Lindsay felt led of the Lord to manage Branham's campaigns, and through his efforts, Branham became well known throughout the United States and other countries. Lindsay reported: "At the time I had already known Bro. Jack Moore for a number of years. God used this Brother to introduce me to the greatest ministry I have ever seen in my lifetime."

The significance of Lindsay's work was not lost on Moore. He wrote:

It is without hesitation that I say this was the first step in a process that changed the course of Bro. Lindsay's life completely, and consequently, perhaps, the lives of many others, for he initiated abd became the editor of THE VOICE OF HEALING magazine, reaching tens of thousands, where he once only touched the lives of a single congregation.

In January 1948, Branham conducted meetings in Miami, Fla., where he met F.F. Bosworth. Moore recounted:

Heaven smiled on us one night during this campaign when we were privileged to meet Rev. F. F. Bosworth, a veteran of the healing ministry in earlier days, of whom we had heard and read for many years. It was "love at first sight" for Brother Bosworth and Brother Branham, as well as the rest of us, and it was our later pleasure to have him work with us in the evangelistic party."

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Reference:
The comments by Jack Moore and Gordon Lindsay were taken from the book, William Branham: A Man Sent From God. It can be viewed here: http://www.williambranhamhomepage.org/mansent1.htm

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!
Start here:
ffbosworth.strikingly.com 

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

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

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Fake News in the Early Days of the Voice of Healing

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

#FFBosworth
#WilliamBranham


When a reporter asked Mark Twain about reports of his untimely death, Twain, according to legend, said the reports of his death were greatly exaggerated.

Interestingly enough, the same could have been said about William Branham in 1948. The evangelist had left the ministry for a short time due to exhaustion and illness. However, it wasn’t long before his followers, including the readers of The Voice of Healing, began to speculate about his demise. Some were convinced that he had died. In an attempt the squelch the rumors and fake news, the Voice of Healing published the following report in the May 1948 issue:

The Rumor of Brother

Branham’s Death

Here is an example of the amazing propagating power of falsehood. Up and down the breadth of the land a rumor has gone forth to the effect that Brother Banham has died. Every effort has been made to reassure excited people who write us, phone us and telegraph us, that this rumor is untrue. Yet it seems to persist, with the supposed date of our brother’s death gradually being advanced. Brother Branham is very much alive, although it is true that the great strain of praying for thousands of people in the campaigns and then upon returning home to find others waiting at his doorstep for help, bears heavily upon him. We trust that every Christian who has an interest in the Branham campaigns will pray daily that his strength will keep up.

It is hard to read this report without thinking about the crises faced by today's church. Because of the onslaught of misinformation on such topics as politics, the presidential election, and the Covid19 pandemic, many believers have simply lost their way. Many are divided because of the consumption of outright lies and misinformation fed by certain news media and promoted on social media. Many, unfortunately, have no discernment. They can no longer tell the difference between fact and fiction. They cannot see the truth, even when it's staring them in the face.

Sadly, as it was with the story of Branham, so it is with us today.

  


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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!

Start 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

Sunday, November 1, 2020

Pneuma Review: My Interview with Dr. LaDonna Osborn

She talks about her father, T.L. Osborn, and his relationship with F.F. Bosworth

#TLOsborn
#FFBosworth

This is an interview that I conducted with Dr. LaDonna Osborn, daughter of T.L. Osborn. I'm grateful to The Pneuma Review for its publication. The interview focuses on T.L. Osborn's relationship with F.F. Bosworth. It also takes a look at T.L.'s baptism in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. LaDonna answers questions about the gifts of the Spirit, E.W. Kenyon, Bible prophecy, and the significant ways in which Bosworth had an impact on her father's ministry.


The interview, which is published at pneumareview.com, can be viewed here.

#PneumaReview #LaDonnaOsborn #ChristTheHealer #ChurchHistory #Pentecostal #BosworthMatters

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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!

Start 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

Friday, October 30, 2020

Jackson Free Press: ‘Learning to Roar in Mississippi from Anne, Hazel and Fannie Lou'

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Chairman, Anne Moody History Project
Copyright © 2020
 
#AnneMoody
#AnneMoodyMention

Jackson Free Press

Civil Rights Pioneer Anne Moody is mentioned in a recent article by Donna Ladd titled, “Learning to Roar in Mississippi from Anne, Hazel and Fannie Lou.” The article, dated Oct. 28, 2020, appears on the Jackson Free Press website. It can be viewed here:

Ladd is the editor-in-chief of the Jackson Free Press She writes about Moody’s book, Coming of Age in Mississippi, and the life that Moody describes while growing up in Centreville, Miss., which is located in the southwest part of the state, only a few minutes north of the Louisiana state line. Citing Moody, Ladd notes how white people literally got away with murdering black people in Mississippi. She recounts how the white community responded to the murder of Emmett Till, and she mentions the recognition that Moody has received in recent years. Moody’s legacy has been promoted by the Anne Moody History Project, which was birthed in the MTC/Wilkinson County Correctional Facility. Following is an excerpt from Ladd’s article:

Last week, we retraced civil-rights activist Anne Moody's steps down in Wilkinson County, where she started cleaning white people's houses when she was 9, even as white people were killing Black people around her with no punishment.

In her vital book, "Coming of Age in Mississippi," Moody talks about how the white woman she worked for as a teenager responded to news about the murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till up in Money. Moody's boss wasn't aghast at Till's vicious murder; she started having "Guild" meetings in her home, serving tea to proper white ladies conspiring against the NAACP and dropping the n-word so her worker could hear. A strip of Highway 24 and her childhood street in Centreville is named for Moody now.

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 #ComingOfAgeinMississippi #CivilRights #BlackHistory #WomensHistory #Mississippi #Twitterstorians #BlkTwitterstorians 

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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

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Wilkinson Prison Donates $500 to Women’s Shelter

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Chaplain, Wilkinson County Correctional Facility
Copyright (c) 2020

#MTCChangesLives


Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF) recently donated $500 to Catholic Charities Guardian Victim Services (formerly The Guardian Shelter for Battered Families). From Left: Warden Scott Middlebrooks, Program Director Dorothy Sylvester, Child Care Aide Naomi Henry, Program Specialist Lakitsha Rogers, and Michelle Higginbotham, administrative assistant to the warden. 

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WOODVILLE, Miss. -- Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF) recently donated $500 to Catholic Charities Guardian Victim Services (formerly The Guardian Shelter for Battered Families).

Warden Scott Middlebrooks said WCCF was happy to make the contribution. “We care about our community, and we want to help the families that need the services provided by Catholic Charities,” he said.

Program Director Dorothy Sylvester expressed gratitude for the donation. “Guardian Victim Services has without a doubt felt the impact of COVID-19 as we see the steady decline in donations, our abilities to obtain supplies within in our local community as well as an overall increase in Domestic Violence,” she said.  “We are thankful for Wilkinson County Correctional Facility’s generous monetary donation to Catholic Charities. The staff and clients of Catholic Charities would like to express their gratitude and appreciation.”

WCCF is located in Woodville. It is privately managed by MTC or Management & Training Corporation of Utah.


From left: Administrative Assistant to the Warden Michelle Higginbotham, Program Director Dorothy Sylvester, Child Care Aide Naomi Henry, Program Specialist Lakitsha Rogers, and Warden Scott Middlebrooks. 

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#PrivatePrisons #Corrections #MTCChangesLives

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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


 

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Gideons Donate 500 Bibles to Wilkinson Prison

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Chaplain, Wilkinson County Correctional Facility

#Gideons
#MTCChangesLives



Gideons Charles Stroupe, rear left, of Meadville, and Jim Crawford of Brookhaven, recently donated 500 Bibles to Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF). Crawford is the president of the Brookhaven Gideon Camp. He and Stroupe are pictured here with Christopher Myers, left, and Ricky Keeton.

“The work of the Gideons requires the support of churches,” said Stroupe. “They are the ones who contribute the funds to make the scripture distribution possible.”

In previous years, and before Covid19, eight to 10 volunteers with Gideons International would visit the Woodville facility on a Saturday morning and distribute over 900 Bibles to offenders and staff. This time, only two Gideons came for the distribution. But instead of coming inside the facility, they delivered the Bibles to the loading dock, where the Bibles were picked up by the staff. In keeping with CDC guidelines, they each wore masks and observed social distancing. Chaplain Roscoe Barnes III said the Gideons are doing an important work and WCCF looks forward to their annual visits. “They are truly making a difference as they eagerly share the word of God with our staff and the men under our care,” he said. “The Gideons are caring and committed in their ministry to those who are incarcerated.”


Gideons Charles Stroupe, left, and Jim Crawford

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#PrivatePrisons #Corrections #MTCChangesLives 

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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

Sunday, October 25, 2020

My Appearance in Alliance Life Magazine (October 2000)

News report sheds light on my gospel tract ministry 

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Author, The Guide to Effective Gospel Tract Ministry

#GospelTracts
#AllianceLife


Call me Tractster. This is a short news item about my ministry of writing, publishing, and distributing gospel tracts. It was featured on page 7 in the October 2000 issue of Alliance Life magazine, the official organ of the Christian & Missionary Alliance. 

The story appeared a few years before the publication of my book, The Guide To Effective Gospel Tract Ministry (Churchgrowth.org, 2004). The book can be ordered here:
https://churchgrowth.org/product/the-guide-to-effective-gospel-tract-ministry/

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Alliance Life
(Page 7, October 2000) 

Tracts Become Popular Again

 Motivated by the work of Thomas Paine some 200 years ago, a modern-day pamphleteer from Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, is using the printed word to bring about a different kind of revolution – a spiritual one. Roscoe Barnes III works as a journalist, but it’s his work in writing and distributing gospel tracts that has earned him the name “tractster.” 

“This is a proven way to effect lasting change and offer hope to people the world over,” says Barnes. “Readers may ignore a large book because of a lack of time or intimidation. But practically anyone will read a short tract.” He adds, “Despite the onslaught of today’s technology, I believe we can do today – with tracts – what Paine did with ‘Common Sense.’ It is commonly believed that Paine’s Pamphlet led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.”

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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.

Saturday, October 24, 2020

B.B. Bosworth: Unsung Hero of Divine Healing Revival Meetings

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD

#FFBosworth
#BBBosworth


Evangelist B.B. Bosworth
(1887 - 1958)

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

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In a later edition of Christ the Healer, Bob Bosworth, son of F.F. Bosworth, said there was little written about the life and ministry of his father, and his father's brother, Burton B. ("B.B.") Bosworth. Sadly, at that time, he was correct. However, over the last two decades, a number of academic papers, chapters, and articles have been written about Fred. Books and doctoral dissertations have also focused on his life history. Thankfully, Fred is also featured in dictionaries and encyclopedias, and he is cited in the literature. (My blog, Bosworth Matters, is devoted to research on his legacy as a Pentecostal pioneer.) Today there appears to be a growing interest in his contributions. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of his brother, Bert.

While we're learning more and more about Fred, we still know little about Bert. For many years, the two were virtually inseparable in ministry. When they held citywide revival meetings, people referred to them as simply "The Bosworth Brothers." Both of them preached, sang, played musical instruments, and prayed for the sick. However, it appears that Fred did much of the preaching in some of their biggest campaigns, while Bert led the music portion of the meetings, according to Oswald J. Smith. Bert spent a number of years where he ministered in the shadow of his big brother.

When their combined ministries took off in the 1920s, it was Fred, the older brother, who began writing books. In 1927, they began publishing Exploits of Faith, the magazine that featured ministry reports by Bert. That same year, however, the two brothers parted ways. In the 1930s, the time when Fred embraced the teachings of Anglo-Israelism and left the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), Bert continued preaching in C&MA churches.


Bert, who was 10 years younger than Fred, was born on May 24, 1887 in University Place, Neb. Obviously talented like Fred, he became a skilled musician without any formal training. According to his daughter, Lenore Dunlop, "He did not attend college, but took special courses in harmony." Bert lived for a time in Zion City, Ill., where he married Margaret Robinson in 1907. Again, like Fred, he also worked for the U.S. Postal Service, and like Fred, he became a pastor and healing revivalist. He became known as a songwriter, song-leader, and trombonist.

Bert died on Feb. 17, 1958, 1958 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He was 70. His death occurred only a few weeks after the passing of Fred, who died Jan. 23, 1958. Shortly after their passing, the Alliance Witness published a tribute stating, “there were many unusual instances of divine healing" in the meetings held by the Bosworth Brothers.

Bert's daughter shared a brief overview of his life and ministry at Hymnary.org. It can be viewed here:




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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!
Start 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

Sunday, October 18, 2020

On This Day (October 18): F.F. Bosworth Receives Baptism in the Holy Spirit

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

#FFBosworth 
#BosworthMatters 
#OnThisDay
 


F.F. Bosworth

Photo courtesy of iFPHC.org


On October 18, 1906, F.F. Bosworth received the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. The experience occurred in Zion City, IL. The baptism would prove to be a key moment -- a significant turning point -- in his life and ministry.

Bosworth was attending a tarrying meeting, where he was inspired by Marie Burgess. She had prayed to receive the baptism on her birthday, which was Oct. 18, 1906. People were leaving the tarrying meeting when the Spirit came. She reportedly shook under the power for an entire hour. She then had a detailed vision about foreign missions. Bosworth saw this and was moved. According to Gordon P. Gardiner, "As he watched her receive the baptism, he became so hungry that the power of God fell on him."

It was at this time that he received a miraculous healing of a lung condition from playing the cornet and the call to preach. Before his Pentecostal experience, he was fond of saying he was afraid that God would call him to preach. However, after the baptism, he was afraid that God would not call him to preach. After being empowered by the Spirit, he began preaching almost immediately.

In the early days of his ministry, Bosworth gave significant attention to Spirit baptism and speaking in tongues. For instance, in 1908, he held revival meetings in Indiana where "unknown tongues" were spoken. In an article published in The Latter Rain Evangel (December 1908), he reported: "We have never taught the people to expect anything more than the glory and power of the Lord and the 'unknown tongue' to accompany the immersing in the Holy Spirit..." In nearly every service, he wrote, people spoke in tongues and some gave interpretations of the messages shared. In some cases, people in the audience understood the "unknown tongue and the interpretation," Bosworth wrote. He also pointed to a woman who spoke German without ever having learned the language. Her message was understood by a "German lady in the audience," according to Bosworth. On other occasions, people reportedly witnessed Pentecostal fire that fell on the heads of people being baptized in the Spirit. Bosworth described one case as follows:

Fire, seen with the natural eye, has fallen upon some at the time they have been immersed in the Holy Spirit. One night in the tent a large ball of fire came into the tent and fell upon the head of a brother who came that day from Mishawaka to seek for the baptism in the Holy Spirit. At the very instant the ball of fire fell on him, he magnified God with a loud voice, and in a language which he had never learned, while the audience looked on in amazement and tears.

Even though he would later oppose the Pentecostal doctrine of evidential tongues, he still valued his own Pentecostal experience. Bosworth expressed his views in a letter with the headline, "Do All Speak With Tongues? — An Open Letter to the Ministers and Saints of the Pentecostal Movement." He wrote:

Let it not be supposed that I am depreciating God's glorious gift of tongues because i do not believe that this one manifestation always accompanies the baptism in the Spirit. God graciously gave me this gift many years ago and nearly every day in prayer and worship I still speak in tongues, and it is one of the sweetest things in my Christian experience.


#OTD #ThisDayInHistory #ThisDayInFFBosworthHistory

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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!
Visit 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

Friday, October 16, 2020

14 Online Resources on F.F. Bosworth

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

iFPHC.org: Family portrait. F.F. Bosworth is pictured here with his second wife, Florence, and probably their two sons, Fred Jr. and Robert. Photo courtesy of iFPHC.org.

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Online Resources

Below is a list of websites that provide information on the life and ministry of F.F. Bosworth. Most of this content is devotional in nature. As such, it should not be viewed as critical, scholarly or academic research. Even so, it should still prove useful to students of church history. Some of the sources include articles, blog posts, audio and video recordings. This list of resources will be updated as new material is discovered or made available.

Apostolic Archives International

F. F. Bosworth Biography

This resource presents a straight narrative of F.F. Bosworth’s life with inspirational overtones. It focuses on some of the key moments in Bosworth’s life history, which include his healing of TB, his work in Dallas, Texas, his persecution by a mob in Hearne, Texas, and his time with The Voice of Healing.

Visit: https://www.apostolicarchives.com/articles/article/8795590/173620.htm

Azusa Street Revival

This website provides a brief summary of F.F. Bosworth’s life and ministry. In addition to his birth place and healing of TB, it notes his ties to John Alexander Dowie, Charles Parham, John G. Lake, William Seymour, the Assemblies of God, the Christian and Missionary Alliance, etc.

Visit: http://azusastreet.org/Participant_Bosworth_F_F.htm

Believe the Sign

The article on this site discusses the chapter that F.F. Bosworth wrote about William Branham. It is featured in the book, A Prophet Visits South Africa by Julius Stadsklev.

Visit: http://believethesign.com/index.php?title=F.F._Bosworth 

Branham.org

Brother F.F. Bosworth

This page offers a short profile of F.F. Bosworth. It includes the letter he wrote about his beating in Texas after he was seen preaching to a black audience. Also noted is William Branham’s statement about Bosworth’s passing.

Visit: https://branham.org/en/articles/20141125_BrotherFFBosworth

Champions of Faith

Ben Conway, Tree of Life Church

In this video, Ben Conway presents a lively and colorful presentation of F.F. Bosworth’s biography. In addition to sharing some of the well-known events in Bosworth’s life, Conway talks about a few of the dramatic healing testimonies that were reported in Bosworth’s ministry. Conway’s passion for divine healing is clearly noticeable and infectious.

Visit: https://tree.church/champions-of-faith

Clear Vision Bible Studies

F.F. Bosworth

This site offers a snippet of biographical material on F.F. Bosworth. It includes an audio recording of Bosworth’s message, “Be Ye Doers of the Word” (1954).

Visit: http://www.clearvisionbiblestudies.com/resources/FF_Bosworth.html

End Time Message

Voice of Healing Magazine

The Voice of Healing, edited and published by Gordon Lindsay, was the official voice of the Post World War II healing revival. It regularly featured articles by and about F.F. Bosworth. This website provides copies (in black and white) of the publication from 1948 through 1955. This is a valuable resource for any student of divine healing and Pentecostal church history.

Visit: http://www.end-time-message.org/voice-of-healing-magazines-pdfs 

Facebook

F.F. Bosworth
The page on this platform provides sermons, articles, and quotes by F.F. Bosworth.

Visit: https://m.facebook.com/bosworthff/

Find A Grave

Rev Frederick Francis Bosworth

This page presents F.F. Bosworth’s obituary, as well as a portrait and a couple of photos of his headstone.

Visit: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61377378/frederick-francis-bosworth 

Healing and Revival

This is an excellent resource that provides solid research on multiple historic figures in Pentecostal church history. Unlike some of the work found on the internet, this article on F.F. Bosworth is well written and accurate. It is inspiring and insightful. The page on which it appears includes links to multiple news clippings on Bosworth’s ministry.

Visit: https://healingandrevival.com/BioBosworth.htm

Hope, Faith, Prayer

This page features the article, “The Life of F.F. Bosworth by Roberts Liardon” by Roberts Liardon

Visit: https://www.hopefaithprayer.com/word-of-faith/life-bosworth/

3 Curtains

Brother Fred Francis Bosworth

This profile tells the story of F.F. Bosworth with a particular emphasis on his relationship with William Branham. The owner of the website states on the About page: “This website is created for the sole purpose of explaining the ministry of Bro Branham from my perspective.” The profile includes a dramatic telling of Bosworth’s passing, in which he reportedly talked “to departed family and friends he was seeing in Heaven.”

Visit: http://www.3curtains.com/blog/brother-fred-francis-bosworth-6506.html

Wikipedia

As would be expected with this type of resource, Wikipedia presents a general overview of F.F. Bosworth’s life history. A useful feature of this article is the list of notes/resources presented at the bottom of the page.

Visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._F._Bosworth

William Branham Historical Research

This site includes a biography and many of photos of F.F. Bosworth during his time with William Branham. In addition to scores of images, this same site features a section with many news clippings of F.F. Bosworth

Visit: https://william-branham.org/site/people/f._f._bosworth

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


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!

Visit here:

ffbosworth.strikingly.com 

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

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

 

VIDEO: Flags from Mississippi Gallery Talk - USCT invited guests Roscoe Barnes III and Dr. Albert Dorsey

  To view the video, please follow this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSTjD0PeDes   This is a video of a fascinating and insightful...