Wikipedia

Alma Bridwell White

US-amerikanische Gründerin und Bischöfin der Pillar-of-Fire-Kirche
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Vorlage:Infobox Person

Datei:PIllar 01.jpg
Pillar of Fire, November 25, 1914
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Alma White at various ages

Alma Bridwell White (June 16, 1862 – June 26, 1946) was the founder, and a Bishop, in the Pillar of Fire Church. [1] In 1918, she became the first woman bishop in the United States. [1] [2]

Birth and early years

She was born as Mollie Alma Bridwell on June 16, 1862 in Kinniconick, Lewis County, Kentucky to William Moncure Bridwell (1825-1907) of Virginia; and Mary Ann Harrison (1832-1921) of Kentucky. [3] [4] By 1880 the family was living in Millersburg, Kentucky. [5]

Alma studied at the Millersburg Female College in Millersburg, Kentucky. An aunt invited one of the seven Bridwell sisters to visit Montana Territory, Alma was her last choice. Each of the others was afraid to make the journey, but in 1882, nineteen-year-old Alma took the chance and went to Bannack, Montana. She stayed to teach, first in public school, and later in Salt Lake City's Methodist seminary. In 1887 she married Kent White (1860-1940), who at the time was a Methodist seminarian. They had the following children: Ray Bridwell White; and Arthur Kent White. [6]

Alma and Kent started the Methodist Pentecostal Union Church in Denver, Colorado in December of 1901. She led hymns and prayers and at times preached sermons. In 1907 a follower donated their farm for a community at Zarephath, New Jersey. In 1918, she was consecrated as a bishop by William Godbey. She was now the first woman bishop in the United States. [2]

Ku Klux Klan

Alma was involved with, or at least sympathetic to the Ku Klux Klan as a white supremacist.[7][8] Jon Blackwell writes: "[In 1924] the small towns around Trenton were more hospitable places for Klan activity. The police chief of Hightstown, New Jersey, Carlton Conover, was a member. So was Bishop Alma White, of the Pillar of Fire Church in Bound Brook."[9]

Alma wrote The Ku Klux Klan in Prophecy in 1925.[10] The book cites anti-Catholic and anti-semitic reasons for supporting the Klan as an "instrument in God's hands." In 1925 she wrote Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty with an introduction by Arthur H. Bell, the Grand Wizard of New Jersey Klan.[7] In 1928 she wrote Heroes of the Fiery Cross.[11]

Rivalry

Time magazine wrote on October 22, 1928:

Aimee Semple McPherson [spoke] ... Worst of all, there came a rival female evangelist from New Jersey, a resolute woman with the mien of an inspired laundress — the Reverend "Bishop" Mrs. Mollie Alma White, founder and primate of the Pillar of Fire Church. Bishop White, who has thousands of disciples ("Holy Jumpers") in the British Isles, clearly regarded Mrs. McPherson as a poacher upon her preserves or worse. Squired by two male Deacons, the Reverend Bishop sat herself down in a box at Albert Hall, with an air of purposing to break up the revival. The dread potency of Bishop White, when aroused against another female, may be judged from her scathing criticisms of the Church of Mary Baker Eddy: "The teachings of the so-called Christian Science Church ... have drawn multitudes from the orthodox faith, and blasted their hopes of heaven! ... A person who is thus in the grip of Satanic power is unable to extricate himself ... [and is] left in utter spiritual desolation." Well might buxom Aimee McPherson have quailed as she faced 2,000 tepid Britons, over 8,000 empty seats, the two Deacons and "Bishop" Mrs. White. [12]

Expansion

In 1927, a transmitter and radio equipment were installed at Belleview College in Westminster, Colorado to promote the college based in the Westminster Castle. By June of 1929, the call letters had been changed to KPOF and the station was broadcasting regular sermons from Alma Temple, the Pillar's Denver Church. In March of 1931, WBNY was sold to Bishop Alma White and the Pillar of Fire Church for $5,000. The call letters were changed to WAWZ (the letters standing for Alma White, Zerephath. In its initial broadcast, Alma White told listeners, "The station belongs to all regardless of your affiliation." [2] In 1961 Pillar of Fire also started WAKW in Cincinnati. The AKW represents the name of Arthur Kent White, Alma's son.

Death

She died on June 26, 1946 in Zarephath, New Jersey. [1] [13]

Timeline

Publications

References

Vorlage:Reflist

Further reading

  • Susie Cunningham Stanley: Feminist Pillar of Fire: The Life of Alma White. The Pilgrim Press, 1993, ISBN 0-8298-0950-3 (google.com).
  • Alma White's Evangelism Press Reports, compiled by C. R. Paige and C.K. Ingler (1939)
  • Kristin E. Kandt; Historical Essay: In the Name of God; An American Story of Feminism, Racism, and Religious Intolerance: The Story of Alma Bridwell White, 8 Am. U. J. Gender, Soc. Pol. & L 753 (2000)

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  1. ↑ a b c d e f Bishop Alma White, Preacher, Author; Founder Of Pillar Of Fire Dies at 84. Established Several Schools And Colleges., Associated Press in New York Times, June 27, 1946. Abgerufen am 21. Juli 2007 „Bound Brook, New Jersey June 26, 1937 (Associated Press) Bishop Alma White, founder of the Pillar of Fire Church and author of thirty-five religious tracts and some 200 hymns, died here today at the headquarters of the religious group at near-by Zarephath. Her age was 84.“ 
  2. ↑ a b c d Bishop v. Drink., Time (magazine), December 18, 1939. Abgerufen am 21. August 2007 „Her church became known as the Pillar of Fire. Widowed, Mrs. White started a pious, shouting, camp-meeting community in New Jersey, named it Zarephath after the place where the 'widow woman' sustained Elijah. Alma White was soon acting like a bishop toward her flock; why should she not be "the first woman bishop in the history of the Christian church?" Pillar of Fire consecrated her as such in 1918. Indomitable Bishop White has built 49 churches, three colleges. She edits six magazines, travels continually between Zarephath and the West. She learned to drive an automobile at 50, to swim at 55, to paint in oils at 70. She has two radio stations, WAWZ at Zarephath, KPOF in Denver, where her Alma Temple is also a thriving concern. Her Prohibition plays, written with broadcasting in mind, had their premiere there. Her audience, recruited from Denver churches, thought them pillar-powerful, fiery-fierce ...“ 
  3. ↑ Bridwells in the 1870 US Census in Millersburg, Kentucky
  4. ↑ William and Mary married on March 19, 1851. Alma's siblings include: Martha Gertrude Bridwell (1853-?) who was born on March 18, 1852 and married a Davis; James Robert Bridwell (1853-?) who was born on March 18, 1852; Emery Bascom Bridwell (1856-1928) who was born on Valentines Day, February 14, 1856 and died on March 28, 1928; Amanda Frances Bridwell (1857-?) who was born on May 31, 1857, married a Savage, and died on March 23, 1938; Ann Eliza Bridwell (1859-1953) who was born on December 16, 1859, married a Boardman, and died on September 26, 1953; Venora Ella Bridwell (1861-1942) who was born on January 18, 1861, married David E. Metlen in 1887, and died on May 9, 1942 in Dillon, Montana; Teresa West Bridwell (1865-1944) who was born on August 16, 1862, married a Meade, and died on May 30, 1944; Kate Laura Bridwell (1867-1935) who was born on February 22, 1867, married a Ferrell, and died on November 3, 1935; Rollie Taylor Bridwell (1868-1947) who was born on September 3, 1868 and died on May 23, 1947; and Charles William Bridwell (1872-1952) who was born on July 25, 1872 and died on January 21, 1952.
  5. ↑ Bridwells in the 1880 US Census in Millersburg, Kentucky
  6. ↑ a b c d e f Alma Bridwell White, Encyclopædia Britannica. Abgerufen am 21. August 2007 „Née Mollie Alma Bridwell. American religious leader who was a founder and major moving force in the evangelical Methodist Pentecostal Union Church, which split from mainstream Methodism in the early 20th century. Alma Bridwell grew up in a dour family of little means. She studied at the Millersburg (Kentucky) Female College and in 1882 moved ...“ 
  7. ↑ a b Alma White: Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty. Pillar of Fire, 1926 (google.com): „I believe in white supremacy.“
  8. ↑ Bound Brook Mob Raids Klan Meeting: Thousand Hostile Citizens Surround Church and Lock In 100 Holy Rollers., New York Times, May 2, 1923. Abgerufen am 21. August 2007 „Bound Brook, New Jersey, Wednesday, May 2, 1923, Until the arrival of eight State troopers to reinforce the local police here at 1 o'clock this morning about one hundred members of the Holy Rollers were locked up in their church, the Pillar of Fire, in Main Street, surrounded by a mob of nearly 1,000 hostile citizens, several hundred of whom broke up a meeting held by the Holy Rollers to organize a Klan here last night.“ 
  9. ↑ Jon Blackwell: Hatred wore a hood in Jersey, Capital Century. Abgerufen am 13. Juni 2008 
  10. ↑ Alma White: The Ku Klux Klan in Prophecy. Pillar of Fire, 1925 (google.com): „The unrepentant Hebrew is everywhere among us today as the strong ally of Roman Catholicism.“
  11. ↑ Alma White: Heroes of the Fiery Cross. Pillar of Fire, 1928.
  12. ↑ Poor Aimee, Time (magazine), Monday, October 22, 1928. Abgerufen am 21. August 2007 „Worse still, a mere 2,000 slummy people paid admission the second evening. Worst of all, there came a rival female evangelist from New Jersey, a resolute woman with the mien of an inspired laundress—the Reverend "Bishop" Mrs. Mollie Alma White, founder and primate of the Pillar of Fire Church. Bishop White, who has thousands of disciples ("Holy Jumpers") in the British Isles, clearly regarded Mrs. McPherson as a poacher upon her preserves or worse. Squired by two male Deacons, the Reverend Bishop sat herself down in a box at Albert Hall, with an air of purposing to break up the revival.“ 
  13. ↑ Fundamentalist Pillar., Time (magazine), July 8, 1946. Abgerufen am 25. September 2007 „'Political parties yell themselves hoarse when the name of a nominee is mentioned. Why not shout in ecstasy when the name of the Lord is called? If you are happy, let the whole world know it. Do not keep your joy bottled up.' Fundamentalist ecstasy and hallelujah-shouting were a vital part of masterful, deep-voiced Alma White's faith. On it she built a sect called Pillar of Fire — with 4,000 followers, 61 churches, seven schools, ten periodicals and two broadcasting stations. Last week, as it must even to 'the only woman bishop in the world,' Death came to the Pillar of Fire's 84-year-old founder.“ 
  14. ↑ Randall Balmer: Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism. 2004, ISBN 1-932792-04-X (google.com): „Alma White moved to Zarephath, New Jersey, in 1907, where a donation of land made ... She founded Alma White College (since renamed Zarephath Bible College) ...“
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