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NOTE—This is the first of three articles’ by Allena Sumner, writer for the Herald-News and NEA Ser vice,on the picturesque Hie of Aimee Semple McPherson, noted evangelist now under arrest in Los Angeles, BY ALLENE SUMNER NEA Service Writer . (Copyright 1926,NHA Service Inc.) “God's Go-Getter” and “God's Saleswoman,” they call Aimee Sem ple McPherson, woman evangelist of mystery,out in Los Angeles, where the lights of her temple meet the lights of the stars. Out in Los Angeles, where some say God himself snatched her from the evil hands of Mexican kidnap Fe, and, where other a gay love 27 iBennéta Uurnson, ver‘ temple rat io operator, and not kidnapers kept her from her flock. All the story writers of all times, an MCS, COUId Her ‘coajure ap « woman ,more alluring, more mag netic, more perplexing than this woman who today faces prison bars on 4 charge she broke faith with the multitude. Blind See, Lame Walk The blind have been made to Sea at her touch—they say, are lame have been made to walk... .The very heathen have fled their jade-eyed idols at sight of this queenly woman with ropes of chest ntyle hair. “Who's Who” starts the glamor ous story for us. Aimee Kennedy was born in Ingersoll, Ontario, Can ada, Oct. 9, 1890, it says. The wo man who gave her birth was a Salvation Army lassle who chang ed the tinkle of her tambourine for the clank of a dishpan when love and marriage seemed her way of service. Dedicated to God The story goes on with a little pig-tailed girl of 6, wide-eyed be side a kneeling mother who, hold ing the tiny hand of her daughter, looked up into the heavens and shouted— ris: ‘ “She is yours, Lord. I couldn’t do the job myself. But take this eid and use her for Your Kingd om! oe A lttle,girl of a Canadian farm, ‘going sleighing ‘to a‘revival, con verted, vowing that nothing should check the task her mother had ‘put upon” her—this ‘is the Aimee “oft childhood, sooty PRMes . But the Httla zealot’s eyes were soft and brown, and at 17 love came to her even as to her Salvation Army mother, in the years ago. . Love and marriage, though, only quickened the flame .of,. Aimee’s zeal, ‘ i * ‘3 -Mate-of-Game-Cutting: Her husband, was Robert Sem ple, preacher and evangelist. Aimee traveled the world over with him, from circuit, riding in bleak Cana dian wilds to fashionable Vondou churches and then into yellow China. Semple died, leaving his wife penniless and about to be a mother. When the little daughter, Roberta was six weeks old, somehow or other the mother managed to get back to Canada, preaching as she went with her babe in her ants, The “Gospel Auto” Lean and hungry years, The Streety for a church, a rickety, wooden chair for a pulpit. Two listeners to her word when first she preached, Fifty the second time. A sixty-dollar collection. The young mother-evangelist bought her a “gospel auto,” touring the highways and byways, shouting and whispering the word of God. But she still was young, come ly. She had her little girl! She wanted a home “like other women’. She encountered Harold McPher son, Aimee now was 23, _McPherson, Aimee says, promised to evangelize with her—tread all the barren paths the world over with her, entreating unbelievers, giving all to the Lord. Marriages, Then Divorce They were married in New York. Eight years ago she divorced him, giving as cause his apathy toward her great work, citing him as a Srag upon her. There was a little son, oh, now. Alinea,_semple--McPhearson,—-her children with her, set forth in her gospel anto. human swarms greet ed her as she went westward. They wept and clung to the beau tiful woman, shouting that God's Kingdom on earth had come. Purs es were emptied at her feet. And Aimee traveled westward. Los Angeles was her final ston. “Here,” said she, “L with preach” Next—In Los Angeles, Above, Aimee Semple McPherson with an armful of flowers given her by her congregation. Below are her children, Roberta Semple and Rolf McPherson. Mrs. Minnie Kennedy, Mrs. Mc Phersons mother, appearing in court after her arrest on a charge of conspiring to produce false evi dence.
Newspaper Details
Manitowoc Herald News
Manitowoc, Wisconsin, US
Sat, Sep 25, 1926
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 18 Apr 2026
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