The Remarkable People of the Warming Heart
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The Remarkable People of the Warming Heart
Odilon Massolar
Chaves
Volume
1
Copyright © 2024, Odilon Massolar Chaves
All rights reserved to the author.
Total or partial reproduction of the book is prohibited
Art. 184 of the
Penal Code and Law 9610 of February 19, 1998.
Books published in the Wesleyan Library: 122
Address:https://bibliotecawesleyana.blogspot.com
Google translator
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Odilon
Massolar Chaves is a retired Methodist pastor, with a doctorate in Theology and
History from the Methodist University of São Paulo.
His
thesis dealt with the Methodist revival in England in the 18th century and its
contribution as a paradigm for our days.
He was
editor of the official Methodist newspaper and coordinator of the Theology
Course.
He is a
writer, poet and YouTuber.
All
glory be given to the Lord
Summary
Introduction
Swiss
hero who saved thousands of Jews
Nobel
Peace Prize winner and president of Liberia
Inventor
of ultrasound sang in church choir
Methodists
at the origin of FC Barcelona
Author of
the South African national anthem
The King,
the Prince and the National Anthem of Tonga
Helping
the world in disasters
A country
music legend in the USA
Health
hero in Sierra Leone
Donated
one million dollars to fight malaria in Angola
Pioneer
in the care of lepers in Brazil
Flying
high to save lives in Congo
Warriors
of Methodism in Jamaica
A
courageous woman and successful businesswoman in South Africa
Author of
the bestseller The Pursuit of Happiness
Fiji's
greatest rugby player
From
atheist to respected scientist
The
pioneer of golf in South Korea
From
motel manager to pastor of 9,000 members
National
hero of Barbados
A
Methodist saint in Russia
The
talent of the Eltzholtz family at the beginning of Methodism in Denmark
Created
the largest construction company in the world
A citizen
of the world from Barbados
Founder
of modern Gynecology and Obstetrics
An
evangelist creates the Football League in England
Young
Methodists found Aston Villa FC
Tongan
torpedo becomes shepherd
Sunday
School Teacher Creates Famous Film Company
Pastor of
10,000 members in San Francisco
Survivor
on bombed ship served the people of Singapore
From
orphanage to medal holder
Creator
of the Coca-Cola formula
Germany's
Good Samaritan
In the
city of hate, judge grants shelter to children of immigrants
The
impact of love on a Muslim terrorist
Mixed-race
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The pastor
who helped make the creation of the State of Israel possible
The
Founding Fathers of Hollywood
First
Methodist missionary in Korea
The
master of freedom in fascist Italy
Superman,
a real Methodist
World
record as church organist
Prince of
Methodist preachers
Crucified
for having the character of Christ
Creator
of the Hallmark Cards brand
Famous
preacher in England
Son of
Methodist pastor wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Martyrs
for the testimony of Jesus
Martyrs
and heroes in the 1st World War
The three
Italian chaplains in the 1st World War
Medal for
extraordinary heroism
Prisoner
of the Japanese and first bishop of Pakistan
The
martyrs of New Guinea
God's
farmer who baptized 12 thousand converts
The hero
who attacked and then evangelized Japan
Destroyed
resistance in the war and in the Senate
America's
first black female millionaire
Creator
of the magazines Bem-Te-Vi and Voz Missionária
Farm boy
becomes millionaire
Creator
of In the cenacle
Antifascist
and illustrious Italian historian
Pioneer
of Methodism in Germany
The D-Day
Chaplain in World War II
The king,
the vision and Msimang in Swaziland
Developing
Methodism in Eurasia
Heaven is
real
Famous TV
presenter in England
Inspired
by Carlos Wesley wins Nobel Prize for Literature
Creator
of the Ivory floating soap formula
Inventor,
educator and father-in-law of Thomas Edison
Architect
of music education in Singapore
Director
of World Evangelism for 25 years
The torch
in Black Africa
Hollywood
actress and singer of the Billy Graham Crusade
Implementer
of 250 churches in Madagascar
The
mother of orphans in Equatorial Guinea
The
mother of the Holiness Movement in the USA
From
Royal Family to Prime Minister of Ghana
A peace
lover in Ghana's presidency
World
father of biblical archeology
Promoter
of peace in Congo and bishop of more than a million members
President
of Methodism, President of Macedonia
Businessman,
mayor and successful Methodist in Norway
From
Sunday School to governor of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Son of
Methodist pastor wins Nobel Prize in Physics
Leader of
the Women's Association in Peru
Faithful
Methodist member wins Nobel Prize
The
mother of civil rights in the USA
Pioneer
of Methodism in Singapore
Creator
of yeast-free wine
Faithful
scientist wins Nobel Prize
Inventor
of the first refrigerated trains
The
living torch in Liberia
He
created the first playground and was decisive in the fight against yellow fever
Son of a
Methodist missionary and the most awarded Chinese actor
The most
famous indigenous chief in the USA
Indigenous
chief, apostle and martyr of peace
Methodist
chief and pastor in the Amazon
Missionary
and prophet among the Indians
The
Carpenters duo that enchanted the world
From
Funeral Home to Resurrection and Largest Methodist Church in the USA
First
president of Liberia
Doctor,
bishop and missionary
The King
of Tonga and his Wesleyan heritage
Despite
being blind, she wrote more than 9 thousand hymns
Created
the first industrial plastic, saving elephants
First to
end racism in baseball
England's
greatest football commentator
The
greatest missionary evangelist in the world
The first
woman called “first lady”
Preacher,
servant and politician in the British Virgin Islands
Preacher,
doctor and women's rights activist
He sought
the Kingdom of God, won the Nobel Peace Prize
Olympic
champion and national hero
Mother's
Day mother
Evangelist
wins Nobel Peace Prize
Generalissimo
President of China and Taiwan
He lived
based on faith and won the Nobel Peace Prize
The
martyr in Bulgaria who forgave his persecutors
Korea's
first female lawyer and judge
President
of the Republic of China
The
sailor who founded Methodism in Norway
Founder
of Everton Football Club of England
First
lady and China's voice in the world
UN Peace Prizefor the fight in Rhodesia
The
springboard to become an Olympic champion
From
factory worker to South African Chief Justice
Son of
illiterate father becomes judge of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Invented
the first elevator with passengers
War hero and geographic expedition pioneer
From
preacher to Prime Minister of Australia
The black
Thomas Edison
Son of
Methodist pastor wins Nobel Peace Prize
One of
the greatest preachers and social reformers in Britain
The
Tolpuddle Martyrs
Founded
the National Union of Agricultural Workers
Founded
the National Union of Allied and Agricultural Workers
Preacher
and president of the Yorkshire Miners' Association
President
of the North Staffordshire Miners' Federation
Going
beyond the Guinness Book
The
ex-convict who ended apartheid in South Africa
First
black man to open law firm in South Africa
Converted
in prison becomes president of South Korea
One of
the pioneers of feminist theology
Conductor
of the Titanic band
Revival
led creator of Coca-Cola to Methodism
An
unusual man founded one of the largest pharmaceutical conglomerates
The
bishop who prevented Methodism from closing its doors in Cuba
The
"Mudavanhu" of Rhodesia
Son of a Methodist pastor
discovered the origin of yellow fever
Prime Minister and Chief
Steward of the Church in Fiji
President of Fiji and
Methodist preacher
New Zealand's youngest Prime
Minister
King of Tonga and Methodist
preacher
Prophet of Human Rights in
Argentina
Son of a Methodist pastor and
general from Ivory Coast
Philippine jurist, patriot and
martyr in World War II
First evangelical president of
the Philippines
Martyrs and heroes of Angola
Son of a Methodist pastor,
first president and hero of Angola
The black Moses who freed more
than 300 slaves
Wahatchee, the War Woman
The Estonian martyr who
preached in several languages
The light that shone for
Sierra Leone
From “monster” to Methodist
bishop
First Lady of Mozambique and
South Africa
A great figure in Mozambique
Apostle of Peace in Nigeria
The need for God in the life
of the Nobel Prize winner
Methodist school contributes
to the formation of Nobel Prize winner
First astronaut to walk in
space
First African General
Secretary of the World Council of Churches
First civilian president of
the STM in Brazil
The young black man who
overcame prejudice in baseball in the USA by faith
Awarded for promoting peace in
Northern Ireland
On the successful path of
donation he won the Nobel Prize
The leading expert in bee
genetics
First African president of the
World Methodist Council
The US president who fought
for the rights of former slaves
From Sunday School
superintendent to US president
The Knight of the Gospel of
Peace
The prince bishop loved for
his courage
Pioneer missionary in West
Africa
From orphan to US president
Missionary and defender of the
Chinese
The Methodist missionary who
worked with education in China
Young man converted a nation
of cannibals
Cannibal king converts and
brings peace to Fiji
The father of Methodism in the
Caribbean
The Mother of Methodism in
America
Advocate for domestic workers
in Bolivia
Founder of Methodism in Italy
Pioneer medical missionary in
India
First Brazilian evangelical
federal deputy
Gave his life for global
missionary work
Apostle of Methodism in
America
Creator of Clube Santo and
author of 9 thousand hymns
The woman who gave rise to
Methodism
Used by God to revolutionize England
Introduction
The following year, he was appointed to the county government in Kanhsien, Kiangsi. From 1941 to 1947 he was dedicated to organizing the youth league.
his book tells the life
stories of more than 200 characters from 54 countries and different
professions. They are men and women from the people called Methodists who stood
out, generally with pioneering, invention, discovery, martyrdom, leadership,
fight against injustice, professional success, exemplary life, talent,
overcoming difficulties or something impactful, contributing to the good of
humanity and for the Kingdom of God.
Researched for more than five years, this work tells
stories, from Wesley to our days, that move, impact, awaken and serve as
examples today. Many won the Nobel Prize. Others made great inventions;
discovered the cause of illnesses; they wrote national anthems and led several
nations. Others fought to end racism and slavery; they went to space as
astronauts and changed the history of sport; created several famous industries.
They gave rise to Mother's Day, the fight for Civil Rights and the expression “first
lady”, etc.
They are people from different branches of Methodism,
such as the Primitive Methodist Church, New Conexão Methodist Church and
Wesleyan Church, who came together and formed the Methodist Church, in 1932, in
England. They are people from the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Protestant
Methodist Church and the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church, who came together
in 1939 in the USA. Still others are from the Free Methodist Church and the
African Methodist Episcopal Church. They all belong to the World Methodist
Council.
The expression “warming-hearted people” in the book’s
title refers to John Wesley’s warm-hearted experience on May 24, 1738.
Thousands of other Methodists are not included in the
book. Many others will certainly be in the second volume.
Odilon Massolar Chaves
Swiss hero who saved thousands of Jews
WArl Lutz (1895-1975) was born in Walzenhausen, Switzerland. He emigrated to the US and studied to be a Swiss diplomat at Central Wesleyan College and George Washington University. He was raised as a devout Methodist and taught Sunday School. He was vice-consul of Switzerland in Jajja (Israel). He was transferred in World War II to Budapest, Hungary (1942-1945).In 1944, Germany invaded Hungary. As vice consul, he issued thousands of false Swiss documents deceiving Lieutenant Colonel Adolf Eichmann, who wanted to deport Jews. Lutz saved more than 62 thousand Jews.
A Methodist since his youth, Lutz sought to serve the Lord in high regard. Lutz placed the Jewish Agency under his diplomatic protection and removed thousands of Hungarian Jews from the marching lines of the concentration camps, giving them protection documents. It was the largest rescue operation of Jewish civilians in the world during the Holocaust. Upon his return to Switzerland, he was reprimanded for exceeding his authority. He is called “The Forgotten Hero”. But abroad his actions were recognized and he received several awards and honors. In 1964, he received the Righteous Medal for courageous actions. The film Walking with the Enemy tells his story. Theo Tschuy wrote the book Courageous Diplomat.
Carl Lutz was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize and awarded the Cross of Honor, German Order of Merit. In 2006, in Budapest, a memorial was erected in his honor. In Jerusalem, there is the Yad Vashem Memorial in his honor. In 1999, a special stamp was released by Swiss Post to honor him.[1]
Nobel Peace Prize winner
and president of Liberia
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was born in Monrovia, Liberia, in 1938.His grandfather was German and married a rural woman whose grandmothers were indigenous Liberians. Ellen graduated from West African College, a United Methodist college. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin, USA. She has a degree in economics from the University of Colorado, USA, and a master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard University, USA.
In 1985, she was a candidate for the Senate and criticized the military regime, which earned her a ten-year prison sentence. After her time in prison, she lived in exile until 1997, when she returned to Liberia as an economist for the World Bank and Citibank in Africa. She was elected president of Liberia in 2005. As a Methodist, she spoke at the 2008 General Conference of the United Methodist Church. She fought against corruption and for deep institutional reforms in Liberia. She was re-elected president of Liberia in 2011. In 2007, President George W. Bush awarded her the Medal of Freedom, the U.S.'s highest civilian decoration.
She is the mother of four children. She was the first woman to be elected head of state of an African country. She made girls' education a priority. She created the Liberia Education Trust and an ambitious teacher training program. She won the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her work on women's rights. She is called “the iron lady of Liberia”.[2]
Inventor of ultrasound sang in church choir
WWilliam Nelson Beck (1923-1996) was born in the USA. He was the son of missionaries Dr. Frank Beck and Dr. Bessie Beck, who spent their lives in Bolivia. His father was a doctor and built a hospital with one hundred beds for the Indians in La Paz.“Nels” attended Dakota Wesleyan College. While serving as a college professor in 1949, he built what he called the “car of the future” made of plywood, costing $76.37.The car gets 40 miles per gallon of gas.
In World War II, Nels was a brilliant Navy pilot. He always invented something that helped his fellow pilots. The Mae West jacket needed to be manually inflated before entering the water. He developed a way to automatically inflate it when it hits the water.
In 1955, as a physicist, he went to Argonne National Laboratory, where he discovered the use of ultrasound in 1957. Nels worked on a scanner to test the reactor's production volume of fuel elements. It was possible to differentiate between flesh and bone on electrosensitive paper. His invention of ultrasound, also called ultrasonography, began to be used instead of X-rays to examine the human body. His discovery led to modern ultrasound scanners.
He also invented the
toothbrush with a hollow handle to hold toothpaste. He invented the garden hose
timer valve. He was very active at Grace United Methodist Church, where he sang
in the choir. He was a joker, who expressed his humor on any occasion. He was a
modest person. The memorial service was held at his Grace United Methodist
Church.[3]
Methodists at the origin of FC Barcelona
The Football arrived in Barcelona, Spain, in 1890 through British textile workers. In the autumn of 1893, the Barcelona Football Society was created, mainly by young British people from the Methodist Church. The presidency was offered to British consul William Wyndham.
Seven years later (1899), the Barcelona Football Society was the basis of FC Barcelona. They played in uniform (red shirt, white hat and shorts, half Scottish and half boots). They were outside the Constitution. There was the Inquisition in Spain. Protestantism was illegal. Methodist church leaders supported football. Joan Gamper, an evangelical Swiss sports fan, arrived in Barcelona and became involved with youth in the Swiss-German Lutheran and Methodist community. They agreed with the young people from the Methodist church, who had already organized a football team.
Swiss Lutheran Joan
Gamper founded FC Barcelona on November 29, 1899. The merger of FC Barcelona
with the Methodist team took place on December 13, 1899.On the FC Barcelona
website it says “The adventure of the creation of FC Barcelona in 1899 by a
group of young foreigners living in Barcelona [...]”. But later there was
strong Catholic resistance and a “religious war” against FC Barcelona. Many of
the 36 young evangelicals left Barcelona. Two Methodists founded the Barcelona
Tennis Club.
Augusto Rodes's book The founders of FC Barcelona, ediciones Joica, 2000, records this incredible story.[4]
Author of the South African national anthem
Enoch Mankayi Sontonga (1873-1905) was born in Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape, into the Mpinga clan of the Tembu tribe in South Africa. In 1896, Sontonga was sent to the Mission at the Methodist School in Nancefield, near Johannesburg, where he taught and was a preacher for almost eight years.He married Diana Mngqibisa, daughter of an African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church pastor, and they had a daughter named Diana.He was the composer of Sikelei 'iAfrika Nkosi (God Bless Africa). Since 1925, it has been the national anthem of South Africa. It has also become the national anthem of Tanzania and Zambia.
Sontonga wrote the
first two verses and the music in 1897:
May your glories be exalted
Hear our prayers
God bless us,
because we are your children
God, take care of our nation
End our conflicts
Protect us and protect our
nation
South Africa, nation South
Africa
In
1899, the hymn was sung for the first time in public at the ordination of
Methodist pastor Mboweni. Sontonga was a poet, preacher, composer, prolific
author, educator, theologian, singer and photographer. Sontonga is considered a
multitalented African. On September 24, 1996, his grave was declared a national
monument, and a memorial was unveiled by President Nelson Mandela. At the same
ceremony, the South African Order of Merit was posthumously awarded to Enoch
Sontonga.[5]
The King, the Prince and the National Anthem of Tonga
ALeamotu'a Tupou (1797-1893) was born in Tonga. In 1826, Methodist missionaries Hape and Tafetá' left Tahiti to evangelize Fiji and stopped in Tonga. Tupou stopped them to teach about the true God in Tonga. He was the first king of Tonga. During his reign, George Tupou I made Tonga unified, independent and with a modern constitution. Tupou was baptized with the name Josias in 1830, along with 'Unga (1824-1879) and his brothers.
'Unga was given the baptismal name David or Tevita. Tupou married Salote Lupepau'u in the rite of the Methodist Church. He appointed 'Unga as governor of Vava'u. Afterwards, he named him crown prince and prime minister of Tonga (1876-1879). 'Unga composed the words to the Tongan national anthem in 1874:
Oh, Almighty God,
You are our Lord and defender,
As your people, we trust in You
And our Tonga can love you
Hear our prayer, though invisible
We know that You have blessed our land;
Answer our sincere supplication,
God save Tupou, our king.
In 1879, Methodist minister Shirley Baker Waldemar accompanied 'Unga to Australia for medical treatment, but he died. Due to the influence of Rev. Baker, 'Unga's body was taken to Tonga on a German ship, which fired a gun salute at the funeral. As a sign of gratitude, the king appointed Rev. Baker as Prime Minister of Tonga.
King George Tupou I
passed away at the age of 95, and 'Unga's grandson succeeded him and became
King Tupou II.[6]
Helping the world in disasters
Herbert Welch (1862-1969) was born in New York. In 1907, with other pastors, he helped create the Methodist Social Service Federation. He was the first president. Elected bishop in 1916, he was assigned to Japan, Korea and then Shanghai. He was vice-president of the Council against communist aggression.
After retiring in 1938, he was invited by the Council of Bishops to the Boston Episcopal area. In 1940, at the General Conference, he called on Methodists to be a voice for action in alleviating human suffering without distinction of race, color, or creed.
Herbert was appointed president (1940-1948) of the Methodist Committee on Foreign Relief (MCOR). In 1972, MCOR transformed into Umcor (United Methodist Relief Committee). Umcor is part of the General Board of Global Ministries in helping survivors of earthquakes, such as in Haiti, famine in Africa, and tornadoes, floods and hurricanes in the USA. Umcor has helped Liberia, Rwanda and Bosnia in their conflicts.
The General Council of Global Ministries is the global mission agency of the United Methodist Church. It has staff, projects and partners in 136 countries. Umcor has offices in 11 countries. Provides training and education to help address hunger and poverty.
Umcor's projects and programs include AIDS programs, mine clearance and anti-malaria programs. Umcor's work reaches more than 80 countries.[7]
A country music legend in the USA
Willie Nelson Hugh was born in Abbott, Texas, in 1933. While still young, his mother left the family, and his father remarried, leaving him with his grandparents. Then he died. Willie and his sister Bobbie Lee grew up singing gospel in the Methodist Church. They worked in the cotton fields. Nelson's grandfather, a blacksmith, gave him a guitar when he was six and Bobbie gave him a piano.The first song Willie learned was Amazing grace and at the age of seven he wrote his first song. At age nine, he played guitar in a local band. As a teenager, he made money singing in saloons and bars. He did military service and dropped out of college. He sold Bibles door to door.
He was a DJ with his own radio show. His first song was No place for me. In 1952, he married Martha and they had two children. In the early 1970s, he went on tour and began performing and recording his own songs. He recorded around 300 titles. In 1978, he launched his film career and participated in several films. The first was with Jane Fonda, in The Electric Knight (1979).
In 2006, Willie and Sister Bobbie returned to Abbott to worship at their childhood Methodist Church. It was overcrowded with the presence of the press. He sang Amazing grace, Precious memories, testified about growing up in the Church, and said, “We are starting a Peace Department here in Abbott; We have war departments everywhere, so go ahead and spread peace.” In the following years, they sang on Sundays in church. It was the resurrection and the beginning of a new era for the Church.
Willie is one of the North American icons of
country music. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993,
received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1998, and was inducted into the National
Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2011..[8]
Health hero in Sierra Leone
Beatrice Mamawah Gbanga was born in Sierra Leone, Africa. She studied Nursing in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, USA and England. In 1973, she obtained a Master's degree in Nursing in England and a Nurse Tutor diploma in 1989 in Nigeria. She was certified in Advanced Healthcare Leadership in 1997 in Atlanta, Georgia (USA). In 1984, in Jamkhed, India, she learned about village health programs led by community health workers.
Gbanga returned with a new vision for Sierra Leone and trained everyone who was available. She also sought to raise the self-esteem of women in her country. She trained Nursing professionals (1985-1993). She worked as administrator and medical program coordinator for the Sierra Leone Methodist Annual Conference (1993-1997). She worked for the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health. She supervised, coordinated and trained thousands of Imagine No Malaria volunteers, distributing 300,000 (2010) and then 700,000 mosquito nets (2014), one of the most effective actions in the world, with international recognition.
She is a missionary for the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church (JGMG). She coordinates all of the Church's health activities across three hospitals and seven clinics. She oversees Imagine no Malaria in the prevention of malaria, AIDS and Ebola. She is a member of the First United Methodist Church in Riverdale (Atlanta), Georgia. She is married to Tamba Samuel Gbanga, with whom she has five children. She is considered an unsung hero of the United Methodist Church. She received God's call to change and save lives.[9]
Donated one million dollars to fight malaria in Angola
Barbara Ferguson was married to Earl Ferguson for 23
years. The two grew up in the farming community of Goldendale, Washington. Earl
comes from humble beginnings and grew up on a cattle ranch near the Columbia
River. He was class president and a member of the band and football team.
Earl earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Washington and a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Michigan. He has had a successful career in the computer science industry and helped develop two four-patent award-winning companies, including Foundry Networks. Earl's genius in mathematics and engineering led him to discover technologie that contributed to the creation of the internet. Earl passed away in 2003.
Barbara Ferguson is a member of Los Altos United Methodist Church. Since 1985, she has worked as a volunteer at the Ministry of Finance. Bárbara heard her pastor talk about donating to the United Methodist Church's Imagine No Malaria program to purchase malaria nets to save lives in Angola. Every 60 seconds, malaria claims a life in Africa.Barbara donated one million dollars.
Annually, Earl awarded 10 to 12 scholarships
to the University of Washington. He also donated $1.6 million in scholarships
to Klickitat County and Yakima Valley College. Barbara and Earl believed that
God was inviting them to share the blessings they had received. They always did
this with humility and gratitude to God for the opportunity to give. It was the
largest single contribution to Imagine No Malaria.[10]
Pioneer in the care of lepers in Brazil
Eunice Sousa Gabi Weaver (1902-1969) was born in São Miguel, São Paulo. His mother was a carrier of leprosy. Her parents moved to Uruguaiana (RS). She was educated at Methodist schools in Buenos Aires; at Colégio União, in Uruguaiana, and in Piracicaba (SP), where she graduated in Health Education. In 1927, Eunice married Charles Anderson Weaver, an American missionary for the Methodist Church. He was a widower and former director of Colégio União and director of Colégio Granbery of the Methodist Church, in Juiz de Fora (MG).
Eunice accompanied her husband, who ran the Floating University of North America, on a transatlantic, traveling through 42 countries where she took several courses and sought to learn about the problems of leprosy, having met Mahatma Gandhi. Her husband was appointed director of the Central People's Institute of the Methodist Church. He founded the Lázaros Assistance Society and Educandário Santa Maria, in Rio de Janeiro. In 1935, she obtained official assistance for the work from President Getúlio Vargas. She traveled across the country promoting the campaign of the Federation of Lazarus Relief and Leprosy Societies. She was the first woman to receive, in Brazil, the National Order of Merit, at the rank of commander.
He published books and represented Brazil at
international congresses on leprosy. He organized relief services in several
countries. He received the title of “Citizen of Carioca”. She was the Brazilian
delegate at the 12th UN World Congress (1967). Several institutions that care
for leprosy sufferers are called the “Eunice Weaver Society”. His funeral
service was at the Methodist Church. She was one of the most brilliant women in
Brazil.[11]
Flying high to save lives in Congo
Gaston Nkulu Ntambo is from Kamina, Democratic Republic of Congo. He is a missionary for the United Methodist Church. He studied in the USA. He dreamed of learning to fly. He earned a certificate in Accounting, associate's degree in piloting from College Davis, Ohio (USA) and mechanic's certificate from the Michigan Institute of Aeronautics, Detroit (MI).
His purpose was to be a commercial pilot, but on his first flight he understood that he should serve the Church. Gaston is married to missionary Jeanne Kabove Ntambo, graduated in Accounting from the Institut Kitumaini and in Economics from the University of Lubumbashi. She is a radio operator for the Ministry of Asas da Manhã in a country with no weather service or air traffic control. Jeanne updates him on the weather forecast and other safety issues. She provides the technical assistance needed to keep Gaston safe. They form a team. They have five children. Gaston's father is Bishop Ntambo Nkulu of the North Katanga Conference. Gaston is a member of a local United Methodist Church in Luena.
This ministry of the Methodist Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with more than one million members supports evangelism, hospitals, medical clinics and medical treatment for the poor. They support schools to maintain literacy among adults and children. They also help farmers work their land better and support churches to do their best in the fight against malaria. They are working with the soldiers and their families so that they can live in peace.
Gaston said, “I believe God is using me as a tool to reach and save lives.”[12]
Warriors of Methodism in Jamaica
When the rev. Thomas Coke (1747-1814) arrived in Jamaica in 1789, was warmly received by Mr. Fishley, but soon faced opposition from the aristocracy when a gang of drunken white men came shouting into the place where he was preaching to about 400 whites and 200 blacks.
It was championed by Touro and Mary Ann Smith, who picked up a pair of scissors and exclaimed, “Now you can do what you want, but the first man who lays a violent hand on him will have these scissors thrust into his heart.” The molesters retreated, grumbling. In 1789, the first missionary, Reverend William Hammett, arrived. A cell was opened with eight black, white, brown, slave or free people. Mary Ann Smith was the leader.
In 1790, a two-story temple for 1,600 people was built, later closed by authorities because of aid to Jamaicans of African descent. They tried to destroy the building. Newspapers slandered the pastors. Slaves used an underground tunnel under the temple to enter the building for worship. Once, an ambush killed a group. The walls were stained with blood.
Later Mary Wilkinson joined the church. She was a free mulatto who fled Manchioneal in Kingston because the white inhabitants disapproved of slave marriages, and she performed slave marriages.
Mary found the church
closed by the authorities and began evangelizing night and day. When the temple
reopened in 1814, she presented the pastor with a list of 1,100 names of
disciples. In 1840, a larger structure was completed on the same site. The temple
was damaged by the 1907 earthquake and rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style. Coke
Methodist Church was declared a national monument on January 2, 2002.[13]
A courageous woman and successful businesswoman in
South Africa
Nomazizi Mtshotshisa (1944-2008) was born in Duncan Village, East London, South Africa. He attended Methodist Primary School in Tsolo and then Wales High School. She trained as a nurse at Livingstone Hospital. She worked in several hospitals. She obtained a degree in Nursing Law and Science.She was director of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (Nadel), contributing to changing the country's judicial system.
He traveled across the country to ensure that political prisoners had legal assistance. At the height of the struggle in the 1970s and 1980s, he financed those who went into exile and traveled often to Harare, Zimbabwe, where he mobilized external support and resources for the fight against apartheid. After leaving Nadel, she entered the business world and became a successful businesswoman. She was president of Midi, which owns TV E, and president of the telephone company Telkom.
She was the first
African female president of an African company on the New York Stock Exchange.
She was a pillar of strength to her family and a faithful member of the
Methodist Church. She was a businesswoman, community activist and political
builder. She was the embodiment of courageous leadership for women and made a
great contribution to the fight for democracy. She had a deep sense of humanity
and humility, a leader who believed she could motivate and influence other
women by being an example to follow. The South African government awarded him
the Order of Luthuli in Bronze, an honor given to those who contribute to
democracy, nation-building and conflict resolution.[14]
Bestselling author
Looking for
happiness
Christopher Paul Gardner or Chris Gardner was born in 1954, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. His book The Pursuit of Happiness is a bestseller translated into more than 40 languages and inspired the film with the same name played by actor Will Smith, which received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. Another best-selling book of his is: Life's Lessons in Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.
He believed he could be whatever he wanted to be. He did not know his father and lived with his mother, Bettye Jean Triplett. He joined the Navy and then went to San Francisco. With a girlfriend, he had a son who he loved deeply. His wife abandoned him and he was imprisoned for ten days because he didn't have money to pay his debts.
He lived for a year with his son in the shelter at the Glide Methodist Church, in San Francisco. His life changed when he discovered that his profession was a stock broker. In 1987, he founded the Gardner Ricy brokerage in Chicago. He became a millionaire.
Today, Gardner is a philanthropist who
sponsors many charitable organizations, most notably the Glide Memorial United
Methodist Church Program in San Francisco, where he and his son were sheltered
under the leadership of Pastor Cecil Williams. He recently donated $50 million
to revitalize and provide more housing. Gardner has two children and resides in
Chicago.[15]
Fiji's greatest rugby player
Waisale Tikoisolomoni Serevi was born in 1968, in Qarani, on the island of Gau, in Suva, Fiji. He was raised by staunch Christian parents who were heavily involved in the Methodist Church. As a child, he saw Fiji defeat the British Lions in 1977. He decided to take up rugby after seeing that the people of Fiji were very happy with the victory. Serevi studied at Memorial Lelean Secondary School but did not complete his course because of his love of rugby.His career began in 1989 when he represented Fiji in the Hong Kong Tournament.
In 1993, he married Karalaini, with whom he has three children. His wife works for the Fiji Defense Force. Prior to 1993, he played for Nasinu Rugby Club, Suva, which he represented on numerous occasions. In 1993, Serevi signed with the Japanese team Mitsubishi. He played for English club Leicester for two years. He also played for French club State Montois. At the end of 2004, Serevi played for the Staines club, in London, and stopped professionally in 2005.
He won the World Cup with Fiji in 1997 and 2005. He won silver at the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and 2002, and bronze in 2006. After winning the 2005 Rugby Sevens World Cup, he was appointed coach of the Fiji Sevens team. He was considered by the Fiji Times as Person of the Year in 2005. In 2010, he went with his family to the USA. He returned the following year and became coach of Fiji in 2013.
He is a committed Christian who attends the
Methodist Church with his family. He always had influence from his pastor in
his professional life. On his boots and braces for every game, Serevi puts the
words of Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens
me.” He is considered one of the greatest rugby players of all time.[16]
From atheist to respected scientist
Francis Sellers Collins was born in Staunton, Virginia, USA, in 1950. He received his PhD in Chemistry and Physics from Yale University and in Medicine from the University of North Carolina. He was director of the US National Center for Human Genome Research (1993-2008).
In 2001, he was considered one of those
responsible for mapping human DNA, the code of life. He is the scientist who
has tracked the most genes in order to find treatments for various diseases. He
was an atheist, but at age 27 he became a Christian in the Methodist Church.
Criticized by colleagues, in 2006 he released the book The Language of God: A
Scientist Presents Evidence to Believe, which soon became a bestseller. In the
book, he narrates the difficulties he faced in academia when revealing his faith
and shows that belief in the evolution of species does not contradict his
faith. The book was a success and had a great impact. It appeared on The New
York Times bestseller list for several weeks.
He states: “If God wanted to send a message to
this world in the figure of his son, through the Resurrection and the Virgin
Mary, and they call that a miracle, I see no reason to pose these dogmas as a
challenge to science. Anyone who is a Christian believes in these dogmas or is
not a Christian.” He tries to spend time in prayer in the morning and also
tries to keep his spiritual side awake and alert during the day. He has a Bible
on the table. For him, the scientist cannot exclude God. Among his awards is
the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which he received in 2007. In 2005, he was
honored as one of America's Best Leaders. He became one of the most respected
scientists of the century.[17]
The pioneer of golf in South Korea
CHoi Kyung-Jué, known as KJ Choi, was born on May 19, 1970 in Wando, South Korea. The son of a rice farmer, he is married to Hyunjung Kim and has two sons and a daughter. He lives in Woodlands, Texas. He is a professional golfer. He is a member of the Korean United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas.
Choi was led to Christ by his wife when they began dating in 1992. He believes that the material blessings God gives through golf should be shared with those in need.
Since 1994, when he turned professional, he has won 20 professional golf tournaments around the world, including eight on the PGA Tour, making him the most successful golfer in Asia. In August 2007, he reached the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time. His most notable victory came at the 2011 Player Championship. Following his victory, Choi donated $200,000 to help US tornado victims. He spent 40 weeks in the top 10 of the world rankings. He is considered a pioneer of Korean golf. He was the first Korean-born player to play on the PGA Tour, impacting the growth of golf in his home country.
He donated much of his money to charity
through the KJ Choi Foundation. He stated, “The Lord has been good to me and He
has provided a lot for me, so this is my way of paying back all the things He
has given me.” For the Presidents Cup golf tournament in South Korea in 2015,
he was named vice-captain of the International Team. Choi is among the top 100
golfers in the world.[18]
From motel to pastor of 9 thousand members
Rudy Rasmus grew up in the
Heights, a community located in northwest-central Houston, Texas, USA. At age
nine, he learned to work the cash register from his aunt. Rudy graduated from
the University of North Texas in Denton and worked as a banker in Dallas.Afterwards,
he returned to Houston and went to work with his father in a motel, “in a world
of darkness”.
With him in charge, the business took off, but Rudy
felt empty. Then, at a family funeral, he saw Juanita inside the church. For
him, it was the brightest light he had ever seen. In 1985, they got married.
She wanted to have a godly family and took Rudy to church. He went to church
and work at the motel. Juanita prayed. Rudy wanted to live the life of faith
that Juanita lived. He began studying the Bible with friends and little by
little his faith grew.
In 1992, Rudy and Juanita became pastors of St. John's United Methodist Church, which had nine members. They embraced people with God's unconditional love. Today, it is a very loving congregation, with more than 9 thousand members. Rudy founded Bread of Life Inc. in 1992 and began serving dinners to the homeless. Rudy is the author of two books: Jesus Insurgency and Touch: Pressing Against the Wounds of a Broken World. The church offers AIDS testing.
Rudy received the
Jefferson Award in 2009. He and Juanita are co-pastors. The church has other
pastors. The success of the church is related to the vision of breaking down
walls and building bridges of unconditional love. It provides more than 12,000
hot meals each month, distributes more than 9 tons of fresh food weekly to
hungry families, and provides shelter to more than a hundred homeless people
every night. In 2014, Beyoncé, who is a member of the church, donated 7 million
dollars to build these homes. [19]
National hero of Barbados
sarah Ann Gill (1795-1866) was a social and religious leader in Barbados, in the Caribbean. At the time, it was an overseas territory of England. Sarah's mother was black and her father was white. In Barbados, a person of African descent was considered inferior. Sarah married Alexander George Gill, of mixed descent, and at the age of 28 she inherited his estate at his death.The couple had a son, who died at a young age. In 1788, Methodism arrived in Barbados and challenged the existing social order through its fight against slavery.
Sarah embraced this faith and donated the land to build the first Methodist temple.In October 1823, a mob of whites destroyed the chapel under construction, and the missionaries had to flee. Sarah and her sister Christiana Gill were among the Church leaders and opened their homes for the Church to meet. Sarah held services during times of persecution and physical threats, which included the burning of her homes and prosecution for holding “illegal” meetings. Sarah's home was shot at, and she was prosecuted by the Assembly of the Republic, but she stood up to the authorities and continued to defend religious freedom and hold services. On June 25, 1825, the House of Commons in England declared broad religious protection and tolerance in Barbados. Sarah donated the land for the construction of the James Street Methodist Church in Bridgetown. She was named a national hero.
For her steadfastness
against oppression, courage, perseverance and commitment to religious freedom,
the Parliament of Barbados in 1998 included her as one of the ten National
Heroes of Barbados, the only woman.[20]
A Methodist saint in Russia
Anna Eklund (1867-1949) was born in Finland and
became a deaconess in the Methodist Church in Russia. Methodism began among
Swedish immigrants in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 1881. From the beginning,
Methodism cared for the poor, sick, and needy. In 1908, the Bethany Diaconal
House was opened, headed by her mentor Anna Eklund during the cholera epidemic.
Anna was trained in Hamburg and Frankfurt.
She and four sisters provided nursing care and humanitarian aid. In 1909 the Methodist Church was legalized, and by 1910 there were 500 members in St. Petersburg.
Methodism continued in Russia even after the 1917 Revolution, through the efforts of Anna Eklund. She was a unique minister. During the 1921 famine in St. Petersburg, she led the distribution of food to the hungry. An orphanage was opened near St. Petersburg. On December 25, 1931, the new regime closed the church located in Bolshoi. In 1937, the Stalinist regime forced the closure of the Methodist Church in Russia.
Forced to finish her work, Anna returned to
Finland in 1939. But her dreams came true: Methodism was reborn in Russia. The
Anna Eklund Prize was created for those who distinguished themselves in the
pioneering service of Methodism in Russia. A book has been published about her
life: Sister Anna Eklund, 1867-1949: a Methodist saint in Russia; his words and
testimony, St. Petersburg 1908-1931.”[21]
The family talentEltzholtz on
beginning of Methodism in Denmark
Johan Christoffer Eltzholtz (1801-1883) and Tobia Maria Andrea Lange married in 1835 and raised ten children, including Alberta and Carl. Johan went to work at Brahetrolleborg Castle in Funen, Denmark. The Eltzholtz family was one of the first to join Methodism, which began around 1865, and organized a chapel near the castle.
Johan was a horticulturist and head gardener of the castle gardens. He taught agriculture to young students and won several awards at the World's Fair with his flowers. His children were also talented.
Alberta Theodora Eltzholtz (1846-1934) was born at the castle and was baptized as a baby on May 24, 1846. When the Sunday School began, Alberta was a dedicated leader. She wrote five books of poetry. She was the first hymn writer in Denmark. About 40 of them are in the Danish Methodist Hymnal (1953). Alberta's personality and poetry made a great contribution to Methodism in Denmark. Her book Under the Open Sky was published in 1903. She wrote original hymns and songs and translated many of Charles Wesley's hymns into Danish.
Carl Frederik Eltzholtz (1840-1929)
studied at the Nautical School. In 1864, he received a medal for war bravery.
In 1866, he emigrated to the USA. He was a Norwegian-Danish Methodist pastor.
He married Marie Ingerbretsen. In 1878, Carl founded the Danish Temperance
Society. He wrote books, was an editor at the Norwegian-Danish Conference in
the USA, and a Methodist pastor in Denmark. Two sons followed Johan's
profession. Viggo replaced his father as head gardener at the castle de Brahetrolleborg and Ditlev was head gardener at the mansion in
Glorup, Denmark.[22]
Created the largest construction company
civilian in the world
Warren Abraham Bechtel
(1872-1933), son of a farmer, was born in Freeport, Illinois, USA. When
he was 12 years old, his family moved to Peabody, Kansas, and lived on a farm
that had a grocery store. In his youth, Warren played trombone in a band. He
married Clara Alice Bechtel, with whom he had three children. Nearly broke and
with only two mules, he went to Oklahoma to work on the railroads as a foreman
and then a contractor.
In 1898, he opened an engineering office specializing in railways and irrigation. In 1912, he formed a team with his brother and George Colley. His first major job was building the Pacific Northwest Railroad, completed in 1914. In 1919, he got his first federal contract for highway construction. By 1920, Bechtel & Company had become the largest construction company west of the Mississippi River. In 1925, with his brother and three children, he transformed his office into W.A. Bechtel & Company.
In the largest civil
engineering project in the US, at Hoover Dam, six engineering companies formed
a consortium, and Bechtel was the largest shareholder in the consortium. Warren
was named president. He was a natural leader, a reliable father figure, and a
good provider. When he died, his son Stephen D. Bechtel, another Methodist,
became president of the company, which is the largest engineering company in
the world. It went on to build nuclear power plants, oil refineries and mines.
He built in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Middle East and participated in
the construction of the Washington subway system.[23]
A citizen of the world from Barbados
Ruth Nita Barrow (1916-1995) was born in St. Lucy, Barbados. Her father, Reginald Barrow, was an Anglican bishop. She attended the universities of Toronto and Edinburgh. She was vice-president of the Methodist Conference of Churches in 1973, and became director of the Christian Medical Commission of the World Council of Churches in 1976. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Church. She dedicated her life to improving adult education, reducing poverty, promoting women and health care.
In 1964, she became an advisor to the World Health Organization and then the Pan American Health Organization. She was elected president of the YWCA (1975-1983), a women's movement working for global social and economic change. In 1980, she received the highest honor in Barbados: she became Dame of St. Andrew of the Order of Barbados. She was Chair of the Executive Committee of the International Council for Adult Education (1983-1989). She was one of seven presidents of the World Council of Churches (1983-1991). She presided over the Young Women's Christian Association and the Jamaica Nurses' Association.
In 1985, she was the
convener of the non-governmental organization (NGO) Forum for the Women's
Decade, in Nairobi, Kenya. She was the only woman from the Commonwealth Eminent
Persons Group to go to South Africa to negotiate the end of apartheid and the release
of Nelson Mandela. She was ambassador to the UN (1986-1990) and the first and
only female governor general of Barbados (1990-1995). She is described as a
“citizen of the world”. She has visited more than 80 countries.[24]
Founder of modern
Gynecology and Obstetrics
Howard Atwood Kelly (1858-1943) was born in New Jersey, USA. He was the son of a wealthy sugar broker and Louise Warner, the daughter of a Methodist minister. His mother instilled in him a love for the Bible and natural sciences. Kelly studied at the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1883, Kelly created one of the two rooms in the “hospital”, which in 1887 evolved into the Kensington Hospital for Women. He spent several months in Europe. He married Laetitia Bredow. He was one of the founders of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. In 1893, he developed the cystoscope, used to examine the lower urinary tract.
He was a leader of the Methodist Episcopal Church and active in preaching and evangelism. He wrote more than 500 scientific articles, 18 books, five hundred scholarly pieces. He read the Bible daily and gave many talks on religion. He was a staunch opponent of drinks. He developed techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the kidneys, ureters and bladder. Around 75% of the poor were served free of charge. In 1900, he laid the foundation for modern radiation oncology and chemotherapy. He played a key role in establishing gynecology as a surgical specialty. He was named an honorary member of several universities and was president of Gynecological societies. Kelly received honorary titles from Belgium (1920), Serbia (1922) and the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (1926).
In 1943, a United States ship was
named after him. Kelly was considered the founder of the modern specialty of
Gynecology and Obstetrics.[25]
An evangelist creates
the Football League in England
William McGregor (1846-1911) was born in Braco, Perthshire, Scotland. He was a businessman, who moved to Birmingham, England, to set up a company. He played an extremely influential role at the club and in professional football. He was against alcoholic beverages and an evangelist and devoted Methodist.
He attended his first football game in Scotland at the age of eight. Two years after Aston Villa was formed, in March 1874, by young men from the Wesleyan Methodist Church's Bible class, he offered to help. He was a natural organizer and businessman, and soon became vice-president of the club. He became president between 1885 and 1887, which culminated in the club winning the FA Cup for the first time. It was at McGregor's encouragement that the English Football League was formed in 1888.
Considered the “father of the Football League”, he received a prominent place in the history of English football and at “his” club, Aston Villa. He married Jessie McGregor and they had a son and a daughter. Before his death, he received a medal for his dedication to football. Among the many posthumous tributes is the Fountain at Villa Park, where his former club now plays its home games. He is included in the Aston Villa Hall of Fame as one of the club's 12 most important personalities.
He is considered the creator of the Football
League, launched as the first national football championship in the world, in
1888. Much more than director and president, he was the promoter of the first
football league in the world.[26]
Young Methodists found Aston Villa FC
The Aston Villa Football Club was founded in March 1874 by members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church's Bible class who were looking for something to keep them busy during the winter. The four founding members of Cruz Villa Wesleyan Chapel in Handsworth were: Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood. From 1867 it was known as Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel. William McGregor, a devoted Methodist evangelist, played an extremely influential role in the club and became vice-president and then president of the club. He was the founder of the English Football League.
Aston Villa emerged as the most successful English club of the Victorian era. Until the start of the First World War it won the League Championship six times and the FA Cup five times. He was the main founder of the world's first football league, the Football League, in 1888. He also founded the Premier League in 1992, being one of the seven clubs that participated in all editions of the competition. Villa is fifth with the highest total number of major titles won by a club in its country, having won 20 national titles: 7 English championships, 7 FA Cups, 5 League Cups and 1 English Super Cup.
Aston Villa won the 1981-82 European Cup, as
well as the 1982 European Super Cup and the 2001 Intertoto.[27]
Tongan torpedo becomes shepherd
Viliami Ofahengaue was born in 1968 in Kolofoou, Tonga. He was raised and educated in New Zealand. Known as Willie and Torpedo, Tonga was a rugby player. He won a place on the school team in New Zealand, but, upon visiting Australia in 1988, he ended up staying in that country because he was denied entry upon returning to New Zealand.
He won 41 caps for the Australian Wallabies
(1990-1998) and played in the 1991 and 1995 World Cups and the 1993 Sevens
World Cup. He was number 8 and had immense strength at 1.94 m and 110 kg. There
are still young Australians who consider Willie the perfect role model. He
played a key role in Australia's 1991 World Cup-winning campaign.
After finishing his playing career in Australia, Willie was a player/coach in Japan for five years. He became the first national coach of 'Ikale Tahi in Tonga in January 2004. Today, he is the rev. Ofahengaue and lives in Melton South, Victoria, as pastor of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga.
Before, it was the collision minister, who took the lead. Now, he is the minister of prayer. He was the most feared in world rugby.
Willie now has a more
serene life. He preaches to four congregations in the Burpengary region of
Brisbane. He doesn't talk about his rugby career, nor does he even watch rugby.
His church and family keep him busy.[28]
Sunday School Teacher Creates Famous Film Company
Joseph Arthur Rank (1888-1972) was born in Hull, England. He was educated at Leys Methodist School, Cambridge. His parents were devout Methodists. Since 1875, his father, Joseph, had a flour milling business, which left his three sons and four daughters millionaires.Rank was a devout member of the Methodist Church and a Sunday School teacher.
After the Methodist newspaper addressed the negative influence of films on the family, Rank sought to use religious and moral films in Sunday School. Some of the films had been made by him. This method soon spread to other churches. He founded the Religious Film Society. The first film, Master, featured a Methodist pastor and showed the story of workers who drank and one of them was arrested. The pastor asks if he would choose God or drinking.
Faced with the need for evangelical films, the British National Films Company was created, by Rank, Lady Yule and John Corfield. In 1935, the trio became owners and operators of Pinewood Film Studios. Rank noticed that some films had not achieved good circulation and realized that control of cinemas was the key to success. He quickly established the Odeon cinema chain. The Gongman logo in the films opening shows a man striking a huge gong. During the 1940s, the Ranking companies produced major British films of the time. They later produced films with James Bond and Batman.The Harry Potter series was filmed at Pinewood Film studios. In 1957, Rank was elevated to the peerage with the title of Baron Rank. He was married to Nell, with whom he had two daughters. Rank donated one hundred million pounds to the Methodist Church.[29]
Pastor of 10 thousand members
In San Francisco
A.Cecil Williams (1929-2024) was born in San Angelo,
Texas. He was pastor emeritus of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church and a
community leader and author. Williams grew up feeling rejected. The family
attended the Wesley Methodist Church. His mother, a strong black woman, told
him, “You’re going to be somebody.” She nicknamed him “reverend”.
When he arrived, the church was down to 35 white members. He changed the focus, and the church reached 10,000 members of different races, ages, genders, ethnicities. He built 52 apartments for the homeless. He and the church are featured in the film The Pursuit of Happyness (2006). Married to Janice Mirikitani. They wrote the book Beyond Possible.
Glide Memorial Methodist Church is the largest
provider of social services in San Francisco, serving more than 3,000 meals a
day, providing AIDS screenings, adult education, assistance to women experiencing
homelessness, domestic violence and mental health issues. Williams is the
author of I Am Alive, an autobiography published in 1980.[30]
Survivor on bombed ship served the people of Singapore.
Chen Su Lan (1885-1972) was born in Fuzhou, Fujian, China. His mother was a devoted Methodist who was widowed when he was young. At age 15, Chen studied at the Anglo-Chinese College in Fuzhou. At a revival meeting led by Bishop Bradford, he committed himself to be a preacher.
In 1905, he went to Singapore and studied at the King Edward VII College of Medicine, obtaining a degree in Medicine and Surgery in 1910. He founded the Medical School Students' Association and chaired the Malaysian branch of the British Medical Association. He was concerned about social and health conditions in Singapore, especially opium. He was the president of the Singapore Anti-Opium Society and director of the Anti-Opium Clinic, founded in 1933 to treat addicts.
After the Japanese invasion, he tried to
escape in 1942, but the ship was bombed. The survivors got a raft and reached a
mangrove forest. They were saved the next morning by a boatman who heard their
screams and brought a rescue team. In Singapore he was detained by the
Japanese, who believed that Methodist leaders were plotting against them. He
was released because they found nothing in his house. After the war, he founded
the Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in 1945 to help those who were feeling
demoralized. In 1947, Chen set up the Chen Su Lan Trust Foundation, which
offered resources and land especially to Christian organizations. He was a
founding member of the Singapore Anti-Tuberculosis Association in 1947. The
Chen Su Lan Methodist Children's Home was opened in 1968 with the help of the
Chen Su Lan Trust Foundation.[31]
From orphanage to medal holder
Tatyana McFadden was born in 1989, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. She was born with a congenital disease that paralyzed her from the waist down. Her mother abandoned her in a poor orphanage that didn't have a wheelchair. At age three, she learned to walk with her hands upside down.
Deborah McFadden, a Methodist from the USA, found her at the orphanage when Tatyana was six years old. She entered a room at the orphanage, and Tatyana claimed her as her mother. “That’s my mother,” she said. Tatyana went to the USA and started running at the age of eight. Deborah McFadden also gave faith to Tatyana, who won ten Paralympic medals at various Paralympic Summer Games. In 2013, she became the first Paralympian in the world to win four marathons in Boston, Chicago, London and New York, as well as six gold medals at the world championships held in Lyon, France.
In 2014, at the Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Tatyana reunited her two families and met her biological mother, which made news around the world. She took silver in cross country skiing. In April 2014, she won gold in her second consecutive victory at the Virgin Money London Marathon with a new course record.
“In 2015 he won theNew York Marathon, beating the course record by seven minutes and 20 seconds, with a time of 1 hour, 43 minutes and 4 seconds. In 2017, he won theBoston Marathon”.[32]
She is a member of the United Methodist Church in Clarksville, Maryland, USA.
The Church installed an elevator for Tatyana
to attend services. Tatyana is a role model for Hannah, her nine-year-old
sister who lost a leg and was also adopted by Deborah McFadden.[33]
Creator of the Coca-Cola formula
John Stith Pemberton (1831-1888) was born in the USA. He was a pious Methodist. He studied medicine and pharmacy.
Pemberton served with distinction as a
lieutenant colonel during the Civil War (1861-1865) and was nearly killed
during the fighting.
After returning as a Civil War hero, he took
on a new passion: creating a new drink that would be refreshing and a remedy
for an upset stomach.
Before developing the Coca-Cola formula, the
pharmacist was a distributor of different products.
In 1886, he decided to produce an alcohol-free
drink, to meet a demand in the then puritan North American market.
Initially, the caramelized syrup was sold in
pharmacies as a remedy for headaches, stomach aches and nervous system
disorders.
In 1887, Pemberton sold the formula to Asa
Candler, a Methodist from Atlanta, who, in 1892, registered the “Coca-Cola
Company” as a corporation in the state of Georgia.
He created the Coca-Cola industry.
Pemberton passed away without knowing the
worldwide success of the drink he had created.[34]
Germany's Good Samaritan
Alfred Mignon was born in Baden-Baden, Germany. Through Scouting with young Methodists he discovered the United Methodist Church in Hockenheim. He married Eva-Maria, with whom he had a son. He worked in road construction, was an electrician and a driver. He studied at the Theological Seminary in Reutlingen.
In 1976 he became a pastor in Loffenau.He was
senior pastor of the districts of Bad Herrenalb-Loffenau and Baden-Baden.
Afterwards he went to Neuenbürg, in the Enz district, with five congregations.
His wife suffered a stroke and underwent surgery, recovering well. He writes
poems and stories for children and seniors. In 2007 he went to the rural
community of the municipality Otterfing in Miesbach in Upper Bavaria. At the
age of 61, in 2011, Mignon won 125 thousand euros on the TV program “Who wants
to be a millionaire?”. He signed up to help a musician friend who was in a lot
of debt and had seven children. Mignon asked God for help and felt in “God’s
lap”. He saw it all as a mission. When he won, he said, “This is a reason to be
really happy.”
TV,
newspapers and websites in Bavaria, where only 14% are Protestant and 59%
Catholic, highlighted this fact. The United Methodist Church was in the
spotlight in the press, and the population wanted to know more about the “crazy
pastor”. In a short period, Mignon occupied the top ranking on Twitter. He
donated 90% of the prize to his friend and 10% to the Church. He became known
as the “pragmatic good Samaritan”.[35]
In the city of hate, judge grants shelter to children
of immigrants
Clay Jenkins was born in Dallas County, Texas in 1964. He attended public schools in Waxahachie. He is the judge of Dallas County, located in the State of Texas. He presides over the Commissioners Court, the municipality's political decision-making body.His father died when he was seven years old.
His mother did not take him to church, but he went with a friend and accepted Jesus in 1977. He earned his law degree from Baylor University in 1987 and began his first term as a judge on January 1, 2011. He presides over the Jenkins & Jenkins, a successful law firm, and is co-owner of Brown Oral Health Services. He and his family joined Highland Park United Methodist Church, Texas. Jenkins taught Sunday School before being elected judge of Dallas County.
In 2014, with the issue of deportation of immigrants from Mexico and Honduras, he became involved in a debate and became news in the newspapers and on TV because he decided to create a shelter in the county for 2,000 immigrant children. His family prays together to ward off current crises, and it was in one of those moments that he was moved to help immigrant children.
He said, “Certainly, the Bible speaks to us
very loudly and clearly about our responsibility to feed, clothe and shelter
the least of these.” Jenkins follows the example of his church, which has
intensified compassion and love in a city that became known as the City of Hate
because of the assassination of President John Kennedy in 1963.[36]
The impact
of love on a Muslim terrorist
Martha Mullen, married to Bill, lives in Richmond, Virginia, USA. She earned a master's degree in Mental Health in 1996 and a master's degree in Theological Studies from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, in 2002.
At the Boston Marathon, In 2013, a bombing carried out by two brothers killed three people and injured more than 260. Tamerlan Tsarnaev died, and his brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was captured. Tamerlan's burial took almost a month. Several American cemeteries refused to bury him for fear of reprisals. Some wanted the body returned to Russia. Upon hearing this news, Martha said, “My first thought was that Jesus said, love your enemies.” Discreetly, she reached out to people in the local community, Islamic Funeral Services of Virginia, and the Worcester Police Department.
The body was buried in Richmond.
The media discovered the story and ran a big story that highlighted Martha's
love for the enemy. On TV, she said: “I think we need to remember that we are
all, in the end, human beings.” Martha said she had the support of her pastor.
His Wesleyan background influenced the decision. “John Wesley advocated
practicing a social gospel,” she said. Mullen was called “the most hated woman
in Virginia” but also a hero.
Someone said: “In today's world,
Martha Mullen's example may be the key to evangelizing a war-weary generation
that is looking for a third way: not diplomacy, unarmed conflict, but something
deeper and more lasting. , something like a peace that surpasses our human
understanding.”[37]
Mixed-race Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Paul Yaw Boateng was born in London, England, in 1951. Married to Janet Boateng, he had five children. At the age of four, he went with his parents to Ghana. After a coup d'état, his father was arrested. At age 15, he fled to England with his mother and sister. At the University of Bristol he began his career in civil rights and worked on social and community cases.
He was an executive member of the National Council for Civil Liberties and became a member of the Labor Party. He won the 1987 general election, becoming one of the first three black British MPs.
Among the positions held are: minister for the Lord Chancellor's Department (1992-1997); first mixed-race minister in the UK government as Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health; undersecretary of State at the Ministry of the Interior (1997-1998); Minister of State for Internal Affairs (1998-2001); minister for young people and Financial Secretary of the Treasury (2001-2002).
First black person in the United Kingdom to be a minister, as Chief Secretary to the Treasury (2002-2005). He was appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa (2005-2009). In 2010 he became a member of the House of Lords. He is an active Methodist and lay preacher. He served as a Methodist delegate to the World Council of Churches and as deputy moderator of its anti-racism program. In 1988, he won the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award for his contributions to the field of civil rights. He is a commentator and television presenter on Channel 4It isBBC – Radio 4. [38]
The pastor
who helped make the creation of the State of Israel possible
John Stanley Grauel (1917-1986) was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. He lost his father at a young age. In 1941, he graduated as a Methodist minister from Theological Seminary, Bangor, Maine. He married during his final year of seminary and lost his wife and child during childbirth. He never married again.His mother influenced him to love the cause of the Jews. He was a pastor in a poor community.
He became friends with the Jewish judge Joseph Goldberg and became aware of the Jewish situation in Europe. He joined the Palestine America Committee, which fought for a Jewish state.Grauel sailed aboard the famous illegal refugee ship Exodus'47 in 1947 as a correspondent for the Episcopal magazine The Churchman. His mission was to get the story of Exodus'47. In Europe, he transferred refugees from the “Camps for Displaced Persons or War Homeless (DP)” to the ship, with 4,554 refugees, which was captured by the British in Haifa, Palestine.
Grauel was placed under house arrest at the Savoy Hotel. There, he held a press conference in which he described his experience aboard Exodus'47. He managed to escape and was later called to testify at the United Nations Special Commission on Palestine. He was the key person who persuaded the Special Commission on Palestine that recommended the creation of the State of Israel to the UN. Golda Meir, later prime minister of Israel, said her testimony changed the attitude of United Nations representatives.
Reverend Grauel was later active in
other humanitarian efforts, including American civil rights and indigenous
struggles. Israel honored Reverend Grauel with the Medal of Humanity, the
Israel Fighter Medal and the Jerusalem Medal. He is considered one of the
founders of Israel.[39]
The Founding Fathers of Hollywood
Harvey Henderson Wilcox (1832-1891) was born in New York, and Daeida Wilcox Beveridge (1861-1914) in Hicksville, Ohio. At age 13, Harvey contracted polio and used a wheelchair throughout his life. He worked as a shoemaker and then in real estate. In 1861, he married Ellen E. Young, who died of tuberculosis.Harvey married Daeida. The couple's only son died as a baby. They were devoted Methodists.
In 1887, they purchased a fig and apricot farm west of the city of Los Angeles. Daeida gave him the name Hollywood. They founded Hollywood, which became the center of the film industry, in the early 1900s. They were dedicated to temperance, combating drinking to maintain purity of spirit. They aspired to have a place away from the decadent, drunken lifestyle of Los Angeles, where people could come together in a distinct, biblically-referenced suburb. They subdivided the property into lots, drawing the new city on the map. Daeida coordinated the planting of the first trees and flowerbeds and gave names to the streets.
Wilcox died in 1891 and Daeida continued to
participate in Hollywood's infrastructure, such as the city hall, library,
police station, elementary school, tennis club, post office, and city park. She
donated land to three churches, including the Methodist, and space for
Hollywood's first theatrical productions. At age 31, she married Philo Judson
Beveridge and had three children with him.
She
is called “the mother of Hollywood”. In her honor, Daeida Revista was created
in Hollywood.[40]
First Methodist missionary inKorea
Henry Gerhard Appenzeller (1858-1902) was born in Souderton, Pennsylvania, USA. He converted to the Emmanuel Reformed Church and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church three years after conversion. He was a Methodist preacher and graduated from Drew Theological Seminary.He was the first Methodist missionary sent to Korea, where he arrived in 1885. He wanted to modernize Korea, educate both sexes and promote the country's political independence.
There was persecution
of Christians and it was not allowed to open a church, nor preach in public,
which only happened in 1887, when a congregation was opened. In 1885, the first
Western-style school was opened, called Pai Chai Hak Dang (Hall for Breeding
Useful Men). The school became a center of the progressive movement in Korea.Henry
encouraged the adoption of new U.S. technologies, including automobiles,
electrical power, lighting, and agricultural techniques.
He preached traveling throughout the country. He
studied the Korean language five hours a day so he could preach and help
translate the Bible.He opened a bookstore in 1894. He and his colleagues saved
many lives in the cholera epidemic of 1895. Henry participated in the founding
of the first Korean Methodist Church in Chong Dong, Seoul, serving as its
pastor (1887-1902). He served on the Korean Bible Translation Board.
In 1902, he was traveling by ship to attend a Bible
translation meeting when ships collided. He died trying to save his assistant
and a drowning Korean woman. Among his contributions are: creation of Colégio
Pai Chai Hak Dang, the first modern-style Western school; founding of the
Korean Methodist Church; translation of the New Testament into Korean. Appenzeller was a great traveler, explorer, teacher, organizer and
evangelist.[41]
The master of freedom in fascist
Italy
Jacopo
Lombardini (1892-1945) was born in Gragnana, Italy. He grew up and was educated
in a family of marble miners. In 1915, he joined the Republican Party. He
studied at a financial sacrifice and participated in the First World War as a
volunteer. In World War II, because of his anti-fascist political stance, he
was prevented from working as a teacher. He went to Turin and gave private
lessons. He discovered faith in 1921 through a group in the Methodist Church.
Between 1923-1924, he studied Theology at the
Waldensian College in Rome. He did not complete the course, but became a
Methodist evangelist, professor at the College of Valdese Torre Pellice and
witness to Christ's death camp. On March 24, 1944, he was captured by the
German SS and Italian fascists. He was in the camps of Fossoli, Bolzano and
Mauthausen. After several months of forced labor and torture, he was
hospitalized in the Melk infirmary camp.
He was one of the last martyrs of the war. He was
killed in a gas chamber at the Mauthausen extermination camp on April 24, 1945,
the day of Italy's liberation from the fascist yoke and German occupation. In
his honor, Lorenzo Tibaldo wrote the book The Freedom Walker. He never used
weapons. He received the Silver Medal for Military Valor, in memoriam. In 1968,
in Cinisello Balsamo, the Jacopo Lombardini Cultural Center was founded. In
2006, the same city awarded him The Golden Ear.
He was a man of faith, culture and a patriot who
loved freedom. On Holocaust Memorial Day in 2015, the play Jacopo Lombardini, a
master of freedom, was presented, sponsored by the Committee for the Protection
of the Valpellice values of the Resistance and the Constitution of the
Republic.[42]
Superman, a real Methodist
Clark Kent, in the Superman
comics, was raised as a Methodist. He grew up in the town of Smallville,
Kansas, USA, where he attended Sunday services at the Methodist Church with his
mother, Martha Kent.Adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, Clark was raised with
the values of a rural American town. In the comic book, Clark was described
as having been raised with a Methodist education by his parents. Superman is a
superhero created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938.
Actor
Brandon Routh played Clark Kent in the film Superman Returns, released in 2006.
He was born in 1979, in Iowa, USA.Routh attended Norwalk High School, where he
played sports and participated in music and theater activities. In her free
time, she played the trumpet and piano. He studied at the University of Iowa.
Brandon was also raised in the Methodist Church with his parents. His father
said Brandon once gave a sermon at the United Methodist Church in Norwalk like
few others do — “he has the intellect that allows him to memorize things,” he
said.
In
2007, Brandon married actress Courtney Ford. Brandon Routh was raised in the
Methodist Church with his father, Ronald Wayne Routh, mother, Catherine, and
siblings, Rhett and Sara.[43]
church organist
Martha Curtis Hedrick Godwin (1927-2018) was born in the USA. His father, Curtis Hedrick, owned a grocery store in Southmont, North Carolina. At age 13, she became the organist and pianist at the United Methodist Church in Southmont.
Martha entered the Guinness World Records Book of
Records. Since April 1940, she has been the organist and pianist at the
Macedonia United Methodist Church in Southmont, North Carolina, USA. She has
been an organist for over 73 years. She has been playing the piano since she
was five years old. Martha, aged 64 as church organist. She plays the organ at Sunday worship every week,
accompanies choir rehearsals and also special programs. She played at around
4,000 services, not counting the hundreds of weddings and funerals at the
church, as well as countless hours of practice over the decades. “And I still
get nervous,” she says. Victory in Jesus is one of Martha Godwin's favorite
hymns. She is a faithful member who has served in many other church activities
as well as organist.
She is a wonderful and humble person. “I'm not really that great of an organist, the Lord let me live a long time,” Martha said with a laugh. She now has the support of two other pianists/organists from the church. “I just grew old doing what I like to do.”
She was thrilled with the world record: “The Lord has been good to me, and this is one way I can praise Him.”[44]
Prince of Methodist preachers
John Nelson (1707-1770) was born in Birstal, England. As a child, he heard his father read the Bible to the family. When his father died, he grew up addicted to almost all types of sin. He always lived in anguish and decided to change places to break his sinful habits. In search of rest and peace, he sought out different denominations in London, but only found peace after being impacted by Wesley's preaching.
Afterwards, his friends wanted to take him back to sin, but he resisted. Neighbors came in large numbers to see what the Lord had done in his life. He started working in commerce during the day and at night he preached, converting several neighbors. In 1742, Wesley visited and preached in his neighborhood and stayed in his home. Nelson was a pioneer Methodist in Yorkshire. He left his job and went to different places to preach the Gospel. Wesley called him to London to evangelize. Many lives were converted. They traveled preaching, picked berries for their meal, and slept on the ground. Nelson suffered strong persecution from clergy and hostile people. After preaching, a police officer threw him into a dungeon without food and water like a vagrant. Afterwards, he managed to get out of prison. He was of undaunted courage. His life seemed to be a continuous act of faith.
He had great tenderness and vigilance over his
words. He was selfless and of strict temperance. For two hours, he talked to
God every day. He fasted once a week and donated the cost of his food to the
poor. For 33 years he traveled as a preacher. He was of great understanding and
deep piety and highly esteemed. He was called the “prince of Methodist
preachers” and “Apostle of the North.”[45]
Crucified for having the character of Christ
Dusty Miller was born in Newcastle, England. He was a gardener, a simple and very fervent Methodist. He was a prisoner of the Japanese in Thailand during World War II. Prisoners were forced to work up to 18 hours a day to build a railway in the jungles of Burma.
More than 16,000 died from malnutrition, disease and exhaustion. Ernest Gordon was also arrested. Badly injured, he was placed in the cell with DustyMiller, a Methodist, and Dinty Moore, a Catholic, who gave Gordon 24-hour care and he survived. This made many prisoners reborn in faith and hope. Gordon was impacted by Dusty's simplicity and firm faith in the face of cruel treatment from the Japanese. Dusty never lost faith and was never angry. His faith and selfless love for his fellow prisoners and the Japanese were remarkable.
Dusty encouraged Gordon by saying, “When a man loses hope, he dies.” Inspired by Dusty, he came to the saving knowledge of Christ and began studying the Bible with the prisoners. Ernest survived and later discovered that two weeks before the end of the war in 1945, Dusty had been crucified by a Japanese man who was frustrated by Dusty's calmness in the face of hardship. Dinty died when the Allies sank the prisoner transport ship.
In 1961, Ernest Gordon published his
autobiography, Through the Valley of Kwai, which became the film To End All
Wars about the prisoners' harrowing story. The film was awarded the Crystal
Heart Award and the Grand Prize for Dramatic Feature at the Heartland Film
Festival. Dusty's lifestyle led Gordon to conversion. He became a Presbyterian.
After the war he moved to the USA where he became Dean of Princeton University
Chapel.[46]
Creator of the Hallmark Cards brand
Joyce Clyde Hall or “JC” (1891-1982) was born in the farming town of David City, Nebraska, USA. His father, George Nelson Hall, was a Methodist minister. Joyce was named after Methodist Bishop Isaac W. Joyce. His father died when he was young, and Hall and his siblings were raised by their mother, Nancy, who was semi-invalid.At the age of nine, he was already selling cosmetics to help his family. Later his family moved to Norfolk, where the brothers opened a store. Hall and his brothers founded the Norfolk Postcard Company.
In 1910, Hall left
school and went to Kansas City with just a suitcase of clothes and two
shoeboxes of postcards. He sold cards in drugstores and bookstores. He and a
brother opened a store that was destroyed by fire in 1915. He opened the store
elsewhere and in the 1920s was successful with cards, including Christmas cards
and calendars.
In 1922, he married Elizabeth Ann Didlay, with whom he had three children. In 1928, he began marketing his cards under the Hallmark Cards (CEO) brand, promoting the fine arts and peace. In 1951, he created the Hallmark Hall of Fame, a TV show sponsored by Hallmark Cards, which was highly awarded: it received 80 Emmy Awards, 24 Christopher Awards, 11 Peabody Awards, 9 Golden Globes and 4 Humanitas Awards. In 1956, President Eisenhower invited Hall and other businessmen to promote peace, creating an organization with Hall as president.
He traveled to
several countries to carry out this task. He created the Hall Family
Foundation, which seeks to improve the quality of life in Kansas City. His
fortune was 1.5 billion dollars. He left around 200 million dollars to his
children and 100 million dollars to charity. Queen Elizabeth II named him an
Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire.[47]
Famous preacher in England
Mary Barritt-Taft (1772-1851), was born in Lancashire, England, on 12 August 1772. Daughter of John Barritt, a non-believer, and Mary, a Methodist, she had one sister and five brothers. Her brother John was an itinerant Wesleyan preacher. Despite her father's resistance, Mary and her older brother John joined Methodism. At 17, she was already active. In 1802, she married Reverend Zacharias Taft, pastor since 1801, with whom she traveled and preached.
Zacharias was a great protagonist in the defense of women preachers. In 1803 he published Thoughts on Women's Preachings. In 1809 he defended the biblical basis for women's ministry.
Mary converted several people, who became
Wesleyan pastors.In 1803, women found
it more difficult to preach. Some ignored the obstacles and continued to
preach. The most famous was Mary Barritt-Taft. She inspired congregations with
her preaching. In 1827 she published Memoirs of the Life of Mrs Mary Taft,
formerly Miss Barritt, which was sold for charitable purposes.
Many other women stood out in the Methodist movement
in England. Mary Bosanquet-Fletcher (1739-1815) was the first woman authorized
by John Wesley to preach. Sarah Crosby (1729-1804) also received authorization
from Wesley. Selina Shirley, Countess of Huntingdon, disciple of George
Whitefield, is called the “queen of Methodism” for her social works. She was
known by the title Lady Huntingdon. She left her properties to support 74
chapels. Some women, such as Ann Cutler (1759-1794) and Hester Ann Roe-Rogers (1756-1794),
were greatly admired as examples of holiness.[48]
Son of Methodist pastor wins
Nobel Prize in
Chemistry
Robert Floyd CurlJr. (1933-2022) was born in Alice, Texas, USA. His father was a Methodist pastor for almost 55 years. He was district superintendent and professor at Perkins School of Theology. It was his father who started Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. With pastoral itinerancy, Curl's family was always moving between towns and cities in Texas. At the age of nine, he received a chemistry kit from his father and wanted to become a chemist.
Robert studied at the Rice Institute in Houston. He graduated in 1957 from the University of California, Berkeley. He was professor emeritus of Chemistry at Rice University. He married Jonel Whipple.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996 along with two other scientists. Through laser and graphite experiments at over 104°C, he discovered the allotropy of carbon with Richard Smalley and Harold Kroto. It was proven that “carbon is an element that can combine in different ways, creating new molecules, such as graphite, diamond and also fullerene, a non-crystalline variety of carbon”.
His many awards include election to the
National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.[49]
Martyrs for the testimony of Jesus
Many Korean Methodist pastors died during Japanese rule (1910-1945) and invasion of North Korea (1950-1953). OreverendDong-Chul Kim (1899-1950), who died in 1950, when the communist party took power in Korea. Many others were killed, including Korean Methodist pastors Sug-Won Kim, Gimyusun and Gimyijun.
Other Methodists were killed in prison during the rule of Japan (1910-1945): thereverendLee Yeong-Han and preachers Kwon-Ho Won and Choi In-Gyu. OreverendKang Jong-Geun denied worshiping Japanese gods and was tortured to death on June 3, 1943. In total, 50 Protestants were killed and 2,000 suffered in prison because they refused to worship the shrine of the Japanese (1910-1945).
North Korea (1950-1953) executed many Presbyterians, Methodists, and other Christians. Some Methodists died in 1950: thereverendKang Enyoung died for denying North Korea's anti-Christian policy; OreverendYongman Kim was a hospital chaplain, was arrested and thrown into the sea; Oreverend Hongsik Kim and his wife were shot dead.
Their sacrifice was not in vain.The Methodist Church in South Korea today has
1,587,385 members; 9,795 pastors, 6,077 churches; 4 universities; 3 Theological
Seminaries and Universities; 9 Youth Centers; 11 Theological Seminars for
women; 23 high schools; 34 secondary schools. The Korean Methodist Church
maintains 701 missionaries in 71 countries.[50]
Martyrs and heroes in the 1st World War
During the First World War (1914-1918), 150,000 members of the Primitive Methodist Church and 285,000 members of the Wesleyan Church served in the war. 15,000 Primitive Methodists and 26,581 Wesleyans died. Among the young men dedicated to the Primitive Methodist Church who died were: Albert Ewart Gladwin, CE Butterworth, Arthur W. Thwaites, Clifford Rooks, Edward Blakemore, Herbert Malcolm Nelson, J. George Bennett, Pastor Francis John Harper and many others. For the family and the Church it was a great pain.
Several pastors from the Wesleyan Methodist Church of England also
served in the Armed Forces and stood out, among them:
Cecil George Dunkerley (1895-1966); He was a prisoner in Germany for two and a half years and began his ministry preaching in the prison camp.
Frank Fairfax (1887-1964): After serving as a chaplain in France, he
served as a chaplain to British prisoners of war in Switzerland.
Charles Edward Gentil (1886-1961): a year after active service in India, he was invited to serve as a chaplain to the Armed Forces, which he did until demobilization in 1920.
Hubert Vavasor Griffiths (1885-1965): served in France and Italy as a chaplain.
Albert Swales Hullah (1885-1966): became a chaplain in the army, served in France and was awarded the Military Cross for courage in March 1918.
Watkin Vaughan (1881-1965); In 1914, he enlisted as a soldier in the
Armed Forces. He was promoted to captain and awarded the Military Cross for
gallantry in action on the Western Front.[51]
The three Italian chaplains in the 1st World War
Umberto Emilio Postpischl (1885-1937) was born in Venice. On January 20, 1918, he was appointed chaplain and in February he was sent to the army in Verona. Accused of friendship with a Swiss German, he was removed from office and forced to return. At the end of the war he was pastor in Savona (1918-1920) and Turin (1920-1924). He moved to Bologna in 1924. In the last years of his life he was responsible for restructuring the local cult of Via del Carbone in 1931.
Giuseppe La Scala was born in Mandanici (Messina). On January 20, 1918, he was appointed chaplain assigned to the Fourth Army with the rank of lieutenant. Discharged in February 1919, he became pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was assigned to Reggio Calabria. A convinced anti-fascist, he fought discrimination against Jews in Italy. In 1939, he was reported to the fascist authorities, but the mayor downplayed the incident. During the Second World War, he began to defend political dissidents and persecuted people. His house became the headquarters of a committee tasked with forging documents for Jewish refugees from Poland, France and Austria.
Carlo Maria Ferreri (1878-1942) was born in Milan. On January 20, 1918,
he was appointed chaplain in the fifth army. His appointment was revoked.
Accused of friendship with a German soldier, he appealed and in December 1918
was reinstated for a few days as the war was ending. In 1920, he was pastor of
the Methodist Church in Rome and elected superintendent of the District, in
1924, and ecclesiastical center. He was also editor of The Evangelist. From
1926 he was the superintendent of the Italy District until 1939, when he was
elected superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Italy.[52]
Medal for extraordinary heroism
George Fox Lansing (1900-1943) was born in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, USA. He served in the army during World War I as a nurse. After the war, he finished high school and worked in a company. He married in 1923. Their children were Wyatt Ray and Mary Elizabeth.
He studied Theology at Moody Bible Institute and Illinois Wesleyan University. He became an itinerant Methodist preacher. He attended Boston University Divinity School and was ordained a Methodist minister in 1934.
Fox joined the army in 1942. He went to Harvard University, where he met other chaplains. During the Second World War, in January 1943, he and three other chaplains embarked on board the Dorchester with more than 900 soldiers, passing through Greenland. On February 2, 1943, a German submarine fired a torpedo that struck the ship shortly after midnight, killing hundreds of men and damaging lifeboats. The four chaplains preached courage and prayed with the wounded. Each of the chaplains gave their lifeline to the soldiers. They prayed with those who could not escape, and 27 minutes after being hit, the Dorchester sank with 672 men. The four stood on the deck, arm in arm, praying together.
The tragedy and heroic conduct of the
chaplains impacted the United States. On December 19, 1944, the Distinguished
Service Cross for “extraordinary heroism” and the Purple Heart were awarded to
relatives of the chaplains. In 1961, Congress authorized a special medal for
heroism that had never been given before and should never be given again.[53]
Prisoner of the Japanese and first bishop of Pakistan
Hobart Baumann Amstutz (1896-1980) was born in Henrietta, Ohio, USA. He graduated in 1915 from Oberlin High School. He was drafted into the army in World War I.
In 1921, after the war, he graduated from Northwestern University. In 1923, he earned a Bachelor of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He later earned a master's degree in theology and, in 1923, married Celeste Bloxsome, whom he had met at Northwestern University. From 1926 onwards, thereverendAmstutz served as a missionary in Southeast Asia at the Wesley Methodist Church in Singapore for many years. In 1942, he was arrested by the Japanese, spending three and a half years in a prison camp. During this period, he was affected by beriberi and lost 68 kilograms. Before the Japanese took Singapore, he sent his wife and two children home.
From 1956 to 1964, he served as a Methodist bishop in
Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Burma) and also as founding
president of Trinity College, Singapore. He was principal of the Singapore
Methodist Theological School, editor of the Methodist Southeast Asia magazine,
superintendent of missions, treasurer and pastor of the English-language
Methodist Church in Singapore. Bishop Amstutz spoke fluent Malay and German.
Shortly after retirement, he was called to be Methodist Bishop of Pakistan (1964-1968),
creating the Methodist Church of Pakistan. He traveled thousands of miles
around the world. He and his wife had three children: Bruce, who served as a US
diplomat in Afghanistan, Beverly and Clarence.[54]
The martyrs of New Guinea
Methodists were the first missionaries to arrive in New Guinea around 1870. In 1875, Reverend G. Brown settled, and Methodism spread to the Solomon Islands, New Zealand, and other countries. Later, other denominations also arrived.In 1942, during World War II, the Japanese invaded New Guinea.
The city of Rabaul became a large military fortress with hundreds of kilometers of underground tunnels, with 110,000 soldiers in 1943. It was in Rabaul that 12 Methodist missionaries were arrested and were being taken to Japan on the Japanese ship Montevideo Maru with 1,054 prisoners. On July 1, 1942, a US submarine mistakenly sank it. In addition to the 12 missionaries, 22 members of the Salvation Army Band died. They are the martyrs of the Montevideo Maru.
Reverend William Daniel Oakes was one of the 12th
martyrs. Before the Japanese invasion, their wives and children were removed
from New Guinea. He was born in England and joined the church as a Boy Scout.
He studied to be a missionary. He married Marion Lilian Johnson. He was a
missionary in Ulu, Duke of Islands York (1933-1934) and Pinikidu, New Ireland
(1935-1942).
In total, in New Guinea, 272 Christian leaders died during World War II, including 189 Catholics, 20 Lutherans, 26 Methodists, 2 Adventists, 23 members of the Salvation Army and 12 Anglicans. In the Methodist Church, losses among local church workers were very high.
Reverend Benjamin Talai was beheaded in prison in
1945, and Reverend Aminio Bale died after the war as a result of suffering. On
September 9, 1945, the Australian army landed at Kahili to organize the
Japanese surrender.[55]
God's farmer who baptized 12 thousand converts
Peter Cartwright (1785-1872) was born in Amherst County, Virginia. In 1801, at age 15, he converted after a revival camp meeting and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1802 he became a preacher. In 1806, Bishop Francis Asbury ordained him a deacon. At age 23, “the boy from Kentucky” was ordained a priest. In 1808, he married Frances Cartwright Gaines and had nine children with her.
In 1812, he was appointed presiding elder, now district superintendent, a position he held for 35 years. Cartwright served as a military chaplain in the War of 1812. Opposing slavery, he moved from Kentucky to Illinois. He was elected as a Democrat to the Lower House of the Illinois General Assembly in 1828 and 1832. He helped initiate the Second Great Awakening, personally baptizing 12,000 converts. His Gospel was crude, and his preaching was charismatic and theatrical.
In 1846, Abraham Lincoln was defeated by him, who took a seat in the United States Congress. Cartwright set up Methodist circuits in Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, Indiana, and Ohio. He was a charter member of the Illinois Annual Conference in 1824. He was an imposing figure and one of the most energetic preachers that Methodism has produced.
During five
decades of ministry, he was elected to 13 General Conferences. Cartwright
helped found McKendree College, Illinois Wesleyan University, and the Illinois
Conference Women's Academy in Jacksonville. With his enthusiasm he contributed
to the success of the Methodists in the new settlements in the US Midwest. He
called himself the Husbandman of God.[56]
The hero who attacked and then
evangelized Japan
Jacob Daniel DeShazer (1912-2008) was born in Oregon, USA, and graduated from Madras High School in Madras, Oregon, in 1931. He entered the US Army in 1940, becoming a sergeant. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, he decided to take revenge and participate in the special unit “The Doolittle Hunters” to attack Japan.
After the attack, Jacob was captured and imprisoned for 40 months, when he was severely beaten. Three friends were executed and another died of slow starvation. After the end of the war, he was rescued. He converted in 1944, reading the Bible in prison, which helped him survive. He heard God's call to return and evangelize Japan. In the USA, he became a Free Methodist pastor. In 1948, he returned to Japan with his wife, Florence. He met Mitsuo Fuchida, who led the attack on Pearl Harbor, and they became close friends.
Of Buddhist origin, Fuchida converted in 1950, after reading a text written by DeShazer entitled “I was a prisoner of Japan”. He decided to read the Bible. He read Luke 23 about Jesus' forgiveness on the cross and was converted. Colleagues accused him of being an opportunist and traitor. He refused the Japanese government's offer to reorganize the Air Force. He became an evangelist. Fuchida and Jacob soon preached together in Japan. Fuchida became a missionary in Asia and the USA. He wrote three books, including From Pearl Harbor to Calvary. In 1959, Jacob moved to Nagoya, where he established a church in the city he had bombed. He helped start 23 Methodist congregations.
In 2008, Jacob won the Presidential Medal of Freedom
and the Congressional Gold Medal as a war hero and for his heroic service to
the people of Japan, where he is seen as a hero of peace and reconciliation.
The film Pearl Harbor portrays his story.[57]
Destroyed resistance in the war and in the Senate
Daniel
Ken Inouye (1924-2012) was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. His mother, Kame Imanaga,
came from Japan. Daniel lost his parents and was adopted by the Methodist
pastor Daniel Klinefelter. She married Hyotaro. His son Daniel Inouye grew up
in the Methodist Church and graduated from Honolulu.
He enrolled in pre-medical studies at the University of Hawaii.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941, Daniel served as a medical volunteer and later was part of the Nisei 442nd Regiment combat team. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in France. He was promoted to second lieutenant for his actions in Italy. In Tuscany he lost an arm. Even though he was shot in the stomach and his arm was hit by a grenade, he led his platoon into combat and destroyed the last German resistance at the end of the war.
Returning to Hawaii, Daniel graduated in Law and was elected deputy and then senator. He married Irene Hirano. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, he was elected the first member of the House of Representatives, and in 1962 he was elected to the United States Senate. He was the first Japanese American to serve in the House of Representatives and the first in the United States Senate.
He has never lost an election in 58 years. In 2010, he
became temporary president of the Senate, third in the line of presidential
succession. He received the Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of
Freedom. It was the highest-ranking Asian American politician in US history. He
was chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. He was chairman of
the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Daniel was proud to be a Methodist. His
name was a tribute to the Methodist pastor who had adopted his orphan mother.
He was a defender of those who were discriminated against. He broke racial
barriers. He took his faith as a Methodist seriously and was an unsung hero, a
truly humble man.[58]
America's first black female millionaire
sarah Breedlove (1867-1919) was born in poor rural Louisiana, USA. Daughter of former slaves, she was orphaned at the age of six and went to live with her older sister and work in the cotton fields. At age 14, she married Moisés and they had a daughter, Lelia. He died in 1887, and at age 20, Sarah moved to St. Louis, where her brothers worked as barbers.
She worked as a washerwoman and studied at night. When she started losing her hair, she prayed for help, and was given the formula in a dream. Sarah discovered a formula to stimulate hair growth and began selling her products door to door in black neighborhoods in St. Louis.
His friendships and ties at church helped a
lot in his personal and professional growth. In 1905, she went to Denver and
married Charles J. Walker. She adopted the name Madam CJ Walker. In 1908, she
moved to Pittsburgh and opened Lelia College to train “hair culturists.” In
1910, she moved to Indianapolis, where she built a factory, a hair and beauty
salon, and a school to train her sales agents for the entire country. Her
products were used with a metal comb heated on the stove and applied to
straighten very frizzy hair. From 1912 to 1914, she provided scholarships to
six students at Tuskegee University. She fought for civil and social causes.
He made donations to the National Association
of Colored People (NAACP), Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the
Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), among others. She is considered the
first African-American female millionaire in the United States.[59]
Creator of Bem-Te-Vi magazines
and Missionary Voice
Leila Flossie Epps (1884-1962) was born in Kingstree, South Carolina, and studied in Leesville, Meridian, Mississippi and at the Training School in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1911. In 1911, she arrived in Brazil, where she served for 37 years. years, first in the educational area. She created the magazine Bem-Te-Vi for the children of the Methodist Church's Sunday School.
In 1929, the Women's Missionary Council of the Methodist Episcopal Church (USA) appointed Leila Epps to work with women. She resisted, but a dream about Brazilian women changed her thinking and she accepted the appointment. She was a pioneer in the development and expansion of the work of Methodist women in Brazil. When the Methodist Church in Brazil became autonomous in 1930, Epps was invited to continue this task. In 1930, together with women's federations, she created Voz Missionária, a magazine for women's societies. It was the first publisher. She was enthusiastic, good-natured and they called her Dona Mizépe.
Epps was concerned about the situation of neglected Indians in Brazil. He supported the creation of an interdenominational mission that was established among the Cauiá Indians of Mato Grosso, and the women helped support a young Brazilian doctor, Nelson de Araújo, a medical missionary. She risked catching diseases and faced dangers in the jungle. She also helped educate one of the young Indians from that tribe.
In the press, he fought the tragedy of lepers
in Brazil and supported the work with lepers by Methodist Eunice Weaver, who
became known worldwide. Leila retired in 1950, in South Carolina, USA.[60]
Farm boy becomes millionaire
Frank Winfield Woolworth (1852-1919) was born in Rodman, New York, on the farm of his parents, John Hubbell Woolworth and Fanny McBrier, who raised potatoes. Woolworth wanted to be a businessman. In 1876, he married Jennie Creighton, with whom he had three daughters.
He worked three months for free in a store. In six years of work, he saw that some products were resold for a fixed price of 5 cents. He borrowed $300 and opened a store where all items had a fixed price of 5 cents. It didn't work out and he went bankrupt, but he opened elsewhere and it was a success. He and his brother opened several retail stores selling 5 and 10 cents. The display of merchandise was open and with prices marked. By 1911, he was a millionaire with 586 stores. In 1913, he had the Woolworth Building built in Manhattan for $13.5 million.
The former farm boy founded the FW Woolworth Company and was the first businessman to adapt the practice of buying goods directly from manufacturers and fixing the prices of products, instead of varying them over time. When he passed away, there were more than a thousand stores. The FW Woolworth Company changed its name in 1997 and then in 2001 to Foot Locker. It is a world leader in the sale of retail and sporting goods, headquartered in New York and operating in 21 countries, with a network of 3,800 stores.
The Woolworth United Methodist Church in New
York was built entirely by Woolworth in memory of his parents, who were also
Methodists. The temple was dedicated on September 15, 1915 with more than 500
people in attendance. One of his favorite hymns was Closer, my God, to you.[61]
Creator of In the cenacle
Grover Carlton Emmons (1885-1944) was born in Escambia, Florida, USA. Asbury College awarded him a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1929. He married Helen Keith Boulware, with whom he had three children. He was a pastor at several Methodist churches in the USA. He served in France and the Far East with Bishop WR Lambuth.
I dreamed of a devotional book available in the world to “cultivate a friendship with God”. In early 1934, Emmons arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, to work as secretary of the Department of National Missions and Hospitals. Grover made a report to that Department on the need for a publication for devotional use in the home. He managed to publish it, with the title Quarto Superior. He chose this name after hearing a preacher speak about the outpouring of the Spirit to the disciples gathered in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. The publisher was the Board of Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in Nashville, Tennessee. Grover was the first editor of the devotional guide, determining the format of the meditation, which was to occupy one page and be written by several Christians from around the world. The circulation of the first edition, in April-May-June 1935, of 100 thousand copies, was quickly sold out. There were 160 thousand copies in the second edition and 211 thousand in the third. In the seventh edition, the circulation was half a million copies.
Today, it is published in around 40 languages in more than a hundred
countries with more than 3 million copies (the number of readers is estimated
at more than 8 million people).[62]
Antifascist and illustrious Italian historian
Giorgio Spini (1916-2006) was born in Florence, Italy. His mother was Catholic and his father was evangelical. He was influenced by the publications of Editora Doxa. Between 1927 and 1933 he published a collection of history, religion and philosophy. He was part of the group of Protestant intellectuals who followed Karl Barth's theology, who were part of the c in Germany, which opposed Hitler.He was a Methodist preacher, to whose Church he belonged since childhood.
Spini was an anti-fascist and a historian. He was from the Florence Methodist Church. He graduated in 1937, at age 21, from the Faculty of Arts in Florence, and by age 22 he was already teaching as a substitute teacher in Florence. In 1937, he represented Italians at the World Congress of Young Men's Christian Associations in India. Between 1941 and 1942 he did military service as a soldier, corporal, sergeant, student cadet and lieutenant. In 1942, he joined the Action Party, which was anti-fascist. After the war, he began a prestigious academic career that took him to teach at several universities: Messina and Florence, Harvard, Wisconsin and California-Berkeley. He was president of Socialist Historical Studies and co-editor of the Magazine. He married Annetta Petrucci. His son Waldo was vice-minister of the Italian Republic.
He fought for religious freedom. He worked on the integration pact between the Methodist and Waldensian Churches (1979) and on the negotiations between the Waldensian Church and the Italian Republic (1984), as well as on the negotiations for the agreement between the Assemblies of God and the Italian government (1988).
Spini had an affable character and was one of the most illustrious Italian historians, who influenced an entire generation of students. Among his books are Italy of Mussolini and Protestantism It is Italian Protestantism of the Novecento.
In
2000, he received the honor of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the
Italian Republic and, in 2004, he received the city's highest honor, the
Fiorino d'Oro, from the Mayor of Florence.[63]
Pioneer of Methodism in Germany
Gottlob Christoph Müller (1785-1858) was born in Winnenden, Würrtemberg (Germany). Son of a butcher, he learned the profession from his father. To avoid being called up by men from Würrtemberg to fight with Napoleon against Prussia (1806-1815), he fled to England in 1806. In a Methodist congregation in London, he encountered Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins. He joined the Wesleyan Methodist Church and was an active Christian.
In 1813, he married Ann Claridge. He became a class leader and preached occasionally. The amnesty for refugees in 1815 allowed Christoph to return home from time to time, and there he told local Moravians about Methodism in England. In 1830 he visited his parents and held a Methodist revival. Upon returning to London, he left a Methodist group with leaders from two classes. The group of artisans and farmers grew and asked the London Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society for a Methodist missionary. Christoph Müller and Ann were sent and moved to Würrtemberg in 1831, and so began Methodism in Germany.
He first spoke of his faith in meetings with the Moravians. Afterwards,
he began to meet in family homes. Many joined, and the movement spread. For 27
years he went from village to village. He maintained a school of preachers with
five or six people with simple training. In 1835, Christoph reported to London
that his community in Winnenden numbered 326 members. By the end of 1839 there
were 622 members and 64 leaders at 80 meetings a week. Despite resistance and
strong criticism from the national Church, the Methodist community grew to 67
preaching points and 1,100 members by 1848. The Methodist Episcopal Churchwas
incorporated in 1897 in Germany.[64]
The D-Day Chaplain in World War II
Leslie Skinner (1911-2001) was born in York, England. He was a hairdresser and local preacher, then became a Methodist minister. He was appointed to India in 1937. With the onset of deafness he returned to England. In 1941 he married Etta Atkinson and they had three children. In World War II, he joined the Army Chaplains Department, serving in Persia, Iraq and Egypt.
At the end of 1942, with his deafness, he was sent home as unfit. He again became fit in 1944 and became senior chaplain in the 8th Armored Brigade. He was the first British chaplain to reach the beach on D-Day in Normandy on June 6, 1944. After 20 days, he was wounded in the head by a mortar shell. A few days later he returned to the Regiment. He risked his life to take care of his companions. On Sundays, he led services for men at war.
Leslie Skinner was an Army captain and chaplain in World War II. He did everything he could to save or at least prolong the lives of wounded soldiers; he ministered to troops on the front lines and helped medical teams. He spent hours dodging gunfire looking for bodies and digging graves, ensuring proper burials.
He had great compassion and
wrote to the families of the dead. This continued for many years after the war.
On the 70th anniversary of D-Day, his writings about the war were made public.
He served in Normandy, Belgium, Holland and was in Bremen, Germany, on Victory
in Europe Day (VE Day), May 8, 1945. After the war, he returned to being a
Methodist pastor with challenging sermons. His last appointment was as
superintendent on the Walton and Weybridge circuit until 1977. He rose to
lieutenant colonel, the highest rank of chaplain. He died at the age of 89.[65]
The king, the vision and Msimang in Swaziland
Daniel Msimang was the one who definitively established Methodism in Swaziland. King Sobhuza I, Somhlolo (1780-1836), advised his son and successor Mswati II (1820-1868) to seek missionaries for Swaziland. Before he died, the king had a prophetic vision: he saw men coming out of the sea with the color of their skin the same as the color of corn. They brought the Umculu (Bible) and indilinga (coin). They should accept Umculu, which is life, and reject indilinga, which is death.
The king advised to preserve the lives of the missionaries. In 1845, Reverend James Allison and Reverend Richard Giddy, of the Wesley Methodist Church, Grahamstown, South Africa, were invited by the king and went to Swaziland with the evangelists Job and Barnabas. In 1847, a power struggle between King Mswati and his brothers caused the missionaries to flee to Welverdiend, South Africa, where they established the Edendale Mission in 1855. Daniel Msimang went to the Methodist mission in Natal, South Africa, and became the town's accountant. He received an education and was ordained a Methodist minister. In 1880, Msimang returned to Swaziland to rebuild the Mission, taking two sons and a brother. He was threatened with death by some witch doctors because of the impact of his preaching and prayers, but he said: “When I came to Swaziland, I knew I could be killed. This doesn't bother me. I am in the hands of the Lord.” Within a year, there was a church with 150 people. By 1886, he had established three circuits with 409 members and a thriving school.
On Msimang's death in 1911,
Reverend Willham Wilkins was appointed to Swaziland and helped build the
Methodist Church in Mahamba, opened in 1913, which was named Daniel Msimang
Memorial Church.[66]
Developing Methodism in Eurasia
Lena Kim was born in Uzbekistan when this country was part of the USSR.She is a fourth generation Korean born in Russia. Her ancestors were Methodists and went to Russia after World War II. Her grandparents were afraid and started speaking only in Russian. Lena learned little of the Korean language, but speaks English and Russian well.
She graduated from Moscow United Methodist Seminary in 2000. She was appointed to Kazakhstan, where she served as a pastor in the cities of Pavlodar and Kurchatov. In Pavlodar, she worked at the Regional Children's Home and ministered in prison. In Kurchatov, she led children's Bible groups and had a radio program. Between 2004 and 2006, Lena worked as director of Evangelization and Development for the United Methodist Church in Eurasia (Europe-Asia). She traveled throughout Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,Kyrgyzstanand Azerbaijan, promoting mission and evangelism. In 2006, she was named executive director of Church Education and Development in Eurasia.
In 2007, Lena received her Doctor of Ministry degree from Wesley Theological Seminary. She is also a talented musician. She composes music for the Methodist people of Eurasia and has released two albums. One of them was recorded together with the Nimb Christian Rock Group, young Methodists from Samara, Russia. Her songs are based on her heart's experience. She loves the hymns of Charles Wesley and travels throughout Eurasia, introducing new music to the Methodist people wherever she goes.
In 2015, she began coordinating Volunteers in
Mission of the United Methodist Church (Umvim) for Eurasia and is the editor of
In the Cenacle in the Russian language.[67]
Heaven is real
Todd Burpo was born in 1968, in Oklahoma, USA. He earned a Bachelor of Theology from Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 1991 and was ordained in 1994. Married to Sonja, he has three children.He is pastor of Crossroads Wesleyan Church in Imperial, Nebraska, which has about 2,000 residents. His church follows the doctrines of John Wesley. Todd wrote the book Heaven is for Real, with Lynn Vincent, which became a bestseller. The book features an account of his son Colton Todd Burpo, born on May 19, 1999, in Imperial, Nebraska.
At 3 years and 10 months, while undergoing difficult surgery for suppurative appendicitis, Colton said he went to heaven and saw Jesus and relatives he had never met. The book appears on the New York Times bestseller list. It was released in November 2010 and by 2014 it had sold more than 10 million copies. Todd today preaches about the hope that heaven brings to people's lives. Sony turned Colton's story into the film Heaven Is for Real, released on Easter 2014.
Todd is the chaplain for the Volunteer Firefighters Association, where he works as a volunteer firefighter. Todd also works with an overhead door company. He is very active at Imperial and teaches wrestling to disadvantaged youth. Colton is a very happy child. He plays the piano and trumpet. He is fascinated by Greek mythology, listens to Christian rock and likes football.
Todd and Sonja wrote another book, Heaven
Changes Everything, and Colton wrote a children's book with his parents, Heaven
Really Exists. Todd's sermons are broadcast every Sunday on a local radio
station. As for the doubts and criticisms about whether he actually went to
heaven, Colton said, “Believe what you want, but it won’t stop me from sharing
what I saw.”[68]
Famous TV presenter in England
David Frost (1939-2013) was born in Tenterden, Kent, England; He graduated from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He was the son of Methodist minister Reverend John Wilfred Frost and Mona. He attended Sunday School and trained to be a local preacher. He married Lynne Frederick and then Lady Carina Fitzalan-Howard. He was a journalist, comedian and writer.
He became famous for interviewing former president Richard Nixon about the Watergate scandal, which was turned into a play and film. In 2008, the film Prost/Nixon was released. One of the world's best-known presenters, he has interviewed eight British Prime Ministers (1964-2010) and every US President (1969-2008).
He wrote several books. She produced eight films and received several awards from the main television channels. He won two Emmy Awards and co-founded London Weekend Television and, in 1983, Britain's TV-AM. Frost was knighted by the Queen in 1993. In 2001, he openly revealed his deep Christian faith when he hosted a ten-week television series on the Alpha Course on Independent Television (ITV) in the United Kingdom, which gave an unprecedented boost to churches which operate throughout the British Isles.
His sister, Jean Pearson, spent nearly 30
years serving the Methodist Church in Ilesha, Nigeria.[69]
Inspired by Carlos Wesley wins
Nobel Prize for Literature
Derek Alton Walcott (1930-2017) was born in Castries, Saint Lucia, a Caribbean country, with a twin brother. His father painted and wrote poetry, and died at the age of 34. His mother Alix Walcott, lived to be 95 years old and was headmistress of the Methodist Children's School where Derek studied. Methodism was important in his father's life and influenced Derek's poetry.
Edward
Baugh, a poet from Jamaica, in The Art of Derek Walcott, suggests that the
quatrain in Section 11 is based on Wesleyan hymns. Derek studied at the
University College of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. At age 14, he
published a Miltonic (sublime and majestic literary style), a religious poem in
the newspaper A Voz de St. Lucia. An English Catholic priest condemned the
Methodist-inspired poem as blasphemy in a response printed in the newspaper.
His first two collections were published with the help of his mother, who paid
for their printing: 25 Poems (1948) and Epitaph for a young: XII cantos (1949).
His collection In a green night: poems 1948-1960 attracted international
attention. Omeros (1990) received praise from The Washington Post and The New
York Times.
Walcott
won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992, and many other literary awards. He
published more than 20 plays. In 2010 he became professor of poetry at the
University of Essex. Methodism and spirituality play a significant role from
the beginning of Walcott's work. He commented: “I never separate writing from
poetry from prayer. I grew up believing that it is a vocation, a religious
vocation.” For him, poetry is a divine gift.[70]
Creator of the Ivory floating soap formula
James Norris Gamble (1836-1932) was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Son of James Gamble (1803-1891) and Elisabeth Ann Norris. His father was a soap maker. James Gamble and William Procter, a candle maker, in 1837 created Procter & Gamble, producing candles and soap.The initial profit collapsed when Thomas Edson created the light bulb. A work accident made the soap float. By marketing and supplying the soap to Union soldiers in the Civil War (1861-1865), the company made a lot of profit.
James Norris Gamble received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. He became vice president of Procter & Gamble and was the chemist who developed the formula for Ivory floating soap. He married Margaret Penrose, participated in the Civil War as a captain, and returned to the company. He was mayor of Westwood, Ohio, but it was his work at Procter & Gamble that made him famous. His invention made the company grow.
He donated to hospitals, the YMCA and Ohio Wesleyan University, following Wesley's motto: “Do all the good you can, with all the resources you can, by all the means you can, in all the places as much as you can, as often as you can, to as many people as you can, as long as you can.”
He was kind, humble and dedicated to the Methodist Church. Procter & Gamble (P&G) is the largest consumer goods company in the world, with more than 50 products.[71]
Inventor, educator and father-in-law
by Thomas Edison
Lewis Miller (1829-1899) was born in Greentown, Ohio, USA. He was a businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the late 19th century as the inventor of the first grain harvesting and mowing machine. His patent was registered on May 4, 1858 and marked an epoch in the history of cutters.
His invention of a reaper with a movable cutting bar and other agricultural machinery earned him a fortune and helped revolutionize agriculture. A machine for cutting ripe fruits, such as corn, had already been invented, but the machine created by Miller, with nine divisions, had finally brought together the essential elements for an efficient cutter. The blade was mounted in front of the driver to the horse's side, rather than being pulled back.
Miller was a philanthropist and dedicated much of his wealth to public service and charitable causes such as the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the 1870s, he co-founded the Chautauqua Movement of adult education, which included music, exercise, spiritual discussions, and scientific lectures. He was also the inventor of the “Akron Plan” for Sunday Schools, a building layout with a central assembly hall surrounded by small classrooms. He created a system to encourage Sunday School work. A committee was created to provide the Sunday School curriculum in a uniform manner, also known as the “Uniform Lesson Plan.”
Miller was the father-in-law of inventor
Thomas Edison. His daughter Mina Miller (1865-1947) studied music in New
Jersey, where she met Thomas Edison. They were married at the Miller family
home in Akron in 1886.[72]
Architect of music education in Singapore
David Lim Kim San was born in 1933 in Singapore. From a Methodist family, he had nine siblings. At the age of eight, Lim saw his mother feel comforted by singing hymns when they hid in the basement of the building to escape the Japanese invasion in 1941.His Christian faith and love of music became his motivation for his crusade for music education.
His childhood was in Telok Kurau, Singapore
and his education at Telok Kurau Primary School was interrupted in 1941 when
the Japanese occupied Singapore. He returned to school in 1945 at secondary
school, at Victoria School. He obtained a teaching certificate in 1953,
specializing in music. After graduation in 1955, he taught at Bartley
Elementary and High School.
He married Rubi Tam and they had two children. He was a music teacher at the Ministry of Education (MOE). Around 1960, Lim and Benjamin Khoo started the school band movement and designed the band curriculum for the MOE. In 1969, Lim was promoted to head of the Music Department at MOE. He was sent to Australia and Japan (1970-72) to study educational broadcasting in Australia and music education in Japan. He was secretary of the Singapore Arts Festival Organization in 1977-78 and served as general manager of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) from 1981 to 1985. He was responsible for training and training many junior university choirs.
Among his awards are: Efficiency Medal, in
1970; Guinness Stout Effort Award, in 1989; Compass Merit Award in 2001. Lim
was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 1979 for his contribution to the nation.
He is considered one of the architects of music education in Singapore.[73]
Director of World Evangelism
for 25 years
H. Eddie Fox (1939-2021) was born in Tennessee, USA. He was married to Mary Nell. He completed his theological degree at Emory University/Candler School of Theology with honors. He attended graduate school at Hiwassee Junior College and Tennessee Wesleyan.
Since 1989, he has served as director of World Evangelism for the World Methodist Council and as executive director (1992) of the Methodist Institute for World Evangelism.
As a world director, Eddie preached, taught, and encouraged laypeople and clergy about the ministry of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. He has preached and taught in more than 90 countries, throughout the US, and at national and international conferences.
He is often cited as the best Methodist evangelist and the best known in the world. In January 1996, he received the Phillip Award from the National Evangelical Association of United Methodists, and in 2000, he received the “place of honor” award from the World Methodist Council. He is the author of several books, including Living a New Life and Inherit the Kingdom.
In 2014, Eddie Fox and Mary earned the Order
of Jerusalem, created by the Council to “honor individuals whose service to the
global Methodist/Wesleyan family has been marked with honor and distinction.”
He retired after serving for 25 years as director of Evangelism for the World
Methodist Council.[74]
The torch in Black Africa
William Taylor (1821-1902) was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, USA. Son of Stuart Taylor and Martha Hickman. He converted at age 21 at a Methodist camp meeting and married Isabella Ann.He was admitted to the Baltimore Conference in 1843 and appointed a missionary to California (1849), where he ministered without salary to Native Americans and Chinese immigrants, the sick and the poor. He traveled for over 50 years as a missionary evangelist.
In 1849, Bishop Taylor organized the first Methodist Church in San Francisco, California. Between 1856 and 1883, he went on a missionary trip around the world, including Australia and South Africa (1863-1866); England, West Indies, British Guiana and Ceylon (1866-1870); India (1870-1875) and South America (1875-1884). He established Methodism in Peru (1877) and Chile (1878). He made visits to Pará, Pernambuco and Bahia with the missionary Justus Nelson, in 1880.
In 1884, he was elected the first missionary bishop to Africa. He established self-sustaining churches in Southern Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, Mozambique and Zaire. At age 75, he walked more than 400 miles through the countryside and worked with missionaries in the fields, digging wells and building houses. In Africa, he was called “The Torch in Black Africa”. He had the gift of speech, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and obstinate determination to follow God's calling. His big heart for the lost and his entrepreneurial spirit endeared him to Methodists everywhere. He was the author of 18 books. In 1889, Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, was named in his honor.[75]
of the Billy Graham Crusade
Ethel Waters (1896-1977) was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, as a result of the rape of his teenage mother, Louise Anderson. She was raised in poverty. Her childhood was difficult. She said she was never a child, was never hugged or understood by her family. She became a professional thief and stole food out of necessity. She was raised by her staunch Catholic grandmother and attended a Catholic school, but converted at age 11 in a revival in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
She was married at age 13, but soon left her abusive husband and became a maid at a Philadelphia hotel. She was convinced to sing and impressed audiences so much that she was offered professional work at the Lincoln Theater in Baltimore. She soon went to New York. She appeared in the TV series Route 66 and, in 1943, went to Hollywood.
She was the second person of African descent from the United States to be
nominated for an Oscar. She was inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame
in 1984. She toured with evangelist Billy Graham (1957-1976). She first
participated in the Crusade in 1957, at Madison Square Garden, in New York. She
was one of the most acclaimed Christian and secular singers in the world.In 1972, he published his
autobiography For Me It's Wonderful. [76]
Implem
enter of 250 churches
in Madagascar
William Kendall Gale (1873-1935) was born in Addingham, England. He was baptized at the Mount Hermon Reform Wesleyan Church in Addingham on July 13, 1873. He was the son of a master bricklayer and Methodist preacher. He was educated at Addingham National School. He was baptized at the Mount Hermon Wesleyan Church Reform.
He worked at Burnley and went to London to complete his studies. William returned to the village he loved and became a pastor at Mount Hermon. In 1908 he left Addingham with his family and went as a pioneer missionary to Madagascar.
Initially faced a hostile environment. Some of the villagers carried spears and axes, and he was at constant risk of illness – he suffered from malaria, fever and dysentery. William and his family returned to England every five years for a break. His work quickly spread across Madagascar. He established more than 250 churches in Madagascar (1908-1935), as well as teacher training colleges, averaging nine churches per year. He intended to retire in 1937, hoping to establish 300 churches.
In 2014, the Church in Madagascar honored him
with a blue plaque in the Mount Hermon Chapel.[77]
The mother of orphans in Equatorial Guinea
Elizabeth Job was
a slave who was freed and lived in Santa Isabel, on the Island of Fernando Po,
today known as Malabo, the capital of the country, on the Island of Bioko, in
the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. In 1870,Reverend Henry Roe and wife
Elizabeth Holmes arrived in Fernando Po. The missionary couple's first child
was born in March and died in May of the same year.
When the first missionaries arrived, Mamma Job
helped welcome them. The first services of the Primitive Methodist Church were
held in her home. For more than 25 years, she was a pillar of the church. The
missionary Nathaniel Boocock described her as a woman of strong individuality,
who exercised extraordinary power over the natives.
She raised, on her own, more
than a hundred orphans. Those who were sick, or destitute, or poor, or in
trouble of any kind could always count on his sympathy and assistance.
She acted in all means of
grace; she attended two class reunions; she visited all the members each week;
she collected class money from those who could not attend. Despite her hundred
years, she was never too old to help with missionary work. She died on Easter
Sunday 1896.[78]
The mother of the Movement
Holiness in the USA
Phoebe Palmer (1807-1874)was born in New York. His father, Henry Worrall, was born again listening to Wesley preach to 5,000 people in England. Her mother, Dorothea Wade Worrall, instilled strict Methodist values in her children from an early age. Palmer was disciplined, spiritually sensitive, and an avid reader of biographies of Methodist women.
At the age of 11, he was already writing about his commitment to Jesus. In 1827, she married Walter Palmer, a physician and devout Methodist. The death of three of her four children in infancy led her to trust more in God's love. She experienced entire sanctification taught by Wesley, which is the belief that a Christian can live a life free from sin. She went on to teach and write letters to pastors and bishops. She was a confidant of Methodist bishops.
Phoebe impacted Catherine Booth, leader of the Salvation Army, and influenced several prayer groups that experienced the outpouring of the Spirit and healings. In 1837, she became leader of prayer meetings held in her home, which were attended by New York businessmen, bishops, and Methodist ministers. The Methodist Church was influenced in the USA. They became preachers and ministered in churches and at camp meetings. They spread Christian holiness throughout the USA and in several countries. They spent four years in England.
Palmer wrote several books, including The Way
of Holiness, a foundational work in the Holiness movement. In the book The
Father's Promise, Palmer defended the idea of women preaching in the
Christian ministry, which was unprecedented at the time.[79]
From the royal family to
Prime Minister of Ghana
Kofi Abrefa Busia (1913-1978) was born as a member of the Wenchi royal house, a subgroup of the Ashanti, the largest tribe in Ghana. He was raised and educated in the home of Methodist missionaries, Reverend and Mrs. William Whittle. He was educated at Kumasi Methodist School and Wesley College. He received a bachelor's degree in Politics. He was trained as a teacher at Wesley College in Kumasi between 1931 and 1932, where he became a professor.
He studied at Oxford University and became the first African to receive a degree from University College, Oxford. He was the first African District Commissioner in the Gold Coast Colony; the first African professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Ghana. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly in 1952. In 1954, he became leader of the opposition in Parliament, but went into exile. In 1959, he became professor of African Sociology and Culture at Leiden University, near The Hague in the Netherlands.
He returned after the overthrow of
the government and held several positions in the National Liberation Council
and founded the Progress Party, which won the elections in 1969. He was Prime
Minister of Ghana (1969-1972). He was the first Ghanaian leader to create a
ministry for rural development. His political ideology was completely swamped
by his Christian convictions. A coup overthrew the government in 1972 while he
was in Britain. He liked hymn 896, which emphasizes the need to praise the
Lord. His writings reveal his piety and faith. He was a local preacher. He had
a deep Methodist piety.[80]
A lover of peace
in the presidency of Ghana
John Evans Atta Mills (1944-2012) was born in Tarkw, in the western region of Ghana. He had his education at Huni Valley Methodist Primary School and Komenda Methodist Middle School, a degree in Law from the University of Ghana and a PhD in Law from the University of London.
He married Ernestina Naadu Mills. He was a lawyer, jurist, tax expert and sports administrator. He was Vice President of Ghana between 1997-2001. He was elected president of Ghana (2009-2012). He played field hockey and swimming.
In his funeral service, at the Wesley Methodist Cathedral and with the presence of 67 foreign delegations, the Word was ministered by the reverend Prof. Emmanuel Asante, presiding bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana.
He was a true gentleman and worked very hard.
He was a peace-loving man who prayed for his enemies even when they abused him.
He was a Methodist who contributed immensely to the growth and well-being of
the Church in many ways, with humility and generosity.
He was one of the most patriotic and
nationalistic people, who cared a lot about the country of Ghana.[81]
World father of biblical archeology
William Foxwell Albright (1891-1971) was born in Coquimbo, Chile. He was the son of American Methodist missionaries Wilbur Finley Albright and Zephine Viola Foxwell of the Methodist Episcopal Church Mission. He had a crippled right hand due to an accident in his childhood and severe myopia.
He studied at Upper Iowa University. William married Dr. Ruth Norton in 1921 and they had four children. He received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. He was a pioneer in archaeology, a linguist and a ceramics expert.
A key figure in the 20th century biblical
archeology movement. He was the dean of archaeologists and the worldwide father
of biblical archeology.
He carried out excavations in Gibeah, Kiriath-sepher, Beth-Zur, Bethel and Petra. He gained notoriety for his work authenticating the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1948.
He was a master of several disciplines linked
to the study of the ancient Middle East, in particular the world of the Old
Testament. He was considered a genius by many.[82]
Promoter of peace in Congo and bishop of
more than a million members
Ntambo Nkulu Ntanda was born in 1947, in Kailo, Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo). Married to Nshimba Nkulu, he has eight children. He studied at the seminary in Mulungwishi. He holds a Master of Divinity from the International School of Theology in Nairobi, Kenya.
Among the positions he held are: vice-president of the Executive Committee; director of the General Board of Global Ministries; interpreter, in 1992, at the General Conference in Louisville; chairman of the Northern Aviation Commission. He was elected bishop in the midst of the civil war in 1996 and served until 2016. In 2004, he moderated a peace conference in North Katanga. In the conflicts in Congo, he sheltered people and called on clergy and lay leaders to organize relief and support systems for internally displaced people and those who remained in areas of heavy violence. In 2004, the government asked Ntambo to convene a Peace Conference with the Mai-Mai, a militia in Katanga. The success of the conference helped in the cessation of hostilities, disarmament and the integration of militia members into the national army.
In 2007, he became a senator, representing the province of Katanga. He was the presiding bishop of the North Katanga Annual Conference, which in 2008-09 had 1,392,826 members. In 2011, he received the Peacemaker Award from the Tanenbaum Center for Interfaith Understanding. His grandfather was a wizard. He is grateful to the Methodist Church, which taught him about Jesus Christ and led him away from paganism..[83]
President of Methodism, President
from Macedonia
Boris Trajkovski (1956-2004) was born in the village Strumica, Macedonia. He was from a Methodist family in a country where only 0.01% are Christians. He was a lawyer and politician. He served as secretary of Methodist Youth for 12 years. He was president of the Council of the Macedonian Methodist Church in Europe.
He studied Theology in the USA to become a lay minister. In 1999, he was vice-chancellor and deputy minister of foreign affairs. He was President of the Republic of Macedonia (1999-2004), an ambassador for Christ.Married to Vilma, he had two children.
He
said: “My faith is a very important part of my life [...]. I do not feel that I
became president of this country by accident, but that I was chosen because no
one can accuse me of favoring Albanian Muslims or the Orthodox.” He was active
in the church since his childhood in Strumica. He remained president of the
Church council after being elected president of Macedonia. He united a divided
country.
In
2002, he was awarded the Methodist World Peace Prize. He died in an air
disaster in 2004 while he was still president. A great loss for Macedonia and
for Methodism.[84]
Businessman, mayor and successful Methodist in Norway
sigmund Kroslid was born in 1947, in Flekkefjord, Norway. He is the son of David Kroslid and Mathilde Heskestadé, is married and has three children. He is a Christian Democratic Party politician. He was mayor of Flekkefjord for 14 years. He attended secondary school in Farsund in 1967.
He apprenticed as an electrician at the Flekkefjord
Slipp & Maskinfabrikk factory. He studied at the Stavanger Technical School
and returned to the factory, where he had his professional career as a market
director since 1997. He entered politics in 1972 as a local leader of the
Christian People's Party Youth. Kroslid was a member of the Flekkefjord
Municipal Council (1975-2007), deputy mayor (1990-1991) and mayor (1987-1989
and 1995-2007).
He left his position in 2007 to dedicate more time
to his family and to resume his career at Flekkefjord Slipp &
Maskinfabrikk. He served as deputy representative in the Parliament of Norway
for four terms (1993-1997, 1997-2001, 2001-2005 and 2005-2009). He is also an
alternate member of the Vest-Agder County Council. He is a board member and
chairman of the local agencies of the Norwegian State Food Authority and the
Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities. Since the end of 2005,
he has been the chairman of Agder Energi, Norway's second largest energy
producing company. It operates 31 hydroelectric plants and the power grid in 31
municipalities.
Kroslid is an active Methodist. He is a member of
the Central Committee of the Methodist Church of Norway in the Union of
Methodist Churches in Northern Europe.[85]
From Sunday School to governor of Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines
Monica Jessie Dacon was born in 1934, in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
a country in the Lesser Antilles. She was the first woman appointed deputy
governor general and governor general in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Monica Dacon studied at The Girls' High School and Cambridge School Higher.
As a teacher, he taught in two schools in Trinidad
and Tobago and, in 1966, at the Bishops' College, in Saint Vincent, in
Kingstown. In 1980, he gained his certificate from St. Vincent's College of
Teachers, and two years later a Bachelor of Education degree from the
University of the West Indies. She was a professor at St. Vincent Teacher
Training College.
Monica served as principal of Bishops' College for a
few months before returning to Girls' High School, where she remained for
almost 15 years. Monica has always been involved in church and civic
activities. She was a member of the Girl Guides Association. She taught Sunday
School for many years and helped with the Methodist Church school curriculum.
In 2001, she was appointed member of the Board of
Directors of the Public Resources Service. In the same year, she was appointed
deputy governor general, and in 2002, governor general. Monica was appointed
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2010. She is the first
woman to be decorated as a Vincentian, having always carried out her duties
with grace and dignity.[86]
Son of Methodist pastor wins
Nobel Prize in
Physics
Ernest Thomas Sinton Walton (1903-1995) was born in Dungarvan, Ireland. He was the son of Methodist Church pastor John Walton and Anne E. Sinton.
He
had to change his residence and city many times because of his pastoral
itinerancy. In 1915, he was sent as a boarder to the Methodist College in
Belfast, where he excelled in mathematics and science. In 1922 he entered
Trinity College, Dublin, on a scholarship. In 1927, he finished his master's
degree and won the Hughes Medal in 1938.
With
John Cockcroft, Ernest Thomas received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1951 for
his work on the transmutation of atomic nuclei through artificially accelerated
atomic particles (popularly known as the splitting of the atom). He became the
first person in history to artificially split the atom, ushering in the nuclear
age.
He
married Freda Wilson, daughter of a Methodist minister. They had five children.
The Walton Science and Technology Building at Methodist College in Belfast was
named in his honour.He was widely respected, admired and considered a modest man.[87]
Leader of the Association of
Women in Peru
Maria
Sumire was born in 1951, in Peru. He grew up in the community of Collachapi. As
a lawyer, she supported the Departmental Federation of Peasants of Cusco in its
struggles for land and women's organizations. Maria is a member of the
Evangelical Methodist Church of Peru, leader of the Andean Women's Association
(AMA) and was one of thousands of candidates for the Nobel Prize in 2005.
She
was elected to the Peruvian Congress, where she served between 2006 and 2011.
She took her oath in Quechua, her mother tongue, the language of the indigenous
majorities of Cusco and Peru. She raised her hands and invoked the gestures of
Túpac-Amaru and Micaela Bastidas, martyrs of the Andean struggles against
Spanish and Inca oppressors.
He
remembered his father, Eduardo Sumire, a union leader, and declared his
evangelical Methodist faith.
“Sumire received the national personality award from the Peruvian Ministry of Culture for all its work supporting indigenous culture in Peru.”[88]
Maria
Sumire's challenge as a Quechua Christian is to continue working for the rights
of her people and for people who have been forgotten and marginalized, as
farmers like her have the right to health, education and work. In her
parliamentary work, Maria fought for farmers.[89]
Faithful Methodist member
wins Nobel Prize
Charles
Glover Barkla (1877-1944) was born in Widnes, England. He was the son of a
watchmaker. Barkla married Maria Esther Cowell in 1907, with whom he had two
sons and a daughter. He graduated with first class honors in Physics in 1898
and the following year gained a master's degree. Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh.
In
1903, he showed that the scattering of X-rays by gases depends on the molecular
weight of the gas. In 1904, he observed the polarization of X-rays, a result
that indicated that X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation like light.
Another
confirmation was obtained in 1907 when he performed some experiments on the
direction of scattering of an X-ray beam as evidence to resolve a controversy.
He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1917. He was also awarded the Hughes Medal
from the British Royal Society in 1917.
He
was the father of three children and lost one of them, who was a surgeon,
during the war, and that was a big blow for him. He was a deeply religious man
and a faithful member of the Methodist Church. Guinea-Bissau recently launched
a stamp in his honor. Yugoslavia and Sweden did the same.[90]
The mother of civil
rights in the USA
Rosa
Parks (1913-2005) was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. After his parents separated,
he went to live on a farm, near Montgomery, with his maternal grandparents,
mother and a brother. She was a seamstress and a member of the African
Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.
She was arrested for refusing to give up her
seat on a local bus to a white man on the first day of December 1955. This fact
helped launch the Civil Rights Movement in the USA, becoming the trigger for
the anti-segregationist movement. She said, “From my education and from the
Bible, I learned that people must stand up for their rights, just as the
children of Israel stood up against Pharaoh.”
Martin
Luther King encouraged black people to boycott buses. Today, she is a symbol of
the anti-racist struggle in the USA. Rosa won a gold medal from the North
American Congress in 1999, with the inscription “Mother of the Modern-day Civil
Rights Movement”. A film – The Rosa Parks – was released about her story. Parks
helped with communion and baptisms at her local congregation in Detroit and was
also a deaconess, the highest position for a laywoman in the denomination. She
died in 2005, aged 92. In 2013, a bronze statue of Rosa Parks was erected in
Washington, commemorating the civil rights leader.[91]
Pioneer of Methodism in Singapore
William Fitzjames Oldham (1854-1937) was born in Bangalore, India. While
still a baby, he lost his mother and was breastfed and raised by an Indian
woman. His father, James Oldham, was a Catholic and an officer in the British
army in India. William was converted in 1873 when William Taylor preached. In
1876 he obtained his local preaching license and was able to preach in
Methodist churches.
In 1877, William married Mary. In 1879, he was sent to study at Alleghany College in Pennsylvania, USA. Mary only went to the USA when William was well off financially. In 1883, he graduated with a degree in theology from Boston University. In 1885, alongside James Mills Thoburn, he initiated Methodism in Singapore, preaching at the Town Hall and at the Christian Institute on Middle Road/Waterloo Street. With the conversions, in 1885, he organized the Wesley Methodist Church and was pastor of the first chapel built in Peninsular Malaysia. In 1886, he began teaching English and Chinese at the Anglo-Chinese School to 13 children of Chinese traders. It was a great success. In 1887, missionary Sophia Blackmore organized a Methodist school for girls.
William
became ill, obtained leave and returned to the USA in 1889. Afterwards, he was
a pastor in the USA. In 1904, he was consecrated bishop of northern India and
Malaya. In 1912 he was appointed secretary of the Methodist Board of Foreign
Missions. In 1916, he was elected general superintendent and assumed oversight
of South America until his retirement in 1928. March 1 is designated as
Founder's Day of the Anglo-Chinese School in Singapore. William wrote several
books and laid the spiritual and intellectual foundations for many generations
in Asia. He is remembered as a friend, father and teacher of the Anglo-Chinese
family.[92]
Creator of yeast-free wine
Thomas Bramwell Welch (1825-1903) was born in Glastonbury, England, and immigrated to the USA. At age 17, Thomas Welch joined the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion, of which he became pastor. Conexão fought strongly against alcoholic beverages and the buying and selling of slaves.
He helped escaped slaves find their way to freedom, going from the American South to Canada via the “underground railroad.” He was no ordinary man. He married Victoria Sherbume Welch. He was a dentist, having greatly improved his profession. He was also a doctor. Welch was very involved in the temperance movement and became a police officer in Philadelphia, arresting illegal alcohol sellers.
As an advocate of temperance, he invented the pasteurization process to prevent the fermentation of grape juice, preventing it from becoming alcoholic. He convinced local churches to use this wine in the Lord's Supper.
In 1869, Welch began drinking his wine
unfermented. The commercialization was done, but he never received a cent in
return for his investment. He had no idea that wine would be used as a beverage
for the general public. In 1893, at the Chicago World's Fair, the business
grew, and in 1897 the Welch Grape Juice Company was formed.
In 1930, Welch's grandchildren distributed 10%
of the company's common stock among its 300 employees.[93]
Faithful scientist wins Nobel Prize
William Daniel Phillips was born in 1948 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA. In 1996, he received the A. Michelson Albert Medal from the Franklin Institute.Phillips married Jane Van Wynen, a high school sweetheart. They hadn't even been churchgoers before their marriage. However, in 1979, they united with the United Methodist Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
They appreciated its diversity, offering an irresistible wealth of experience. Phillips is also a professor of Physics and a founding member of the International Society for Science and Religion. He is known as someone who has a passion for science without compromising his faith.
He is a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which is international and multiracial. He leads a group of about 15 to 20 scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He is a professor at the University of Maryland.
He is a member of the congregation of
Fairhaven United Methodist Church in Darnestown MD. He sings in the church
choir, prays before meals and goes to church almost every Sunday. He said that
“being an ordinary scientist and an ordinary Christian seems perfectly natural
to me.” He believes in God thanks to science. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics
in 1997 for developing a method to cool and fix atoms with laser light.[94]
Inventor of the first refrigerated trains
Gustavus Franklin Swift (1839-1903) was born in
Sagamore, Massachusetts, USA. His family lived on a farm where pigs and cattle
were raised, and where he came up with the idea of packaged meat. Swift had
little interest in studies and worked numerous jobs. With money borrowed from
his father, he bought a heifer and sold it for a profit.
Since then, he has opened his own butcher shop. He quickly expanded his operations. Swift mounted large-scale advertising campaigns to gain public trust and formed advantageous partnerships with local butchers.
He married Annie Higgins, with whom he had nine children. Gustavus Swift had his headquarters in Chicago. He revolutionized the meatpacking industry, using refrigerated cars on the railroad. He invented the first refrigerated trains, which allowed frozen meat to be transported to distant places.
Swift has donated large sums of money to institutions such as the University of Chicago. He was also a benefactor of St. James Methodist Episcopal Church, making large donations.
When he died in 1903, the company's turnover
was estimated at between 125 and 135 million dollars. He was a pioneer in the
use of animal by-products for the manufacture of soap, glue, fertilizers and
various types of medical products.[95]
The living torch in Liberia
Melville Beveridge Cox (1799-1833) was born in Maine, USA. At age 19 she became a Methodist and joined the New England Methodist Conference. He soon became an itinerant preacher. After contracting tuberculosis in 1825, he was unable to preach and moved to Baltimore, where he worked in a bookstore and edited a weekly newspaper. He married Ellen Cromwell, but in 1830 Ellen and her young daughter died in a cholera epidemic.
He volunteered as a missionary to South America, but the Church had been looking for a missionary for Liberia for seven years. Cox accepted the challenge, even knowing the risks. He left everything in God’s hands and said, “Come on! A thousand die before Africa is abandoned!” Melville's response was a torch that lit Methodist enthusiasm for the Missions. Liberia was the first independent state in black Africa, created between 1820 and 1821 by free slaves from America.
Arriving in Liberia in 1833, Cox soon organized the first Methodist Episcopal Church and a Seminary with 70 students; he established a mission on the Grand Bassa and another along the Niger with an agricultural school, art and a Sunday School. A month later, ill with malaria, he refused to return to America.
He died four months after arriving in Liberia.
On July 21, 1833, he awoke from a deep sleep, bathed in sweat and shouting:
“Come, come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!” When news of his death reached America,
many volunteered to be missionaries. During one of his fevers, he sang: “I'm
happy! I’m happy!... My days are immortal...” In just four months, Cox had a
triumphant life. He was decisive in the awakening and recruitment of
missionaries.[96]
Created the first playground and was decisive in the
fight against yellow fever
Hugh
Clarence Tucker (1857-1956) was born in Williamson County, Tennessee, USA. He
was a missionary in Brazil. He was married to Euvira Tucker, daughter of Bishop
John Cowper Granbery. Tucker represented the Mission Board at global meetings
and in Brazil and was one of the most important evangelical figures in the
world. A defender and practitioner of the Social Gospel. He worked at the
American Bible Society.
He was a friend of Oswaldo Cruz and introduced him to the American Methodist doctor Walter Reed, who had discovered the origin of yellow fever. He created the Instituto Central do Povo, the first social center organized in Brazil, in 1906, for the inhabitants of the Saúde and Gamboa favelas. In 1911, he introduced the first playground for children in Rio de Janeiro.
He
was secretary of the American Bible Society for 47 years; he went on several
missionary trips, distributing Bibles throughout the country. In 1903, he was
elected the first president of the Brazilian Evangelical Alliance. He helped
found the Young Men's Christian Association; the Evangelical Hospital, of which
he was president; the Hospital dos Estrangeiros; the Brazil-United States
Institute (Ibeu) and the American Society. He served as secretary of the Social
Action Board of the Methodist Church (1939-1946) and on several relief
committees for victims of Asia, Europe, and Latin America. He presided over the
1st General Methodist Council in Brazil, in 1930. On October 25, 1943, the
Brazilian government awarded him the Order of the Southern Cross, received from
the hands of Oswaldo Aranha. In 1956, Rádio Nacional's Reporter Esso announced
his death.[97]
Son of a Methodist
missionary and the
most awarded
Chinese actor
Toshiro Mifune (1920-1997) was born
in Qingdao, China. He was the son of Japanese Methodist missionaries who went
to work in China as photographers when he was four years old. Mifune first
worked as a photographer in Shanghai with his father.As a Japanese citizen, he was drafted into the
Imperial Japanese Air Force (1939), where he worked in aerial photography
during World War II.
In 1946, he returned to Japan. He married Sachiko Yoshimine (1950).Mifune was a practicing Methodist and his wife was a Buddhist. Her parents were strongly opposed to the union because Toshiro Mifune had a strong Methodist devotion.
He
starred in Rashomon (1950), an award-winning film at the Venice Film Festival
and winner of the Oscar for best foreign language film, the first major
international success of Japanese cinema.
He
was famous throughout the world for his performance in classic Japanese cinema,
especially in the role of a samurai. Legend has it that Mifune heard that they
needed people for the position of assistant cameramanand he got in the wrong queue
for actor. He made more than 170 films and won awards for 60 of them. Among the
international productions in which Mifune participated, Tora! Log! Log! (1970),
Grand Prix (1966) and Hell in the Pacific (1971). In the films Yojimbo (1961),
Tengoku to jigoku (1963), Akahige (1964), he won the best actor award at the
Venice Film Festival. The actor also starred in Jerry London's Shogun (1980),
an American television series. He was a devout Methodist.[98]
The most famous indigenous chief in the USA
Gerônimo
(1829-1909) was an Apache chief and became the most famous of the so-called
“renegade Indians”. In 1851, a company of 400 soldiers attacked Gerônimo's
camp, and his wife, Alope, his children and his mother were killed.
The
Indians decided to fight against the Mexicans and US soldiers. So he vowed to
kill as many white people as he could and was chosen to be chief. People
thought Gerônimo had magical powers, could see the future and was invulnerable
to bullets. From 1858 to 1886, he attacked Mexican and US troops, evading
several captures
At
the end of his warrior career, his band numbered just 38 men, women and
children. He resisted heroically, but surrendered in 1886 after seeing a vision
of a train passing through his land. He later converted to the Methodist Church
in Oklahoma, where he was baptized on July 1, 1903. He believed the Church
would improve his character.
Late
in life, he became a celebrity, appearing at popular events such as the 1904
World's Fair in St. Louis, and riding a horse in President Theodore Roosevelt's
inaugural parade in 1905. Among some of the films made about his life , are:
Apache Blood and An American Legend.[99]
Indigenous chief, apostle and martyr of peace
Maskepetoon
(1807-1869) was an Indian chief of the Cree tribe. He was born in the
Saskatchewan River region of Canada. He was respected for his skill as a
hunter, his generosity and wisdom. In his youth he was violent and scalped his
wife Susewisk. In 1831, he and other Indian chiefs were invited by President
Andrew Jackson to meet in Washington.Famous artist George Catlin painted his portrait. In 1841, he became
friends with Wesleyan Methodist Church pastor Robert Terrill Rundle.
Maskepetoon invited him to visit the Mountain House.
He
converted and was baptized with his wife and children. The ReverendJames Evanscreated the syllabic system of the Cree language, which was one of the
major factors in the success of indigenous missions. Pastor Thomas Woolsey
taught Maskepetoon to read and write. He became an apostle of peace and sought
to make peace with the enemy tribes.
When
he met the person who had killed his father, he invited him to his
accommodation, forgave him and presented him with a chief's outfit. In 1869,
when hostilities increased between the Cree tribe and the Kainai, Blackfoot and
Piegan tribes, he sought to promote peace and went to visit the Blackfoot camp,
carrying a white flag and open Bible, but Chief Big Swan killed him. . He was
called the “Martyr of Peace” and “Gandhi of the Fields”. He became a hero in
many books.
Sunday School magazines highlighted his ability to forgive. In his honor, his name was included on the mural in Red Deer Alberta's Collicut Center. Hugh A. Dempsey wrote the book Maskepetoon: Leader, Warrior, Peacemaker [100]
Methodist chief and pastor in the Amazon
Wizi Simplicio Manduca is a shepherd and chief in the Maruwai village
(former Bala village), where the Macuxi Indians of Roraima live. The Macuxis
stand out in ceramics and cooking. They are excellent cowboys. Roraima is home
to the Macuxi ethnic group, which numbers more than 9 thousand individuals and
occupies the eastern end of the State and the North of Amazonas.
The
village is 150 kilometers from Boa Vista. Methodist missionary work began in
1991 and more and more Macuxis have converted to Christ. In 1992, the village
shaman, Sigismund Brasil, began supporting the church. Chief Firmino is also
from the Methodist Church. Cizi is the first indigenous Brazilian Methodist
pastor. He converted to the Evangelical Church of the Amazon and later joined
the Methodist Church. Cizi is a fighter for his tribe and preaches with
enthusiasm, but maintains the tribe's traditions. Through him, almost the
entire village came to accept Christ.
Cizi
said with joy that in the tribe there is no possession (of demons). “Only the
Holy Spirit,” he said with satisfaction. “They are baptized in the Holy
Spirit,” he said. According to Cizi, the tribe's Methodists read the Bible in
Portuguese. The songs are copied from the Boa Vista Methodist Church, where
they are listed as members. Some songs are translated and sung in the Macuxi
language.
Cizi
Manduca is married to Onilia and is the father of nine children. He spent five
years helping to translate the Bible into the Macuxi language. Cizi happily
declared that his family is integrated into the church. One is a minister of
worship, and his daughter Elizabeth is married to Vanderlei, a Methodist
pastor. The village has around 210 inhabitants, of which 95% are Methodists.[101]
Missionary and prophet among the Indians
scilla Franco (1930-1989), married to Concilia, was the father of Priscilla. He first received appointment in 1963. In 1971, he was appointed to the Methodist Church of Dourados, in Mato Grosso. He was touched when he saw an Indian taking food from the trash at his house and decided to do something for the Kaiowá and Terena Indians in Mato Grosso do Sul.
He developed a Pastoral of Coexistence among the Indians (1972-1979), recognizing indigenous culture and reaffirming their autonomy. He implemented a Community Garden project in 1978, called Missão Tapeporã. Soon, 30 Indian families were able to reap the fruits of their work on the farm. His missionary work was a reference at the time. He was a paraninfo of the Faculty of Theology class of 1978. He coordinated the Evangelical Missionary Working Group (GTME) organized in 1979. His work with the Indians contributed greatly to “The Pastoral Guidelines for Indigenous Missionary Action” of the Methodist Church. His experience of the Gospel with the Indians led him to be recognized as one of them. The Kaiowá and Terena Indians gave Scilla Franco an indigenous name. He used the Jornal Expositor Cristiano to defend the Indians.
While spraying the crops with pesticides, a leak in the hose caused serious poisoning with liver and kidney infections for Scilla. Sick, he left Mato Grosso. He pastored Birigui (1985-1987) when he was elected bishop in the Methodist Church, in 1987, and died on October 7, 1989.
He was a great exponent and reference for the
indigenous mission. His prophetic words, his simple manner, his rude appearance
and popular language captivated many people, but bothered others among the
elite. The name of the Bispo Scilla Franco Regional Seminary, in the 5th
Ecclesiastical Region of the Methodist Church, was given in his honor.[102]
The Carpenters duo that enchanted the world
Karen Carpenter (1950-1983)
and Richard Carpenter, born in 1946, were brothers and were born in New Haven,
Connecticut. His parents, Harold and Agnes, were both Methodists, in Downey,
USA. They formed the duo The Carpenters, a worldwide success that sold more
than 100 million copies. They were much more than creators of hit records. They
were among the most representative artists of the 1970s.
In just a few years, his unique and inimitable sound has brought a new
dimension to the world of popular music. They toured the USA, England, Japan,
Australia, Holland, Brazil and Belgium. Like their parents, Karen and Richard
belonged to the United Methodist Church in Downey. In 1973, they were invited
to perform at the White House for President Richard Nixon and West German
Chancellor Willy Brandt.
Richard Carpenter learned to play the organ at the request of his pastor
at the Methodist Church. Karen had a lovely voice. She died at a young age from
anorexia nervosa, and her funeral was at the Methodist Church on February 8,
1983. A film was made about Karen Carpenter's life (1996). Her family started
the Karen A. Carpenter Memorial Foundation, which raised money for research
into anorexia nervosa and eating disorders.
Richard married Mary Rudolph-Carpenter in 1984, with whom he had five
children. He continued to produce the duo's songs. In 2009, he released a new
Christmas album.[103]
From Funeral Home to Resurrection and Largest
Methodist Church in the USA
Adam Hamilton was born in 1964 and grew up in Kansas
City. He graduated from Blue Valley High School. He completed his studies at
Oral Roberts University and graduate school at Perkins School of Theology at
Southern Methodist University.
He began his Christian life in
a Pentecostal Church, but, dissatisfied with the doctrine and after reading the
Book of Discipline of the Methodist Church, he decided on the United Methodist
Church. He was appointed by the bishop to plant a new church in southern
Johnson County, Kansas City. The bishop's plan was to have 500 members in ten
years. Since there was no building in the area to rent, he only got a funeral
home chapel, hence the name resurrection.
Today, it is the largest
United Methodist Church in the United States, with 20,000 members, having
started in 1990 with four members. Hamilton has received numerous awards,
including the B'nai B'rith Award in Social Ethics, the Denman Award in
Evangelism, and the Rider Circuit Award for excellence in church leadership.
Author of 14 books. Married to
LaVon Bandy, he has two daughters. In 2005, a survey named his church as the
most influential in the USA. In 2013, he was invited to preach at the National
Prayer Service at the National Cathedral in Washington before President Barack
Obama. Hamilton is committed to the renewal of the United Methodist Church.[104]
First president of
Liberia
Joseph
Jenkins Roberts (1809-1876) was born in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, where his
stepfather, a free black man, ran a freight transport business. His studies
expanded in the large library of a local pastor. He emigrated to Liberia in
1829.
In
the early 1820s, Liberia was founded and colonized by freed slaves from America
with the help of the American Colonization Society as a refuge for former
slaves. In 1833, the Methodist Episcopal Church sent missionary Melville B. Cox
(1799-1833) to Liberia. He founded the first Methodist Church made up of freed
slaves. Melville lived only four months in Liberia, but established a Mission
house, a Seminary, and a school before he died of malaria.
Joseph Jenkins Roberts became a successful merchant, sheriff, judge, lieutenant governor, and governor. When Liberia became an independent republic in 1848, Roberts was elected its first president, serving a four-year term, and later served as its seventh president (1872).
Roberts
and his brothers Henry and John were the dominant men in politics, medicine and
Methodism in Liberia.
Henry
Roberts returned to the US for a medical education. John W. Roberts became
bishop of the Liberia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Joseph
Jenkins Roberts, in particular, became the symbol of the new republic of
Liberia. Roberts' image appears on Liberia's currency notes, and his birthday
is one of Liberia's most important national holidays.[105]
Doctor, bishop and
missionary
Walter Russell Lambuth (1854-1921), son of Methodist missionaries James William Lambuth and Mary Isabella McClellan, was born in Shanghai, China. He was sent to stay with relatives in the US to study. He graduated from Emory and Henry College in 1875. He studied medicine at Vanderbilt University. In 1877, he was ordained a priest and sent to China, where he married Margaret Kelley. He returned to the US in 1881 and received a second degree of Doctor of Medicine. Returned to China in 1882 and organized the medical and hospital service in Soochow and Beijing.
In
1889, in Japan, he established the current Kwansei Gakuin University and the
Hiroshima Girls' School. In 1891 he was appointed editor of the United States
Methodist Mission Review. He was secretary of the Mission Board (1892-1910),
participated in the 1900 Ecumenical Missionary Conference and the 1910
Edinburgh World Missionary Conference.
He
led missions in Cuba and Korea. In 1910, he was elected bishop of the Church in
Brazil and Africa. In 1911, he and John Wesley Gilbert traveled 2,600 miles by
boat and rail and 1,500 km on foot through the jungles to the village of Wembo
Nyama in the Belgian Congo, where they organized a mission. They went on a trip
together as brothers. In World War I, he established Methodism in Belgium,
Poland and Czechoslovakia. In 1921 he established a mission in Siberia. He died
in Japan, like his father. His ashes were buried next to his mother in
Shanghai.[106]
The King of Tonga and his Wesleyan heritage
Ahoeitu
Unuakiotonga Tukuaho Tupou VI was born on July 12, 1959, in Tonga. He became
King of Tonga in 2012, upon the passing of his brother, King George Tupou V.
The king is succeeded by his eldest male son. Kings follow the Wesleyan
tradition.
In 1826, Methodist missionaries Hape and Tafetá' left Tahiti to evangelize Fiji and were detained in Tonga to teach about the true God. Later, English Methodist missionaries came, and in 1830 Paramount Chief Taufa'ahau Tupou converted and was baptized. Ahoeitu served as High Commissioner to Australia and resided in Canberra. His wife is Queen Nanasipau'u Tuku'aho. They are from the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, which is part of the World Methodist Council.
Ahoeitu
was educated at Cambridge (1973-1977). He began his Army career in 1982 with
the Tongan Defense Services and became Lieutenant Commander in 1987. He
graduated from the US Naval War College. From 1990 to 1995, he commanded the
Pacific-class patrol boat. He began his political career with the positions of
defense and foreign minister (1998-2004). King Tupou VI and the Queen on their
first official visit to New Zealand attended a service at the Wesley Methodist
Church in Wellington.
In
June 2013, King Tupou VI, alongside Queen Nanasipau'u Tuku'aho, officially
opened the 90th Conference of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, attended by
over a thousand delegates. At the 91st Conference in 2014, King Tupou VI was
one of the speakers.[107]
Despite being blind, she wrote more than 9 thousand
hymns
Fanny Crosby (1820–1915) was
born in the village of Brewster, about 50 km north of New
York. He wrote more than 9 thousand hymns. At just over a month old, he had an
eye infection. The doctor prescribed hot mustard poultices, and the girl went
blind. He fled the city, such was the revolt that aroused among the baby's
relatives and neighbors. Fanny's father died soon after.
Fanny Crosbyhe wasevangelized by her grandmother, who spent hours
reading the Bible to her, who demonstrated that she had an extraordinary
memory. At the Institute for the Blind in New York, she taught for more than 35
years. She played the piano and the harp. At the Institute, she met Alexandre
Van Alstyne, a musician who was also blind and whom she married at age 38.
She was one of the best-known women in the USA in her time. She was a preacher.
She published a book of poems. Among her hymns are: I want to be at the foot of
the cross; To God we gave glory; My Lord, I am yours; Tell that story. A film
was made about her life: Fanny Crosby story. She became well known to five
presidents of the United States.
Fanny was a member of the New York Methodist Episcopal Church. She was a
devout speaker and often prepared for children's church services. On her grave
it says: “She did as much as she could. Without a doubt, she was a heroine of
faith”.[108]
Created the first
industrial plastic, saving elephants
John
Wesley Hyatt (1837-1920) was an inventor born in Starkey, Seneca Lake, New
York, USA. He was the son of John W. Hyatt, an ardent Methodist blacksmith, and
Anne Gleason Hyatt. He had a common school education and was sent by his
parents to Eddystown Seminary to be a pastor, but he had other gifts.
Eager to establish himself on his own, he left his hometown at age 16 to work as a printer's helper in Illinois and later in Albany, NY. At age 29, his wife Julia died of pneumonia. In 1861, Hyatt patented a knife sharpener and developed celluloid (1869–1870), the first commercial plastic to replace the ivory used in billiard balls. It was estimated that 50,000 elephants were killed each year to make ivory balls. Thus, his invention saved thousands of elephants.
Invented the Hyatt filter to purify water on
the go. He founded the Albany Dental Plate Company (1870), later changed to the
Celluloid Manufacturing Company. With his brother Isaiah, he founded, in 1881,
the Hyatt Pure Water Company and, in 1891, the Hyatt Roller Bearing Company. In
the following years, he registered more than 200 patents. Celluloid was widely
used in cinemas at the turn of the century. It was used to make some of the
first gramophone records.[109]
First to end racism in baseball
Wesley Branch Rickey (1881-1965) was born in Ohio, on a farm. He was the son of Jacob Franklin Rickey, a devout Methodist. He was strongly raised by his mother, Emily, who helped give him a strong faith. Rickey was an American football player and coach at Ohio Wesleyan University and Allgheney College.
His many realizations of deep Christian faith earned him the nickname “mahatma”. He was general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team. A devoted Methodist. He paved the way for black players and helped inspire the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. Against everyone's opinion, he brought the first black man, Jackie Robinson, to play in the professional league. Rickey said, “I may not be able to do something about racism in every field, but I can do it in baseball.”
In 1991, the Rotary Club of Denver created the Branch Roichey Award, given annually to a championship baseball player in recognition of exceptional service to the community.It is a story of vision, courage and service. Rickey is compared to abolitionist William Wilberforce of England.
Some contemporary sportswriters called Rickey the “Second Great Liberator” (after Lincoln). The film 42, released in 2013, portrays the story of Jackie Robinson and Wesley Rickey.[110]
England's greatest football commentator
John Walker Motson (1945-2023) was born in Manchester, England. He was a well-known football commentator in England, a great professional. Journalist and writer, he is known as Motty.
John Motson was a very trustworthy person in football. His fine broadcasting career grew when the BBC hired him in 1968 as a radio sports presenter. For more than 35 years, John Motson was the lead commentator for all live football matches and other sports on the BBC.
His father was a Methodist minister and a pious and active leader of some rather troubled areas in London. Faith was and still is very important to him, although he never felt the call to follow in his father's footsteps as a pastor. His passion was football. Since 1979, Motson has been commenting on the main European championships. He went to South Africa for the BBC for the 2010 World Cup.
He has published several books about football. In 2001, he was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire). He was married to Anne and has one son. Asked about the importance of the Church, he said: “I am still a member of the Methodist church, and this is very important to me.”[111]
The greatest missionary evangelist in the world
Eli Stanley Jones (1884-1973) was born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. His father was an alcoholic. At the age of five, Jones began attending the Methodist Episcopal Church Sunday School. He was deeply converted at age 17. He thought he would be a lawyer, but at the age of 23 he went as a Methodist missionary to India, where he stayed for more than 50 years. He was also a missionary in China.
In 1938, Time magazine called Stanley Jones “the world’s greatest missionary evangelist.” For others, he was the greatest Christian missionary since the apostle Paul. He founded the Christian Ashram Movement. In 1959, Stanley Jones was named an “extraordinary missionary” by the Methodist Church. He was called a “conciliator” because of his efforts in Burma, Korea and the Belgian Congo, between China and Japan, between Japan and the United States.
He was considered the “Billy Graham” of India and was called “Apostle of Christ to the Indies”. He preached 60,000 sermons and wrote 28 books. This effort to contextualize Christianity for India was the theme of his work The Christ of the Indian Road, which sold more than a million copies worldwide after its publication in 1925.
In Brazil, he released books such as The
Christ of All Paths, Conversion and Jesus is Lord. A friend of Mahatma Gandhi,
he sought to spread understanding and peace among nations. In 1941, he was a
constant confidant of American President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Japanese
leaders trying to avoid war. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.[112]
The first woman
called “first lady”
Lucy
Ware Webb Hayes (1831-1899) was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, USA. His father,
James Webb, was a Christian doctor and abolitionist. He passed away when Lucy
was two years old. Lucy graduated from Wesleyan University in Cincinnati and
married Rutherford Birchard Hayes, elected president of the United States.
Women copied his hairstyle and clothes. She earned the nickname “Lucy Lemonade” because she refused to serve alcohol in the White House.She was extroverted, friendly, almost always happy. She loved to sing and whistle (she knew many bird songs).
First wife of a president to be called “first lady”. Defender of the abolition of slavery and women's rights. She donated up to a thousand dollars a month to help the homeless. Lucy was admired by the American people, but she didn't like being First Lady. She was grateful when Rutherford Hayes' term ended in 1881. She was extremely popular and loved by the American people.
She was the first National President of the
Women's House Missionary Society of the Methodist Church, where she worked to
improve the condition of poor and helpless women. She was intelligent and was
the first presidential wife to have a college education. She was considered the
ideal woman of the 19th century.[113]
Preacher, servant and politician in
British Virgin Islands
Terrance B. Lettsome (1935-2007) was born in the British Virgin Islands, a British overseas territory in the Caribbean. Son of Francis Henry and Frances Lettsome. He attended Methodist School and married Claudia Sybil Riene Lettsome.They had four children.
Lettsome became a Methodist preacher in 1956 and worked as a fisherman, farmer, photographer, businessman and entrepreneur. He was elected to the Legislative Council in 1963. Together with Lavity Stoutt and Ivan Dawson he formed the United Party. In 1967, he was re-elected to the legislature and was the first Minister of Communications and Works until 1995. He retired in 1999 after 36 years of service. Major changes that occurred during his term include the construction of multipurpose community centers; the creation of police stations on all the main islands; the supply of electricity and drinking water; the development of ports in West End, Port Purcell and Road Town.
Lettsome was a great soldier, a man who believed in his people. He was affectionately called TB. He served faithfully as a local, accredited preacher in the Methodist Church, where he held services, Bible studies, and prayer meetings regularly. He considered himself “a servant of God” and led many people to Christ. He was a tenacious legislator, but he also cared about the country and the good of his party. His son Bertrand is the government's head of Conservation and Fisheries.
By decision of the Legislative Council, in
2001, the main airport in the British Virgin Islands was renamed Terrance B.
Lettsome International Airport in his honor.[114]
Preacher, doctor and activist
for women's rights
Anna
Howard Shaw (1847-1919) was born in England. His family, very poor, went to the
USA. When she was 12, her father left most of her family alone on an isolated
farm in Michigan. After his older brother became ill, Shaw sought to keep his
land. She worked on the plantation, cut wood and even dug a well.
She
studied Theology, was a preacher, doctor and activist for women's rights. She
was the first woman appointed in the Protestant Methodist Church. She preached
about temperance and advocated women's suffrage. For ten years, she was
president of the National Women's Voting Association, fighting for women's vote
and their rights as citizens, which happened in 1920.
She
was president of the Commission for the Defense of Women's Work. She was the
first woman to receive the highest civilian presidential citation, the
Distinguished Service Medal, for her efforts toward world peace.
In
her honor, the Anna Howard Shaw Center was created, affiliated with the Boston
University School of Theology. Anna Howard Shaw Day is celebrated on the date
of her birth, February 14th. Anna was portrayed by Lois Smith in the film Iron
Jawed Angels, shown on TV in 2004.[115]
He sought the Kingdom of God,
won the Nobel Peace Prize.
John Raleigh Mott (1865-1955) was born in Livingston
Manor, New York, and grew up in a settler family in Iowa, USA, influenced by
Puritan ideals. He earned a bachelor's degree in history at Cornell University.
In Postville, Iowa, his father was a lumber merchant and became the town's
first mayor. At age 16, Mott enrolled at Mott Upper Iowa University, a small
Methodist preparatory school, and college in Fayette.
His
life changed when he heard this phrase in a talk by J. Kynaston Studd on
January 14, 1886: “Do you seek great things for yourself? Don't look for them.
Seek first the Kingdom of God.” In 1891, he married Leila Ada White, with whom
he had two sons and two daughters. He was the creator and organizer of the
International Mission Conference in Edinburgh in 1910.
He
received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946. In 1954, he presided over the World
Council of Churches. He was president of the International Missionary Council
and the World Alliance of Young Men's Christian Associations. He has received
honorary awards from China, Czechoslovakia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary,
Italy, Japan, Jerusalem, Poland and other countries. He crossed the Atlantic
more than a hundred times and the Pacific 16 times. He wrote 16 books. His
best-known book is The Evangelization of the World in this Generation.[116]
Olympic champion and national hero
Robert Bruce Mathias (1930-2006), Bob Mathias, was born in California, USA. At the 1948 Olympic Games in London, at the age of 17, he became the youngest gold medalist. He wastwo-time Olympic champion decathlonin London (1948) It is Helsinki (1952). He returned to the US a national hero. In 1954, a film about his life was released: The Bob Mathias story. He appeared in four films. Between 1967 and 1975, he served four terms in United States House of Representatives for the Republican party.
He
married Melba Wiser and had three daughters. Mathias served in the Marine Corps
and later became a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve. After his political career,
he returned to the US Olympic Movement and was the first director of the US
Olympic Training Center in Colorado. He has visited more than 40 countries as a
United States Goodwill Ambassador.
The
funeral service was held at the United Methodist Church in Tulare, California.
Bob Mathias became a legend in the USA and had the ability to inspire a nation
through his ethics, determination and perseverance.[117]
Mother's Day mother
Anna Maria Reeves Jarvis
(1832-1905) was born in Culpeper, Virginia. She was the daughter of Methodist
minister Josiah W. Kemper and Nancy Reeves. She married Granville E. Jarvis,
the son of a Baptist minister. Anna has had many losses. Of the 12 or 13
children she had, only four lived to adulthood. She was a fascinating woman, a
social activist.
Anna
organized a series of mothers' work clubs in various locations to improve
health and sanitary circumstances. Among other services, the clubs raised funds
for health and employed women to work with families whose mothers suffered from
tuberculosis. During the civil war, she organized a mothers' club that fed and
clothed wounded soldiers. Towards the end of the war the family went to
Grafton,West Virginia. Her husband led the Andrews Methodist Church, built in
Grafton and dedicated in 1873. Anna taught at the Methodist Church Sunday
School for the next 25 years.
His
daughter Anna Maria Jarvis (1864-1948) was born in Webster, West Virginia, USA.
It was on the second Sunday of May 1907 that she conceived the first
celebration of “Mother's Day”, in a private meeting, in honor of her mother
Anna Maria Reeves Jarvis. The first public celebration of Mother's Day took
place on May 10, 1908, as stated on the commemorative plaque at the Methodist
Church in Grafton, West Virginia, which reads: “Andrews Methodist Episcopal
Church – Mother Church of “Mother's Day ” – First celebration of “Mother’s
Day”, May 10, 1908 – Founder Anna Jarvis – Minister: Dr. HC Howard – Supr. of
the church Sunday School: LL Loar.[118]
Evangelist wins Nobel Peace Prize
Arthur
Henderson (1863-1935) was born in Glasgow, England. Illegitimate son of a
textile worker. At the age of nine, Arthur left school to work in a
photographer's shop. When his father died, the family was left in poverty. In
his teens, he listened to the famous evangelist Gipsy Smith, who was a captain
in the Salvation Army. He became a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, to
which he was immensely devoted.
In
the course of his work in the Methodist Church, he met Eleanor and married her
in 1888. He was devoted to his family. They had three children. One of them
died in the First World War and the other two of them became colleagues of
their father in the House of Commons. Arthur was an architect, a hero of the
Labor Party and served as Foreign Secretary (1929-1931). He presided over the
World Disarmament Conference, which met in Geneva in 1932.
He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Peace Prize. His approach was conciliatory and temperance. He worked tirelessly for international cooperation and disarmament. He was known as a "moral compass" in his time. He was an eloquent evangelist in the local church. He was a Sunday School teacher.He had a deep commitment to Methodism.[119]
Generalissimo President of China and Taiwan
Chiang
Kai-shek (1887-1975) was born in Hejiang, China. Son of a wine merchant and Buddhist.
He promised his Methodist girlfriend that he would not leave his religion, but,
in the midst of battle, Chiang saw a Christian chapel, went in and told God
that if he survived, he would become a Christian. A heavy snowstorm halted the
advance of his enemies, and Chiang's forces won victory. He was baptized in
1930. When asked why he became a Christian, he said, “I feel the need for a
God, like Jesus Christ.”
In
1926, Chiang became the national leader. In 1937, Japan launched a full-scale
invasion of China. When the US entered the war against Japan in 1941, China
became one of the Allied powers. His wife, Soong Mei-ling, traveled with him
and became famous in the West as Madame Chiang. He was president of the
National Military Council of the nationalist government of the Republic of
China (1928-1949).
In
1949, the communists were victorious, establishing the People's Republic of
China. Chiang and his armed forces fled to Formosa (Taiwan) and he established
a government in exile for 25 years. Chiang was re-elected by the National
Assembly to be President of the Republic of China on May 20, 1954, and again in
1960, 1966 and 1972. He engaged in daily Bible reading, prayer and open
affirmation of his faith in Christ.
In
2011, Jay Taylor wrote The Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and the Struggle for
Modern China, which is 752 pages long. In the book, Chiang is described as a
farsighted, disciplined and shrewd strategist. He warned the US president not
to drag himself into a war in Vietnam.[120]
He lived based on faith and gained
the Nobel Peace Prize
Albert
John Luthuli (1898-1967) was also known as Zulu. Born in Southern Rhodesia
(Zimbabwe) on an Adventist mission, Luthuli was the son of a missionary who
spent most of the last years of his life in missions among the Ndebele of
Rhodesia, today Zimbabwe. After his father's death, he moved to South Africa.
He studied at a Methodist institution in
Edendale, completing his teaching course in 1917.
Luthuli
was a tribal chief, teacher and politician in South Africa. He was confirmed in
the Methodist Church and became a lay preacher. He was also very active in
missionary work. The language of the Bible and Christian principles profoundly
affected his political style and beliefs for the rest of his life. He was
president-general of the African National Congress from December 1952 until his
death in 1967.
In
1960, he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent role against
apartheid. He did not support violence because his political career was based
on his faith. He was frequently arrested for his anti-apartheid activities. In
1962 he was elected rector of the University of Glasgow by the students, a
position he held until 1965.
He
was the best-known and respected African leader of his time. In his honor,
today the Order of Luthuli is awarded, South Africa's highest decoration, to
those who contribute to democracy, human rights, justice and peace.[121]
The martyr in Bulgaria who forgave his persecutors
Zdravko Beslov (1920-1993) was born in Sofia,
Bulgaria. When he was eight months old, his father passed away. Zdravko grew up
with the children and young people at the church. He became pastor of the
Methodist Church in 1943. He won a scholarship for a doctorate in the USA, but
with the war he decided to shepherd the flock and be with his mother.
Opposition
to the communist regime led to him being imprisoned in prison camps across
Russia for 14 years. He worked in inhumane conditions in coal mines and
quarries. After his release, he was still persecuted. He is considered a martyr
for Christianity, even though he did not die in persecution. After 1989 he
sought to restore the Methodist Church.
He
was elected superintendent of Bulgarian Methodism in 1990. After 45 years, at
the age of 72 and after a stroke, Zdravko Beslov led the Church with the same
zeal. He was instrumental in obtaining official state recognition of the
Methodist Church in Bulgaria. He met face to face with his persecutors and
said: “I do not want them to be punished, nor should they be treated as I was
treated.”
In
1992, he won the Methodist World Peace Prize for his efforts to bring
reconciliation and healing to Bulgaria.[122]
Korea's first female lawyer and judge
Tai-Young
Lee (1914-1998) was born in Pukjin, Unsan County, now North Korea. His father
was a gold miner. She was the first female lawyer and the first female judge in
Korea. She fought for women's rights all her life. One of her most quoted
phrases is: “no society can or will prosper without the cooperation of women”.
She is third generation Methodist. Her grandfather founded the Methodist Church
in the city of Pukjin.
After studying at school in Pukjin, she graduated from Chung Ei Girls
High School in 1931. She studied at Ewha Womans University, Seoul, majoring in
Home Economics. In 1936, she married Yil Hyung Chyung, a Methodist minister,
who was arrested on charges of being a US spy. He later became Minister of
Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.
In 1938, they moved to Seoul, where her husband taught at the Methodist Theological Seminary. She was the founder of Korea's first Legal Aid Center in 1956. In 1971, she attended the World Peace Conference. In 1975, she received the Ramon Magsaysay Award, for her work in the cause of equal judicial rights for the liberation of Korean women. In 1977, she was arrested and the following year she received an award from the International Legal Aid Association. In 1981, she received an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Maddison University.
In 1984, he received the Methodist World Peace Prize. Tai-Young Lee wrote
15 books.[123]
President of the Republic of China
Chiang
Ching-kuo (1910-1988) was born in Fenghua, Chekiang Province, mainland China.
Son of the President of China, Chiang Kai-shek, who converted to Christianity
and became a Methodist. His mother's name was Mao Fumei. As a child, he saw
little of his father and was raised by his grandmother and mother in Buddhist
culture.
In 1925, he was one of 340 students elected to attend the Sun Yat-sen University of Moscow, in Russia. In 1937, he returned to China.The following year, he was appointed to the county government in Kanhsien, Kiangsi. From 1941 to 1947 he was dedicated to organizing the youth league.
He
married Chiang Fang-liang, with whom he had six children. They all studied
abroad and two of them got married in the United States. Chiang and his family
were baptized in 1943 by pastor Pi Fan-yu and became Methodists. In 1964 he
became Minister of Defense and in 1969 Vice-Premier. In 1972 he was appointed
premier, and in 1972 he became prime minister of the Republic of China. He
succeeded his father in power in Taiwan after his death in 1975 and initiated a
series of democratic reforms that increased popular participation in politics
and individual freedoms in Taiwan.
In
1986, he initiated several political reforms – including the end of martial
law, the legalization of opposition political parties, and the humanitarian
policy of allowing citizens to visit relatives in mainland China – which
accelerated the democratization process in Taiwan. He was the sixth and seventh
president of the Republic of China (Formosa) from 1978 until his death in 1988.
Chiang always carried two books – his diary and the Bible.[124]
The sailor who founded Methodism in Norway
Ole Peter Petersen (1822-1901) was born in Fredrikstad, Norway. When he was three years old, his father abandoned the family, and a year later his mother died. He was raised by adoptive parents, from whom he learned to appreciate the Bible. Soon after his graduation, at age 14, he began his life as a sailor.In 1846, the course of his life changed when he visited the Mission on the Bethel Methodist Ship “John Wesley”for Scandinavians, in New York.
In 1847, he became a member of the Bethel “John Wesley” Methodist Mission Ship Church in New York. In 1849, he returned to Fredrikstad and began holding meetings in private homes. He married Anne Marie Amundsen, with whom he had five children. In 1851, he was sent to minister to Norwegian immigrants in Iowa, USA, and in 1852 he founded the first Norwegian Methodist congregation. He was ordained a pastor and went to preach in Norway. In 1853 he traveled with his wife and son and founded the Methodist Church in Norway in Sarpsborg, with 43 members.
He served as a pastor in America in several Methodist churches until 1869. He returned to Norway and was Methodist superintendent (1869-1871). Petersen returned to America, where he spent the rest of his life as a parish priest and superintendent. In 1896 he visited Norway for the fourth time. In 1901, he went on a mission to form a church in South Brooklyn. His daughter Alvina was married to Reverend Charles H. Johnson.
Petersen
is considered the founder of Methodism in Norway and co-founder of
Norwegian-Danish Methodism in the United States.He composed and translated
several hymns. In the Norwegian hymnal you can find the hymn Jesus Christ, I
fly to you, written by Carlos Wesley, with translation by Petersen.[125]
Founder of Everton Football Club
from England
Ben Swift Chambers (1845-1901) was born in the
village of Stocksmoor, near Huddersfield, England. He was appointed to St
Dominic's Methodist Church in Liverpool in 1877. An advocate of temperance, he created
the Band of Hope with working-class youths and formed a cricket club for local
youths.
The
goal was for them to get healthy exercise, develop the qualities of Christian
sportsmanship, and stay away from alcohol. He persuaded members of the Young
Men's Bible Class to found the St. Domingo Football Club in Stanley Park in
1878 to keep the church's youth active in the winter months outside the cricket
season. There was general interest from others to participate, and in 1879 the
name was changed to Everton Football Club, which was later transferred to
Anfield in 1884.
Everton
became a professional club and soon won the English Championship in 1891 (later
eight more times). He won the English Super Cup (9), the FA Cup (5) and the
European Cup (1).
In 2008,
Reverend Ben's grave was discovered. The leadership of Liverpool and Everton,
Methodist pastors and player representatives participated in a ceremony to
honor the founder of football in the city. He is considered an integral part of
the club's history.[126]
First lady and China's voice in the world
soong
May-ling (1898-2003) was born in Hongkou, Shanghai, China.His father, Charles
Soong, studied in the US and converted. He graduated in Theology and was a
Methodist pastor, millionaire businessman and a revolutionary in China. Soong
May-ling married Chiang Kai-shek, who became generalissimo of the Chinese
Nationalist army, and became Madame Chiang Kai-shek. In Shanghai, May-ling
studied at the McTyeire School for Girls. She studied at Wesleyan College in
the USA and Wellesley College, where she graduated in 1917.
In
1920, she met Chiang Kai-shek, but her mother was against the marriage and only
agreed after Chiang showed proof of his divorce and promised to convert to
Christianity.
Madame
Chiang Kai-shek attracted much attention in America for her beauty and courage.
She participated extensively in Chinese politics. She was one of the most
politically important women in the world. She became her husband's spokesperson
and the voice of China in the rest of the world, enchanting the North American
public with her English.
He
went on a crusade to help China. She spoke before the United States Congress
(1943) to drum up support for China's fight against Japan. After the defeat in
the Chinese civil war in 1949, she went with her husband to Taiwan.
After
her husband's death, she moved to New York. She passed away at the age of 106.
She was one of the most influential women of the 20th century, having been on
the cover of Time magazine. The creation of the Soong May-ling Fund marked the
25th anniversary of Madame Chiang's graduation in 1942.[127]
Peace prize of the UN for the fight in Rhodesia
Abel
Muzorewa Tendekayi (1925-2010) was born in Umtali, Rhodesia. His father was a
farmer, Methodist pastor and teacher. Abel was educated at a mission school and
at the Old Umtali Methodist boarding school. In 1951, he married Maggie
Chigodora, with whom he had five children.At age 19, he became a preacher and
taught in Methodist schools. He graduated from Old Mutare and graduated from
Methodist University in Missouri, USA.
He was ordained a pastor in 1953. In 1966, he became secretary of the
Student Christian Movement, and in 1968, he became the first black Methodist
bishop in Africa. In 1973, he received the UN Peace Prize for the fight for
human rights in Rhodesia. One of the determining factors that led the United
Methodist Church to select Zimbabwe as the location for Africa University was
the leadership of Bishop Muzorewa. In 1976, Abel went into exile in Mozambique
and, upon returning, was welcomed by a crowd of 100,000 people. In 1978, he was
elected Zimbabwe's black prime minister, serving as a symbol of self-sacrifice,
love and compassion for the disadvantaged.
He was the first Prime Minister of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia. He led his party's
delegation to the conference in London in 1979, which resulted a year later in
the Independent Republic of Zimbabwe, formerly Southern Rhodesia. He was
elected to parliament but was detained (1983-1984). In 1985, he returned to
Scarritt Theological Seminary in Memphis.
Bishop Muzorewa's strength was absolute humility. He was a giant who
faced adversity and fought for the poor and despised.[128]
The springboard to become an Olympic champion
Lauren Perdue was born in 1991, in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. Studied at Greenville, North Carolina, where he grew up playing football, volleyball, softball, surfing, wakeboarding and enjoying the beach.His parents and sister were swimmers and understood his efforts and dreams. Lauren was a swimmer for the Greenville Swim Club (1999 -2009).
In 2009, he won his first championship in the 200 meter freestyle.She attended the University of Virginia and swam in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
As a swimmer, she won 17 championships and received eight awardsAll-American. She was named Swimmer of the Year (2010) and Swimmer of the Championship (2011).Lauren suffered a broken back and underwent surgery in March 2012, just two months before the London 2012 Olympic trials. She decided to have surgery, which many thought would be the end of her Olympic dreams, but she rehabilitated and continued to fight for his dream. She became a member of the United States Olympic team at the 2012 London Olympics and won a gold medal on Team USA in the 4x200 meter freestyle relay. She is a member of Jarvis Memorial United Methodist Church Greenville, North Carolina, where she witnessed her beautiful experience showing how she came to become an Olympic swimmer, fulfilling her dream.
A book was written about her life: “Gold and Glory: The Lauren Perdue Story”, byKevin Travis, published by Amazon. 1960) and then as an interpreter and messenger for the Department of Justice.He received his law degree from the University of South Africa in 1973 and his LLB (Bachelor of Laws) in 1976. He served as a prosecutor and magistrate.
His
testimony described the struggles he had to overcome and the miracle of God in
his life. Lauren claims that the obstacles you face in your career are just
stepping stones to making you a stronger person.[129]
From factory worker to South African Chief Justice
Pius Langa Nkonzo Scob
(1939-2013) was born in Bushbuckridge, South Africa. He worked in a shirt
factory (1957-
He was admitted as an advocate of the Supreme Court
of South Africa in 1977. He achieved the rank of senior counsel in 1994. He was
a founding member of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers and a
member of the African National Congress.
He served on the national reception committees
formed to pressure the apartheid government to release political prisoners. He
served as a member of the African National Congress (ANC). In 1994, he was
appointed one of the first judges of the new Court. He became vice-president in
1997, and in 2001 he took up the role of vice-president of the Supreme Court of
South Africa. Langa was appointed special Commonwealth envoy to assist Fiji in
resolving its political problems. He has been involved in constitutional review
commissions in Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Sri Lanka. He was the country's
chief justice and head of the Constitutional Court (2005-2009).
His funeral was at Bryanston Methodist Church. In
2008, he was awarded the Order of the Baobab in Gold for “his exceptional
service in law, constitutional jurisprudence and human rights.” He was a
faithful Christian and a member of the Southern African Methodist Church.[130]
Son of illiterate father becomes judge of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Egbert
Udo Udoma (1917-1998) was born in Ibidio, Nigeria. He was raised in the
Wesleyan Methodist tradition and served in the Church choir. His father was
illiterate, but he wanted to see his son study abroad. Udoma won a scholarship
from the Methodist Mission and studied at Methodist College, Uzuakoli.
In
1945, Udoma obtained his Ph.D in Law in London and became something of a folk
hero in his country.
In
1961, he was appointed judge of the Lagos Territory High Court in Nigeria. In
1963, he was posted to Uganda as Chief Justice of Uganda and was the first
African to hold that position. He was appointed judge of the Supreme Court of
Nigeria (1969-1982).
He
was President of the Supreme Court of Uganda (1963-1969) and President of the
Constituent Assembly (1977-1978).
Udoma
was vice-president of the Methodist Church in Nigeria. He became a great figure
in Nigeria and Africa for the distinction of his achievements in every field in
which he was involved.[131]
Invented the first elevator with passengers
Elisha
Graves Otis (1811-1861) was born near Halifax, Vermont, USA. He was the son of
Stephen Otis and Phoebe Glynn Otis. He married Susan Houghton, who died leaving
two young children. Otis had a rare case of pneumonia and could not work. From
1838 to 1845 he manufactured a batch of wagons and carriages.
He
married Elizabeth Otis and moved to Albany, New York, where he worked as a doll
maker. Otis decided to create his own business. He rented a building and began
designing a safety brake to stop trains instantly. He created an automatic
oven. In 1852, he was able to invent a system that prevented an elevator from
falling.
In
1853, he founded the Otis Elevator Company. Today, it is a unit of United
Technologies Corporation, which is the world's leading manufacturer of
elevators, escalators and moving walkways. Otis sold his first safe elevators
in 1853. The first people elevator was installed in New York in 1857. He even
patented a steam plow in 1857 and a rotary kiln in 1858. His genius was
recognized. After his death in 1861, his sons, Charles and Norton, created the
company Otis Brothers & Co in 1867.
Otis
is the world's leading elevator manufacturer and solely responsible for the
elevator technology we use today.[132]
War hero and geographic expedition pioneer
John
Wesley Powell (1934-1902) was born in Mount Morris, New York, USA. Son of José
and Maria Powell. His father was a Methodist preacher who had immigrated to the
USA from England. Powell attended Illinois College, Illinois Institute and
Oberlin College. He married Emma Dean Powell, with whom he had a daughter, Mary
Dean Powell.
Between
1855 and 1858, Powell undertook several adventures, traveling and rowing the
Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois, and Des Moines rivers. In 1859 he was elected to
the Illinois Natural History Society. In the civil war (1862-1865), fought for the Union and rose to the rank of major. He fought against
slavery and lost his right arm, but he fought again. In 1865, he was appointed
professor of Geology and curator of the Wesleyan University museum in
Bloomington and later professor at Illinois State University.
After
1867, he led several expeditions to the Rocky Mountains and around the Verde
and Colorado rivers, among them the first expedition for scientific purposes to
cross theGrand Canyon. Powell served as
second director of the U.S. Geological Survey (1881-1894). He created the first
Museum of Anthropology at Illinois State University.
He
was head of the Department of American Ethnology. He invented the word
“acculturation.” He was a soldier, geologist, anthropologist, ethnologist and
an explorer who made great contributions, defending an earth ethic, something
revolutionary in his time. Powell became a legend, a hero. He made the first
classification ofAmerindian languages(American indigenous peoples).
The Powell Museum was organized in 1969. Several books have been written about
him and 44 books by him. His most famous book is The Exploration of the
Colorado River and the Canyons.[133]
From preacher to Prime Minister of Australia
Joseph
Cooke (1860-1947) was born in Staffordshire, England. Son of William and
Margaret (Fletcher) Cooke. At the age of nine, he began working in the mines.
When his father died, he became the sole breadwinner of the family at the age
of 12.
But
this did not stop him from studying for the Methodist ministry and becoming
involved in union affairs. By age 16, he was a lay preacher and active in the
local union. In 1885, Cook went to earn a living as a railroad worker. He
married schoolteacher Mary Turner in 1885, and on Christmas Eve he emigrated to
Australia.
He
studied to be a pastor. He became general secretary of the union. In 1898, he
became Minister of Mines and Agriculture. In 1891, he won a seat in the Chamber
of Deputies and was Minister of Defense (1909-1910).
He
was Prime Minister of Australia (1913-1914). He was decorated, in 1918, as a
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. He resigned
from Parliament in 1921 and was appointed High Commissioner to Australia in
London, where he served until 1927. He represented Australia after World War I
at the Versailles Peace Conference in 1919.
In
1972, he was honored on a stamp with his portrait, issued by Australia Post.[134]
The black Thomas Edison
Granville Tailer Woods (1856-1910) was born into a mixed-race family in Columbus, USA, where he attended school until the age of 10 and apprenticed as a machinist and blacksmith. He completed a two-year university course in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. He was a firefighter and became an engineer. In 1880, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he worked as an electrical engineer and inventor. He received the patent for the multiplex telegraph and reorganized his company, the Woods Electric Company.
In 1892 he moved to New York. His first patent, in 1884, was for a steam boiler furnace. His major inventions were: improved telephone transmitter, 1884; electrical apparatus for transmitting messages, 1885; induction telegraph system, 1887; galvanic battery, 1888; automatic cut-out safety system for electrical currents, 1889; re-electric railway supply system, 1893; regulator for electric motors, 1896; egg incubator, 1900; automatic air brake; designed a wheel, called a troller, which allowed the car to receive electrical current, reducing friction – this is the origin of the popular name for a street car. It was called black Edison. On his tomb it is written: “Mr. Woods is perhaps the best known of all inventors, whose achievements contribute to the credit of our race; in his death he left us the rich legacy of a life successfully dedicated to the cause of progress.”
Public Elementary School in Brooklyn, New York, is named after Granville. He received around 60 patents (some claim more than 100). He was from the African Methodist Episcopal Church.He was the first black person in the USA to be a mechanical and electrical engineer.[135]
Son of Methodist pastor wins Nobel Peace Prize
Lester
Bowles Pearson (1897-1972) was born in Toronto, Canada. He was the son of an enthusiastic
Methodist minister in the 1820s and 1840s. His paternal grandfather, Marmaduke
Louis, was a well-known Methodist minister. Pearson entered the University of
Toronto Victoria College in 1913, at age 16. He was a teacher, diplomat and
politician.
He
was known for his diplomatic sensitivity, political acumen and personal
popularity. He was Prime Minister of Canada (1963-1968). Between 1945 and 1946
he was Canadian ambassador to the United States; Undersecretary of State for
External Affairs (1946); president of the Nato Council (1951-1952); president
of the UN (1952-1953); professor and chancellor of Carleton University
(1969-1972).
The
Suez Crisis occurred in 1956. British and French hostilities against the
Egyptians threatened a new world war. Pearson suggested to the United Nations
(UN) an international peacekeeping force to oversee the withdrawal of fighters.
Peaceful and friendly, he gained the trust of many nations, which led him to
receive one of the highest honors in the world. For his efforts, Pearson won
the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957.[136]
One of the greatest preachers and social reformers in
Britain
Hugh
Price Hughes (1847-1902) was born in Carmarthen, Wales. He was the son of John
Hughes, a surgeon, and Anne Phillips, of Jewish origin. Already at the age of
14 he preached. He studied at Carmarthen School. In 1865, he entered Richmond
College in preparation for the ministry of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.
In
1869 he graduated from the University of London. He was a pastor in several
cities: Dover, Brighton, Tottenham, Dulwich and Oxford. He married, in 1873,
Mary Katherine Howard, daughter of the Reverend Alfred Barrett, governor of
Richmond College. In 1884 Hughes became superintendent of Brixton Hill in
London.In 1885, he
founded the newspaper The Methodist Times. In 1896, he was elected first
president of the National Council of the Free Church.
He was the most influential Methodist leader and one of the greatest preachers and social reformer sin Great Britain during the 19th century. He preached with enthusiasm and had a prophetic passion. He was called the second Wesley. One of his books about his life is titled: Hugh Hughes and the British 'Social Gospel'. Defender of the Social Gospel, he was a fluent speaker and a perfect journalist. He was the greatest Welshman of his generation and the most influential Methodist leader of his time. He expanded the teaching of Christian socialism and removed the Church from its conservatism.[137]
George Loveless (1797-1874)
was born in the village of Tolpuddle, in Dorset, England, where he worked as a
farmer. He was respected as a community leader and Wesleyan preacher. In 1834,
he married Elizabeth (Betsy), with whom he had three children. He was a staunch
and God-fearing righteous Methodist.
Seeing their wages dwindle each year, George and five companions formed
the Farm Workers' Friends Society. Led by George, on December 9, during a
ceremony, the founding members swore to uphold the rules of the Society. All
were Methodists. On February 22, 1834, they were denounced by a farmer and
found guilty of having held illegal meetings. In prison, they took off their
clothes and shaved their heads. The judge sentenced them to work for farmers in
Australia for seven years. The harsh sentence provoked outrage and protest.
They had become folk heroes, and 800,000 signatures were collected for their
release. In London, around 25,000 workers protested in the streets. Lord John
Russell supported the protest. In March 1836, the government was forced to
change the sentences.
Once free, George and four of the martyrs emigrated to Canada, where George helped build the Methodist Church in Siloam. His brother, James Loveless, was a Methodist preacher and became a Methodist leader in Ontario, Canada. His garden became famous for its begonias. John Standfield went to Canada and became mayor of East London, where he had a hotel and shop and founded the Bryanston choir. Thomas Standfield went to Canada.
The “Tolpuddle Martyrs” contributed to the pride of trade unionism in
England. On the centenary in 1934, a memorial was erected in the village and
the Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum was founded. In 2008, Andrew Norman wrote The
Story of George Loveless and the Tolpuddle Martyrs.[138]
Founded the National Union of
Agricultural Workers
Joseph Arch (1826-1919) was born in Barford, Warwickshire, England. He was the son of a rural worker. In 1847, Arch married Mary Anne Mills. He joined the Primitive Methodist Church and became a preacher. Many of his sermons addressed the financial problems of rural workers. In 1872, a group of men sought his help in forming a farmworkers' union.In the early 1870s, workers began to protest low wages and harsh living conditions. Arch used his training as a preacher and became a leader of farm workers.
In 1872, he founded the National Agricultural Workers Union. He was its president until
1896, when it was dissolved. Among the objectives were to increase wages,
reduce the number of normal working hours and improve housing. Within two
years, the Union had more than 86,000 members, more than a tenth of Britain's
agricultural workforce. After 1984, when membership in the Union began to
decline, Arch turned to politics. In 1885, he served the first of several terms
as a member of the Parliament (1885-1886, 1892-1900).
He was the first agricultural worker to be a member of the House of Commons. In 1893, Arch was
appointed a member of the Royal Commission for the Aged Poor. He played a key
role in obtaining the vote for poor elderly people in the Reform Act of
1884-1885.[139]
Founded the National Union of Allies
and Agricultural Workers
George Edwards (1851-1933) was born
in Marsham, Norfolk, England. It wasson of Thomas, a poor ex-soldier who worked
as an agricultural laborer. Thomas stole some turnips from a field and was
sentenced to 14 days of hard labor. With no income for the family, he was taken
with his brothers to Aylsham Reformatory, where he was separated from his
mother.
At the age of six, he went to work scaring crows in the fields. Due to
the need to work, he never went to school. He entered a Primitive Methodist
Church and converted. He married Charlotte Corke at age 22 and they had no
children. He memorized several biblical passages and learned to read under
Charlotte's instruction.
GeorgeHe said that Sunday School
was the only schooling he had. Soon he was recognized as a local preacher. His
Christian faith led him to fight to improve people's social and economic
conditions. In Norfolk he joined the Farm Workers Union. In 1906, he founded
the National Union of Allied and Agricultural Workers, with more than 3,000
members, and was its general secretary. He managed to raise the wages of
agricultural workers.
He was elected to the Norfolk
County Council, in 1914, and became a magistrate. In 1918, he became a councilor. He
was elected in 1920 to Parliament and returned to House of
Commonsin 1923. He was knighted in 1930. He moved to the town of Fakenham, where
he attended Buckenham Memorial Methodist Church. When he passed away, the
streets were full, stores were closed, a band played his hymns, schools were
present, as well as trade unions, politicians and religious people.[140]
Preacher and president of the Association
of Miners Yorkshire
Edward Bates Cowey
(1839-1903), also known as Ned Cowey, was born in Longbenton, a district of North
Tyneside, England. At the age of seven, she began working incoal mines locations. In 1858, he and
his colleagues broke the working practices agreement, and so found themselves
in a "black list”. He worked for a while at
sea, but returned to Monk wearmouth, where he once again made
efforts to improve working conditions.
Looking for work in 1871, Cowey went to Sharlston, in West Yorkshire, where he joined
the West Yorkshire Miners' Association (Wyma), which he presided over from 1873
to 1881. In 1881, the Yorkshire Miners' Association (YMA) was formed, with
50,000 affiliated members, and Cowey was appointed its first president. The YMA
was the largest and most powerful miners' union in the country.
Cowey wanted to educate men in union principles and not in “speculative business.” He was one of the founders of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain in 1888, and a member of its executive committee until his death. He was a member of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress of Great Britain (1893-1903). Cowey once recalled: “Gentlemen, there has been a great improvement in the class to which I belong in the last 50 years [...]. I, as a boy, and all the boys that day, worked in the mine 12, 14, 15, 16 hours a day. Trades Unionism brought about a change, even with the capitalists of this country.” Cowey was a lay preacher of the ChurchPrimitive Methodist. He presided over the YMA from 1881 until his death in 1903.[141]
President of the Federation
of North Staffordshire Miners
samuel Finney (1857-1935) was born in Talke, a village incounty of Staffordshire, England. At the age of seven, he started helping his father with the ovens. At the age of ten he began working at Talke Colliery, and was only 12 when he went to work at the mine.
He belonged to the Primitive Methodist Church. He was a local preacher, Sunday School teacher, class leader and visited the sick. At the age of 24, he considered the possibility of entering the pastoral ministry, but “the circumstances were not favorable”. In 1881 he was elected president of the North Staffordshire Miners' Federation, a position he held for 24 years. In 1884, he married Mary Ellen and they had four daughters. Samuel praised his wife, saying that “alongside finding the Savior, she must take credit for all the good I have been able to achieve.”
In 1893 Samuel moved to Burslem to assist trade unionist and Methodist Enoch Edwards in his work as agent and secretary of the North Staffs Federation of Miners. Samuel was a member of the Borough Council of Stoke-on-Trent, a town in Staffordshire, and served as a magistrate. He was elected Member of Parliament for North West Staffordshire in 1916.
In 1918, when the constituency was abolished, he became Member of
Parliament for the new Burslem constituency, which he held until 1922, when he
retired. He was shrewd in business. He was always generous in his estimation of
others. His dry humor saved many from awkward situations, and his judgments,
arrived at after meditation and serious thought, were highly respected.[142]
Going beyond the Guinness Book
Valerie Fons studied at Westchester High School, Houston, Texas, USA. She received a Master of Divinity degree from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. She is married to Joseph Ervin and is the mother of six adopted children, raised in nature. She is a pastor at the United Methodist Church. Valerie is in the Guinness Book of World Records. She became premier kayaker in 1982.
In 1986, the Michigan Sesquicentennial Commission named her an explorer to observe and document the land, people, and water quality of the Western Hemisphere and to present a friendly message to each person. She departed the Arctic Ocean in Alaska to reach Cape Horn in Chile, sailing 21,246 miles. She traveled through 24 countries in 33 months. She went beyond her expectations. Today, instead of struggling to reach a destination, she hopes to reach a spiritual destination. Valerie is full of life, has unlimited energy, great boldness and the courage to live her dreams.
In 2009, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. Valerie is president of Lake Adventures Uniting Nature and Children with Hospitality on Washington Island, Wisconsin, which offers kayaking trips for children and runs community programs. She also runs the Bread and Water “restaurant,” a specialized outreach ministry of the Wisconsin and Western Michigan Conferences of the United Methodist Church. Her mission is Wesley’s statement posted on every table: “Do all the good you can.” On the tables, there are cards for prayer requests. In 2014, Valerie promoted the “Healing Sensitivity” retreat at Bread and Water. She is the author of Keep it Moving: Baja by Canoe and co-author of From Shame to Glory: Mothers in the Heritage of Jesus.[143]
“Valerie
Fons is a cancer survivor of ALL, MDS and AML, a bone marrow transplant in 2010
and stem cell transplant in 2018.”[144]
The ex-convict who ended apartheid in South Africa
Nelson
Mandela (1918-2013) was born in Mvezo, Transkei, South Africa. Son of Methodist
Noqaphi Nosekeni and Henry Gadla, descendant of Thembu, head of a Xhosas clan.
Mandela was the first in his family to have a formal education, at the Wesleyan
Mission School, near Qunu. He was baptized into the Methodist Church. Chief
Jongintaba and his wife became Mandela's guardians when his father died.
They
were devout Christians and took Mandela to attend Clarkesbury School, the
oldest Wesleyan mission in Thembuland. In 1939, Mandela went to Healdstown,
Methodist College in Fort Beaufort, where he taught Sunday Bible classes with
Methodist Oliver Tambo and lived in the Wesley House dormitory. In 1943, he
joined the African National Congress, which, in 1952, articulated resistance to
apartheid with the Defiance Campaign.
In
1964, Mandela and the entire leadership of the African National Congress were
arrested. After he was released from prison, he ended racial segregation,
becoming South Africa's first black president (1994-1999). Mandela always
maintained links with the Methodist Church throughout his life. He was visited
by a Methodist chaplain during his imprisonment on Robben Island and after his
release he attended the Annual Conference of the Methodist Church of South
Africa in 1994, 1998 and 2001. He married Methodist Machel. In 2000, he won the
World Methodist Peace Prize. In 1993, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. By
determination of the UN, International Nelson Mandela Day began to be
celebrated on July 18, 2010.[145]
First black man to open law firm in South Africa
Oliver Tambo (1917-1993) was born in Mbizana, Eastern Cape, South Africa. At the age of seven, he began his education at the Ludeke Methodist School in the Mbizana district and completed his primary education at Mission Santa Cruz.
He studied at the University College of Fort Hare,
where he obtained his Bachelor of Science in 1941. In 1940, with Nelson Mandela
and others, he was expelled from the University of Fort Hare for participating
in a student strike.
He
taught the Bible together with Mandela on Sundays. He was married to Adelaide
“Mama” Tambo Scob, a leader in the fight against apartheid. They had three
children. Oliver Tambo opened the country's first black law firm with Nelson
Mandela. He was a South African anti-apartheid politician and a central figure
in the African National Congress (ANC). Along with Mandela and Walter Sisulu,
he was one of the founding members of the ANC Youth League in 1943. He was the
first national secretary and later a member of the National Executive in 1948.
In 1967, he became acting president of the ANC. In 1985, he was re-elected
president of the ANC. He returned to South Africa in 1990, after 30 years in
exile (1960-1990), and was elected president of the ANC.
His
tomb was definitively declared a national heritage site in October 2012.
Although firm in his resolve, Tambo was known for his grace, care and
affection. Among the books about his life is Oliver Tambo: his life and legacy
(1990).[146]
Converted in prison becomes
president of South Korea
syngman
Rhee or Yi Seung-man (1875–1965) was born into a rural family in Hwanghae
Province, Korea. He completed Confucian education and then entered a Methodist
school, where he learned English. He was the first president of the Provisional
Government of the Republic of Korea, as well as the first president of South
Korea. Rhee joined the Independence Club, a political reform movement, in 1896.
He
was arrested and charged with sedition in 1899. He was tortured and sentenced
to life in prison.
In
prison, he studied books smuggled by friends and diplomats. He converted to Christianity
and began studying Bible studies in prison with other inmates. He was released
in 1904. With the help of missionaries, Rhee went to study in the USA. He
returned in late 1910 and became chief secretary of the Young Men's Christian
Association in Seoul. With Japanese rule, Rhee returned to exile in the USA.
In
New York, he attended the Korean Methodist Church. After Japan's surrender in
1945, he returned and was elected president of South Korea (August 1948 to
April 1960). His government was strongly affected by the Cold War and tensions
on the Korean peninsula.[147]
One of the pioneers of feminist theology
Elsa Tamez was born in Monterrey, Mexico, in 1951.
Her family had 12 people who lived in a simple house. She and her seven
siblings were from the Presbyterian Church. At 15, she went to live with her
older sister, married to a Presbyterian pastor, in Mexico City.
He
went to study Theology in Costa Rica and learned about the God who is indignant
at oppression and chooses those excluded from society. In 1973, he completed
his bachelor's degree at the National University Heredia, Costa Rica. In 1975,
she married José Duque. In 1985, she graduated in Literature and Linguistics
and in 1990 she obtained a doctorate in Bible, at the Faculty of Theology, in
Lausanne, Switzerland. She released some books on the situation of women on the
Latin American continent: Teólogos de la liberación hablan sobre la mujer
(1986) and Las mujeres Tomam la Palabra (1989). In 1974, she wrote and
published a Greek-Spanish dictionary. In 1978, she published the Concise
Greek-Spanish Dictionary of the New Testament.
She
is part of the Ecumenical Department of Investigations. She is a Bible
professor at the Latin American Biblical University and translation consultant
for the United Bible Societies. In 1978, she released the book La hora de la
vida: biblical readings.
In 1979, he published La Biblia de los oprimidos: la
opresión en la teología biblical. He was a member of
the theological education committee of the World Council of Churches. She wrote
the book Women in the Movement of Jesus the Christ and was dean of the Latin
American Biblical University in Costa Rica. In 1997, in New York, she received
the Special Woman's Witness Award for her efforts to include women. Elsa is one
of the pioneering women of feminist theology, who interprets and reflects on
the Bible from a woman's perspective.[148]
“He
did a study of theFirst Letter to Timothy,
from which it offers a better understanding of the process of formation,
institutionalization, hierarchization and patriarchalization of Christian
communities”.[149]
Wallace Hartley (1878-1912)
was born in England. His father was Albion Hartley, conductor and Sunday School
superintendent at Bethel Independent Methodist Church. Wallace was educated at
the Wesleyan School in George Street. He sang in the church choir and learned
violin from a member of the Methodist congregation.
In 1909, he joined Cunard Line as a musician, working on ocean liners. He
was the conductor hired to play on the Titanic which sank on April 15, 1912. He
became famous for leading the Titanic's eight-piece band. Two were Methodists –
violinist Wallace Hartley and cellist John Wesley Woodward. They played until
the ship sank. His last song was Closer, my God, to you.
Hartley was one of three musicians to have their bodies recovered and
identified, and only one returned to his home. A hero's welcome was held and
his funeral attracted a crowd of 40,000 people, almost double the population of
Colne at the time. He left behind a young bride, Maria Robinson.
In 1915, a memorial with his bust was erected in Albert Road, west of
Bethel Independent Methodist Church.[150]
Revival took creator
from Coca-Cola to Methodism
Asa Griggs Candler (1851–1929) was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, USA. He was an American pharmacist and tycoon who created the Coca-Cola industry, formed in 1890.
The formula was created by Methodist John
Stith Pemberton (1831-1888), who studied medicine and pharmacy. His purpose was
to create a drink as a remedy for headaches, stomach aches and nervous system
disorders. The first drink was sold at the pharmacy.
Asa Candler bought the formula and made the Coca-Cola brand a global entity, especially with aggressive marketing. He and his family went to the Methodist Church in a revival.
Asa married Lucy Elizabeth Howard in 1891 and
they had five children. He was mayor of Atlanta, Georgia (1916-1919). He was a
member of the First Methodist Church of Atlanta. In 1914, he donated one
million dollars to Emory University, then a Methodist college. This gift was
influenced by Asa's younger brother, Methodist Bishop Warren Akin Candler, who
became president of Emory. Candler also donated millions to what would later
become Emory Hospital.For more than 30 years he chaired Emory's Board of
Trustees.
Asa
“saw his personal wealth as a divine trust to be used for the benefit of
humanity.” This belief led him to work on several projects in the South,
including the creation of Wesley Memorial Hospital (now Emory University
Hospital).
Over
the course of his life, he donated around 8 million dollars to the university.
The Candler Methodist School of Theology at Emory is named in honor of the
Candler brothers.[151]
An unusual man founded one of the largest
pharmaceutical conglomerates
Wallace Calvin Abbott (1857-1921) was born in
Bridgewater, Vermont, USA. He was a doctor and a Methodist. Abbott was an
unusual type of man: he combined qualities such as medical talent, scientific
spirit and entrepreneurial streak. He sought to produce medicines to improve
the health of his patients.
Driven
by this idea, in 1888 he began manufacturing pills based on alkaloids extracted
from medicinal plants. He married Clara and they had a daughter, Eleanor. He
founded Abbott Laboratories, one of the world's largest healthcare companies in
more than 130 countries. In 1916, the antiseptic agent Chlorazene, produced by
the company, was used on the battlefields of World War I to clean the wounds of
thousands of soldiers. In 1985, the company developed the first HIV blood
screening test. It produced medicines for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic
arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Abbott Laboratories is one of the largest
pharmaceutical conglomerates in the world.
Abbott's
daughter, Eleanor Abbott Ford, donated a musical organ to the church. She
married Rollin Ford, who started as a driver for Abbott Laboratories and was
director of a fitness center at the Ravenswood Methodist Church.
Wallace
Abbott lived a modest life, founded on the Methodist faith. He was co-author of
several books and editor-in-chief of The American Journal of Clinical Medicine.
He was a member of Ravenswood Methodist Church in Chicago.[152]
The bishop who prevented Methodism from closing its doors in Cuba
Armando Rodriguez Borges was born in Cuba. He was raised on his family's sugar cane farm and worked for a sugar company as an accountant. Methodism took hold in Cuba from 1893 onwards. Men and women from Florida, under the direction of Bishop Warren Candler, arrived in Cuba to preach the Gospel and organize the Methodist Church. In 1959, it was the largest church in Cuba. However, in the 1960s and 1970s many people left the island.
Fidel Castro's government took power in the 1959 revolution and attempted to destroy the Church and the Christian faith. Every day, propaganda claimed, through radio, television and newspapers, that the Christian faith was something of the past. The new times in Cuba would be for scientific work, education, culture. The 1960s and 1970s were very difficult for Methodists. Fidel declared religion irrelevant and exiled many of its leaders. Others fled. Only five of the 140 pastors remained. The Church declined.
Despite all the oppression, Methodism remained
alive. Armando saw that the Church needed a pastor and decided to stay in Cuba.
He asked that the doors of the temples be left open. He regrouped and
reestablished the true Church. In the 1980s, the Church began to awaken to
prayer and fasting. The Holy Spirit made a movement in the Church. Armando was
the Methodist Bishop of Cuba for 22 years until 1991. He retired and lives in
Lakeland, Florida, USA. His son, Armando Jr., is pastor of John Wesley United
Methodist Church in Tallahassee, Florida, in Leon County. According to his son,
Armando saved Methodist churches in Cuba from being closed by the government. Armando
has always been a noble man, of proven kindness and decent, living among a pack
of wolves.[153]
The “Mudavanhu” of Rhodesia
Douglas
Thompson Samkange (1887-1956) was born on the Zwimba reserve in Rhodesia
(Zimbabwe). He was the son of Mawodzewa and a devoted Methodist woman. He
became a Methodist pastor. He married Grace Mano in 1917, an evangelist.
He
was dynamic, good-natured and always ready to help someone in distress, which
earned him the nickname “Mudavanhu” (lover of the people). In 1938, he attended
the Tambaram International Missionary Conference in India as the only African
delegate from his country.
He
was influenced by Gandhi and Nehru. Committed to unity, he helped found the
Southern Rhodesian Bantu Congress in 1938. In 1945, he resurrected and
organized the old African National Congress, becoming its president. In 1948,
Samkange was in command when the ANC organized the country's first general
strike. He served as its president from 1943 to 1948.
At
the end of his life, he refused to be chief of the Zwimba tribe so as not to
disturb his pastorate. He inspired many Christian ministers to fight for the
rights of the African people against colonialism.[154]
Son of a Methodist pastor discovered
the origin of yellow fever
Walter
Reed (1851-1902) was born in Gloucester County, Virginia. Son of Lemuel Sutton
Reed, a Methodist pastor, and Pharaba White. He married Emilie. He received his
medical degree from the University of Virginia and was an attending physician
at New York Children's Hospital. He worked as a doctor in the US Army.
Reed
was a pathologist and bacteriologist and traveled to Cuba to study diseases in
U.S. Army camps.
In
1896, he proved that yellow fever is not transmitted by contaminated water or
by contact with clothing worn by a yellow fever patient. He proved that yellow
fever is caused by the bite of an infected mosquito, Stegomyia fasciata (later
renamed Aedes aegypti). In 1900, he confirmed that yellow fever is transmitted
by mosquitoes, not direct contact. He ended the outbreak in Cuba in 90 days.
In
1901, after returning from Cuba as a major, Reed continued to publish on yellow
fever. He received honorary degrees from Harvard and Michigan universities in
recognition of his work.
In
his honor, Walter Reed General Hospital was created. In 1938, the film Yellow
Jack portrayed his story in Cuba fighting yellow fever.[155]
Prime Minister and Chief Steward of the Church in Fiji
Jona
Baravilala Senilagakali (1929-2011) was born in Lakeba, Fiji.
He
was educated at Lau Provincial School and later at Queen Victoria School
(1945-1950), where he enrolled at the Fiji School of Medicine. He was a doctor
and diplomat. He was Fiji's seventh Prime Minister and Minister of Health.
He
served as a counselor at the Fijian Embassy in Tokyo (1981-1983) before
becoming consul general in Los Angeles. He was a lay preacher at the Fiji and
Rotuma Methodist Church. In 1990, he translated the Constitution of the
Methodist Church from English into Fiji.
Jona
was chief steward of the Methodist Church and served on the Standing Committee
of the Methodist Conference 1989-2002.
He
was the best-known and respected doctor in the country. he chaired the Fiji
Doctors' Association. He was one of the few pioneering doctors recognized
around the world for his contribution to health on a global scale.
Jona
was honored by the International Biographical Center in Cambridge, England,
with the IBC Award, in recognition of his exceptional contribution to health
services in Fiji.[156]
President of Fiji and Methodist preacher
.
Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda (1920-2011), known as Josefa Iloilo, was born in Vuda, Fiji. Married to Adi Kavu Seniloli. The three daughters and two sons were from a previous marriage.He worked as a teacher and mediator between farmers and loggers. He was a deeply religious man.
He
was a lay preacher and vice-president of the Methodist Church of Fiji and
Rotuma in 1997 and 1998. He was president of the Senate before becoming
vice-president of Fiji. He was president of Fiji from 2000 to 2009, during a
period of social and political unrest. He was respected for his attempts to
mediate between indigenous Fijians and the country's Indian ethnic minority.
His
“tenacity” as a politician is cited. He was a man of prayer and asked the
citizens of Fiji to seek God “to find the way for the nation”. He considered
that “prayer must be as important to our nation as breathing is to our life”.
He
retired from the Presidency at the age of 88, as the oldest head of state in
the world. Ratu Iloilo was a decent man who served his country. He was hailed
as a “great son of Fiji”.[157]
New Zealand's youngest Prime Minister
David Lange Russell (1942-2005) was born in Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand. Her father, Eric Roy Lange, a doctor, and her mother, Phoebe Fysh Reid, were active Methodists and David attended church services, Sunday School and Bible class. He also sang in the choir of a radio program and belonged to the Boys' Brigade.
Between 1967 and 1968, David traveled abroad.
In London, he worked as an accounting assistant at Methodist Hall, where he met
Naomi Alegria Crampton, who worked at the West London mission.
They
were married at the Methodist Church in Newark and returned to New Zealand.
After graduating from the University of Auckland with a law degree, he worked
for the disadvantaged in Auckland. His election to the House of Representatives
in 1977 changed his life, and he became leader of the Labor Party in 1983.
His
non-nuclear defense policy led him to win the 1984 general election, and he
became New Zealand's youngest Prime Minister of the 20th century. David and his
party were re-elected in 1987, but he resigned in 1989.
David
made profound reforms in the country. He made his name on the international
stage with a long campaign against nuclear weapons. A remarkable leader,
eloquent, fervent, intelligent and good-humored.[158]
King of Tonga and Methodist preacher
Taufa'ahau
Tupou IV (1918-2006) was born in Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga. He was one
of the country's top athletes, a long jumper who regularly jumped more than 10
feet. He also played tennis, cricket and rugby, surfed, scuba dived and rowed
competitively.
Taufa'ahau
was also a musician who mastered a wide range of instruments, including piano,
saxophone, clarinet, guitar, balalaika and Tongan flute. He was married to
Halaevalu Mata aho Ahome, a devoted Wesleyan.
He
studied Law at the University of Sydney and lived at Wesley College, Australia.
Taufa'ahau Tupou IV was appointed Prime Minister of Tonga in 1949.
Participated
in the World Methodist Council. King Tupou was monarch of Tonga's 169 islands
for 41 years.
He
was also a lay preacher in the Free Wesleyan Methodist Church. He ascended the
throne after the long reign of his mother, Queen Salote. He was a well-known
leader in the worldwide Methodist movement. In Tonga, the majority of the
population are Methodists. The king was an ardent Methodist and a committed
Christian.[159]
Prophet of Human Rights in Argentina
Federico
José Pagura (1924-2016) was born in Arroyo Seco, Santa Fé, Argentina. As a
teenager, he converted to the Methodist Church. He was a professor at the
Escola Normal and graduated from the Evangelical Faculty of Theology in Buenos
Aires. Married to Rita, he had three children.
DoctorHonoris Causafor
theUniversity
of Toronto, Canada, and the University of Pauw, Indiana, USA. Ordained a
Methodist pastor in 1950. He is a writer, poet and composer. He was president
of the editorial committee that published in 1962 an interdenominational
hymnal, Cântico Nuevo. Elected bishop in 1969, he served in Costa Rica and
Panama until 1973. He was one of the founders of the Ecumenical Movement for
Human Rights in 1976.
He
was elected bishop of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina
(1977-1989). During the Argentine dictatorship (1976-1983), he participated in
the silent vigils of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, protesting against the
abduction of children. He helped refugees in political persecution. He was
president of the Latin American Council of Churches and the Council of
Methodist Bishops in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 1998, he was elected
one of the ten co-presidents of the World Council of Churches.
The
National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States awarded him the
Mauricio López Human Rights Award. In 2003, the Argentine Congress included
Pagura among the country's “most notables”. In 2012, his biography Alvorada de
Esperança – Life and testimony of a Latin American prophet was released. He was
an icon of resistance against military dictatorships and the prophetic defense
of human rights. Many consider him a Latin American hero.[160]
Son of a Methodist pastor and general from Ivory Coast
Philippe
Mangou was born in 1952, in Ivory Coast. Son of Methodist pastor Francisco
Koutouan Mangou. He studied Law at the University of Cocody-Abidjan. He entered
the Armed Forces school in Bouaké in 1978. He had training in military strategy
and did internships in France in 1980 and 1991.
The
violent politics in his country led to him being arrested and tortured. Even in
prison, he never stopped praying. He is on the parish council of the Methodist
Church. He forgave his jailers. He was a general and chief of staff of the
Armed Forces of Côte d'Ivoire (2004-2011).
He
is a man of faith. Ivory Coast lives in constant political instability and
conflict. His faith helps him endure suffering and challenges. In the 2010-2011
political crisis, he sought asylum at the South African Embassy. He was later
reinstated into the Armed Forces. He received several awards, including Officer
of the National Order of Merit, French gold and silver medal and Medal of
Miceci.
In
May 2012, Lieutenant General Philippe Mangou was appointed ambassador
extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Côte d'Ivoire to the Republic of Gabon. In
2015, Philippe told journalists that he does not serve one man, but rather Côte
d'Ivoire.[161]
Philippine jurist, patriot and martyr
in the II World War
Jose Abad Santos (1886-1942) was born in San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines. In 1904, he went to the USA as a government pensioner. He completed his pre-law studies at Santa Clara College in California and his law degree at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. USA. He earned a master's degree in Law from George Washington University in 1909.
When he returned to the Philippines, he served as an assistant prosecutor in the Department of Justice (1913-1917). In 1919, she was instrumental in establishing the legal foundations of the Philippine Women's University. She was a staunch Methodist, a member of the Manila Central Methodist Church. He married Amanda Teopaco and they had six children. He was the first Filipino corporate lawyer for the Philippine National Bank, Manila Railroad Company. He became Attorney General and served as Chief Legal Officer to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives. He was Secretary of Justice (1921-1923, 1928 and 1931). In 1932, he became a judge of the Supreme Court, and chief justice in 1941.
In the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1942, President Manuel L. Quezon went to the US and appointed José Abad Santos as acting president. He was captured with his son, Jose Jr. (Pepito). He went to the firing squad for not collaborating with the Japanese, but before that he told his son: “Don't cry, Pepito, show these people that you are brave. It's an honor to die for the country. Not everyone has that chance.” He was executed on May 2, 1942.
He
is remembered for having served in the Philippines with the utmost honor and
patriotism. He has received many honors: one of the Women's University schools
and one of the six Arellano University campuses are named after him.[162]
First evangelical president of the Philippines
Fideal
"Eddie" Valdez Ramos (1928-2022) was born
in Lingayen, province ofPangasinan, Philippines.
Popularly known as FVR. In 1946, Ramos, through competitive examination, won a
government scholarship to the US Military Academy at West Point, New York. He
married Amelita Jara Martinez and they had five children. He was chief of staff
of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and then Secretary of National Defense.
He
participated in the Korean and Vietnam wars. In 1986, he was appointed chief of
staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as a four-star general.
He
became the 12th president of the Republic of the Philippines (1992-1998). Fidel
Valdez Ramos was known as a hero of the revolution. He took the reins of a
newly restored democracy, which he helped recover from a 20-year dictatorship.
Ramos
was admired for revitalizing and renewing international confidence in the
Philippine economy. He is the first and only non-Catholic to preside over the
Philippines. He tried to cut and restructure the bureaucracy and prosecute tax
evaders. With him, the country experienced a period of political stability and
economic growth and expansion. Ramos belongs to the United Methodist Church.[163]
Martyrs and heroes of Angola
The fight for Angola's independence from Portuguese rule began in 1961. Several Methodists participated in this fight, and many Methodist laypeople and pastors died. Reverend Guilherme Pereira English died with his daughter Juliana. Arrested in 1961, “he was killed in an atrocious way. They cut off an arm and other parts of the body. Then they gave him a shot of mercy.” His daughter Luzia English fled to the woods. She joined the guerrillas and completed her primary studies at an Angolan refugee school in Congo, controlled by surviving teachers from schools belonging to the Methodist Church of Angola. Today, she is the general secretary of the Angolan Women's Organization.
José Mendes de Carvalho, called Hoji-ya-Henda (Lion of Love), was the son of Agostinho de Carvalho, a nurse and consecrated Methodist. José belonged to the Methodist youth and its choir group. In 1954, he went to live in Luanda, in the house of Pastor Agostinho, Agostinho Neto's father. Afterwards, he was commander of the Popular Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola and died in combat. He is an Angolan national hero. Due to his combativeness and moral integrity, he became the patriotic symbol of Angolan youth.
Pastor Evangelista Bernardo Panzo, for around
14 years, lived with thousands of Angolans in the forests, ministering to the
people: “we built houses for worship... I opened a school to teach the Bible.
No one went out to fight without first confessing to the pastor.” They prayed
at 4 o'clock, 5 o'clock in the morning and at noon. There were around 3,500
people. In 1975, Angolans achieved independence, with Agostinho Neto, national
hero and Methodist.164]
Son of a Methodist pastor,
first president and hero of Angola
Agostinho
Neto (1922-1979) was born in the village of Kaxicane, Icolo and Bengo region,
Angola. His father Agostinho was a pastor and teacher at the Methodist Church,
and his mother, Maria da Silva Neto, was a teacher. He was a poet, nationalist
and statesman. At the age of 13, he enrolled at Liceu Salvador Correia. He was
an active member of the Methodist Church. He sang in the choir.
He
participated in the creation of the Evangelical Center for Angolan Youth. In
1947, he went to Portugal, to the Faculty of Medicine of Coimbra, with a
scholarship from the Methodist Church in the USA. Involved in political
activities, he was arrested in 1951. He denounced and fought against the
oppression of the Angolan people under the yoke of Portuguese colonialism.
Arrested by the police of the Salazar regime, he escaped from prison in Cape
Verde, went into exile and assumed leadership of the Popular Movement for the
Liberation of Angola (MPLA) during the Angolan War of Independence (1961-1974).
As
the winner, for the MPLA, he assumed the role of president of the Republic in
1975 and was the first president of Angola. National Heroes Day is celebrated
on his birthday. “The Methodist Church actively participated in the clandestine
and armed struggle for national liberation by awakening the nationalist spirit
of Angolans”. Several Methodist pastors were arrested and killed, such as
Reverend Cristovão Miguel da Silva, and Class Guides, such as Homes Mucagi.
Bishop José Quipungo of Angola refers to Agostinho Neto as “the Methodist of
blood and heart”.[165]
The black Moses who freed more
of 300 slaves
Araminta
Harriet Ross or Harriet Tubman (1820-1913) was born in Maryland, USA. She was
an example of courage and determination.
As a
child, she was subjected to whipping. On cold nights, she would sleep near the
fire and sometimes her toes would get stuck in the ash. Her main source of
nutrition was cornmeal.Most of his childhood was spent with his grandmother. At
the age of 12, an inspector seriously injured him in the head. Around 1844, she
married a free black man, John Tubman. But when he didn't want to run away, in
1849, she left her husband and fled to Philadelphia.
An abolitionist couple gave him a ride. Harriet got a job and her wages
helped free other slaves.Over a period of ten years, he made 19 trips to the
South and freed more than 300 slaves, including his parents. In the American
Civil War, she worked for the Union army as a cook, nurse, and spy. Known as
the Black Moses, there was a reward for her capture. She was illiterate. She
attributed her visions to God.
He helped organize the African Methodist Episcopal Church and created a
home for indigent elderly African Americans, the Harriet Tubman Home. Among the
films about her life are A Woman Called Moses and Harriet Tubman, a Discovery
cartoon.[166]
Wahatchee, the War Woman
Nancy Morgan Hart (1735-1830) was born in the Yadkin River Valley, North
Carolina, USA. She was tall, thin, with blue eyes and a face marked by the
freckles and smallpox she had as a child. Her hair was red and her temper was
explosive. Hart was a heroine whose
exploits in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) have become legend. Her
family is related to the famous Daniel Boone. In 1760, she met and married
Benjamin Hart.
In 1771, they went to live near Rio Largo, in Georgia, and had nine children. She was well known to the Indians, who called her “Wahatchee”, War Woman. She enjoyed hunting deer and followed bees to collect honey from their hives. They said she was “a devil of a patriot, but a devil of a woman”. She knew how to shoot very well. She created a medicinal garden with all the herbs to keep her family healthy. People came from far and wide to taste her orchard apples. Her knowledge of medicine made her a sought-after midwife.
Hart was a devoted patriot during the war. Her husband went to war against the English as a militia lieutenant in Georgia and she chose to stay home alone. One of the legends says that Hart's house was invaded by six Englishmen who demanded food. While preparing food, she managed to get them drunk and defeat them by taking their weapons. Hart acted as a spy and courageously entered the British camp disguised as a man to obtain information that helped defeat the English at the great battle of Kettle Creek on February 14, 1779. Legend has it that Hart participated in the battle.
Hart converted and became a fervent Methodist, who fought the devil as
bravely as she fought the English. In the 1790s they moved to other places.
Hart lived and died in Henderson, Kentucky. Hart has received several honors.
In the 1930s, a replica of the Hart home cabin was erected near Elbert County,
Georgia. Her name was given to Hart County, Kentucky.[167].
The Estonian martyr who preached in several languages
Martin
Prikask received a good education in Estonia. He served in the Russian army
and, in 1903, graduated. Methodism arrived in Estonia in 1907. Martin was one
of the first to convert. He was a merchant and became a local preacher (1909).
He studied at college to be a pastor and graduated in 1912. He was a good
communicator, a charismatic preacher and was able to preach in Estonian,
Russian, German and English.
In
1921, Martin was elected a life member of the Estonian Red Cross and sat on the
Bank of Estonia.
Since
1919, he was responsible editor of a magazine about the Christian family. He
was editor-in-chief of the magazine Novo Conselheiro Cristão (1928-1940). With
the Second World War, the Churches suffered greatly from the communists and
practically disappeared.
In
1941, there was mass deportation to Siberia, and three Methodist pastors were
arrested, including Martin Prikask. He was interrogated in 1941 and killed in
1942. His wife, Eliise, escaped after being imprisoned. On Martin's grave there
is a monument in his honor. He was the first superintendent of the Estonian
Methodist Church. His work was not in vain; the Methodist Church re-emerged in
Estonia after 1991. The Church's priority today is to teach, train and lead new
Christians to proclaim the Gospel.[168]
The light that shone for Sierra Leone
John
Albert Musselman Karefa-Smart (1915-2010) was born in Rotifunk, Moyamba
District, Sierra Leone. He was educated at EUB Primary School in Moyamba
District and Albet Academy in Freetown. He studied at the College in
Westerville, Ohio, USA; McGill University, in Montreal, Canada; and Harvard
University, in Boston, USA.
Karefa-Smart
was a politician, doctor and university professor, and one of the founders of
the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), in 1951. He was the founder of the
National People's Kingdom Party (UNPP), in 1996.
He
served as a captain in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps in the Bahamas
during World War II. He was Minister of Soils, Mines, and Labor, Minister of
Defense and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1961-1964). Karefa-Smart has had over
15 years of experience in international healthcare, teaching at universities in
Nigeria and the United States. For five years, he was assistant director
general of the World Health Organization.
He
was an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. John Karefa-Smart's life
was seen as a shining light for all Sierra Leoneans and shows the possibilities
that can be achieved. It was called Rainbow Happenings. He believed that God
used him to guide him in his work as an educator, minister, public health
physician, diplomat, politician, and statesman.[169]
From “monster” to Methodist bishop
sante
Uberto Barbieri (1902-1991) was born in Dueville, province of Vicenza, Northern
Italy, and arrived in Brazil at the age of eight. Son of Maria Luigia Zanzotto
and Sante Barbieri. His ancestors were freedom-loving Italian anarchists. As a
child, he faced illness and ethnic prejudice. He was the creator of the
Academia Passo-Fundense de Letras.
As a
young man, he wrote for the newspaper A Época, in Passo Fundo (RS), when he
found a newspaper clipping, in 1921, in which a Catholic priest attacked the
Methodists. He did not know the Methodists, but he wrote to defend them. He was
called a “monster” by the parish priest, but that was how he met and became a
Methodist. On the first Sunday in April 1923, he was received as a member of
the Methodist Church in Passo Fundo. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in
Arts and Theology in Porto Alegre. He later obtained master's degrees in Old
and New Testament from Southern Methodist University and Emory University, USA.
He
returned to Brazil in 1933 to direct the Faculty of Theology of the Regional
Council of the South. He was the first dean of the Faculty of Theology of the
Methodist Church, in 1938. The following year, he went to serve the Methodist
mission in Uruguay and Argentina. In Buenos Aires, he was rector of the Union
Theological Seminary.
He
married Odette de Oliveira. In 1949, he was elected bishop at the Central Latin
American Conference for Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia. In 1954, he was one of
six presidents elected to the World Council of Churches. In 1969, he presided
over the first sessions for the constitution of Ciemal. He wrote in the column
“Reading the Bible today”, in the newspaper Expositor Christiano. He wrote
several books, includingAspects ofhuman poverty, Poemas Y Prosa and A strange strain of bold people.[170]
First Lady of
Mozambique and South Africa
Grace
Simbene Machel Mandela was born in 1945, in Incadine, Gaza, Mozambique.
Daughter of a Methodist pastor, who died before she was born. She was sent to a
Methodist mission school at age six and then went to university in Portugal on
a Methodist Mission scholarship.
He
graduated with a degree in Philology of the German Language. She was a
Mozambican politician and human rights activist. She received military
training, worked with women and children, and taught school.
In
1974, she was appointed vice-principal of the Frelimo Secondary School in
Bagamoyo. After independence, in 1975, Graça became Minister of Education and
Culture and member of the Central Committee of Frelimo (Front for the
Liberation of Mozambique).
She
has been First Lady of Mozambique since 1976, when she married Samora Machel,
the first president of Mozambique, who died in 1986. In 1990, she was appointed
by the UN to Study the Impact of Armed Conflicts on Children. She received the
United Nations Nansen Medal in 1995. In 1998, she married Nelson Mandela.
She has always been a pragmatic woman, who believes that education is the essential first step towards progress.She was chosen by Time magazine as one of the hundred most influential figures in the world in 2010. [171]
A great figure in Mozambique
Jamisse
Uilson Taimo was born in 1955, in Cambine, Mozambique. Son of Methodist
parents. In 1976, he decided to study for pastoral ministry and went to the
Faculty of Theology, at Umesp, Brazil (1977-1980). Afterwards, he completed a
master's degree at PUC-SP (1981-1984).
Back in Mozambique, he was appointed professor at the United Seminary of Ricatla and was its academic director. In 1986, he was appointed pastor advisor to the Methodist Youth and, in 1987, appointed to the Paróquia da Liberdade, organized by him. He taught at Eduardo Mondlane University and was a member of the Department of Combating Racism and a member of the Peace and Reconciliation Council in Mozambique.
He was appointed coordinator of the Peace Movement in Mozambique, in 1992, and academic director of the Higher Institute of International Relations (Isri), in 1994. In 1995, he was the first rector of Isri appointed by the government. He returned to Brazil and completed his doctorate at the Methodist University of Piracicaba (2006-2010).
Jamisse
recommends that young people study secular and religious education. When he
went to Brazil to study Theology, his focus was education. For him, Susanna
Wesley knew how to educate her children. Jamisse remembers that his mother
always wanted him to have a diploma. He felt called to be a pastor.
In 2014, the government, through the Council of Ministers, approved the United Methodist University of Mozambique (Umum). Jamisse was the president of the Umum Installation Committee. He is a great figure in the Methodist Church and the country.[172]
In 2019
he wrote the book “History and politics and Higher Education in Mozambique”.
Apostle of Peace in Nigeria
Eminence
Sunday Mbang (1936-2023) was born Idua-Eket, Nigeria. Son of Coffie Eka-Mbang,
pastor of Qua Iboe Church, and Judith Udo-Ekpo, descendants of the royal
family. Between 1941 and 1950, Mbang completed his primary education. Among the
schools he attended was Methodist Boys High School. Mbang participated in a
music band and was a scout and athlete.
In
1958, he qualified as a teacher at a Methodist college in Uzuakoli. At his
father's death, he felt he must complete his ministry on earth. His theological
training (1962-1964) was at Trinity College, Umuahia. He pursued postgraduate
studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1972-1974). He went to Harvard
University, Cambridge, in Massachusetts, USA, where he obtained a master's
degree in Theology and a doctorate. He returned to Nigeria in 1978 and was a
professor at the University of Ibadan.
He
was married to teacher Enobong Essien and has three boys. In 1984, he was
elected patriarch of the Methodist Church of Nigeria and emphasized
reconciliation, reconstruction and revival. He was skilled in Church conflicts,
bringing reconciliation, and became a model for Methodist Churches around the
world.
The
number of churches and dioceses grew enormously, as did the number of
archbishops, bishops, presbyters, pastors, deacons and deaconesses. He
supported the peasants and crusaded against inequality. He was a pious, honest,
compassionate, humble, reconciling leader, a human being of peace. In 2001, he
became president of the World Methodist Council and retired in 2006. That same
year, he won the World Methodist Peace Prize.[173]
The need for God in the life of the Nobel Prize winner
Arthur
Leonard Schawlow (1921-1999) was born in Mount Vernon, New York. His father,
Arthur Schawlow, was a Jewish immigrant from Latvia and his mother, Helen
Mason, was from Canada. He attended high school at Vaughan Collegiate
Institute. He won a science scholarship at the University of Toronto and later
pursued postgraduate studies at the same university.
In
1951, he married Aurelia Townes, with whom he had three children.
He
received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on lasers. He was a devout
Methodist, raised in his mother's church, which was evangelical. He and his son
joined the Methodist Church in Paradise, California, USA. He said he went to a
Church, a good Methodist Church. He considered himself an orthodox Christian
and believed this was a good course of action in life.
He
was a promoter of the method of facilitated communication with autism patients.
He was awarded the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering violations of
the fundamental principles of symmetry in the decay of neutral K-mesons.
He
stated, “I see the need for God in the universe and in my own life.” In 1991,
NEC Corporation and the American Physical Society established the Arthur L.
Schawlow Award in Laser Science.[174]
Methodist school contributes to the formation of Nobel
Prize winner
The Leys
School, in Cambridge, England, for the children of lay Methodists, began with
16 boys in 1875, and within two years it had one hundred students. Reverend W.
F. Moulton was the first director.
The Leys School contributed to the success of
Henry Hallett Dale (1875-1978), winnerof the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Henry was
born in London, the son of Charles James Dale, a pottery manufacturer. He was
educated at Tollington Park College and Leys School. His father was a member
of the Wesleyan Methodist Annual Conference. At age 16, Henry won a full-time
scholarship to Leys Methodist School (1891-1894).
The Leys School's scheme of education was more comprehensive than that of most public schools and was unusual in promoting science. New laboratories were completed in 1893. The Leys School had a profound influence on the direction of Dale's higher education, guiding him towards medical/scientific studies and equipping him with the knowledge and skills to undertake this work.
Dale was mayor in 1893; he played rugby
football and was a member of the Methodist Missionary Society. He received the
Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1936, with his friend Otto Loewi, for discoveries
related to the transmission of chemical nerve impulses. Henry married Ellen and
presided over the Royal Society (1940-1945), the British Association (1947) and
the Royal Society of Medicine (1948-1950). He received honours, including
Knight Grand Cross, in 1948. One of the houses at Leys School is named after Henry
Dale.[175]
First astronaut to walk in space
Edward
Higgins White (1930-1967), “Ed”, was born in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated
from West Point, where he set a record in the 400-meter hurdles. The White
family has had a long and proud history of service in the various branches of
the Armed Forces. In 1953, Ed married Patrícia White Finega.Ed was an engineer,
United States Air Force officer and NASA astronaut. He and other astronauts
were members of the United Methodist Church in Seabrook, Texas, located about
four miles from NASA.
In
March 1966, he was chosen as senior pilot for the first manned Apollo flight,
designated AS-204, along with Virgil Ivan “Gus” Grissom.
On
June 3, 1965, Ed realized his dream and became the first American to “walk in
space.”during the Gemini IV mission. Ed died in 1967, along with fellow
astronauts “Gus” Grissom and Roger Chaffee, during a pre-launch test for the
first manned Apollo1 mission, at Cape Kennedy. He was awarded the NASA
Distinguished Service Medal and awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Ed
was a devoted Methodist. Many schools, parks, and roads are named after Lt.
Col. Ed White. He was the first American astronaut to perform a spacewalk from
Gemini 4 in 1965. During his life, Ed spoke of his desire to help the nation's
youth. In 1971, the Methodist Church in Seabrook dedicated the Ed White
Memorial Youth Center to him.[176]
First African Secretary-General of the World Council
of Churches
samuel
Kobia was born in 1947, in Miathene, Meru, Kenya. Kobia is married to Ruth, and
they have two daughters, Kaburo and Nkatha, and two sons, Mwenda and Mutua. He
studied at St. Paul's United Theological College in Limuru, Kenya, where he
graduated in Theology in 1971.
He
moved to Chicago and enrolled at McCormick Theological Seminary to study urban
ministry. He studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he
earned a master's degree in Urban Planning (MCP) in 1978. That year, Kobia and
his family went to Geneva, Switzerland, where he took on the role of executive
secretary for the Rural Urban Mission on the Council. World Churches (WCC).
In
1993, Reverend Dr. Kobia received a Doctor of Divinity (honorary degree) from
the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. First African elected
secretary-general of the World Council of Churches (WCC), between 2004 and
2009.
In
2010, Kobia was appointed special envoy for Sudan by the Pan-African Conference
of Churches (AACC). He continues his role as a peacemaker and global leader,
committed to resolving religious conflicts.
He
became involved with several church-linked pacifist and anti-racism groups and
presided over peace negotiations in neighboring Sudan in 1991, working to
promote dialogue between Christians and Muslims.[177]
First civilian president of the STM in Brazil
Aldo da
Silva Fagundes (1931-2020), in Alegrete, RS. He
was married to Maria Luiza Schlottfeldt, who died in 2004, with whom he had
three daughters and a son, musician Quico Fagundes. One of Quico's albums is
called Vitória: the Bible, sport and life.
Maria
Luiza was an evangelist, president of the Federation of Methodist Women of the
5th Region and national president of the World Day of Prayer. She was a member
of the Editorial Board of the magazines Voz Missionária and Em march. Her
book/blog From Eve to Mary Magdalene, People of the Bible can still be accessed
on the internet.
Aldo
Fagundes graduated from the Faculty of Law of the Federal University of Rio
Grande do Sul in 1956. He was elected, in 1963, state deputy for the PTB. He
was a politician who opposed the dictatorship and stood out with his ethics and
political and democratic capacity. He was the first civilian president of the
Supreme Military Court appointed by the president of Brazil. Aldo was a lay
guide at the Methodist Church; president of the IMS Board of Directors
(currently Umesp); president of the Brazilian Bible Society for more than one
term; federal deputy for four legislatures and special advisor to the PMDB. He
was a member of the Academia Rio-Grandense de Letras. He worked in higher
education as a professor of the Political Science course at the Unified Education
Center of Brasília.
He
was president of the Rio Grande do Sul Youth Federation and class teacher at
the Sunday School of the Methodist Church of Asa Sul, in Brasília. He won theSpringer
Prize for a Greater Rio Grande.[178]
The young black man who overcame prejudice in baseball
in the USA by faith
Jackie
Robinson (1919-1972) was born in Cairo, Georgia, USA. A descendant of slaves,
he grew up amid poverty and racism. When he was one year old, his father
abandoned the family and they decided to live in California. His mother, Mallie
Robinson, took him to church.As a teenager, Jackie became involved with gangs.
The young black Methodist pastor Karl Downs brought Jackie closer to the
Church. Jackie taught Sunday School and became a disciple of Jesus. Reverend
Downs arranged his marriage to Rachel Išum and advised him until the end of his
life.
Jackie
went to college at UCLA, went to war and became an officer. He was the first
black baseball player to debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers, in 1947. General
manager Branch Richey was a Methodist. They were instrumental in eliminating
racism in baseball. Jackie's faith, determination and skill were able to
overcome the boos. He learned to turn the other cheek. Jackie refused to play
baseball on Sundays.
In
2005, he posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the
Congressional Gold Medal, the US's highest civilian honor. Two films about his
life were released: Jackie Robinson Story, in 1950, and 42, in 2013, his shirt
number. He was the first black television analyst in MLB. April 15th is
celebrated by baseball as Jackie Robinson Day.[179]
Awarded for promoting peace
in Northern Ireland
Harold
Good was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1937. He was ordained a minister of
the Methodist Church in 1962. He was president of the Methodist Church in
Ireland (2001-2002) and served as director of the Corrymeela Center for
Reconciliation for five years, a place of refuge for those who are affected by
the conflicts in Ireland.
He
has taken a courageous stand and made friends with all sides in the conflicts
in Northern Ireland. In the 1969 riots, wounded people were brought to his
church, and when an IRA bomb exploded before Christmas in 1971, he was one of
those who helped pull dead children from the rubble.
He
ministered to Crumlin Road prisoners and was vital for the IRA to apologize on
the 30th anniversary of “Bloody Friday”. He has promoted reconciliation in
Northern Ireland.
He
won the Methodist World Peace Prize in 2007. He received the Gandhi Peace Award
and the Rene Casin Human Rights Award from the Basque government. Queen
Elizabeth II appointed him a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1970
and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1985.[180]
On the successful path of giving
won the Nobel Prize.
Rodney
Robert Porter (1917-1985) was a British doctor. He was born in
Newton-le-Willows, St Helens, Lancashire, London, England. His father was
Joseph L. Porter, a railroad employee, and his mother was Isobel Reese Porter. He
studied at Ashton-in-Makerfield Grammar School and the University of Liverpool.
He
obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in 1948. In World War II,
he served six years in the British Army. He married Julia Frances New Porter.
He worked for the National Institute of Medical Research (1949-1960) before
going to St. Mary's Medical Teaching Hospital, University of London, as the
first professor of Immunology.
In
1972, Rodney won, with Gerald M. Edelman, the Nobel Prize in Medicine or
Physiology. Rodney and Gerald worked separately and discovered that the
antibody is made of different groups or “chains” of amino acids that were light
(about 210 amino acids) or heavy (about 550 amino acids). Around 1969, they
determined the complete structure of the antibody, which shows that it is made
of more than 1,300 amino acids.
Rodney
was a humanitarian and philanthropist with a strong social conscience and
deeply concerned about the planet. He stated that the most successful and
rewarding path is to give, share and sacrifice without expecting anything in
return. Sacrifice is the key to understanding his personality.[181]
The leading expert in bee genetics
Warwick
Estevam Kerr (1922-2018) was born in Santana do Parnaíba, Brazil. He is a
geneticist, agricultural engineer, entomologist and professor. He was a
professor at the Federal University of Uberlândia and a member of the Brazilian
Academy of Sciences, the North American Academy of Sciences and the Third World
Academy of Sciences.In 1956, Kerr introduced the African bee to Brazil and
developed the Africanized bee, a more docile bee and excellent honey producer.
He
also dedicated himself to the genetic improvement of foods, including lettuce
that is 20 times richer in vitamin A4. He was president of the Brazilian
Society for the Progress of Science (1969-1973). From 1975 to 1979, he was
director of the National Amazon Research Institute (Inpa). He became known for
his research into the hybridization of African bees and the Italian bee.
In
1977, Kerr was elected a member of the International Commission on Genetics
(1977-1984). He was admitted by President Itamar Franco to the National Order
of Scientific Merit in the Grand Cross class in 1994. Kerr became the first
Brazilian to belong to the United States Academy of Sciences. He is considered
one of the greatest Brazilian geneticists and the world's greatest expert in
bee genetics.
At
the Central Methodist Church of Piracicaba, he was a lay guide, president of
the Board of Trustees, youth counselor and teacher of the youth class at Sunday
School. Warwick Kerr was awarded the Methodist Order of Merit in 2006.[182]
First African president of the World Methodist Council
Lawi
Imathiu was born in Menru, Kenya, in 1932. His father converted as a child, in
1910, being one of the first Christians of the Meru tribe. Imathiu attended the
Methodist Mission School and learned to play the organ and love music.The
Church encouraged him to become a minister of the Church and he devoted his
life to the work of God.
He
went to St. Paul's Theological University in Nairobi and to the universities of
London and Epworth in Zimbabwe. He became a Master of Divinity and Doctor of
Theology in Claremont, California, 1990.
He
was the first African president of the World Methodist Council (1986-1991) and
the first independent bishop of the Methodist Church of Kenya (1970-2000). With
him, the Church grew from 8 thousand to 225 thousand members.
He
carried out missions in Borana, Kisii and Masai, Kenya, and began Methodist
work in Uganda and Tanzania. He was a member of the Kenyan Parliament. When
Ugandan dictator Idi Amin tried to silence the Church, Imathiu took a
courageous stand against him. He co-founded Kenya Methodist University. In
2005, he received the Methodist World Peace Prize.
In
2013, Kenya Methodist University (Kemu) awarded an honorary doctorate to Bishop
Imathiu for contributing his leadership to the country's development.[183]
The US president who fought for the rights of former
slaves
Ulysses
Grant S. (1822-1885) was born in Point Pleasant, Ohio. He was commanding
general of Federal, or Northern, troops during the Civil War, appointed by
President Lincoln.He was the 18th president of the USA (1869-1877). When he
went to live in Galena in 1860 and work in the family leather store with his
brother, he attended the Methodist Church.
At
the end of the Civil War, he returned to Galena, and the Methodist Church was
decorated with flags to welcome and honor him. During the US presidency, the
Grant family attended the Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church in
Washington, D.C., and later, in New York, the Central Methodist Episcopal
Church. He married a pious Methodist woman, Julia Dent. His parents' Methodism
influenced him in the fight against slavery.
He
actively promoted the rights of former slaves, using federal forces to secure
voting rights and combat the actions of the Ku Klux Klan. Grant was not a
devoted Methodist throughout his life, but as he approached death he spent more
time with his Methodist pastor and was baptized for the first time. Faced with
financial collapse and about to die, he found redemption in the Methodist
Church in New Jersey. The pew he used to sit on at services is called “General
Grant” and is marked with a flag and plaque.[184]
From Sunday School superintendent to US president.
William
McKinley (1843-1901) was born in Niles, Ohio. Converted at age 12, he joined
the Methodist Church at age 16. His faith founded his life.In 1867, William
McKinley first went to Canton, Ohio, to establish a law office. He was active
in the Methodist Church and served as Sunday School superintendent and
administrator for many years.
He
strictly followed his Methodist education, rarely drinking or swearing. He
attended Allegheny College and graduated with a law degree. He married Ida
Saxton. He was governor of Ohio and the 25th president of the United States.
At
his inauguration in 1897, he said: “Our faith teaches us that there is no surer
dependence than on the God of our fathers, who has so singularly favored the
American people in every national trial and who will not soon abandon us if we
obey. to his commandments and to walk humbly in his footsteps.”
With
it, the USA won the Spanish-American War and expanded territories and colonies.
McKinley believed the U.S. government had a duty to help spread Christianity
around the world. During his administration, the USA acquired assets that
allowed it to become a great world power.[185]
The Knight of the Gospel of Peace
|
|
AIan
Walker (1911–2003) was born in Sydney, Australia. The son of a Methodist
pastor, he was an Australian theologian and evangelist. He married Winifred
Channon. He studied Missions in England (1938-39).
In
1949, with Archbishop JD Simmonds of Melbourne, he was seconded as a human
relations consultant to the Australian delegation to the United Nations. He
participated in the formation of the World Council of Churches. He was director
of world evangelism for the World Methodist Council (1978-1988).
He
participated in the founding of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute. He
was director of the Pacific College of Evangelism (now the Alan Walker College
of Evangelism) in Sydney (1982-1995).
He
was a faithful pastor of the Gospel of salvation, a passionate prophet, and one
of God's great peacemakers. He was a defender of family values and holiness.
His style was prophetic. He received the title of “Knight” in 1981. He was
awarded the Methodist World Peace Prize in 1986 and awarded an Australian
Lifetime Treasure.[186]
The prince bishop loved for his courage
Charles Betts Galloway (1849-1909) was born in
Kosciusko, Mississippi. He was educated at the University of Mississippi as a
brilliant student. His conversion occurred in 1867. He became a Methodist
minister. He was a popular and impressive preacher, a strong supporter of
liquor prohibition.He had a pleasant appearance, a dignified
manner and a smile that instantly won over.He had remarkable wisdom, eloquence and culture.
In 1882 he was named editor of the New Orleans
Christian Advocate, and in 1886 he was elected bishop. Galloway dedicated
himself to the Missions. In 1888, he presided over the Central Mexican
Conference. There was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the services held on
Sundays. In 1894, he visited the eastern mission fields and made a trip around
the world, ministering in China, Japan, Mexico, Brazil. He visited Egypt,
Syria, Greece, Italy, Singapore, India, Israel. He was in Brazil as a bishop
and presided over the Conferences in 1897 and 1901, having been considered “a
prince in Israel”.
His courage and consecration in the face of yellow fever in the city of Vichsburg, USA, led the people of Jackson, where he was pastor twice, to love him more than ever. When he passed away, there had never been a funeral in the city of Jackson with so many people. City newspapers reported that Bishop Galloway was one of the greatest men the State of Mississippi had. He received the title “missionary bishop of the Methodist Church”.He was the author of more than six books.[187]
Pioneer missionary in West Africa
Thomas
Birch Freeman (1809-1890) was born in Twyford, Hampshire, England. His mother
was English and his father was a freed African slave. He was head gardener on a
Suffolk estate, but was dismissed for leaving Anglicanism for Methodism. He
joined the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society and became a missionary in
West Africa, traveling to the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in 1837.
His
first two wives, white British women, died soon after arriving in Africa. In
the first eight years of the Church's life on the Gold Coast, 11 of the 21
missionaries died. The doors opened when Freeman went to the countryside of
Kusami, capital of the Ashanti kingdom, and befriended the head of the nation
and other chiefs. At the end of the decade he returned to England. His diary,
published in 1841, and his lectures made him a celebrity. He received further
support and returned to the Gold Coast with several missionary recruits.
After
his return to Africa, he visited Kusami again. He went to Sierra Leone and
expanded Wesleyan work into Yoruban territory. He then worked in Dahomey
(present-day Benin) and in the heart of Yoruba territory in Nigeria (Lagos and
Abeokuta). In 1860 he became a farmer on the Gold Coast.
In
1873, he returned to being a missionary and worked in Anam-abu (Nigeria) for
the last six years of his life. Freeman expanded Protestantism and, in
particular, Methodism throughout West Africa.[188]
From orphan to US president
Rutherford
B. Hayes (1822-1893) was born in Delaware, Ohio. His father was a merchant and
farmer, and died ten weeks before Hayes was born. An uncle served as his
guardian. Hayes was raised by his mother, Sophia Birchard Hayes. In 1836,enrolled
at the Methodist Academy in Norwalk, Ohio.
He
graduated in Law from Harvard University. In the Civil War, he commanded a
division of the Army of West Virginia Brigade, with several victories over
enemy troops. He was wounded four times. In 1864, he was promoted to brigadier
general and then major general. He married Lucy Hayes Ware Webb, a great leader
of the Methodist Church, the first woman to be called “First Lady”. He attended
the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Fremont. His military fame led him into
politics. He served in Congress and as governor of Ohio (1868-1872 and
1876-1877).
He
was the 19th president of the USA (1877-1881). He dedicated the end of his life
to social causes, such as providing scholarships for African Americans, and
encouraging temperance. Hayes helped his Methodist Church, especially to
facilitate its expansion and reconstruction in 1888. His last words were, “I
know I am going near my Lucy.”[189]
Missionary and defender of the Chinese
Otis Gibson (1826-1889) was
born on a farm in Moira, New York. He converted at age 13 after his brother's
death. At age 19, he entered the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the early 1850s
he studied at Dickinson College. He was a teacher in Maryland and married
Elizabeth, with whom he had two children.
Gibson
graduated in 1854 and was ordained in 1854. He and his family went to Foochow,
China, in 1855. They established the Church of the True God and the Church of
Heavenly Peace, the first two Methodist churches built in East Asia. Ting Ang
was the first Methodist convert in China, in 1857. In 1859, Gibson established
a boarding school for laymen and ministers. He also helped with the work of
translating the Bible and other Christian books into the local Foochow dialect.
He began the Methodist mission at Yen-p'ing in 1864.
Gibson
returned to the United States in 1865 because of his wife's illness and went to
be a pastor in Moira, California.Franklin
County,New York. In
1868, he went to San Francisco, California, as superintendent of the “Chinese
Inland Mission” of the Methodist Church. He learned the Cantonese dialect and
opened missions and churches. He wrote a Chinese-English dictionary and
translated the New Testament into Cantonese (simplified Chinese).
The
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 discriminated against, persecuted and barred the
immigration of Chinese. Gibson defended the right of Chinese immigration in his
book The Chinese in America. In 1870, she organized the Pacific Coast Women's
Missionary Society, which built a building in 1901, the “Methodist Mission
House” (Oriental Home and School), rescuing women and “Mui Tsai” – captive
girls – , which were sold or thrown into prostitution in San Francisco's
Chinatown. They were welcomed and received education and professional training.
The law that discriminated against the Chinese was repealed in 1943.[190]
The Methodist missionary who worked with education in China
Young
John Allen (1836-1907) was born in Burke County, Georgia, USA. Twelve days
after his birth, he lost his father and then his mother. In 1853, he converted
and felt called to the ministry. In 1858, he married Mary Houston and that same
year he graduated from Emory College. He arrived in Shanghai in 1860.
He
was a Methodist missionary in China and worked in the field of education. He
needed a secular job at a government school in Shanghai because of the Church's
financial difficulties during the US civil war.
In
1883, he purchased land for the Anglo-Chinese College in Shanghai. He had a
powerful influence among students and led a revival on the college campus. In
addition to the Anglo-Chinese College, he founded Dongwu University (now Suzhou
University) for the education of women. His efforts helped found the McTyreire
School for Girls.
He
published several newspapers and magazines as a form of evangelism and
education. Young's list of literary productions includes some 250 volumes of
original and translated works. Her publications were popular among many
Chinese. His local church did missions in Japan and Korea. In Georgia, there
are several memorials in his honor, including the Allen Memorial United
Methodist Church.[191]
Young man converted a nation of cannibals
John
Hunt (1812-1848) was born in England. It wasson of illiterate and irreligious
parents. He converted to the Wesleyan Methodist Church. He entered the seminary
and accepted the challenge of evangelizing cannibals in Fiji with his wife,
Hannah Summers. In Fiji he tried to work intensely. He had to endure atrocities
of cannibalism. Three of his children died shortly after birth.
A
cannibal king threatened him with death, but a revival took place, and many
lives were changed. In the first week alone, one hundred were converted. The
carpets in the chapel were wet with their tears. The queen of Viwa also
converted.
John
Hunt introduced to Fiji (1838-1848) Western ideas of education and medicine,
along with the ethical and religious principles of Christianity. He worked on
translating the Bible into the native language, completing the New Testament
and beginning the translation of the Old Testament. His translation of the New
Testament is used in Fiji. The conversion of the cannibal warrior Varani, in
1845, was fundamental to the expansion of Christianity on the islands.
John
Hunt worked with apostolic zeal and died praying for Fiji: “God, in the love of
Christ, bless Fiji, save Fiji.” He died of dysentery, and ten Fijians wished to
give their lives in exchange for Hunt's life. Today, 36% of Fiji's population
are Methodists. One of the first books about John Hunt's Mission among the
Cannibals was written in 1859 by George
Stringer Rowe.[192]
Cannibal king converts and brings peace to Fiji
Cakobau
(1815-1883) was king of Fiji and a cannibal who ate his enemies. He was the son
of King Tãnoa, of the island of Bau, who did not hesitate to eat relatives and
had killed his own son. Another cannibal, Ilaijia Varani, was chief of Viwa
Island, in Fiji, and an ally of Cakobau, who was a warrior, feared and
respected as a leader.
The
English missionary John Hunt evangelized in Fiji and suffered several threats
from Varani. When Hunt taught him to read, Varani was impressed by the
crucifixion of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, translated by Hunt. He said he
was going to become a Christian. Cakobau threatened to eat him. Varani
converted on Good Friday 1845. He married his principal wife and was baptized
into the Methodist Church. He became a fervent disciple of Christ, with real
changes in his life.
In
1845, a great revival took place in Viwa. In the first week, around a hundred
people converted with tears and repentance. Varani changed his name to Elijah,
and under his protection, missionaries were able to spread Christianity. Varani
paid with his own life when he tried to bring peace to the tribes of the Lovoni
and Levuka islands who were at war with each other.
Cakobau,
on the neighboring island of Bau, was impressed by Hunt's preaching and
actions. With Varani's conversion, he also converted, in 1854. He changed his
name to Epenisa (Ebenezer). He was baptized into the Methodist Church and
managed to unify the warring tribes and create a united kingdom in Fiji in
1871.[193]
The father of Methodism in the Caribbean
Nathaniel Gilbert (1721-1774) was born in Antigua, Caribbean. He was a lawyer, trained in London, son of a wealthy planter and slave owner. His brother, Francis Gilbert, graduated in Medicine from Cambridge and practiced his profession in England and Antigua. Nathaniel became poor, in debt and fled to England, where he joined John Wesley's society and became an itinerant Methodist preacher.In 1755, he was ill and read John Wesley's text An Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, sent from England by his brother Francis. Nathaniel traveled to England with three of his slaves and, in 1758, met John Wesley.
He
and two of his slaves converted and were baptized by Wesley. Returning to
Antigua in 1759, Nathaniel gathered his family, friends and slaves in his home.
He preached and formed a Methodist Society, with the support of Francis.
Nathaniel was elected president of the Legislative Assembly of Antigua in 1763.
After
his death in 1774, his brother Francis continued the work, but fell ill and
soon had to return to England. Sophia Campbell, a black woman, and Mary Alley,
a mulatto woman, continued the work until John Baxter arrived from England in
1778 and became a local preacher.
John
Hodge, a free black man, converted to Methodism at St. Barths, St. Eustatius.
In 1813, Hodge obtained permission from the lieutenant governor to preach in
Antigua. His preachings had a great effect on slaves. In 1822 he became a
Methodist minister. Today, around 30% of Antigua's population are Methodists.[194]
A mother of
Methodism in America
Barbara
Ruckle Heck (1734-1804) was born in County Limerick, Ireland. Her parents had
fled religious persecution in Germany. She converted at age 18 through the
preaching of John Wesley. In 1760, she married Paul Heck and left with a group
of Irish people for the New World, settling in the colony of New York. In the
group was her cousin Philip Embury, a carpenter, who was also converted by
Wesley, in Ireland, and who had received a preacher's license.
But
the group lost its religious zeal and went into spiritual decline. In 1766,
upon seeing a group playing cards, Barbara swept the table, threw the cards
into the fireplace and challenged Philip to preach in his own home with the
phrase: “Philip, you must preach to us or we will all go to hell and God will
demand our blood from your hands.” They created two classes in New York. Soon
the place became small and they rented an “Cenacle”. The following year they
were supported by Captain Thomas Webb. In 1768, on St. John Street in New York,
the first Methodist chapel in America was erected.
When
the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1766, Paul Heck took up arms to
fight for the British. His farm in Vermont was confiscated and they fled to
Montreal in 1783. The family received a grant of land in Maynard. There they
held the first Methodist class in their little cabin in the woods.
In
1817, Barbara's son Samuel was ordained a deacon in the Methodist chapel in
Elizabethtown.[195]
Advocate for domestic workers in Bolivia
Casimira
Rodriguez Romero was born into a poor family in 1966, Mizque province, San
Vicentena community, Bolivia. She entered the fight for survival from an early
age. “We were a poor family, three brothers and three sisters. I remember my
mother, who raised us with love,” she said. At the age of 13, she went to work
in a house in exchange for room and board, but without pay, the first injustice
she suffered. In 1992, she came to know Jesus Christ as her Savior.
In
1996, she took on the role of executive secretary of the union and coordinated
the organization of work in several departments in Bolivia.He helped
found the Domestic Workers Union. She won the Methodist World Peace Prize in
2003. She was appointed Minister of Justice of Bolivia (2006-2007). She was the
first indigenous woman to serve as a government minister.
She
stated that, before being a minister of a political group, she wanted to be a
minister of the Lord. She said: “I came from a Methodist community and did not
fail to attend every Sunday when possible.” She said further: “Being a minister
was like being in a golden cage: lots of police, security bodies, lots of
people around, as if to protect the queen.”
Her
fight to defend women's rights remains intense. She works with domestic workers
and is forming a foundation whose objective is to fight for the human rights of
Bolivian women.[196]
Founder of Methodism in Italy.
Henry
James Piggott (1831-1917) was born in Lowestoft, England. Son of William
Piggott, pastor of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, missionary in Sierra Leone.
Piggott was educated at Kingswood School and Wesley College, learning Latin,
Greek, Hebrew, French and German. He won several scholarships.
He
continued his studies until he received a Bachelor of Arts degree at the
University of London in 1850, with full honors. In 1849 he was a lay preacher
in Wellington, Shropshire, Newbury, Berkshire, Oxford and London. In 1850, he
was ordained a pastor.
He
married Mary Ellen Brown in 1859. In 1861, he went on a mission to Italy to
evangelize in Turin, Milan (1862), Padua (1866) and Rome (1873). There were
some family tragedies, such as the death of two children, in 1863 and 1864. He
also lost a three-year-old daughter in 1867. Piggott worked as general
superintendent and adopted Italian as his language, promoting educational and
cultural activities through the weekly newspaper O Museu Christian (1867-1869).
He created several schools for girls and street children, as well as Theology
courses to prepare preachers.
Seven
years after his arrival, there were 16 places of worship, 24 preachers, 179
Sunday schools and 592 students enrolled in school education. He was founder
and director, until 1873, of the International Institute of Padua. During his
half-century of activity in Italy, Piggott had deep relationships with many
people.
He
retired in 1901 and went to live in Rome. He was chairman of the King James
Version Commission (1907-1917) in revising the famous translation commissioned
by the British and Foreign Bible Society.[197]
Pioneer medical missionary in India
Clara
A. Swain (1834-1910) was born in Elmira, New York, USA. At age eight, she
joined the Methodist Church, a decision that influenced her Christian life. At
age 21, Swain began teaching private students in Castile. After wards, he moved
to Canandaigua, New York, to teach at a school, developing an interest in
medicine to care for the sick. She graduated from the Woman's Medical College
of Pennsylvania.
Her
call to service in India came from the need to have a quality doctor for the
high caste women in India. Swain arrived in Bareilly, India, in 1869, where he
spent 27 years caring for women and children and evangelizing. In her first
year, she trained 17 medical students to help her with patients and treated at
least 1,300 patients. By 1874, she had built the Women's Hospital and School of
Medicine, the first in all of Asia.
Despite
resistance to Western medicine, the mission was successful. She became a palace
doctor in the state of Rajputana. Her success gave her a position at court to
address women's health and, in her free time, work at a clinic and a girls'
school. She took the opportunity to teach that Christ had come to free women
from sin and elevate their status. She has been called “India’s pioneering
woman doctor”.
Work
began in Bareilly with a clinic for women and children that evolved to become
the Sara Swain Hospital, the oldest and largest Methodist hospital in India.[198]
First Brazilian evangelical federal deputy
Guaracy
Silveira (1893-1953) was born in Franca, São Paulo. In 1908, he moved to
Ribeirão Preto, where he worked as an office assistant for a firm. In 1909, he
entered the Salesian Seminary in Lorraine to be a priest, but, after reading
the Bible and confronting it with the Catholic Church, he left it. In 1915, he
joined the Methodist Church in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo.
He
was a local preacher and, in 1915, was appointed assistant to the pastor of the
Methodist Church in Pirassununga, São Paulo. In 1916, he went to study Theology
at Granbery, in Juiz de Fora. He married Etelvina Crem in 1918. He was an
intellectual of his generation. Guaracy was a journalist and wrote several
works and poems. He liked classical and romantic music, fado, classical
painting and colonial architecture.
He
was the first Brazilian military chaplain in the military forces, serving as a
captain in the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932, in São Paulo. He was
invited to be a candidate for the Constituent Assembly because of the Catholic
plan to include religious education in schools in São Paulo. He won the
elections and became the first Brazilian evangelical pastor elected federal
deputy by the PSB to the 1934 Constituent Assembly. He was re-elected in 1946.
Guaracy
wrote more than a hundred poems for various newspapers and magazines and was
the author of several works, including Luther, Loiola and totalitarianism. He
fought for a more democratic Methodist Church. He worked as an editor for the
Christian Expositor, the official Methodist newspaper (1930-1934 and
1938-1942). Guaracy was the first pastor of the Brazilian Parliament.[199]
Gave his life for global missionary work
Thomas
Coke (1747-1814) was born in Brecon, Brecknockshire, Wales. The son of a
wealthy pharmacist, he was educated at Oxford and took Anglican orders in 1772.
He received a doctor of laws degree. Coke was expelled in 1776 because of his
evangelical leanings and formally joined the Methodists in 1777. Wesley
considered him his “right-hand man” and was called “foreign minister of
Methodism” for his missionary passion.
He
became the first president of the Irish Conference of Methodists in 1782.
Wesley had secretly ordained Coke in 1784 as superintendent of the Methodist
Church in the American colonies, with the power to ordain other superintendents
in the New World. He preached in Paris. He promoted the creation of Missions in
Scotland and Canada. After his ship changed course in a storm, he arrived in
Antigua, in the Caribbean, in I786, where he found a Methodist congregation
made up almost entirely of blacks.
He took the Gospel to Jamaica in 1789. He established a mission in Gibraltar in 1803. He traveled for five years for the cause of Methodist missions, including a visit to Sierra Leone. He preached vehemently against slavery in America.Author of the commentary on the Old and New Testaments, 5 vol. (1801-1803), A History of the West Indies (1808-1811), several volumes of sermons, and A Life of John Wesley (with Henry Moore, 1792). Ill, he died at the age of 66 on the ship, in 1814, while going on a mission to India.[200]
Apostle of Methodism in America
Francis
Asbury (1745-1816) was born at Hamstead Bridge in Staffordshire, England. His
parents were poor, and at the age of 14, after a brief period of study at the
Barre village school, he went to work as an apprentice to a belt buckle maker.
He and his mother began to attend Methodist meetings. His mother's devotion to
religion gave Francis a new spiritual dimension.
Wesley
considered him his “right-hand man” and was called “Foreign Minister of
Methodism” for his missionary passion.
At
seven years old, he was already reading the Bible. His parents were among the
first converts in the revival in England. Francis converted to Methodism at age
13 and at 16 became a local preacher. He was a simple, fluent speaker and was
such a success that, in 1767, Wesley himself appointed him a regular itinerant
minister.
In
1771, Wesley invited Methodist preachers to go to America to evangelize and
Francis accepted. Without money, some friends helped him with a “collection”.
In 1784, Wesley appointed him, along with Thomas Cock, as co-superintendent of
Methodism in America. He was elected the first Methodist bishop in America.
He
was a humble person, without vanity and “one of the wisest and most far-sighted
men of his time”. He got up at 5 o'clock in the morning to read the Bible. He
preached about 16,500 sermons, traveled 270,000 miles, and expanded Methodism
in America. He faced all kinds of adversities and illnesses, such as fevers,
ulcers, chronic rheumatism, but he never gave up. Francis Asbury has been
called the “apostle of Methodism in America.” In recognition of what he did for
America, in 1924 a statue of him was erected in Washington.[201]
Creator of Clube Santo and author of 9 thousand hymns
Carlos Wesley (1707-1788) was
born in Epworth, Lincolnshire, England, where his father, Samuel Wesley, was a
minister. His mother's name was Suzana. He was the 18th child. He was educated
at Christ Church College, Oxford, and formed the “Oxford Methodists” (Holy
Club) group among his schoolmates in 1729. The group met regularly for worship
and carried out charitable work, visiting the sick and prisoners. . Their
methodical manner led colleagues to nickname them “Methodists”. João Wesley
joined the group and assumed leadership. This was the so-called “first
beginning of Methodism.”
In 1735, Carlos went with Wesley to America. He married Sarah Gwynne
(1726–1822). Three of his children – Charles, Samuel and Sarah – survived to
adulthood. On May 21, 1738, he had the experience of renewal that he called
“Liberation Day”.
He wrote more than 9 thousand hymns, among them Behold the harmony of
angels and Christ is risen, hallelujah. Carlos' hymns had a message based on
Christian piety, suitable for devotional meetings and large outdoor gatherings.
His hymns highlighted the fervor of faith. As a result of his poetic
compositions, the US Gospel Music Association, in recognition of his
contributions to gospel music, inducted Carlos Wesley into the Gospel Music
Hall of Fame in 1995.[202]
The woman who gave rise to Methodism
susanna
Wesley (1669-1742) was the 25th daughter of Dr. Samuel Annesley and Mary White.
She is known as the mother of Methodism for teaching her children a disciplined
and methodical life. She liked Theology. She was fluent in French, Latin and
Greek. In 1688, aged 19, she married Samuel Wesley, who was 26, and they had 19
children.
Nine
of their children died as babies. She was the children's first teacher. Each
night she talked to one of the children. Children were taught to speak
courteously and to cry softly. Lack of money was an ongoing struggle for
Susanna. Her house was burned down twice. She began teaching her children the
alphabet on their fifth birthday. She cared about her children's happiness. She
kept a strict schedule at home, she was disciplined and methodical. Her
children were taught the importance of confession. She always rewarded
obedience. Susanna started to hold services on Sunday afternoons for her
family. Many came to participate, reaching around 200 people. Susanna wrote
several plays that would be fundamental in the education of her children.
In
addition to letters, Susanna Wesley wrote meditations and biblical commentaries
for her own use. In 1735, she was widowed and went to live with Wesley. At her
death, she asked her children to sing a psalm.[203]
Used by God to revolutionize England
John
Wesley (1703-1791) was born on July 17, in Epworth, England. Son of Susanna and
Samuel Wesley, Anglican pastor. His mother was decisive in the spiritual lives
of her sons and daughters. Wesley was born in a sick England, at the time of
the Industrial Revolution. Methodism was fundamental in changing this
situation. Wesley had a lot of struggles. He nearly died in a fire at age five
and later had tuberculosis.
He
was a persecuted missionary in Georgia, USA, and returned feeling defeated. On
May 24, 1738, Wesley had the “warming heart” experience, which radically
changed his life. He felt loved by God, like a son, with his sins forgiven. He
began to preach to the workers; he fought against slavery; created schools for
the poor; gave opportunities for lay people and women to minister; restored the
doctrine of the Holy Spirit and Christian Perfection.
Wesley
went through great struggles. His wife abandoned him, but he organized 10
thousand cells. He was persecuted, but the Gospel preached by the Methodists
was the medicine for sick England. He believed that God had raised up the
Methodists to “reform the nation, particularly the Church, and to spread
biblical holiness throughout the land.”
Today,
Methodism is present in more than 140 countries and has around 85 million
followers. There are hundreds of documentaries about Wesley and two feature
films: John Wesley (1954) and Wesley (2009).[204]
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RODES, Augusto. Los Fundadores del FC Barcelona, Ediciones
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[36]Search:http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/politician-taps-faith-john-wesley-in-border-crisis
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[38] Search:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Boateng
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[39]Search:
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[42]Search:http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacopo_Lombardini
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[43] http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20060708/ai_n16529217/pg_2
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[44]Search:
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[45]Search:www.methodistheritage.org.uk/johnnelsonsstudy.htm
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[46]Search:
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[48] REILY, Duncan Alexander. Brazilian
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[50]http://www.cck.or.kr/eng/html/intro01.htm
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[51] Search:http://www.myprimitivemethodists.org.uk/page/albert_ewart_gladwin?path=0p4p136p130phttp://www.mywesleyanmethodists.org.uk/page/wesleyan_methodist_ministers_who_served_in_the_armed_forces_during_ww1?path=0p4p38p
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[52]Search:http://www.studivaldesi.org/dizionario/xxsecolo.php
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[59]Search:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madam_C._J._Walker
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[62]Search: http://devotional.upperroom.org/blog/2015/03/pierce032815
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[64]Search:http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christoph_Gottlob_M%C3%BCller
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[66] Search:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sobhuza_I
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[69]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Frost
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[72]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaper
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[73]Search: http://www.snipview.com/q/Singaporean%20Methodists
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[74]Search:
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[75] http://mountainviewpeople.blogspot.com.br/2007/12/bishop-william-taylor-1821-1902.html
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[77]Search:http://www.mymet
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[78] Search:https://books.google.com.br/books?isbn
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[79] Search:http://newlife.id.au/equality-and-gender-issues/phoebe-palmer/
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[80]Search: http://oxfordindex.oup.com/search?q=Kofi Abrefa Busia
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[81]Search:
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[82]Search:
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[83]Search:www.northkatangaumc.org/bishop.htm
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[85]Search:
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[87]Search:
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[88]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/María_Sumire
[89]Search: www.metodista.org.br/congressista-maria-sumire
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[90]Search:
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[91]Search:http://hollowverse.com/rosa-parks/
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[92]* Peninsula Malaysia
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[93]Search:
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[94]Search:
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[95]Search:
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[96]Search:http://www.dacb.org/stories/liberia/cox_melville.html
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[97]Search:www.cogeime.org.br/revista/26memoria.pdf
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[99]Search:www.indians.org/welker/geronimo.htm
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[100]Search:http://www.biographi.ca/fr/bio/mcdougall_john_chantler_14F.html
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[101]Search:www.metodistavilaisabel.org.br/noticias/panoramica_geral.asp?Numero..
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[102]Search:
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http://www.koinonia.org.br/protestantes/uploads/novidades/Cadernos-do-CEDI_005.pdf
https://prezi.com/vo8g0xsww16z/cooperacao-internacional-producao-de-alteridade-e-identidad/
FRANCO,
Scilla. Reflections on the Kaiowá people. GTME Bulletin, nº1,1980
FRANCO,
Scilla. The Indians want an opportunity. Christian Exhibitor. São Paulo: 2nd
fortnight of July 1978.
[103]http://obviousmag.org/archives/2013/10/carpenters_do_topo_do_sucesso_a_tristeza_de_uma_vi.html
Search:
http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/fans_ask_8.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Carpenter
http://www.adherents.com/largecom/fam_meth.html
www.findadeath.com/.../Carpenter,%20Karen/karen
http://www.answers.com/topic/richard-carpenter
www.imdb.com/name/nm0139389/bio
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpenters
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Carpenter
[104]Search:
www.unitedmethodistreporter.com
http://www.amazon.com/Adam-Hamilton/e/B001HCU82A
http://www.cor.org/about-resurrection/sr-pastor-adam-hamilton/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Hamilton_(pastor)
http://wordsfromwashington.blogspot.com.br/2013/01/the-middle-way.html
[105]Search:
http://www.findagrave.com/cg1-bin/fg.cg1/
www.althistory.wikia.com/.../Joseph_J._Roberts_(Liberia,_USA)
vww.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Jenkins_Roberts
http://www.liberianobserver.com/history-us/remembering-jj-roberts-vision-courage-and-sacrifice-liberia's-first-presidentv www.liberianobserver.com › LIB Life › History & Us
http://www.umcmission.org/Find-Resources/New-World-Outlook-Magazine/New-World-Outlook-Archives/2014/November/December/1111methodistroots
[106]Research: BUYERS, Paul. The founders of Methodism. Imprena Metodista, 1929,
p.XII.
[107]Search:http://www.nettyroyal.nl/tonga1.html
http://cathnews.co.nz/2013/02/26/king-of-tonga-visits-wesley-church-in-wellington/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-16199671
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupou_VI http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Tongahttps://freelyshout.com/source/Nanasipau%CA%BBu_Tuku%CA%BBaho
[108]http://www.childrensbibleclub.com/biblevisuals/fannycrosbyblindpoet.htm
Search:www.dannybia.com/danny/cchinos/aut/f/a/n/fanny_jc.htm
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/poets/crosby.html
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Crosby
www.dannybia.com/danny/cchinos/aut/f/a/n/fanny_jc.htm
http://www.dannybia.com/danny/cchinos/aut/f/a/n/fanny_jc.htm
[109]Search:http://news.investors.com/management-leaders-in-success/122004-403907-inventor-john-wesley-hyatt-break-new-ground-flexibility-and-drive-helped-him-kindle-the-
plastics-industry.htm
www.plastics.com
›... › Plastics Historical
http://www.plastics.com/content/articles/1/3/The-History-of-Celluloid/Page3.html
[110]Search:
http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1949
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_Rickey
www.scenicsciotoheritagetrail.com/id42.html
www.encyclopedia.com
›... › Sports: Biographies
[111]Search: www.talkfootball.co.uk/.../football_legends_john_m
www.dailymail.co.uk/.../John-Motson-Id-love-com
[112]Search:www.decoracaoacoracao.com.br/.../stanely-jones-um-marco-na-historia
www.estanleyjonesfoundation.com/.../esj-biography/
http://www.estanleyjonesfoundation.com/about-esj/esj-biography/
http://howardsnyder.seedbed.com/2013/07/28/e-stanley-jones-radical-saint-with-feet-of-clay/
http://www.asbury.edu/offices/library/archives/biographies/e-stanley-jones http://www.decoracaoacoracao.com.br/2011/09/stanely-jones-um-marco-na-historia-das-missoes/•
[113]Search:
http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/many-us-presidents-have-methodist-ties
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/first-ladies/lucyhayes
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Lucy_W._Webb
http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=20
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Lucy_W._Webb
http://www.meme-pops.com/presidents/lucyhayes.htm
www.lkwdpl.org/WIHOHIO/haye-luc.htm
[114]Search:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrance_B._Lettsome_International_Airport
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrance_B._Lettsome
[115]Search: http://www.umc.org/who-we-are/timeline-of-women-in-methodism
www.nndb.com/people/705/000206087/
www.sharewords.com/AHShaw/
http://www.bu.edu/shaw/publications/united-methodist-clergywomen-retention-study-ii-2/
[116] Search: www.gcah.org ›... ›
Biographies › Leader Bio
www.biography.yourdictionary.com/john-r-mott
www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/.../mott-bio.html
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mot
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1946/mott-bio.html
[117] Search:www.nndb.com/people/440/000032344
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Mathias
www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/.../Bob-Mathi.
www.sports-reference.com › SR/Olympics › Athletes
www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1694646/posts
http://www.answers.com/topic/bob-mathias
[118] Search:
www.mothersdaycelebration.com/story-of-anna-jarv
http://www.wviculture.org/history/jarvis.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Jarvis
http://www.wviculture.org/history/jarvis.html
http://fromtherectoryporch.com/tag/anna-maria-reeves-jarivs/
[119]Search:www.nobelprize.org/nobel.../henderson-bio.html
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Henderson
www.csm.uk.endis.com/Mobile/default.aspx?group
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1934/henderson-bio.html
www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Arthur_Henderson.asp
www.helengoodman.co.uk/.../local-heroes-arthur-he
http://www.helengoodman.co.uk/constituency/local-heroes-arthur-henderson/
http://biography.yourdictionary.com/arthur-henderson
[120] Search: www.pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Kai-shek
www.nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29879044
www.newsweekly.com.au/article.php?id=1461
www.nytimes.com
›... › C › Chiang Kai-shek
www.wenshuchan-online.weebly.com/xu-yunrsquos-letter.
http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674060494&content=reviews
[121]Search:
http://www.congregationallibrary.org/get-connected/beacon-street-diary/201402
http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/chief-albert-john-luthuli
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1960/lutuli-bio.html
http://satucket.com/lectionary/albert_luthuli.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/albert-lutuli
http://www.southafrica.info/about/history/albert-luthuli.htm
[122]Search:http://connection.ebscohost.com/tag/BESLOV%2C+Zdravko+--+Awards
http://www.eastwestreport.org/articles/ew01310.htm
http://methodist.bg/spell/nashite-predshestvenitsi-pastor-zdravko-bezlov/
[123]Search:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Tai-Young
http://worldmethodistcouncil.org/whatwedo/world-methodist-peace-award/recipients/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Tai-Young
http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/awardee/biography/229
http://www.koreafocus.or.kr/design2/layout/content_print.asp?group_id=101999
[124]Search:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AChiang_Ching-kuo
www.pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Ching-kuo
www.nndb.com/people/010/000086749
www.ucanews.com/story-archive/?...chiang...chiang
http://biography.yourdictionary.com/chiang-ching-kuo
[125]Search:http://www.snipview.com/q/Methodist%20missionaries
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ole_Peter_Petersen
https://nbl.snl.no/Ole_Peter_Petersen
[126]Search:http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/everton-liverpool-honour-citys-football-3484807
http://lfcstats.co.uk/foundingfathers.html
https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070321021710AA5lRKp
[127]Search:
www.spectator.org/articles/40533/methodist-madame
www.newworldencyclopedia.org/.../Soong_May-lin
wwe.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Kai-shek
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mme-chiang-kai-shek-dead-at-106/
[128]Search: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/religion-obituaries/7572323/Bishop-Abel-Muzorewa.html
www.independent.co.uk
http://www.dacb.org/stories/zimbabwe/muzorewa_abel.html
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/apr/12/bishop-abel-muzorewa
[129]Search:
www.connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/.../back-stor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatyana_McFadden
http://www.teamusa.org/Athletes/MC/Tatyana-McFadden
http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?mid=10654&ptid=1
http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Tatyana-McFadden/704786976
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatyana_McFadden
[130]Search: http://www.ofm.co.za/article/National/134406/Presidency-announces-special-funeral-for-Pius-Langa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pius_Langa
http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/pius-nkonzo-langa
www.sahistory.org.za
› people › Community
[131]Search:www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egbert_Udo_Udoma
www.nigerianwiki.com/wiki/Udo_Udoma
www.outsourcedinternetmarketing.com/.../Egbert-Udo-Ud
www.http://outsourcedinternetmarketing.com/bookkeeping/podcasts/Egbert-Udo-Udoma.html
http://www.encyclo.co.uk/define/Egbert Udo Udoma
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/bookshelf/book-reviews/book-review-udo-udoma-in-the-shelter-of-the-elephant-rock.html
[132]Search:
www.pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisha_Graves_Otis
http://www.mediahex.com/Elisha_Otis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisha_Otis
http://prezi.com/q-u86_tk-ovt/elisha-otis/
http://www.nndb.com/people/302/000162813/
https://prezi.com/kfzasaml-i7d/elisha-otis/
[133]Search:
http://www.nndb.com/people/335/000105020/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley_Powell
http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2012/05/17/john-wesley-powell-soldier-explorer-scientist/
[134] Search:www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Cook
www.primeministers.naa.gov.au
› Australia's PMs
www.adb.anu.edu.au/biography/cook-joseph-5763
[135]Search: http://www.historiasocultas.com/2013/10/11/voc%C3%AA-sabia-que-h%C3%A1-uma-lista-n%C3%A3o-exaustiva-de-inventores-
e-black-scientists/
http://www.answers.com/topic/granville-woods
http://genforum.genealogy.com/woods/messages/7440.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granville_Woods
[136]Search:
http://films.nfb.ca/media/pl_pm/bios/14th_pm_Lester_B_Pearson.pdf
http://www.craigmarlatt.com/canada/government/pearson.html
http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/pearson_lester_bowles_20E.html
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1957/pearson-bio.html
www1.toronto.ca
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1957/pearson-bio.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_B._Pearson
[137]Search:
www.attackingthedevil.co.uk/letters/hughes.php
www.query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res
www.wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s-HUGH-PRI-1847.html
www.books.google.com
›... › Christianity › Methodist
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Price_Hughes
[138] Search:
http://www.brh.org.uk/site/articles/tolpuddle-hutt-meerut-conspiracy/
http://www.workersliberty.org/node/3359
http://www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk/index.php?page=the-story-of-george-loveless
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/loveless-george-2373
[139]Search: http://spartacus-educational.com/TUarch.htm
[140]Search:www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/anvil/14-1_036.pdf
http://www.myprimitivemethodists.org.uk/page_id__1417_path__0p3p127p.aspx
http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/whs/41-1.pdf
[141]Search:
http://www.whatnextjournal.org.uk/Pages/History/Barnsley.html
http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/anvil/14-1_036.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Cowey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire_Miners'_Association
[142]Search:http://www.myprimitivemethodists.org.uk/category_id__127.aspx?path=
http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/anvil/14-1_036.pdf
[143]Search:http://www.farmstayus.com/farm/Wisconsin/Tipping_Bucket_Farm
http://www.neumc.org/enewsletterarchives/detail/1957
http://users.frii.com/~uliasz/weblog/C660798761/E643549821/index.html
www.breadandwaterwi.com/about/
[144]https://www.mds-foundation.org/
/blog/patient_stories/valerie-fons/
[145]Search: www.africanhistory.about.com/od/mandelanelson/a/bio_mandela.htm
http://bafanaciencia.blogspot.com/2007/06/nelson-mandela-os-anos-de-formao-e.html
www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n10_v49/ai_15687222
http://umcconnections.org/2013/12/06/methodists-religious-leaders-pay-tribute-mandela/
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/12/06/shaped-methodists-mandela-paid-tribute-role-religion/
http://www.mymethodisthistory.org.uk/page.aspx?id=312
[146]Search:
www.nndb.com/people/411/000098117/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Tambo
[147] Search:www.britannica.com/EBchecked/.../Syngman-Rhee
www.pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syngman_Rhee
www.biography.yourdictionary.com/syngman-rhe
www.answers.com/topic/syngman-rhee
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syngman_Rhee
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/501064/Syngman-Rhee
[148]Research:
http://www.ensayistas.org/critica/liberacion/TL/autores/tamez2.htm
http://www.gper.com.br/noticias.php?secao_id=16¬icia_id=29
http://www.puc-rio.br/pibic/relatorio_resumo2007/relatorios/teo/teo_monica_baptista_campos.pdf
http://coisasdemeninacoisasdemulher.blogspot.com.br/2007/11/leitura-popular-da-bblia-leitura.html
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsa_T%C3%A1mez
[149]https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsa_Tamez
[150] Search:www.umc.org/news.../did-faith-drive-titanic-musicia.
www.encyclopedia-titanica.org ›
Titanic Reseach
www.titanic-titanic.com/titanic_memorial-wallace_h
www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/myths.../article_1.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Hartley
[151]Search:
http://coca-cola.wikia.com/wiki/Asa_Griggs_Candler
http://www.geni.com/people/Asa-Griggs-Candler-founder-of-Coca-Cola-Company/6000000010526401141
http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Candler-1
www.pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asa_Griggs_Candler
www.giantsforgod.com/asa-candler-coca-cola/
[152] Search:
http://www.abbott.co.in/about-us-comapny-history.html
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=12246023
http://www.nndb.com/lists/870/000071657/
http://www.ravenswoodhistorical.com/tours/a-walking-tour-of-old-ravenswood/ravenswood-united-methodist-church/
[153] http://www.theledger.com/article/20131010/NEWS/131019987?p=1&tc=pg
http://religionrevolucion.blogspot.com/2013_10_01_archive.html
[154]Search: http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Thompson-Samkange/1913125285
http://www.dacb.org/stories/southafrica/samkange_thompson.html
[155]Search:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Reed_Army_Medical_Center
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Reed
www.nndb.com/people/697/000091424/
http://yellowfever.lib.virginia.edu/reed/reed.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/walter-reed
www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/.../Walter-Ree.
[156]Search:http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=51338
www.prabook.org/web/person-view.html?profileId
www.fijibuzz.com/.../fiji-human-rights-commision-r
[157]Search:http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1002287/Josefa-Iloilo
www.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/world/.../15iloilo.htm
www.en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Josefa_Iloilo
www.nndb.com/people/963/000162477/
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josefa_Iloilo
[158] Search:www.teara.govt.nz/en/.../6l1/lange-david-russel
www.theguardian.com
› News › Politics
www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/.../David-Lan
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lange
http://www.biography.com/people/david-lange-9372981
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/6l1/lange-david-russell
[159]Research:
http://www.methodist.org.nz/touchstone/lead_articles/2006/october_2006/tongan_king_s_farewell
http://www.worldmethodist.org/TongaKingDies.htm
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tongan-protestants-llc-books/1103602142?ean=9781158708635
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tāufaʻāhau_Tupou_IV
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/11/world/asia/11tonga.html?pagewanted=all
[160]Search:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federico_Jos%C3%A9_Pagura
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/pagura-e.html
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/73724-distincion-al-obispo-federico-pagura
[161]Search:
www.whoislog.info/profile/Philippe-mangou.html
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_Mangou
http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/ARTJAJA2618p028-031.xml0/
http://news.abidjan.net/h/460434.html
http://elmaxilab.com/definicao-abc/letra-p/philippe-mangou.php
[162]Search:http://marknmanuel.weebly.com/articles/virtues-of-abad-santos-extolled-today
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_Abad_Santos
https://www.facebook.com/umcphilippines/.../15819...
[163]Search:
http://www.answers.com/topic/fidel-v-ramos
http://www.spokeo.com/Fidel+V+Ramos+1
http://www.jointokyo.org/files/cms/news/pdf/FIDEL_V_RAMOS.pdf
http://www.kkppn.com/?cid=1336304
[164]Research: KIPUNGO, Jose. Christians in a new world. Methodist Press, São
Paulo, 1984, p.66
http://m.ja.sapo.ao/politica/governador_pede_participacao_em_massa_dos_cidadaoshttp://m.ja.sapo.ao/politica/governador_pede_participacao_em_massa_dos_cidadaoshttp://kantoximpi.blogspot.com.br/2007/01/mulheres-angolanas-histricas-4uma.html
http://angola-luanda-pitigrili.com/who%E2%80%99s-who/l/luzia-ingles-van-dunem-inga
[165]Search:
http://www.portalangop.co.ao/angola/pt_pt/noticias/politica/2013/8/38/Realizada-primeira-Condência-sobre-vida-obra-Agostinho-Neto,2eb34e7d-1cfb-4462-
9ab9-13d92f6357ef.html
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agostinho_Neto
www.opais.net/pt/opais/?det=28801&id=1805&utm_medium=referral&u
QUIPUNGO,
Jose. Christians in a New World. Methodist Press, SP, 1984.
[166] Search:http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman
www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1535.html
[167]Search:http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/HART/2007-08/1186326166
www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/.../nancy-hart-ca-173
http://www.georgiawomen.org/_honorees/hartnm/
-
http://digging-history.com/2014/07/04/feisty-females-nancy-morgan-hart-war-woman/
[168]Search:http://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Prikask
http://www.umc-northerneurope.org/uploads/media/Methodist_History.pdf
http://www.bmk.ee/tumc/history.html
www.
gbgm-umc.org
[169]Search:
http://www.sierraherald.com/john-karefa-smart-passeson.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Rainbow-Happenings-Albert-Musselman-Karefa-Smart/dp/1441501681
http://www.albertacademy.org/awards/whos-who-award/2010/133-dr-john-albert-musselman-karefa-smart-
[170]Search:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sante_Uberto_Barbieri
http://www.metodista.br/ppc/caminhando/caminhando-16/no-olho-do-furacao-como-barbieri-se-tornou-metodista
www.apletras.com.br
http://www.apletras.com.br/site/index.php/instituicao/ex-presidents
http://www.cogeime.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Sante-Uberto-Barbieri-recorte-biográfico-de-um-imigrante-italiano-no-Brasil-meridional-e-sua-
insertion-in-methodism.pdf
[171]Search:
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gra%C3%A7a_Machel
http://marriage.about.com/od/politics/a/nelsonmandela.htm
http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/machel-g
http://saharanvibe.blogspot.com.br/2009/10/graca-machel-african-first-lady.html
[173]Search:http://www.dacb.org/stories/nigeria/mbang_sundaycoffie.html
http://www.naijapundit.com/news/jubril-aminu-needs-prayers-sunday-mbang
http://www.cfaithnews.com/a-short-history-of-methodist-church-nigeria/
[174]Search:www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Leonard_Schawlow
www.adherents.com/people/.../Arthur_Schawlow.ht
www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=kt5b69n7k2&brand=oac4&doc.view...
www.biblicalwritings.com/encyclopedia-of-bible-an...
www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Arthur_Schawlow
http://www.adherents.com/people/ps/Arthur_Schawlow.html
[175] Search:http://www.nndb.com/people/470/000128086/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hallett_Dalehttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1936/dale-bio.html
https://www.theleys.net/about-us/history
https://www.theleys.net/oldleysians/a-methodist-education--the-leys-in-the-era-of-world-war
[176]Search:
http://www.uriburner.com/about/html/http/dbpedia.org/resource/Edward_Higgins_White
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Higgins_White
http://www.geni.com/people/Lt-Colonel-Edward-H-White/6000000015842575170
[177]Search:http://www.vitamin-c-online.com/page/62/
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Kobia
www.oikoumene.org/en/about-us/.../samuel-kobia
http://www.answers.com/topic/samuel-kobia-rev
[178] Search:http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldo_da_Silva_Fagundes
www.fgv.br/cpdoc/historal/arq/Entrevista1355.pdf
www.riogrande.com.br
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www.metodismonodf.blogspot.com/.../igreja-metodista-da-asa-sul-50-anos.ht
www.metodisdadosul.edu.br/catedragenero/dignataria/dignataria_default.php
http://sociedademetodistamulheresimasul.blogspot.com.br/2009/04/maria-luiza.html
[179]Search:
http://heartoftexasblog.com/2013/04/26/jackie-robinson-42-and-texas/
http://goodnewsmag.org/2011/03/the-life-and-faith-of-jackie-robinson/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jackie_Robinson_Story
http://www.thelifecoach.com/1294/jackie-robinson-man-faith-courage/
http://www.eocumc.com/message-in-movies/_2013-pastreviews/42.html
[180]Search:http://sluggerotoole.com/2005/10/03/profile_reveren/
www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk...ireland/4283674.stm
www.creighton.edu/.../news/.../haroldgoodnr093011
www.htmlsite.methodist.org.sg/.../wmpeaceaward.html
http://blogs.owu.edu/connect2/the-reverend-dr-harold-good-awarded-honorary-owu-degree/
[181]Search: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Robert_Porter
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1972/porter-bio.html
http://www.asbmb.org/uploadedfiles/aboutus/asbmb_history/nobel_winners/70s80s/1972Porter.html
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Porter
http://www.celebrities-galore.com/celebrities/rodney-robert-porter/life-path-number/
[182]Search:
http://www.metodista.org.br/eecsn-warwick-estevam-kerr
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http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warwick_Estevam_Kerr
http://www.metodista.org.br/eecsn-warwick-estevam-kerr
http://www.ebras.bio.br/entomol/entomol_desc.asp?code=0E1E3B078
[183]http://ciameru.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/rev-dr-imathiu-the-man-behind-the-birth-of-kemu/
www.htmlsite.methodist.org.sg
http://htmlsite.methodist.org.sg/mar2006/peaceaward.html
http://ciameru.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/bishop-imathiu-told-off-idd-amin/
http://ciameru.wordpress.com/2013/07/25/amb-muthaura-bishop-lawi-honored-by-kemu/
[184]Search:
http://www.acton.org/pub/religion-liberty/volume-22-number-3/last-victory-general-grant
http://juicyecumenism.com/2013/06/08/methodism-and-ulysses-grants-final-victory/
[185]Search: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_McKinley
http://millercenter.org/president/mckinley
http://millercenter.org/president/mckinley
http://www.visionandvalues.org/2003/04/methodists-in-the-white-house-william-mckinley-and-george-w-bush/
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/william_mckinley/index.html
http://www.adherents.com/people/pm/William_McKinley.html
http://www.mysaviorrocks.org/history
[186]Search:
http://www.northalabamaumc.org/page.asp?PKValue=865
www.katharineward2011.blogspot.com
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Walker_(theologian)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1420576/The-Reverend-Sir-Alan-Walker.html
[187] Search:
http://famousamericans.net/charlesbgalloway/
ROCHA,
Isnard. Pioneers and Bandeirantes of Methodism in Brazil. 1967, Imprensa
Metodista, p.52.
KENNEDY,
JL. Fifty Years of Methodism in Brazil.1926, p.92
BUYERS,
Paul E. The Founders of Methodism. 1929, Methodist Press.
http://rpgsis.com/download/Os-fundores-do-Metodismo.pdf
[188]Search:http://www.dacb.org/stories/ghana/freeman_t2.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Birch_Freeman
www.archive.org/.../thomasbirchfreem00miluuoft/th
www.dacb.org/stories/ghana/freeman_t.html
[189]Search:
http://www.nndb.com/people/005/000029915/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutherford_B._Hayes
www.carlanthonyonline.com
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Hayes,+Rutherford+Birchard
[190] Search:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otis_Gibson
http://www.chinesecommunityumc.org/aboutus.htm
http://archives.dickinson.edu/people/otis-gibson-1826-1889
[191]Search:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_John_Allen
http://www.bdcconline.net/en/stories/a/allen-young-john.php
[192]Search:www.ipsbooks.usp.ac.fj/product_details.php?category_id=14&item_id=380
www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/search2?coll_id=5490&inst_id=19
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www.chrisfieldblog.com/2008/06/13/john-hunt-to-fiji
[193]Search:http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=227438
http://www.fijisun.com.fj/2012/06/14/methodists-remember-pioneer-missionary/
http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/states/fiji/vunivalu.html
http://www.fijisun.com.fj/2012/05/25/now-methodists-to-celebrate-mission/
http://www.fijisun.com.fj/2009/11/17/a-monument-to-remind-and-inspire/
[194] Search:www.mccalive.org/connexional_conference.php?mi
www.umcmission.org ›... › Projects
http://methodistchurchantigua.org/new/our-history/our-history-1/
http://www.aps.ai/issueDetails.php?id=92
[195] Search:www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Heck
www.victorshepherd.on.ca/Heritage/barbara.html
www.home.ripnet.com/.../barbara_and_paul_heck.html
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www.interpretermagazine.org ›... ›
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www.adital.com.br/site/noticia.php?lang=PT&cod=26496
www.metodistaecumenico.blogspot.com/.../quero-maria-sumire-pra-bispa-me
www.noticiacristiana.com
› Society › Politics
www.metodista.org.br/content/interfaces/cms/.../ec_marco_06.pdf
www.es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimira_Rodríguez_Romero
http://www.noticiacristiana.com/sociedad/politica/2006/05/casimira-rodriguez-ser-ministra-de-justicia-de-bolivia-es-una-bendicion-de-dios.html
[197]Search:
http://www.studivaldesi.org/dizionario/evan_det.php?evan_id=56
www.studivaldesi.org
[198]Search:
http://xntdnn.azurewebsites.net/gcsrw3/Leadership/WomeninUMChistory.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Swain
http://www.fofweb.com/History
http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/no-rest-for-a-weary-clara-swain-11630553.html
[199]Research:
www.uel.br/grupo-estudo/processoscivilizados/.../Cilas_Ferraz.pdf
www.metodista.br/fateo/.../guaracysilveira_site.../image_view_fullscreen
http://www.cogeime.org.br/revista/31Artigo4.pdf
http://versaoindependente.blogspot.com.br/2009/08/guaracy-silveira-liberal-protestante-e.html
https://www.unimep.br/phpg/bibdig/pdfs/2006/WSLACRIPENFI.pdf
[200]Search:www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Coke_(bishop
www.christianity.com
›... › Timeline › 1701-1800
[201]Search: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Asbury
www.christianitytoday.com/ch/.../asbury.htm
www.wesley.nnu.edu/other-theologians/francis-asbury
www.archive.org
›... › The American Methodism Project
[202]Search:www.pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Wesley
https://gbgm-umc.org/UMhistory/wesley/hymns
www.bbc.co.uk/religion/.../charleswesley_1.shtm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/people/charleswesley_1.shtml
[203] Search:www.intercessoras.com.br/.../historias.../437-o-ministério-de-susanna-we
www.diariodamulhervirtuosa.blogspot.com/.../biografia-de-susana-e-joao-wesl
www.aartedeensinarcom.blogspot.com/.../quem-foi-suzana-wesley.html
http://livrariavozdoqueclama.blogspot.com/2009/04/susana-wesley.html
www.comunidaderochaviva.com.br
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www.mulhervirtuosadeusquerteusar.blogspot.com/.../o-ministerio-de-susana-
[204]http://www.wmcarey.edu/carey/wesley/wesley.htm
Search:www.pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley
www.biography.com/people/john-wesley-9528077
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