The Elim Evangel, Vol. VII, No. 22 (15 November 1926), pp. 271–275.
"Mrs. McPherson, Angelus Temple, Los Angeles—Thousands of Elim friends throughout British Isles send loving sympathy and continue praying for you in your fiery trial—George Jeffreys." In response to this cablegram sent a few days ago, the following reply has been received:—"Jeffreys, Elim, Clapham, London—Message deeply appreciated—revival sweeping onward—Satan opposing—fiery furnace blazing—saints defending solidly—united—ultimate victory certain—when can you come.—McPherson." The article below is written by Mrs. Kennedy (Mrs. McPherson's mother). It will be welcomed by the readers of the "Elim Evangel" who have heard nothing but the wildest reports. Our readers are asked to continue steadfastly in prayer for our sister in the bitter persecution through which she is passing.
Thirty-six years ago I took the front line trenches, down through a deep valley—a valley well nigh of death—but through which I was brought up by the Lord on the victory side. In my arms I brought a tiny baby and I named her Aimee.
When six weeks of age, I dedicated her to the Lord on the platform of the Salvation Army. It was a stricter ritual than we hold here, but I never see children dedicated on this platform but I think of the night that I stood beneath the blood and fire colours, and handed my baby to the officer who was conducting the ceremony.
There I stood and said "Amen!" to every word of the ritual. It said that I would stand by that child; that I would rear her for the Lord Jesus Christ; that I would keep her from evil companionships as much as lay in my power, that I would provide for her when she came to the age of giving her service to Christ as far as I was able, and, should her service to the Lord entail persecution, sorrow, or imprisonment that I would still stand by her.
All through the years I have stood by her. She was reared in the little home with its fireside and rocking chair where I sang to her about Jesus. She has told you that the stories which were her bedtime comfort were not of Aladdin and his lamp, were not of Aesop and his fables, but were the story of Joseph, of Daniel and the three Hebrew children, of David, of Jeremiah, the weeping prophet who was placed in the dungeon where he sunk in the mire up to his armpits and was brought out by the Lord; of John the Baptist, who because of his fearless message was placed in prison, and for fear he would escape, was beheaded to please a wicked woman.
I told her of Peter, of Paul, of Barnabas, Silas, and the many heroes of the Bible, who because of their message for the Lord, their lives were ended in prison or by martyrdom. I told her of the other heroes down through the ages to the days of John Bunyan, of his being put in a prison cell, and of how, while there, he wrote Pilgrim's Progress.
Coming on down to the modern day, I told her of our early Salvation Army days, when our wonderful officers, such as Colonel Cox, knew what it was to be falsely accused and to take her place, gladly and rejoicingly as a heroine, behind the prison bars.
Those bright little eyes would glow as I told her these stories, and into that life and into mine there came the spirit, "I will go through with Christ!"
Our lives have ever since been an open book before the world. From the little farm in Canada, all down through the years, it has been faithfully recorded and has been read throughout the world.
Then came the day that she gave her heart, herself, to the Lord, and He called her to His blessed service. How happy I am that He did! Even then the mother still stood by, though it was hard to see that little home empty and the bright little daughter—the only one—leave, but I remembered the covenant I had given her to God.
When sorrow and bereavement came to her in far-off China, "Mother" still stood by. I'm so glad I am her mother! Then her little baby came. I helped rear it. There came the day when I was called to lay my own life on the altar of service and stand by her in the work of God.
I have journeyed with her, from the days of the little mission halls and smaller meetings, when she cared for her own tents and protected them through the night, the winds and rain, not taking the front place then, but always standing by and taking the difficult places wherever I could, as any mother would.
Then came the day that God brought her message forth and gave her a greater place in larger campaigns, and laid upon her heart the building of beautiful Angelus Temple. How we do praise God that He has saved so many souls, baptised so many believers, and has touched so many sick and broken bodies in and through Angelus Temple and the ministry of Sister McPherson.
Out of all those days—the day of her birth, the day of her marriage, the days that I have gone through the darkness and the sorrow for her—I do not know that I have ever been so privileged as I am in these days to again stand in the front line trenches, side by side with Sister McPherson.
How gladly I would step in front of her and shield her from it all. Any mother would feel like that. Every false accusation hurled at her strikes directly at my heart. Every blow aimed at her comes crashing home to my heart with an even greater force than hers. She is my daughter—the little daughter I prayed for—the daughter I gave unto the Lord. Any mother would rather suffer herself than see her darling endure pain, either physical or mental. My mother heart has ached for her, but through it all the Lord has been with me in a wonderful way. He has kept my soul in perfect peace.
"Yes, Lord," I have thought many times, "there is coming a day, there is coming another bar—your Judgment Bar. Just now you are looking down. You are reading the thoughts, the purposes and intents of the hearts, and there is coming that day when every man and woman shall receive the reward for their deeds done in the body."
Praise God! He has given me the victory! My heart is singing and I am happy that we have been privileged to know a little of the persecution which the early saints suffered.
Years ago we used to speak of how wonderful it would be to have some scars of actual battle to show when we reached Heaven, when Paul, Stephen, Peter and the others were shewing their scars. Now it looks as though we were to have them.
This last attack of Satan, which has been made upon even the body of our Sister, has been foiled by the grace of God through the prayers of the saints and, having only missed two services, she is again in the pulpit, completely recovered. Praise God!
The servant is not greater than his Lord. Jesus never told His people that they would have a bed of roses. He told them if they lived godly they must suffer persecution.
"I'll go with Him—with Him all the way," many times we have sung with uplifted hands.
It is not difficult to sing it in a crowded Temple or by the quiet hearthstone with the Sabbath bells softly chiming and kindly faces smiling, but the time has now come when we must sing it in the midst of the burning fiery furnace, which is indeed being heated hotter each day.
Countless thousands of God's Foursquare Gospel saints the world over are suffering with anguished hearts and are praying day and night that grace will be given to the little Evangelist through whose life and fearless word the light and blessing have gone around the world in this great revival.
It was seventeen years ago she gave her heart to God in a humble mission and answered His call to the harvest fields. It has not been an easy way, though it might have been had she listened to the voice of flattery or been willing to cut corners. To her the only course was to be true to the vision; and we thank God that we who know her, know she has been true.
Preaching from coast to coast, continent to continent, the Gospel of Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day and forever was carried wherever she went until in no city could be found an auditorium large enough to contain the throngs that came to hear—throngs that would wait day and night could they but obtain admission to hear this Evangelist.
Finally she came to Los Angeles and by perseverance, faith, sacrifice and constant devotion throughout the years, by the grace of God, brought Angelus Temple into being. It was dedicated to the Lord on January 1st, 1923, and opened to whosoever will.
At first she planned it only to be an evangelistic centre, but later it developed into a church with a great membership of many thousands, trained and taught in the Word of God, and whose lives were according to its principles.
As an evangelistic centre it has no rival for an unabated revival. It is no uncommon thing to have upward of thirty states, besides the foreign countries and distant cities of the state, represented in the monthly reception of delegates.
The KFSG radio found a place a-top the dome of Angelus Temple, and has broadcast the message which has meant sunshine and salvation in thousands of hearts, and has set the joy-bells ringing in homes and lives across the country and almost around the world.
Tens of thousands of letters have been received telling of the new life received over the radio, of faith revived, of hope inspired, and of names—new names written down in glory.
The Bible School was to be builded, for there was a Sunday School running as high as three thousand souls. Again the little Evangelist put her shoulder to the wheel with the members and friends, both of Angelus Temple and the Bridal Call Family, and it was builded—a beautiful structure of concrete and steel, inviting to the eye, containing every modern equipment and convenience and having four great auditoriums besides the numerous classrooms and offices. It was just what was needed.
Then, as the greater part of the burden was lifted, the Temple members planned Sister McPherson's first vacation, that she might have the fulfilment of her lifelong desire to visit the Holy Land and walk where the Saviour she loved so well had taught and walked. It was all arranged. An evangelist was found to fill the pulpit. Sister McPherson had her glorious trip and returned to her work happy, joyous, carefree as a little bird on the wing. Her members and workers were assuming more and more responsibility and she was surrounded by love and care on every hand. The future looked brighter than it ever had looked, and Sister McPherson was looking forward, now that the church and school were organised and such splendid workers were in charge, that she might again travel at least part of the time and deliver her message in the great centres of the world.
She was given such a reception on her return as the officials of the railroad companies and the papers state had never been accorded any person, great or small, in Los Angeles.
The enemy could not stand it any longer. We wondered, in our hearts, that the work was permitted to continue unattacked as long as it had been, but the meetings were so sane, our Temple was well out of the city, the building of it had revolutionised and improved the neighbourhood—and where would the persecution begin?
Ah, he had a plan, long worked out and carefully laid!
On May 18th, while our little Evangelist went out to the beach which was her custom, for an hour or two's relaxation and rest, taking with her her Bible and notebook to prepare her Sunday sermons, she was inveigled into an automobile on the pretext of praying for a sick child. When remonstrating that she must dress first, a coat was thrown over her shoulders, and as the case had been presented as urgent, she said to herself, "I am an evangelist. If I do not go people will think I am selfish, and I never want to be selfish."
She went. It was but a moment, as she rested her foot on the running board and leaned forward, until a voice had said, "Step in," and she was pushed into the car, rendered unconscious and knew no more.
The events of that following month we will not relate. Suffice it to say that she was moved to the desert and, as we believe, allowed to escape, that they might wreak out upon her defenceless head a worse fate than death. Because of her great vitality and indomitable spirit and courage, she was able to find her way to the lights of the town and, met by friends in Douglas, was taken into their midst, cared for, and given every assistance.
Sister McPherson was asked to tell her story in detail with the statement that it was for the purpose of helping to find the persons who had been her captors. She did it as innocently as a child, asking that it be brought back to her for proof-reading and signature. Instead of doing this, however, the statement was given to the papers without ever presenting it to Sister, and beside the statement were the words—
"The cold eye of official investigation is being turned upon her."
Turned upon her, the victim of it all! Turned upon her, who had suffered so much! Turned upon her with this beautiful church, her darling children, her mother, her Bible School with hundreds of students! Turned upon her with her past record of seventeen years of evangelism and her pure life which has ever been an open book to the world!
Why?
Let the reader not judge until he has looked into all the surrounding circumstances and the source of the persecution.
Immediately steps were taken to hail Sister McPherson before the grand jury. She went, and under oath told her story. They were unable to trip her. God kept her mind clear throughout the trying ordeal.
She had to suffer the humiliation of seeing her mother taken before the grand jury as well as her little thirteen-year-old son who tells us of questions put to him for which we blush.
Failing in this attempt, seeing that the work of God was still going on, upheld by prayer, by love and faith, with more converts than ever before, the baptistery filled, hundreds receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, students coming in from every part of the world to train for the ministry—another onslaught was evidently planned, and this time so carefully worked out that at the moment of writing it would seem they have woven a net completely to enmesh Sister McPherson and her mother, and to close the mouth of this fearless preacher of the Gospel forever.
Sister McPherson has preached the Gospel for seventeen years with such success as to rouse the enemy to drastic action. She is now in the midst of the burning fiery furnace herself, and she, who has given her life to help others, now must be sustained by the prayer and love of others. The call is made to every reader who knows the ministry and life of Sister McPherson, to look to God and to hold on in prayer. This struggle is a sign of the times and the day in which we live. Turn to your Bibles and read of the things which shall come to pass in the latter days, and you will have the answer for yourselves.
It is not necessary to explain to anyone who has known Sister McPherson. They know she is the same sweet, pure, lovely evangelist she has always been, whose life is without blemish or spot. We feel the enemy has taken the one course open to him to attack her by casting a shadow upon her name, choosing a time when she was alone and in captivity, and therefore has no way of proving where she was.
We are preachers and not fighters. Therefore there is little we can do. We are waiting on the Lord and we call to prayer all of God's children everywhere. Pray that grace and strength may be given for the trying ordeal which is out ahead.
While we cannot understand why a charge should be made against Sister McPherson, who has done naught but good to everyone with whom she came in contact, evidence is being provided in an attempt to place our leader in a compromising situation and to discount her story of the kidnapping.
Just a few days before the tragedy which took her from us and plunged us into all this sorrow, thousands from all walks of life were giving words of appreciation of Mrs. McPherson.
Then came the sudden change—the tragedy of the kidnapping, the sorrow of the Temple, the determination to carry on, the planning for the future, the upheaval of Sister's homecoming when we learned that she was alive, her return, the "official shadow," then the plans for her persecution, the failure to disprove her story, the continuous and demoralising effect of the press stories sent out at random, the sensational "Carmel Cottage" stories intimating that our beautiful, pure-hearted leader, who has been acknowledged the peer of evangelists, and whose life has been without a shadow of reproach throughout the years, had been the inmate of the cottage and the companion of a former employee.
Those who know Sister McPherson would not give a moment's thought to such a dastardly charge. However, by the aid of "investigation" carried on with county money and by officials of a different faith, the papers were again filled with sensational stories that various persons had seen a woman, now thought to be Sister McPherson, in and around a little seaside cottage during the first ten days after her disappearance.
At first we did not take these stories seriously, believing it was simply a continued attempt to destroy her reputation, and would fall by its own weight. Later we began to see that it was serious, and that evidently an attempt was being made to "frame" Sister McPherson, hoping for her arrest, conviction and imprisonment, though outwardly with the excuse of perjury, but inwardly, as we all feel, it was to remove her from the platform and to still her voice.
Someone had been in the cottage, and we waited day after day believing that, as all other points brought up had been cleared by the truth, so the inmates of this cottage would come forward. Various letters came with confessions, but we paid no heed to them, as they were unidentified.
Then came Mrs. Wiseman. Now it seems that she was a "plant." And they apparently accomplished their intention! Mrs. Wiseman was attractive in appearance, of a captivating personality, told her story convincingly and faced all tests unflinchingly. Her story to us in a nutshell was that it was she whom the people saw and took to be Mrs. McPherson, that her sister was the companion of the former Temple employee, that her sister was sick and she was there caring for her, that when she learned of the trouble and of the accusations against Mrs. McPherson, her conscience troubled her and she could not eat nor sleep, but had to come and unburden her soul. She stated she had made attempts to see the District Attorney and failed. She came to us and to others. We were not the only ones to be deceived by her. We did not vouch for her story, although we listened to it. She promised to produce responsible witnesses who knew her movements about that time. We gave her seven tests during the time she was coming and going, and she faced everyone of them, to all appearances, willingly. One was that she go to Carmel and meet the persons who had seen the couple at the cottage. She went, but returned stating that her affidavits would do instead of meeting them then.
Then we wanted her to meet Mr. Benedict, the owner of the cottage, which she did, afterwards stating to us that he was satisfied she was the woman. We then wanted her to interview the District Attorney, which she did, according to her report to us, many times. We asked her to have her picture taken, to submit to the authorities a sample of her handwriting and to go before the grand jury and testify. To all of these she acquiesced willingly.
Then the grand jury broke up before she had given her testimony, and she stated to us that she had seen the judge who was in charge of it, and he had arranged for her to meet a committee of judges who would hear her story, and listen to her witnesses. Later she said it was considered all that was necessary was to give her story to the papers.
Accordingly she enlisted the services of our stenographer, to whom she dictated her statement.
It seems it must have been all arranged, for Mrs. Wiseman left that night, saying good-bye to us and stating that she might not see us again as she was leaving now for her home, feeling that she had done all in her power to right a wrong she had unintentionally done by letting the reflection of the Carmel story be cast upon Sister McPherson. Then, a few hours later, the papers were filled with the sensational story that she had been arrested on bad cheque charges and she proved to have, according to reports, a criminal and insane record. It is stated that her husband had applied for a divorce on the ground of persistent untruth and her sister stated that she had left a trail of bad cheques behind her for years.
On returning home we were met by a woman with a note from Mrs. Wiseman requesting three thousand dollars be sent her in a few moments, and upon our refusal to enter into anything of this sort, we were met with veiled threats that a few hours would be disastrous if we did not pay the money. We steadfastly refused, however, and the result was that within a few hours the alleged "confession" of Mrs. Wiseman was published, in which she made it appear that we had conspired with her. Now we find that the officials are stating their confidence in her statements. If she could fool the district attorney, is it not reasonable that she might fool us? We are not detectives, and were not looking for a criminal but for the person who actually was in the cottage to appear and make a true statement.
Another angle of the case is the blind attorney of Long Beach. Our first knowledge of this was on Decoration Day, through a telephone message from the Captain of Detectives of Long Beach, stating that the attorney had come to him with the information that the alleged kidnappers or their accomplices had approached him in his office that morning with the story that Mrs. McPherson had been kidnapped and was being held for ransom, and that her mother was to be approached for the money.
Mr. McKinley gave this testimony before the grand jury, accompanied by his secretary, Miss Morris. Mr. McKinley won the confidence of one of the most eminent jurors. Was it not to be expected that he would win ours?
Seeing that we apparently could expect no help from the authorities, after the close of the grand jury investigation, we met Mr. McKinley and finally retained him on the case. He stated definitely that he had knowledge of the kidnappers and believed that he could clear up the entire case.
However, he met a sudden and mysterious death—his automobile being plunged into a bog and buried in the mud and mire, where he and two companions perished while on a night drive.
Learning of this, with one of our attorneys and the driver, we went to Long Beach. Mr. McKinley's secretary stated she had all the knowledge of the facts. She stated that another lawyer, a friend of Mr. McKinley, also knew the facts and would continue the case. Miss Morris herself gave statements to the press to this effect. We have learned that the said legal friend of Mr. McKinley approached our attorney, who stated to him that they must put their facts on the table and that all dealings would have to be in the open. They did not attempt further to approach us.
Shortly after this we learned that efforts were being made to compromise with the secretary. She came to us ostensibly to ask Mrs. McPherson to write a letter of comfort to someone in trouble. This Mrs. McPherson graciously did. While there Miss Morris took the opportunity to approach the matter of the kidnappers and also the matter of money, stating the kidnappers would prepare a map of the route which Mrs. McPherson had been taken over, this being one of the demands we had made of Mr. McKinley. The secretary stated, however, that they would want fifteen hundred dollars for the same. We replied, "Indeed not!"
Then she came down to three or four hundred dollars, to which we also replied, "No."
Later Sister McPherson gave her, in the presence of witnesses, a sum which she said would give them their bare expenses for a few days, until they had a chance to prove whether or not they could produce anything.
Shortly after this, the secretary gave her "confession."
Since then it has been a series of fabrications and "confessions."
Sister McPherson's story is the only one which has remained unchanged from the beginning. Persons of questionable reputation are being used to swear to statements which are absolutely false.
Our thinking readers, we know, can read not only the words, but can read between the lines and see the signs of the times in which we live. We realise this has been a great and glorious revival and that the enemy could not allow it to go on unhindered. We are preaching the Gospel straight from the shoulder, condemning sin and upholding the standard of righteousness and purity. They have taken the one way open to them to injure Sister, by attempting to besmirch her good name and character. Certain papers, known to be adverse to our religion, have covered the front pages of their publications for months with an avalanche of filth.
Throughout it all our people have held steadfast, unmovable, abounding in the work and faith of Christ. The meetings have continued, altars have been filled continually, the baptistery has been doubly filled with more than a hundred each week baptised, throngs of new members have been received weekly.
At the moment of writing we are facing the preliminary hearing. We know not what the future may bring forth, nor how high they have builded their house of blocks, but we do know that a structure of fabrication and lies builded upon the sand, when the storm comes, will be laid low, while the house founded on the solid rock will stand every test.
"So persecuted they the prophets which went before you," we read, and "The servant is not greater than his Lord."
To one of Sister McPherson's fine sensibilities and tender heart, the agony has been excruciating, yet as she enters the services it all seems to drop from her shoulders, and she meets her people in the power of God.
To our beloved friends who know the history and the purpose of this work, we need give no explanation. We know that you are standing with us and believing and praying for us, and that, weal or woe, you will uphold the standards of the Foursquare Gospel. The public mind, especially among strangers and unconverted people, has been so inflamed that we believe it would be very difficult to find either judge or jury unbiased under present conditions. Any stories which we have given to the press have been so surrounded and inundated by the sensational, adverse stories as to be almost obscured, and we have made little attempt toward defence in the press.
Stand by, remain true—true to the vision God has given you—pray for us as we do for you, rejoice in the Lord, and "carry on" as never before!