Mariah Beulah
Woodworth-Etter (1844-1924)
Her Life and Ministry
Chapter 1
God uses ordinary people who are available to Him, and He uses them to
do extraordinary things for His glory and kingdom. Often times, God chooses
those who appear to be the least qualified in man’s perception, and He raises
them up out of the ash heap to do a great work for the Lord.
Mariah Beulah Woodworth-Etter is an example of a person who had a rough
childhood and life. Now days, you would say that she came from a dysfunctional,
abusive home. Her father was a drunkard and her mother was victimized by his
abuse, with no money to leave and eight children to take care of. Back in the
1800’s divorce was not an option. There were no laws to protect women and
children from abuse, no police intervention. Women and children were considered
more like property, than people with value. Mariah’s mother and the children
were trapped in this miserable situation.
Mariah Beulah Underwood was born on July 22, 1844 in New Lisbon, Ohio to
Samuel Lewis and Matilda Brittain
Underwood. She was the fourth daughter of Samuel and Matilda Underwood.
Her parents were not Christians during her early years, but joined the
Disciples Church when she was ten years of age.
Her father being an alcoholic and drunkard, one year after they joined
the Disciples Church, he was struck by lightning in a terrible storm and died.
Mariah’s mother was left in poverty with eight children to raise. Eleven-year
old Mariah, and her older sisters, had to go out and work to provide for the
family. Mariah longed for a formal education, but the idea seemed impossible.
Mariah’s circumstances were negative, with the odds stacked against her
future success. However, God chose her to preach the Gospel and He raised her
up. In her day, it was unheard of and looked down on for women to preach.
At the age of thirteen, Mariah went forward at the end of a church
service to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. The following day, she
was water baptized in a river. When she came up out of the water, a light shone
upon her, and God’s power so overwhelmed her that she fainted in the Spirit.
She heard Jesus call her into ministry, but her church did not allow women to
serve in any kind of ministry capacity, except as a missionary. Because it was
generally not accepted in the church and society for women to be preachers or
ministers, she assumed that she was being called as a missionary.
A few years after her conversion (around age 17), Mariah married Mr.
Woodworth with the hopes that the way would be opened for them to be
missionaries, because he was called to be a missionary.
When God initially called her to preach the Gospel, she assumed it would
be missionary work because women were not allowed to preach but could be a
missionary. But that’s not what God had told her. He said she would travel and
preach.
So often our mind overrules what the Spirit says to us, and we tend to
interpret things according to our mindsets. Traditions, the culture and
society, and preconceived ideas are very powerful, often exalting itself above
the wisdom of God.
In Mariah’s case, she interpreted what God had spoken to her through the
mindset she had which was based on her religious background and society. She
followed her mind in choosing a husband … what seemed right, logical and
rational, but the marriage was laced with complications.
She assumed God called her to do missionary work just because it was
acceptable for a woman to be a missionary at that time, and unacceptable to
travel and preach, or start a church. Mariah didn’t really consult the Lord
regarding whom she was to marry. And she was so young (only 17). They got
married and things didn’t turn out like she had hoped.
One trial and hardship came after another. Her health failed, and everything
they undertook seemed to fail. Although there were troubles in her marriage,
she was happy with her young children. But then her son died. Then a year
later, another baby son was taken away by death.
Shortly after, her seven-year old daughter Georgie became sick with a
dreadful disease (scrofula), and lingered about eight months before going to
heaven. Mariah gave birth to a baby girl named Girtie three weeks before
Georgie died. However, this baby also died at four months of age. During this
entire time, Mariah was very ill, on the brink of life and death.
Medical science was not advanced back then like it is now. Vaccinations
were not available like it is today. Now days, cures and treatments have been
discovered for many of the diseases people died from over 100 years ago.
Mariah’s family had no money for doctors, proper health care and proper
nutrition (of what was available at the time).
Years later Mariah had another little boy named Willie, and he also died
at a young age. Out of six children, only one daughter, Lizzie, survived and
lived out a full lifetime.
In spite of all the tragedies, God was speaking to her heart to preach
the Gospel, and God began giving her visions. Mariah promised God that if He
would restore her health, she would try to do what He was calling her to do.
Immediately, her health got better.
Mariah and her husband, and daughter Lizzie and son Willie moved to a
Friends’ Settlement (a Christian group at that time). It was there at a church
where God said, “I brought you here; go to work.” Mariah was very fearful and
timid, and went through a season of giving God all the excuses of why she could
not preach and wanted God to use somebody else. But she was forever impacted by
a vision God gave her where she saw souls in hell.
In the vision of hell, there was weeping and wailing and gnashing of
teeth, torment, torture and suffering. Hell was surrounded by multitudes of
people who seemed to not be conscious of their danger, and without a moment’s
warning they would tumble into this hideous place. In the vision, she stood
above hell on a narrow plank-walk, which wound towards heaven. She was
exhorting and pleading with people to come upon the plank and escape that
horrifying place. Several followed her on the plank. There was a bright light
above her, and she encouraged them to follow that light, which would lead to
heaven.
Mariah Beulah Woodworth-Etter (1844-1924)
Her Life and Ministry
Chapter 2
After the vision of hell, she was still resistant to minister for various
reasons: fear and rejection, the fact that she was a woman called to preach
(which was rare at that time), and also because of opposition from her husband
and daughter. But then this awful vision would come to her remembrance, and she
would see souls sinking into eternal destruction. Then Jesus would whisper to
her, “I am with you, be not afraid.”
Many men ministers began to recognize the calling on her life and were
supportive, and they encouraged her to go forth in her destiny. That was a
miracle right there … she began receiving validation from men pastors at a time
in history when women were generally not recognized, devalued and had little
voice. Ministers prophesied to her that God was calling her to the West to
labor for lost souls (she lived in Ohio at the time).
Life on the road was a rough existence, without modern transportation,
proper medical attention, and all the conveniences we have today. Mariah didn’t
know how she could take her little boy Willie with her. A few days later,
Willie died unexpectedly and went to heaven. Her oldest daughter, Lizzie, who
was sixteen at the time, was the only child (out of six children) who survived
and lived out a full lifetime.
Mariah was married to Mr. Woodworth for 26 years. The marriage finally
ended in divorce for many reasons – years of complications, incompatibility,
irreconcilable differences, her husband giving her opposition, and then her
husband’s adulterous affairs.
At the beginning of her ministry, Mr. Woodworth released her to travel
with a group, but later on accompanied her to her evangelistic meetings.
After the divorce, Mariah was single for eleven years until re-marrying.
She retained her first husband’s last name Woodworth. Even after they divorced,
they remained friends. Mariah married Mr. Etter on January 1, 1902. Mr. Etter
traveled and ministered alongside with her as a team and helped her with the
business details of ministry. Mr. Etter was the husband she needed and they
were truly one. The second marriage was very blessed and successful. It was
filled with peace, joy, happiness and fulfillment.
At Mariah’s evangelistic meetings, the manifested glory of the Lord was
present in her crusades. Not only was the Lord’s presence felt in a powerful
way, but at times a Cloud or Smoke of Glory filled the place (which is referred
to as the Shekinah Glory).
Shekinah speaks of the “weighty” presence of God. The Shekinah is felt
tangibly or seen visibly. At times, flames like raindrops (similar to what
happened on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2), fell from heaven into Mariah’s
meetings. Sometimes the sweet beautiful fragrance of Jesus saturated the place
(compare to Song of Solomon 1:2-4). God’s mighty presence and power wrought
healings, miracles, signs and wonders at the meetings.
An example in Scripture of the Shekinah glory is when Solomon dedicated
the temple he built for God. When the priests began to play musical
instruments, sing and bless the Lord, the place was filled with the cloud of
God’s glory. The priests could not stand up to minister by reason of the cloud
(2 Chronicles 5:13-14, 1 Kings 8:10-11).
In Mariah’s meetings, people’s hearts were changed as a result of
receiving the Word which was preached. Scores of people who were unsaved or
backslidden would repent and come to the altar to receive Christ. Her ministry
colleagues (who were men) would often water baptize new converts shortly or
immediately after they accepted Christ as Savior at her meetings.
Scores were baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues (Acts 2,
Acts 10:44-46). The Gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12 – prophecy, tongues,
interpretation of tongues, faith, healings, miracles, word of knowledge, word
of wisdom, discerning of spirits), as well as a full expression of prophetic
worship (Davidic expression of worship as mentioned in the Psalms and
Revelation 4-5), was in operation at her meetings.
Mariah Beulah Woodworth-Etter (1844-1924)
Her Life and Ministry
Chapter 3
Mariah preached and prophesied with authority. There were times in her meetings
when God’s judgment was revealed (like in the early church in the book of
Acts). For instance, there were occasions when some were struck dead as they
tried to blaspheme or openly oppose what the Holy Spirit was doing. It was
similar to what happened to Ananias and Sapphira after Peter confronted them
for lying to the Holy Ghost and to the apostles (Acts 5:1-12). Great fear (holy
reverence of God) fell upon the people at her meetings.
There were times when the Holy Ghost would prompt her to prophesy to
certain ones that this was their last opportunity to get saved because they
wouldn’t be on this earth much longer. Sadly, there were some who refused the
warning from God or didn’t take it seriously, and within a matter of hours or
days, were dead and didn’t have a second chance to accept Christ as Lord and
Savior.
People were set free from demonic oppression in her meetings. Sometimes
gangs would come to interrupt, throw rocks at people, or slash the cords of the
tent so that the tent collapsed. Sometimes heavy rain storms arose during the
meetings, soaking the place with cold, mud and water. One time, a violent storm
arose where gushing winds tore through the tent, and the tent and some
equipment was ripped apart.
Sometimes evil or mentally ill people stormed into the meeting angry,
carrying weapons, and a spirit of boldness would arise in Mariah and she would
point at them and rebuke them in the Name of Jesus and they would be frozen in
their tracks. Suddenly their disposition would transform into a little lamb and
they would leave the tent doing no harm. Wherever the Lord is doing mighty
things, the light attracts the darkness.
In her California meetings, she faced great dangers of being shot. In
one meeting, the men built a high board fence around the back of the pulpit to
protect her. While in California, she also received a death threat letter with
a sketch of a skull and cross bones, and also one of a heart with a dagger
stuck through it. Her enemies threatened that if she didn’t leave then they
would tear down the tents and kill everyone. She stayed, and a mob showed up at
2:00 in the morning.
On another occasion, a group of policemen got drunk and were mad at one
of her workers for some reason. They gathered up a mob with the intent on
storming the place. Some of them entered her meeting, with the plan that at a
precise moment they would give the signal, and then the mob would come rushing
in. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Mariah, and she stepped up to the altar
and stood looking at the policemen. She began talking as the Spirit gave her
utterance. The fear of God fell upon them, and they were afraid of the God in
her. They solemnly walked out of the tent and their plans were foiled.
In her meetings the glory of God was so strong that the atmosphere of
Heaven was present. There were many times when Mariah, and others, would see
open visions (like what Peter and Paul experienced). Some were even temporarily
caught up (their spirit was caught up) to Paradise and literally saw glimpses
of Heaven and the Throne. In some visions, Mariah saw Jesus in person.
Sometimes He said nothing (His eyes and body language says it all), and
sometimes He gave a verbal instruction. In one meeting, a woman fell under the
power of God, and went into a trance that lasted for eight days. She came out
shouting and preaching.
Mariah details these events in her autobiographies. Mariah was a
level-headed, balanced individual in what she said in her sermons and the
things she wrote in her writings. So therefore, it’s my belief that the visions
she documented were accurate, true and of God.
Mariah Beulah Woodworth-Etter (1844-1924)
Her Life and Ministry
Chapter 4
When Mariah began ministering in Ohio in the early stages of her
ministry, she went to various cities in the local area and preached revivals.
She went wherever she was invited. A church, or group of churches, would invite
her to come and hold meetings. She stayed anywhere from a few days to several
weeks. One of the first places she held meetings was in a town called “Devil’s
Den”. It was distinguished for adultery and skepticism.
She also traveled to other states to hold meetings as well, even all the
way West to California. Mariah held a revival in Oakland, California in October
of 1889. Although there were no advertisements, crowds began to pack the tent.
A severe rain storm, as never before in the history of Oakland, poured down
during the revival, but crowds still gathered in spite of the rain, cold and
mud. Within a few days of commencement, the tent was not able to accommodate
the numbers of people who were coming to the meetings. Mariah’s funds were
depleted by this time, but God laid it upon some people’s hearts to purchase
stoves to heat the inside of the tent. Men also built a wooden floor inside the
tent.
The Christians in Oakland decided that Mariah must have a larger tent,
and they ordered a tent that was able to seat 8,000. In a short time the tent
was made and set up on the ground for a dedicatory service. The dedication
ceremony sermon was preached by the pastor of the M.E. Church of San Francisco.
Prayer was offered by the pastor of the M.E. Church of Oakland. A number of
other ministers were present.
Mariah commented (concerning the revival in Oakland) that she had never
been in a meeting before where so many nationalities were represented in one
place. People came to the meetings from nearly all parts of the United States
and the world. And that is still the way Oakland is today. The city of Oakland
and the surrounding Bay Area is noted as being one of the top areas in the
world which represents so many diverse cultures and races – and generally
speaking, the cultures mix together rather than staying in their own separate
groups. In the Bay Area, segregation primarily occurs in churches, but you see
many cultures mixed together in the workplace, marketplace, and in
universities.
The Holy Spirit drew people to travel to the revival in Oakland. The
tent revival in Oakland was the largest out of all tent revivals in America (in
1889). The last day of the revival, police were there just in case any trouble
broke out due to the large crowds. That day, the 8,000 seat tent was packed to
capacity, and 10,000 people were outside and could not get in.
Mariah tells of a story of a 63 year old man who came to the Oakland
revival. He was a mocker. He and some friends were visiting Oakland and heard
about the meeting. They came out of curiosity. During the meeting, he made some
light remarks to his friends about the power of God that was displayed and
started boldly towards the pulpit to investigate. But he fell to the floor by
the power of God (like being struck with electricity) and laid there for two
hours. While in this condition, God gave him visions of heaven and hell, and
told him to make a choice of the two. He called upon the Lord to save him, and
made a decision for Christ. He came out of his partially conscious state
praising God and realizing that he was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Mariah organized a church in Salem, Oregon around 1892. She was not the
founder of a denomination but she set up a church. A pastor was appointed and
the church began with 13 members.
She also established a mission in Portland, Oregon and left it with a
Congregationalist minister.
Mariah Beulah Woodworth-Etter (1844-1924)
Her Life and Ministry
Part 5
Mariah wrote several books, some of which have been reprinted and are in
circulation today. Some of her book titles include:
·
Acts of the Holy Ghost, Life and
Experience of Mrs. M.B. Woodworth-Etter, published in 1912
·
Signs and Wonders God Wrought in
the Ministry, published in 1916.
·
A Diary of Signs and Wonders,
reprint by Harrison House of the 1916 original book.
·
The Holy Spirit, reprint by
Whitaker House of the original book.
·
Holy Ghost Sermons, extracted
sermons from her original books printed by Harrison House.
·
Maria Woodworth-Etter on
Miracles, editor’s devotional companion book based on the writings of M.B.
Woodworth-Etter.
Mariah was very prophetic in her sermons. In one sermon, it was entitled
“Prepare for War”, in which she prophesied of a coming world war. This came to
pass with World War 1.
Mariah talked much about the importance of worship, prayer, the
authority of the Word of God, fasting, and intimacy with the Holy Spirit. She
emphasized the necessity of holiness and dying to the carnal nature (Galations
5 and 6) in order to walk the narrow path that leads to eternal life.
In her writings, you feel a sense of the reverential fear of God (which
needs to be restored to the Body of Christ today). There is lack of respect and
honor today in God’s house, and lack of respect towards God personally in day
to day living. There is also a lack of respect towards authority figures and
those who are older.
Today people do what is right in their own eyes. People can attend
church and be religious, but then live for the devil the rest of the week. God
does not want mixture in our lives. There should be a distinction between light
and darkness, between saved and unsaved. God is looking for holiness and
consecration. Holiness is not outward, as much as it begins inwardly.
Mariah did not shy away from talking about the reality of eternal
judgment (which is unpopular today to talk about), and she had compassion for
the lost and wanted to warn as many as possible.
Mariah was a woman, who through hardships and perils, whose faith
remained strong. She was noted for her perseverance. She considered herself a
pilgrim here on this earth, and heaven was her real home. While she longed for
heaven, she also wanted to remain on this earth to fulfill her destiny and lead
as many to Christ as possible.
Although she experienced tremendous success in her ministry, it wasn’t
all rosy. She also suffered setbacks and much persecution. Her persecutors
consisted of those who were not saved, as well as some Christians who were
opposed to her ministry.
When she was 69 years old, she and two co-laborers were arrested and
falsely charged with crimes they did not commit. She was also accused of
hypnotizing people. God vindicated her and the charges were dropped. But at the
moment it was happening, she had to endure the lies spoken against her.
God used Mariah in her evangelistic ministry to gather together those of
various denominations and religious backgrounds. They came together in unity
under one roof to worship Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and the power of God was
poured out. God also used her ministry to gather together people from various
ethnic groups, as well as those from all walks of life and economic status.
She ministered to the saved and the unsaved. She had an apostolic
anointing. She was a mentor to pastors and other ministers, she was a spiritual
mother to many, she established various ministry works, and she paved the way
for others as a pioneer.
Mariah’s ministry (and her contemporaries) were “John the Baptist’s” who
prepared the way for the worldwide outpouring of the Holy Spirit, in which
Pentecostal revival broke out in Topeka, Kansas and Azuza Street in Los
Angeles, as well as other places around the world in the early 1900’s.
Mariah was a contemporary with preachers and leaders such as Smith
Wigglesworth, William Seymour, Charles Parham, John G. Lake, and the
Pentecostal outpouring on Azuza Street in 1906 and the subsequent years. She
was a forerunner of Kathryn Kulhman, used mightily of God to demonstrate that
the power of the Holy Spirit is as real today as it was in the book of Acts.
In reading her writings, much of what she says is prophetic. The Holy
Spirit speaks, encourages, exhorts, comforts and even warns individuals through
the messages He prompted Mariah to preach and record on paper. Some of the
anointing on her life is imparted into the readers who receive what the Spirit
is saying to the Church today.
In reading Mariah’s sermons, prophesies, exhortations and other
writings, there is a heavy anointing on it today even though it was written a
hundred years ago. The messages God spoke through her is still relevant to the
Church today. She really was born before her time.
She also spoke much about future events to come in the Body of Christ
and the world, including the second return of Christ and the Marriage Supper of
the Lamb. She exhorted the Bride of Christ to prepare herself to meet the
Bridegroom. Only those Christians who would walk in the Spirit, bear the fruit
of the Spirit, and live in holiness would be able to ascend and enter into the
Marriage Supper.
In the parable of the ten virgins (5 wise and 5 foolish in Matthew 25),
when Jesus returns for His Church, will only half (50%) of those who claim to
be Christians be ready to ascend to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? (Kat Kerr,
who has been caught up to Heaven on many occasions and has seen and talked with
Jesus said that right now only 20% of the Body of Christ is ready to ascend in
the rapture. The other 80% are living carnal lives.) Mariah’s writings inspire
the Christian to take a closer look at their walk with God, and to turn away
from sin and those things which hinder. She inspired people to love God with
all their heart and to love their neighbor.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Maria Beulah Woodworth-Etter, Acts of the Holy Ghost, Life and
Experience of Mrs. M.B. Woodworth-Etter (Indianapolis: M.B.
Woodworth-Etter’s Ministry and printed by John F. Worley Printing in Dallas),
1912.
Maria Beulah Woodworth-Etter, Signs and Wonders God Wrought in the
Ministry (Indianapolis: M.B. Woodworth-Etter’s Ministry and printed by
Hammond Press in Chicago), 1916.
Maria Beulah Woodworth-Etter, A Diary of Signs and Wonders
(Tulsa: Reprint by Harrison House of the 1916 original book).
Maria Beulah Woodworth-Etter, The Holy Spirit (Pennsylvania:
Reprint by Whitaker House of the original book), 1998.
Maria Beulah Woodworth-Etter, Holy Ghost Sermons (Tulsa:
Extraction of sermons from her original books printed by Harrison House), 1997.
Maria Beulah Woodworth-Etter, Maria Woodworth-Etter Devotional
(Florida: Reprint by Creation House of the original devotional), 1997.
Larry Keefauver, Lessons of Maria Woodworth-Etter on Miracles
(Florida: Creation House), 1997.
NOTE: My favorite biographies are her original writings which have not
been edited, and contain more information, sermons and prophecies than the
reprint editions. The titles include: Acts of the Holy Ghost published in
1912 and Signs and Wonders God Wrought in the Ministry published in 1916. A
limited supply of her original books are found in book stores that specialize
in classics that are out of print. Her original books may also be found in some
theological libraries.
It is God's will that no one should perish (end up in hell), but that ALL should come to repentance.
For God so loved this world that He gave His only begotton Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God did not send His Son into this world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him would be saved.
The thief (Satan the devil) comes only for to kill, steal and destroy. But Jesus has come to give us life, and life more abundantly, until it overflows.
I urge you to come to the Cross today and receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord. He will wash away all your sins and make you as clean and white as fresh snow.
Just pray this prayer and mean it with your heart:
Dear Lord Jesus (if you are not able to call him Lord yet, then just say "Jesus")
I receive You as my Savior and Lord. I give my life over to You. I believe that You died and rose again, and that if I call on the Name of the Lord I shall be saved.
I accept you into my heart right now, and confess that You are Lord and have risen from the dead and forever live to make intercession for me.
Thank You for washing my heart pure and clean and making me whole, and for giving me peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Thank You that now I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. The old has gone and the new has come.
And there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh (carnality and sin), but walk after the Spirit. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, I believe you got born again and are now heaven bound and will be with the Lord forever and have eternal life. Your sins are now forgiven. You are accepted in the Beloved.
I would encourage you to find a good Bible based local church to help you grow in your faith, to learn the Word of God, to praise and worship Him, and to have fellowship with the saints.
Serving Christ is the best decision you will ever make.
God bless you!!!
