Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Aimee McPherson

This one sounds like a real live wire.

In 1913 she embarked upon a preaching career in Canada and the USA. In June 1915 she began evangelizing and holding tent revivals, first by traveling up and down the eastern United States, then going to other parts of the country.

Her revivals were often standing room only. One of these was held in a boxing ring, with the meeting before and after the match, throughout which she walked about with a sign reading "knock out the Devil."

McPherson had practiced speaking in tongues but rarely emphasized it.

Collections were taken at every meeting, often with the admonishment, "no coins, please."

She began broadcasting on radio in the early 1920s. McPherson was the first woman to preach a radio sermon and with the opening of Foursquare Gospel-owned KFSG (now KTLK AM 1150) on February 6, 1924 she also became the first woman granted a broadcast license by the Federal Radio Commission.

KFSG … received a stern warning, because the station either used too much power, drifted off its assigned frequency or changed frequencies without permission. These violations of the radio regulations caused interference around Los Angeles to those trying to hear other local stations. … There must have been some warning from the Department of Commerce that KFSG could lose its license if the station continued breaking the rules … In response to these warnings from the radio regulators, at some point, … McPherson fired off an angry telegram … to Herbert Hoover. … The telegram … reportedly said:

PLEASE ORDER YOUR MINIONS OF SATAN TO LEAVE MY STATION ALONE. YOU CANNOT EXPECT THE ALMIGHTY TO ABIDE BY YOUR WAVELENGTH NONSENSE.

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