Phoebe (Worrall) Palmer (1807 - 1874)

Born 18 Dec 1807 in New York City, New York County, New York, United States

Died 2 Nov 1874 at age 66 in New York City, New York County, New York, United States

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Biography

Phoebe (Worrall) Palmer is Notable.

Phoebe (Worrall) Palmer was a New Yorker.

Palmer was born Phoebe Worrall in New York City. Her father was a devout Methodist named Henry Worrall. He had experienced a religious conversion during the Wesleyan Revival in England before immigrating to the United States. Phoebe's mother was Dorothea Wade Worrall.

Phoebe Palmer was a Methodist evangelist and writer who promoted the doctrine of Christian perfection. She is considered one of the founders of the Holiness movement within Methodist Christianity. ^[1]

In 1827 Phoebe Worrall married Walter Palmer, a homeopathic physician, who was also a devout Methodist. They regularly attended Allen Street Methodist Church in New York City. As Methodists, the couple became interested in the writings of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley. They developed a particular interest in Wesley's doctrine of Christian perfection, which is the belief that a Christian can live a life free of sin. On 26 July 1837, Phoebe Palmer experienced what John Wesley termed "entire sanctification. Other members of her family experienced this "sanctification" soon thereafter. They felt that they should teach others about that experience and teach them how to have it for themselves. As such, Phoebe Palmer often preached at Methodist churches and camp meetings. ^[2]

In 1850, the census enumerated the Palmers in New York City. Walter (46), Phoebe (43), Sarah L. (17), Pheobe W. (11), Walter C. (7), David Sands (16), Harriet Nichols (23). Children: Phoebe Knapp Grandchild: Joseph P. Knapp

Phoebe Palmer (1807-1875) was born to a family of devout Methodists in New York, Palmer felt conflicted over her peaceful relationship with God. She yearned for something more. After losing two young children and believing it punishment for not fully devoting herself to God, she came to “see that the error of my religious life has been a desire for signs and wonders. Like Naaman, I have wanted some great thing, unwilling to rely unwaveringly on the still small voice of the Spirit, speaking through the naked Word.” She learned that by laying her life on the altar, she had full assurance of her salvation.

After this spiritual insight, she and her sister began holding ecumenical women’s prayer meetings, which began to multiply into similar groups around the country. Palmer became one of the most influential women in the fastest-growing religious group in America. She began to organize and preach at camp meetings, where approximately 25,000 people converted to Christianity. Her theology of the “altar covenant” was influential in the founding of the Church of the Nazarene, The Salvation Army, The Church of God, and The Pentecostal Holiness Church. Her book, The Way of Holiness was in fifty-two editions by 1867.

Sources

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_Palmer
2. ↑ Balmer, Randall (18 November 2005). Protestantism in America. Columbia University Press. p. 238. ISBN 9780231507691.

• CBE (Christians for Biblical Equality) International Article: "10 Awesome Women Pastors from History" written by Ruth Perry | March 06, 2018 [1]
• Find a Grave Memorial [2]
• Phoebe W. Palmer, New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949 [3]
• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-XKG7-987?cc=1401638&wc=95RH-RM4%3A1031313801%2C1032175201%2C1032861501 : 9 April 2016), New York > New York > New York City, ward 17 > image 839 of 1049; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).