THE TRANCE EVANGELIST

 

They called her the “Trance Evangelist.” 

This was a fitting title for Maria Woodworth-Etter who frequently received soul shaking revelations while suspended in a trance like state. 

The title of “evangelist” was equally fitting for she won thousands for Christ. As well as Woodworth’s ministry being characterized by fiery preaching, it was also characterized by a very peculiar feature.

Many times while she was ministering, Woodworth would freeze in a trance. She sometimes would stay in this trance like state for long periods of time, even hours. You hear some people say 3 days, but there isn't anything written saying that. 

Upon awakening from the trance, she would share with her audience visions that she had just seen. Often these visions were of heaven and hell. Many in her audiences were shaken up by these sobering visions. 

If it wasn’t peculiar enough for her to go into a trance, it was equally peculiar for the very same thing to happen to attendees of the meetings. The newspapers began calling her the “Trance Evangelist.” Many accused her of using hypnotism.

She vehemently denied this, declaring that she did not use hypnotism and that the trances in her meetings were by the power of God. She said, “I know nothing about hypnotic power. I never saw a person hypnotized; but I do know something of the power of God, of the power of the Holy Ghost.” Coming to the meetings, attendees often stayed for hours. 

A service could run from 9 A.M. in the morning until 3 P.M. in the afternoon or, on another occasion, from 4 P.M. until early hours of the morning. Oh, how we need meetings like Etter's once again!!

Source: @brian_taylor_revival_history