Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

Zarephath, New Jersey Zarephath (, ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) and located in Franklin Township, in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States, about north of Princeton. The Pillar of Fire Church affirms the Methodist Articles of Religion and as of 1988, had 76 congregations around the world, including the United States, as well as "Great Britain, India, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, the Philippines, Spain, and former Yugoslavia." Alma White 01b

The denomination runs radio stations, a printing press, and educational institutions including a seminary. Norton PillarOfFire 100 0871

In the early 20th century, Pillar of Fire was known for its support for

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countri ...

; in the same century, it was known for supporting the

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Cat ...

and its racist platform. In 1997 and 2009, Pillar of Fire repudiated the denomination's former association with

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagoni ...

and requested forgiveness from God for formerly holding this position. In the present-day, worshippers at the

mother church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother in her functions of nourishing and protecting the believer. It may also refer to the primary church of a Christian denomination or diocese, i.e. a cathedral or a metropo ...

in Zarephath are "young, old, white, black, Asian, Hispanic."

History

Founding

In 1901, the Church was founded as a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

denomination by

Alma Bridwell White Alma Bridwell White (June 16, 1862 – June 26, 1946) was the founder and a bishop of the Pillar of Fire International, Pillar of Fire Church. In 1918, she became the first woman bishop of Pillar of Fire in the United States. She was a propo ...

in

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

. The Pillar of Fire was originally incorporated as the Pentecostal Union, but changed its name to distance itself from

Pentecostalism Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

in 1915. While the Pillar of Fire is

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

in doctrine, Alma White and her followers believed that the mainline Methodist Church had become corrupt. Alma White and the members of the Pillar of Fire dedicated themselves to the

holiness movement The Holiness movement is a Christian movement that emerged chiefly within 19th-century Methodism, and to a lesser extent other traditions such as Quakerism, Anabaptism, and Restorationism. The movement is historically distinguished by its emp ...

in the

Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan– Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charle ...

tradition. Adherents were referred to as "

Holy Roller #REDIRECT Holy Roller {{R from other capitalisation ...

s" and "holy jumpers" because of their religious frenzy. White was noted for her association with the

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Cat ...

, her

feminism Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

,

anti-Catholicism Anti-Catholicism is hostility towards Catholics or opposition to the Catholic Church, its clergy, and/or its adherents. At various points after the Reformation, some majority Protestant states, including England, Prussia, Scotland, and the Uni ...

,

antisemitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...

, anti-pentecostalism,

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagoni ...

, and nativism. With its founder being the first woman bishop in the United States, the ''Pillar of Fire'' is a supporter of

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countri ...

, printing the periodical ''Women's Chains'' to propagate support for the movement until 1970.

Ku Klux Klan, historically intolerant ideologies, and repudiation of the Ku Klux Klan

In the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, the Pillar of Fire Church was vocal in its support of the

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Cat ...

, to an extent which was unique for a religious denomination. Alma White prolifically spoke and wrote of both her and the Pillar of Fire Church's support of the Klan and many of the Klan's principles including

anti-Catholicism Anti-Catholicism is hostility towards Catholics or opposition to the Catholic Church, its clergy, and/or its adherents. At various points after the Reformation, some majority Protestant states, including England, Prussia, Scotland, and the Uni ...

,

white supremacy White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White ...

,

antisemitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...

, nativism, and

temperance Temperance may refer to: Moderation *Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed *Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion Culture * Temperance (group), Canadian dan ...

. In 1943, shortly before her death, she and the Pillar of Fire Church significantly but not completely distanced themselves from the then discredited and nearly bankrupt Klan organization, but they still continued to promote many of the Klan's intolerant principles. In a 1920s sermon which she republished in 1943, she said

We have no connection with the Klan organization. We endorse them in the principles for which they stand. However there is no room in our hearts for racial prejudice.

However, White and the Pillar of Fire still advocated

white supremacy White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White ...

in the same 1943 book-set which asserted their distaste for racial prejudice. In her chapter which was titled "White Supremacy" she wrote

The slaveholder, in many instances, was as much to be pitied as the slaves. He, too, was a victim of the system. ... .Where the slaves were well treated they were happy and contented ... But some radicals could never see this side of the question. They dwelt continually on the cruelties of a few hard taskmasters and ignored the good people who had the welfare of their dependents at heart. No matter what the better class of slave owners might do, they had to bear the stigma of cruelty with the worst of tyrants. ... .Where property rights are involved, supported by the government, the only safe and sane way to make wrongs right is by cool-headed procedure.

She also said to the New Brunswick Daily Home News,

"My people are not members of the Klan, but we agree with some of the things that they stand for to assert our American right of free speech. We have always stood for one hundred percent Americanism and so does the Klan, so naturally we agree there."

Additionally, the Pillar of Fire's pulpit and its printing operation were both extensively used to advocate many of the Klan's most intolerant values. In 1922, Bishop Alma White promoted the Klan in a sermon which she preached at the Pillar of Fire Church in Brooklyn, New York (which was coincidentally incinerated in the

1960 New York air disaster On December 16, 1960, a United Airlines Douglas DC-8 bound for Idlewild Airport (now John F. Kennedy International Airport) in New York City collided in midair with a TWA Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation descending toward LaGuardia Airport. ...

) and published that sermon in ''The Good Citizen''. The speech was titled "Ku Klux Klan and Woman's Causes" and one section was subtitled "White Supremacy."

The Klansmen stand for the supremacy of the white race, which is perfectly legitimate and in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Writ, and anything that has been decreed by the Almighty should not work a hardship on the colored race ... It is within the rights of civilization for the white race to hold the supremacy; and no injustice to the colored man to stay in the environment where he was placed by the Creator. ... When the black man was liberated it was time for women to be enfranchised, without which the colored man with his newly-acquired rank became her political master. ... The white women bore the sting of humiliation for more than half a century in being placed in an inferior position to the black men in the use of the ballot and the rights of citizenship ... To whom shall we look to champion the cause and to protect the rights of women? Is there not evidence that the Knights of the Klu Klux Klan are the prophets of a new and better age?

The Pillar of Fire Church strongly argued against social and political equality for Blacks and it also advocated

racial segregation Racial segregation is the systematic separation of people into racial or other ethnic groups in daily life. Racial segregation can amount to the international crime of apartheid and a crime against humanity under the Statute of the Intern ...

and the repeal of the fifteenth amendment. The Pillar allowed the Klan to hold meetings or

cross burning In modern times, cross burning or cross lighting is a practice which is associated with the Ku Klux Klan. However, it was practiced long before the Klan's inception. Since the early 20th century, the Klan burned crosses on hillsides as a way to ...

s on at least several of the church's numerous properties including numerous documented Klan gatherings in Zarephath, New Jersey;

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

;

Bound Brook, New Jersey Bound Brook is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States, located along the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 10,402,Longmont, Colorado The City of Longmont is a List of cities and towns in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality located in Boulder County, Colorado, Boulder and Weld County, Colorado, Weld List of counties in Colorado, counties, Colorado, United St ...

; and

Westminster, Colorado The City of Westminster is a home rule municipality located in Adams and Jefferson counties, Colorado, United States. The city population was 116,317 at the 2020 United States Census with 71,240 residing in Adams County and 45,077 residing in ...

. White participated directly in many of these meetings. During this time, the Pillar of Fire Church published ''

The Good Citizen ''The Good Citizen'' was a sixteen-page monthly political periodical edited by Bishop Alma White and illustrated by Reverend Branford Clarke. ''The Good Citizen'' was published from 1913 until 1933 by the Pillar of Fire Church at their head ...

'', a monthly 16 page political magazine and three books, ''

The Ku Klux Klan in Prophecy ''The Ku Klux Klan in Prophecy'' is a 144-page book written by Bishop Alma Bridwell White in 1925 and illustrated by Reverend Branford Clarke. In the book she uses scripture to rationalize that the Ku Klux Klan is sanctioned by God "through divi ...

'', '' Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty'', and ''

Heroes of the Fiery Cross ''Heroes of the Fiery Cross'' is a book in praise of the Ku Klux Klan, published in 1928 by Protestant Bishop Alma Bridwell White, in which she "sounds the alarm about imagined threats to Protestant Americans from Catholics and Jews", accordin ...

'', all of which heavily promoted the Klan and its agenda from 1921 until 1933. Ideologically, in these publications, the Pillar of Fire Church promoted anti-Catholicism,

antisemitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...

, nativism, and white supremacy, all primarily under the guise of patriotism. The radical belief in human equality which is at the heart of the Christian message eventually caused the organization to repudiate its historical relationship with the KKK on its website in 2009:

Much talk has also arisen over her brief but significant association with the KKK, which has also been publicly condemned and repented of by the POF leadership with a request for full forgiveness. Despite these and other errors in its history, the Lord in His grace and mercy has chosen to bless the ministry.

And in its local paper in 1997:

We regret, repudiate and repent, and ask for full forgiveness for anything in our past that is short of Christian standards based on God's Word, following Jesus' model prayer that teaches us to ever pray and forgive us our sins for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us. () We specifically regret mistakes and bad judgement by previous generations or anyone in our membership of the past.

While the Pillar of Fire's repudiation of its association with the Klan characterized it as ''brief,'' it continued to promote the Klan's ideologies of intolerance for religious and racial minorities along with the Klan's belief in the equality of all white Protestant women for several decades. In 1943, 22 years after the church started to publicly work with the Klan, it republished Alma White's pro-KKK books as a three-volume set under the title ''

Guardians of Liberty Guardians of Liberty is a three volume set of books published in 1943 by Bishop Alma Bridwell White, author of over 35 books and founder of the Pillar of Fire Church. Guardians of Liberty is primarily devoted to summarizing White's vehement anti-Ca ...

'', reaffirming its positions in support of anti-Semitism, white supremacy, nativism and most notably, anti-Catholicism. Volumes II and III of ''Guardians'' contained introductions by Arthur White, affirming his support of his mother's intolerant ideologies, primarily but not exclusively in regard to anti-Catholicism. After his mother died in 1946, he was the Pillar of Fire's general superintendent until 1981. Robert Saydee, the presiding elder of a Pillar of Fire congregation and an immigrant from the

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

n nation of

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast� ...

, stated in 2017 with respect to the denomination's former association with the Ku Klux Klan that "We are not proud of it at all. But it happened in history, and things happen to people, and the organization changed tremendously after that, and we never looked back" and with regard to Bishop Alma White, the Liberian American presbyter stated: "There is no reason to discuss her. We know she is the founder, but there is no discussion or preaching about her. No, we don’t do that." In the same vein, Richard Flory, senior director of research and evaluation at the

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...

, stated that the Pillar of Fire Church had essentially been "jettisoning their history in favor of looking like essentially everybody else." In 2017, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' stated that members "don’t know about the church’s history" and that "leaders f the Pillar of Fire Churchhave issued statements denouncing and regretting the church’s historic involvement" with the KKK.

1950s–present

Following the death of the founder, under the leadership of her son, Arthur Kent White, the religious fervor declined and the emphasis on outreach

evangelization In Christianity, evangelism (or witnessing) is the act of preaching the gospel with the intention of sharing the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians who specialize in evangelism are often known as evangelists, whether they are ...

and

church planting Church planting is a term referring to the process (mostly in Protestant frameworks) that results in a new local Christian congregation being established. It should be distinguished from church development, where a new service, worship center or ...

ended; the organization branches in America fell from a high of around 52 to the current six. The Pillar of Fire, as of 1988, had churches in the United States, as well as "Great Britain, India, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, the Philippines, Spain, and former Yugoslavia." In the United States, the Pillar of Fire has branches in Zarephath, New Jersey; Denver, Colorado;

Westminster, Colorado The City of Westminster is a home rule municipality located in Adams and Jefferson counties, Colorado, United States. The city population was 116,317 at the 2020 United States Census with 71,240 residing in Adams County and 45,077 residing in ...

;

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...

,

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

; and

Pacifica, California Pacifica ( es, Pacífica, meaning "Peaceful") is a city in San Mateo County, California, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean between San Francisco and Half Moon Bay. Overview The City of Pacifica is spread along a stretch of coastal beaches and h ...

. It primarily operates four ministry focuses, namely local church, radio, education, and missions. Its radio stations have

contemporary Christian music Contemporary Christian music, also known as CCM, Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christianity, Christi ...

, Christian gospel music and

Christian hip hop Christian hip hop (originally gospel rap, also known as Christian rap, gospel hip hop or holy hip hop) is a subgenre of contemporary Christian music and hip hop music. It emerged from urban contemporary music and Christian media in the United ...

music. In the present-day, worshippers at the Pillar of Fire

mother church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother in her functions of nourishing and protecting the believer. It may also refer to the primary church of a Christian denomination or diocese, i.e. a cathedral or a metropo ...

in Zarephath are "young, old, white, black, Asian, Hispanic."

Name

The name of Pillar of Fire comes from , which states: "By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a '' pillar of fire'' to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people."

Beliefs

The organization's doctrinal position is self-described as

Wesleyan-Arminian theology Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan–Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charles ...

in common with other Methodist denominations.Pillar of Fire Church: Doctrinal Statement in Brief
accessed August 31, 2006 The central beliefs of the Pillar of Fire are as follows:

biblical inerrancy Biblical inerrancy is the belief that the Bible "is without error or fault in all its teaching"; or, at least, that "Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact". Some equate inerrancy with biblical ...

,

Trinitarianism The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the ...

, the physical

resurrection of Jesus The resurrection of Jesus ( grc-x-biblical, ἀνάστασις τοῦ Ἰησοῦ) is the Christian belief that God raised Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion, starting – or restoring – his exalted life as Christ and Lo ...

, the

consubstantiality Consubstantiality, a term derived from la, consubstantialitas, denotes identity of substance or essence in spite of difference in aspect. It appears most commonly in its adjectival form, "consubstantial", from Latin ''consubstantialis'', an ...

of the

Holy Spirit In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as ...

, the "universal depravity of the human race", the necessity of "

repentance Repentance is reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs, which is accompanied by commitment to and actual actions that show and prove a change for the better. In modern times, it is generally seen as involving a co ...

toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ", belief in "

justification by faith ''Justificatio sola fide'' (or simply ''sola fide''), meaning justification by faith alone, is a soteriological doctrine in Christian theology commonly held to distinguish the Lutheran and Reformed traditions of Protestantism, among others, fr ...

and in

Christian perfection Christian perfection is the name given to theological concepts within some sects of Christianity that purport to describe a process of achieving spiritual maturity or perfection. The ultimate goal of this process is union with God characterized by ...

, or entire sanctification, as a second definite work of grace", the

immortality of the soul Christian mortalism is the Christian belief that the human soul is not naturally immortal and may include the belief that the soul is “sleeping” after death until the Resurrection of the Dead and the Last Judgment, a time known as the inte ...

, the

resurrection of the dead General resurrection or universal resurrection is the belief in a resurrection of the dead, or resurrection from the dead (Koine: , ''anastasis onnekron''; literally: "standing up again of the dead") by which most or all people who have died w ...

, and

premillennialism Premillennialism, in Christian eschatology, is the belief that Jesus will physically return to the Earth (the Second Coming) before the Millennium, a literal thousand-year golden age of peace. Premillennialism is based upon a literal interpretat ...

.

Continued work of the Pillar of Fire

The Pillar of Fire continues its work today working in three main areas: radio, education, and missions, both local and overseas.

United States congregations

* Alma Temple,

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

* Belleview Community Chapel,

Westminster, Colorado The City of Westminster is a home rule municipality located in Adams and Jefferson counties, Colorado, United States. The city population was 116,317 at the 2020 United States Census with 71,240 residing in Adams County and 45,077 residing in ...

* Coastside Community Church,

Pacifica, California Pacifica ( es, Pacífica, meaning "Peaceful") is a city in San Mateo County, California, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean between San Francisco and Half Moon Bay. Overview The City of Pacifica is spread along a stretch of coastal beaches and h ...

* City Church Cincinnati,

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...

* Pillar of Fire Church,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

* Zarephath Christian Church,

Zarephath, New Jersey Zarephath (, ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) and located in Franklin Township, in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States, about north of Princeton.Hendon Hendon is an urban area in the Borough of Barnet, North-West London northwest of Charing Cross. Hendon was an ancient manor and parish in the county of Middlesex and a former borough, the Municipal Borough of Hendon; it has been part of Gre ...

London, England London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major se ...

, and was established in 1904 by Alma White. The mission organized a Charitable Trust on 19 September 1992, and was registered as a

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * C ...

in December 1992 (Charity No. 1015529). In response to a complaint received by the

Charity Commission , type = Non-ministerial government department , seal = , seal_caption = , logo = Charity Commission for England and Wales logo.svg , logo_caption = , formed = , preceding1 = , ...

in 2002, an inquiry was held, the charitable trust dissolved and transferred its assets to the U.S. organization, and the charitable trust was removed from the registry as it had ceased to exist. One of the stated aims of this mission was to evangelize the local Jewish population in the vicinity of the mission. Ironically, after the mission was sold, the property became a kosher boutique hotel in 2010. *Reverend Smallridge was given permission to start a Pillar of Fire Church in Nigeria in 1974. *The Pillar of Fire was established in Malawi in 1984 by Reverend Moses Peter K. Phiri.

Schools

Primary and secondary

* Alma Heights Christian Schools in Pacifica, California * Belleview Christian School in Westminster, Colorado * Eden Grove Academy in Cincinnati * Sycamore Grove School in Los Angeles

Colleges

* Alma White College in Zarephath, New Jersey (1917–1978)Institutions that have closed, merged, or changed their names
, accessed September 3, 2006 * Belleview College in Westminster, Colorado * Somerset Christian College, now known as Pillar College and has campuses in Somerset and Newark, NJ and looking to span across the state.

Media

Radio stations

*

KPOF KPOF (910 kHz) is a non-profit AM radio station in Denver, Colorado. It is owned by Pillar of Fire and airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format. The studio and transmitter are in Westminster, located on the campus of Belleview Christian ...

in Denver, Colorado * WAWZ in Zarephath, New Jersey *

WAKW WAKW (93.3 FM, "Star 93.3") is a contemporary Christian music radio station located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is a listener-supported radio station owned by Pillar of Fire International. The Class B, 50,000-watt signal reaches the greater Cincinn ...

in Cincinnati

Discontinued periodicals

*''Pillar of Fire'' *''Pillar Magazine'' *''The Dry Legion'' *''

The Good Citizen ''The Good Citizen'' was a sixteen-page monthly political periodical edited by Bishop Alma White and illustrated by Reverend Branford Clarke. ''The Good Citizen'' was published from 1913 until 1933 by the Pillar of Fire Church at their head ...

'' *''Rocky Mountain Pillar of Fire'' *''London Pillar of Fire'' *''The British Sentinel'' *''The Occidental Pillar of Fire'' *''Woman's Chains'' *''Pillar of Fire Junior'' *''Pillar of Fire Bay Chronicle'' *''The Alma White Evangel''

Notable members

General superintendents

*

Alma Bridwell White Alma Bridwell White (June 16, 1862 – June 26, 1946) was the founder and a bishop of the Pillar of Fire International, Pillar of Fire Church. In 1918, she became the first woman bishop of Pillar of Fire in the United States. She was a propo ...

(1862–1946), the founder and first general superintendent from 1901 to 1946. * Arthur Kent White (son of the founder) 1946 to 1981, second general superintendent. * Arlene Hart Lawrence, granddaughter of the founder, 1981 to 1984, third general superintendent. *

Donald Justin Wolfram Donald Justin Wolfram (November 13, 1919 – August 25, 2003) was the fourth General Superintendent of the Pillar of Fire Church from 1984 to 2000. Biography He was born November 13, 1919 in the Zarephath, New Jersey, Zarephath section of Fran ...

, great-nephew of the founder, 1984 to 2000, fourth general superintendent. * Robert Barney Dallenbach (born 1927), husband of granddaughter of the founder, 2000 to 2008, fifth general superintendent. * Joseph Gross, 2008 to present, sixth general superintendent.

Other leaders and notable members

*Reverend Robert K. Cruver, Jr. *Reverend Stephan P. Nash *Bishop

William Cruver William is a male given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norm ...

*Reverend

Branford Clarke Branford Edward Clarke (March 18, 1885 – July 7, 1947) was an Evangelical preacher, poet and artist who promoted the Ku Klux Klan through his art which was drawn for the Pillar of Fire Church and their publications. Biography He was bor ...

*Reverend Pauline White Dallenbach *Reverend Thomas A. Goode, he sued the church in 1920 saying the church "had alienated the affections of his wife and defrauded him of his property" *Bishop Wilber Konkel *Bishop E. Jerry Lawrence *Bishop A. R. Stewart *Reverend

Johannes Maas Johannes "Jan" Leonardus Maas (17 June 1900 – 5 September 1977) was a Dutch racing cyclist who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics and in the 1928 Summer Olympics. In 1924 he was part of the Dutch pursuit team which was eliminated in the ...

, ordained by Bishop Arthur White in 1956, international president, Worldwide Faith Missions *Reverend Kathleen Merrell White *Reverend Gertrude Metlen Wolfram (1888–1959) was the dean of Alma White College

Timeline

*1862 Birth of Alma White as "Mollie Alma Bridwell" in Kinniconick, Kentucky *1887 Marriage of Alma Bridwell to Kent White *1896 Church established in DenverBook Review of Susie Cunningham Stanley's "Feminist Pillar of Fire: The Life of Alma White"

Bethel College (Indiana) Bethel University is a private Christian university in Mishawaka, Indiana. It was established in 1947 and is affiliated with the evangelical Christian Missionary Church. Organization and administration Bethel is a part of the Council for Chris ...

, accessed September 2, 2006 *1901 Methodist Pentecostal Union Church dedicated in Denver in December *1902 Alma White ordained an elder *1904 ''Pentecostal Union Herald'' changed to ''Pillar of Fire''Historic Downtown Colorado Springs
, accessed September 2, 2006 * Pillar of Fire separates from

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. ...

*1907 Creation of community at Zarephath, New Jersey *1909 Alma White separates from husband after he converts to

Pentecostalism Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

*1913 Begins publishing ''The Good Citizen'', which is in print until 1933 *1915 Publishes "Why I do not eat meat" *1917 Name of church officially changed to "Pillar of Fire" *1917 Alma White College founded in Zarephath, New Jersey *1918 White becomes the first woman ordained as a bishop in the United States by William Godbey *1920 Acquires Westminster University of Colorado property in Westminster, Colorado Historic Westminster, Colorado: The Princeton of the West
, accessed September 2, 2006 *1924 Publishes ''Woman's Chains'', which is in print until 1970 *1925 Westminster University renamed Belleview College and Preparatory School *1925 Publishes ''

The Ku Klux Klan in Prophecy ''The Ku Klux Klan in Prophecy'' is a 144-page book written by Bishop Alma Bridwell White in 1925 and illustrated by Reverend Branford Clarke. In the book she uses scripture to rationalize that the Ku Klux Klan is sanctioned by God "through divi ...

'' *1926 Publishes '' Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty'' *1928 Publishes ''

Heroes of the Fiery Cross ''Heroes of the Fiery Cross'' is a book in praise of the Ku Klux Klan, published in 1928 by Protestant Bishop Alma Bridwell White, in which she "sounds the alarm about imagined threats to Protestant Americans from Catholics and Jews", accordin ...

'' *1928 KPOF radio station in Westminster, Colorado *1931 WAWZ radio station in Zarephath, New Jersey *1932 Church established in

Morrison, Colorado The Town of Morrison is a home rule municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 428 at the 2010 census. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is located nearby. History This small foothills settlement is named after George ...

*1936 Property estimated at $US 4M with 4,000 adherents in 46 congregations *1943 Republishes ''

Guardians of Liberty Guardians of Liberty is a three volume set of books published in 1943 by Bishop Alma Bridwell White, author of over 35 books and founder of the Pillar of Fire Church. Guardians of Liberty is primarily devoted to summarizing White's vehement anti-Ca ...

'' as a three volume set *1946 Death of Alma White on June 26 *1946 Death of Ray Bridwell White on November 5 *1946 Arthur Kent White begins tenure as second general superintendent *1978 Alma White College closes *1981 Arthur Kent White ends tenure *1981 Arlene White begins tenure as third general superintendent *1984 Arlene White ends tenure *1985 Donald Justin Wolfram begins tenure as fourth general superintendent *2000 Donald Justin Wolfram ends tenure *2000 Robert B. Dallenbach begins tenure as fifth general superintendent *2003 Donald Justin Wolfram dies on August 25 *2008 Robert B. Dallenbach loses vote of confidence at 2008 camp meeting. Vice Superintendent Joseph Gross becomes sixth general superintendent. *2009 Somerset Christian Academy, formerly Alma Preparatory School, closes

In popular culture

Alma White, the Pillar of Fire, and their association with the Klan are dramatized in

Libba Bray Martha Elizabeth "Libba" Bray (March 11, 1964) is an American writer of young adult novels including the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, '' Going Bovine'', and '' The Diviners''. Early life Martha Elizabeth Bray was born in Montgomery, Alabama. Her fathe ...

's New York Times best-selling 2012 murder mystery ''

The Diviners ''The Diviners'' is a novel by Margaret Laurence. Published by McClelland & Stewart in 1974, it was Laurence's final novel, and is considered one of the classics of Canadian literature. The novel won the Governor General's Award for English-lan ...

'', in a chapter titled "

The Good Citizen ''The Good Citizen'' was a sixteen-page monthly political periodical edited by Bishop Alma White and illustrated by Reverend Branford Clarke. ''The Good Citizen'' was published from 1913 until 1933 by the Pillar of Fire Church at their head ...

." ''The Diviners'' is being made into a feature film by Paramount Pictures.

References

External links

*
Images of intolerance published by the Pillar of Fire Church
on Flickr
Documented Ku Klux Klan Gatherings at ZarephathPillar of Fire bibliographyBelleview College
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillar of Fire International Ku Klux Klan Methodist denominations Christianity in Denver Christian organizations established in 1901 Holiness denominations Christian denominations established in the 20th century Zarephath, New Jersey Methodist denominations in North America Fundamentalist denominations 1901 establishments in Colorado Christianity and antisemitism

History

Founding

Ku Klux Klan, historically intolerant ideologies, and repudiation of the Ku Klux Klan

1950s–present

Name

Beliefs

Continued work of the Pillar of Fire

United States congregations

Schools

Primary and secondary

Colleges

Media

Radio stations

Discontinued periodicals

Notable members

General superintendents

Other leaders and notable members

Timeline

In popular culture

See also

References

Further reading

External links