Femme Friday- Phoebe Palmer

 

 This is the second installment of the Femme Friday series. This week I want to focus on a young woman who not only shared her faith with the world, she also practiced that faith among the poor and destitute of New York City just before the Civil War. Her name is Phoebe Palmer. You may be asking why this woman matters to you. Who is she? Why should I care? Well, I think Phoebe is important for a couple of reasons. This is her story. 

Phoebe was born in New York at the beginning of the nineteenth century. She grew up in a home with both of her parents. They went to church a few times a week. Phoebe grew up learning about her faith and how she might practice that faith. 

Like most of the women of her status and class, Phoebe got married at twenty years old. She married a homeopathic doctor. They established their home and began serving their community. Phoebe became quite outspoken about her views on faith and culture. Soon, her influence began to grow past the walls of her own church. Phoebe, and her husband, began traveling farther across the United States, eventually surpassing even those boundaries and began ministering in England as well. 

Phoebe Palmer was so dedicated to the ideas of prayer meetings and prayer being something influential in the lives of believers. She hosted a weekly prayer meeting of both men and women in her own home. When the gathering became to large to meet at Ms. Palmer's home, she had her home renovated to a scale that could accommodate the increasing numbers of the faithful. 

Phoebe Palmer is important to know about because of her examples of faithfulness to her local community, her outspoken beliefs that both men and women can be ministers of the gospel. And her unfailing commitment to home and mission. Ms. Palmer is an example to all women, young and old, to use your voice for the kingdom of God. Speak up about injustice, share what you have learned. Your voice matters. Let it be heard. 

Phoebe