Aimee Semple McPherson: A Genealogical Study

Aimee Semple McPherson (October 9, 1890 - September 27, 1944), also known as Sister Aimee, was a Canadian-American, Los Angeles-based evangelist and media celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s. She founded the Foursquare Gospel Church. McPherson has been noted as a pioneer in the use of modern media. Her radio broadcasts reached millions throughout North America, and she incorporated other performing art forms into her weekly sermons at Angelus Temple.
In her time she was the most publicized Christian evangelist in America, surpassing Billy Sunday and her other predecessors. She conducted public faith-healing demonstrations before large crowds; testimonies conveyed tens of thousands of people healed. McPherson's articulation of the United States as a nation founded and sustained by divine inspiration continues to be echoed by many pastors in churches today.
Sister Aimee's road to fame was filled with harrowing challenges as well as triumphs. Shortly after their marriage, AIMEE SEMPLE and her first husband Robert left for China as missionaries. In a brief period all of their intended work would end when Aimee became pregnant with her daughter Roberta, and her husband Robert was hospitalized with Malaria in China. Subsequently he died and she and Roberta were stranded without funds in China. She finally was able to return to the United States and begin her ministry. She left for the West Coast and settled in Los Angeles, where, without any backing, she built a 5,090 seat auditorium, opening the doors for the first services debt free on January 1, 1923.
After her death in 1943 the denomination continued to prosper for many years under her son Rolf D. McPherson's leadership. The Church's offices are located at the site of the Temple which is very active in outreach to the community.
Today, more than 4,000 ministers serve under the INTERNATIONAL FOURSQUARE GOSPEL CHURCH denomination around the world. This volume traces her family history.