Jemima Wilkinson was born in Rhode Island in 1752 of Quaker parents. In 1776 she fell into a trance-like state and appeared lifeless for about 36 hours. Upon coming out of this trance, she declared that she had become another being, a minister of the Almighty sent to preach His gospel and to minister to the spiritual necessities of mankind. She began calling herself the Public Universal Friend. Eventually she traveled to all the major cities along the east coast preaching the gospels, talking about women’s rights, and exposing the evils of slavery.
The Friend was finding followers but she was also was the victim of angry crowds throwing rocks. Because of persecution, the Friend and about 280 members of her Society of Universal Friends moved to Western New York State in 1788. The friend is considered to be the first American-born woman to found a religious movement. Today, dozens of Catholic Woman Priests around the world stand on the shoulders of women like the Friend, having dedicated their lives to preaching the gospel and bringing hope to those who have none.
All that remains of the possessions of the Friend is a portrait, a bible and a few of her papers. There is no way to look back and study her thoughts and ideas. How times have changed in regards to the availability of information and ideas. Sophia Christi has a website, www.sophiachristi.org, where you can look at Toni’s homilies. Also recordings are made of the Eugene Mass.
–Carol Zolkoske
Where can we access the recordings of the Eugene Mass? 🙂