Fundamentalist Biographies
Hello, Sharper Iron.
This topic was created to foster discussion on the existence of Fundamentalist biographies. I have been collecting Fundamental Baptist biographies for eight years now, but it has only become a passion for me since last March when everyone was confined to their homes.
Now, I have belonged to what this forum would call “Hyper-Fundamentalism” ever since I was converted. Lee Roberson, John R. Rice, and Tom Malone were my first three biographical narratives that I ever purchased. The last three years saw me expand into first-generation Fundamentalism and Northern Fundamentalism, acquiring such titles as Shields of Canada, God’s Empire, and On the Upward Road. Sharper Iron has already helped me expand my collection unintentionally. Without this community, I would never have learned of “Chief” Jordan or his autobiography, which I purchased in January.
Reading through the archives here has expanded my knowledge of Fundamental Baptist preachers more than I could have ever imagined two years ago. You all are learned men. What are more “obscure” biographies of notable Fundamentalists that I should consider adding to my collection? Any help would be appreciated.
(There is a “wish list” that I have drawn up of men for which I cannot find published biographies. They include the following:
- Ernest D. Pickering
- James Singleton
- William Rice
- John Roach Straton
- O. W. van Osdel
- I. M. Haldeman
- Rolland McCune)
- 27 views
Panosian
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0996160590/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin?ie=UTF8&…
That’s about all I have but I imagine the footnotes in the books I mentioned above would be a good source.
Logos digital format only, I think
by O. S. Hawkins
Don’t know if it is any good or not
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
Thanks Don. I preordered that one.
I expect if you posed this question Mark Sidwell of BJU, you would get about as thorough an answer as ever:
https://www.bju.edu/academics/faculty/facultymember.php?id=msidwell
I don’t have David Beale’s contact info anymore; it doesn’t look like he’s teaching.
Dr. Sidwell ran the “Fundamentalism File” in the BJU Mack Library for a long time. It was literally filing cabinets with physical copies and clippings in folders. Maybe they’ve digitized it by now. I was a librarian in the days when “Dogpile” was the hottest thing and Google was this cool new thing that showed you your search terms in context on the search results page.
Michael Osborne
Philadelphia, PA
Larry Oats, To the Praise of His Glory: B. Myron Cedarholm and Thelma M. Cedarholm (Watertown: Maranatha, 2018).
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
A real biography or hagiography?
That’s the question.
Pardon my ignorance, but isn’t a hagiography a biographical volume written on a saint? Do anybody besides Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox still author such books?
[W. T. O’Harver]Pardon my ignorance, but isn’t a hagiography a biographical volume written on a saint? Do anybody besides Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox still author such books?
Ignorance … see meaning # 2
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hagiography
“idealizing or idolizing biography”
What biographies exist?
Also, could you give me an example of a Fundamentalist hagiography?
[W. T. O’Harver]What biographies exist?
Also, could you give me an example of a Fundamentalist hagiography?
Iain Murray’s puff piece bio on JMac is so hagiographic it might make you sick …
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
Honestly I think most popular level biographies (whether secular or Christian) are basically hagiography. You just have to take it into account when you read it. I was binge reading Luther biographies last year and I learned enough to know that some of it was “Protestant Mythology.” One of those “Well if it isn’t true it ought to have been” situations. Luther likely never threw an ink well at the devil. I hope he did though.
Understood.
I can say (not “proudly,” per se, but the claim is definitely unique among here) that I have watched both of Brother Hyles’ funereal services on VHS. One of the fellow bus workers in my church purchased the boxed set in 2001 when First Baptist Church of Hammond used them as a fundraising device for their new auditorium.
The Fundamental Man is also part of my collection due to people having told me several years ago that a collection of Fundamentalist biographies would not be legitimate “unless you include the story of Brother Hyles’ ministry.”
Biographies of men like Dr. Pickering and Dr. McCune would be a great addition to my collection, however. From what I have read in the forum archives, they seemed to be devout men who mentored thousands of the next generation of Christian leaders. It seems a shame to me that biographies on men like J. Frank Norris and Jack Chick exist without there being a written record of the aforementioned men.
Edward Reese (who I believe was associated with Hyles Anderson) wrote a series of pamphlet size bibliographies. Here are some of them held by libraries around the world.
https://www.worldcat.org/search?qt=hotseries&q=se%3A%22Christian+hall+o…
John Himes, who serves on the faculty of Baptist College of Ministry in Menomonee Falls, WI is the grandson of John R. Rice, and I understand he’s working on a biography. Not sure when it will be released, but I think it’s coming soon.
Is Brother Himes writing a biography of his grandfather? I have a copy of Man Sent from God that Robert Sumner wrote back in 1976.
[Jim]Pretty much a real biography. But, it is a slim volume. So, there is much more to be written about Dr. Cedarholm. However, he wasn’t the fire-breather the some of his generation were.A real biography or hagiography?
That’s the question.
Hoping to shed more light than heat..
John Himes’ brother Andrew wrote a book called The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family.
Andrew travelled a different path than his brother John, but I think he is a believer. His perspective includes some cynicism, but does give background that is interesting as well as Andrew’s testimony. I think it’s worth reading. Don’t know how easy it is to find. I have a Kindle version
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
Thank you for all the help that you provided me in my quest to collect Fundamental Baptist biographies.
Since my last posting, I have gathered volumes on the following individuals:
Rod Bell, Sr.
L. Duane Brown
F. S. Donnelson
Frank Garlock
Jacob Gartenhaus
Ed Nelson
Les Ollila
Charles H. Stevens
John Weidenaar
Art Wilson
Does anyone else have any more suggestions? I have learned that Ben Carper, the man who runs The Bright Spot Hour in South Carolina, is preparing a biography of Harold Sightler; however, that book will most likely not be published until 2022.
[Don Johnson]John is in the process of writing a book he titles “The Unknown John R. Rice.”John Himes’ brother Andrew wrote a book called The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family.
Andrew travelled a different path than his brother John, but I think he is a believer. His perspective includes some cynicism, but does give background that is interesting as well as Andrew’s testimony. I think it’s worth reading. Don’t know how easy it is to find. I have a Kindle version
Hoping to shed more light than heat..
[Don Johnson]I just looked it up on Amazon. There are paperback copies available, and one can even read the introduction and 6 pages of the first chapter by clicking on the picture of the book. Those 6 pages definitely made me want to read more.John Himes’ brother Andrew wrote a book called The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family.
Andrew travelled a different path than his brother John, but I think he is a believer. His perspective includes some cynicism, but does give background that is interesting as well as Andrew’s testimony. I think it’s worth reading. Don’t know how easy it is to find. I have a Kindle version
[Kevin Miller]I just looked it up on Amazon. There are paperback copies available, and one can even read the introduction and 6 pages of the first chapter by clicking on the picture of the book. Those 6 pages definitely made me want to read more.
I corresponded with him when I read it. Interesting guy. He lives not far away, but we’ve never met.
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
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