Sisters in Unity
The following excerpt was originally published in the March/April 2010 issue of Unity Magazine.
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By Lila Herrmann
… Women have played key roles in the development of Unity from the very beginning. From co-founder Myrtle Fillmore starting the movement based on her healing experience through affirmative prayer in the 1800s to Rev. Johnnie Colemon crossing racial barriers in the 1950s, women have led Unity from century to century as a worldwide movement of prayer and spiritual enrichment.
… Women have played key roles in the development of Unity from the very beginning. From co-founder Myrtle Fillmore starting the movement based on her healing experience through affirmative prayer in the 1800s to Rev. Johnnie Colemon crossing racial barriers in the 1950s, women have led Unity from century to century as a worldwide movement of prayer and spiritual enrichment.
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Myrtle Fillmore Described as the “mother of Unity,” Myrtle Fillmore co-founded the Unity movement with her husband, Charles. While she and Charles were longtime students of religious studies and metaphysical subjects, it was at a lecture by Dr. E.B. Weeks that Myrtle experienced a revelation—the awareness of her own innate potential for divine healing. After a lifetime of believing she was an invalid and trying every cure available, Myrtle began affirming over and over, “I am a child of God, and therefore I do not inherit sickness.” Myrtle was not only healed of the tuberculosis that had at one time threatened her life, but also went on to work with others in healing, creating a support system that grew into the 24/7 Silent Unity prayer ministry now serving constituents worldwide. Myrtle lived to be 86 years old, making her transition in 1931. |
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H. Emilie Cady H. Emilie Cady was a homeopathic physician who treated her patients medically and spiritually. Like the Fillmores, Cady studied with Emma Curtis Hopkins, known as the New Thought “teacher of teachers.” Cady was also an associate of New Thought leaders such as Emmet Fox and Ernest Holmes, as well as the Fillmores. While Cady maintained spiritual independence, she became a contributing writer to Unity Magazine and authored Unity's first book, Lessons in Truth, which has sold millions of copies. |
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Jennie Croft Jennie Croft organized the first Unity Sunday School and was ordained with the first group of Unity ministers in 1906. An active supporter of cultural efforts in art, literature and science in Kansas City, Croft also worked in the Unity Library, (now the Unity Library and Archives) wrote for Unity publications, and taught classes for ministers. |
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Clara May Rowland Clara May Rowland served as director of Silent Unity from 1916 to 1971. She took the position only a year after finishing high school and was brought in to help the Fillmores, who, by then in their sixties, wanted someone to oversee the rapidly growing healing ministry. In his book The Unity Movement: Its Evolution and Spiritual Teachings, Neal Vahle said Rowland at first would go to Charles Fillmore for help with difficult letters. After a few times of providing her with the help she requested, Fillmore finally said to Rowland, “The Christ mind is in you; use it.” She went on to be the longest-serving director of Silent Unity to date. |
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Cora Fillmore Cora Fillmore began working at Unity in 1911 and was ordained a Unity minister in 1918. She married Charles Fillmore in 1933. Cora Fillmore wrote Christ Enthroned in Man and co-authored Teach Us to Pray with Charles Fillmore. She was known to include interpretive dance routines in Unity services. In her later years, she edited and published books from Charles' writings. |
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Imelda Octavia Shanklin Imelda Octavia Shanklin began her Unity career in 1907 and served as the head of the Editorial Department and as a writer, teacher and lecturer. She became editor of Wee Wisdom® magazine and wrote several books, articles and pamphlets, including the book What Are You? Shanklin was ordained as a Unity minister in 1918. |
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Frances Foulks Frances Foulks came to Unity in 1921 for a training class after working as a businesswoman in New York City. After being ordained as a Unity minister in 1923, Foulks moved to the Blue Ridge Mountain region to devote herself to writing for Unity. She wrote All Things Made New and Effectual Prayer. Foulks edited Letters of Myrtle Fillmore, which later became Myrtle Fillmore's Healing Letters. |
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Georgiana Tree West Georgiana Tree West turned to spiritual studies after experiencing health and financial difficulties. She was ordained in 1935 and wrote Prosperity's Ten Commandments in 1946. West founded the Unity Center of Practical Christianity in New York City. |
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Elizabeth Sand Turner Elizabeth Sand Turner, 1897–1979, became a lecturer in the field and educational director for Unity School after serving as a minister in Tennessee and Florida. She became a popular Unity author, writing Let There Be Light, Your Hope of Glory, and Be Ye Transformed. |
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Vera Dawson Tait Vera Dawson Tait was ordained in 1966, though she began working at Unity in 1940. Tait served as director of the Correspondence School Department, but primarily as an instructor for Unity School. She also wrote the book Take Command! Tait was affectionately known as “Miss Lessons in Truth,” due to her mastery of the Emilie Cady book Lessons in Truth. |
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Rev. Johnnie Colemon Rev. Johnnie Colemon was ordained a Unity minister in 1956. Colemon came to Unity to learn about spiritual healing after being told she only had six months to live. She served as the first vice president of Unity Worldwide Ministries (formerly the Association of Unity Churches International) and went on to become president. In the early fifties, while Colemon was a Unity student, housing on Unity grounds was only provided for white students. African-American students such as Colemon had to leave the campus at the end of the day. During her last year of studies, Colemon threatened to quit if on-campus housing wasn't provided, after which her classmates petitioned the school for her to stay on campus. The school provided a house on campus for black students. After almost 20 years working in the Unity movement, Colemon founded her own ministry, the Universal Foundation for Better Living and is a celebrated pioneer in New Thought. |
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Thank You!
3/25/2011 7:58:02 PM
