A Redemptive Tragedy Starring Aimee Semple McPherson

Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944) grew from her Canadian Salvation Army roots to become a traveling Pentecostal evangelist and eventually founder of the Foursquare Church headquartered at the spectacular Angelus Temple in Los Angeles. She conducted revivals, faith healings, and regular services. During the In 1923, she opened the doors of the 5,300-seat Angelus Temple which she filled three times each Sunday. In 1926, she reported kidnapping brought her even more publicity, along with some credibility issues. After battling for control of the church, she effectively disappeared from public view from 1937 until 1944, when she died from an accidental overdose of barbiturates. No historical description of early twentieth-century Los Angeles would be complete without including the spectacular contributions and career of Aimee Semple McPherson.