Edward McKendree Bounds

Edward McKendree Bounds (15 August 1835-24 August 1913), was a Methodist minister and author of books, chiefly on prayer.

Early life

Bounds was born in Shelby County, rural Missouri. Although apprenticed as an attorney, and admitted to the bar, Bounds felt called to the ministry in his early twenties. He was ordained by his denomination in 1859, and was named pastor of the Monticello, Missouri Methodist Church. Instead of practicing law however, He became a chaplain in the Confederate States Army (Fifth Missouri Regiment) and was taken prisoner during the first battle of Franklin, Tennessee. Upon his release, he felt compelled to return to war-torn Franklin and help rebuild it spiritually. His primary method was to establish weekly prayer sessions that sometimes lasted several hours. Bounds was regionally celebrated for leading spiritual revival in Franklin and eventually began an itinerant preaching ministry throughout the country.

Marriage and Children

Bounds first marriage was to Emmie Barnett of Eufaula, Alabama, in 1876. They had two daughters. Emmie died in 1886, and he was married a second time, to Hattie Barnett. They had five children together, Elizabeth Bounds, Mary Willis, Emmie, Osborn and Barnett.

Ministry

After serving several important churches in St. Louis and other places, south, he became Editor of the St. Louis Christian Advocate for eight years and, later, Associate Editor of The Nashville Christian Advocate for four years. The trial of his faith came to him while in Nashville, and he quietly retired to his home without asking even a pension. His principal work in Washington, Georgia (his home) was rising at 4 A. M. and praying until 7 AM. He filled a few engagements as an evangelist during the eighteen years of his lifework. While on speaking engagements, he would not neglect his early morning time in prayer, and cared nothing for the protests of the other occupants of his room at being awakened so early. "No man could have made more melting appeals for lost souls and backslidden ministers than did Bounds. Tears ran down his face as he pleaded for us all in that room.

According to people who were constantly with him, in prayer and preaching, for eight years "Not a foolish word did we ever hear him utter. He was one of the most intense eagles of God that ever penetrated the spiritual ether. He could not brook delay in rising, or being late for dinner. He would go with me to street meetings often in Brooklyn and listen to the preaching and sing with us those beautiful songs of Wesley and Watts. He often reprimanded me for asking the unconverted to sing of Heaven. Said he: 'They have no heart to sing, they do not know God, and God does not hear them. Quit asking sinners to sing the songs of Zion and the Lamb.'"

Death

E.M. Bounds died on 24 August, 1913 in Washington, Georgia. The funeral was held on the following day.

Works

*Power Through Prayer ( [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bounds/power.html e-text] )
*Prayer and Praying Men ( [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bounds/prayingmen.html e-text] )
*Purpose in Prayer ( [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bounds/purpose.html e-text] )
*The Essentials of Prayer ( [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bounds/essentials.html e-text] )
*The Necessity of Prayer ( [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bounds/necessity.html e-text] )
*The Possibilities of Prayer ( [http://www.ccel.org/b/bounds/possibility/possibility.html e-text] )
*The Reality of Prayer ( [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bounds/reality.html e-text] )
*The Weapon of Prayer ( [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bounds/weapon.html e-text] )

Only two of Bounds' books were published before he died, after his death Claude Chilton, Jr., an admirer of Bounds worked on preserving and preparing Bounds' collection of manuscripts for publication, some more books were published. When Chilton died in 1929, Homer W. Hodge assumed the task and the remaining books were issued.

Chilton said of his books:

ources

This text is based on the introduction of Homer W. Hodge's book, "Heaven, a Place, A City, A Home"

External links