James F. Jones (minister) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Holiness The Right Reverend James F. Jones (Prophet Jones) |
|
|---|---|
| Dominion Ruler | |
Prophet Jones wearing a double-breasted cut zoot-suit and $100 hand-painted cravat with ecclesiastical motif
|
|
| Church | Church of Universal Triumph, Dominion of God |
| Enthroned | 1944 |
| Reign ended | 1971 |
| Successor | James Schaffer (pastor) |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | James Francis Marion Jones |
| Born | November 24, 1907 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | August 12, 1971 (aged 63) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Buried | Woodlawn Cemetery, Detroit |
| Nationality | American |
| Denomination | Christian |
| Residence | 246 Ferry Ave., 75 Arden Park, 8311 La Salle Blvd., Detroit |
| Parents | James W. Jones Catherine L. Jones |
| Children | Joshua(1938–?) David(1948–?) Annie(1946–?) James(1951–?) |
| Occupation | Evangelist, Faith healer, Pastor, Recording Artist |
| Motto | All is well! |
James Francis Marion Jones (born November 24, 1907 – died August 12, 1971) was an American religious leader. He was also known as Prophet Jones. He led a religious group that grew into the Church of Universal Triumph, Dominion of God, Inc.. He was a pastor, faith healer, and one of the first black preachers to have a weekly TV show.
Prophet Jones claimed that he had special powers from God. He believed he was a unique "incarnation of the spirit of Jesus Christ". He was a well-known religious figure of his time. Other leaders like Daddy Grace and Father Divine were also active then.
Jones came to Detroit as a missionary in the 1930s. He led two large black Pentecostal churches there. He broadcast his sermons live on Canadian radio stations. This allowed him to reach people across the Midwest. In 1955, he started hosting Sunday night programs on WXYZ-TV. This made him the first black preacher in Detroit with a weekly TV show. He was famous for his late-night services. Prophet Jones died at age 63 and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Contents
Early Life and Ministry
James Francis Marion Jones was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on November 24, 1907. His father, James W. Jones, worked for the railroad. His mother, Catherine Lewis, was a schoolteacher. He was their only child.
When James was five years old, he joined a church called Triumph the Holy Righteous Church. This church was a Black Nationalist and Pentecostal group. His parents had joined this church after leaving the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Young James began preaching sermons as a child prodigy. He preached in tents and other church gatherings.
In 1915, the church changed its name to Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God in Christ. Its leader, Father Elias Dempsey Smith, claimed God spoke directly to him. Thirty years later, in 1944, Jones started his own church. It was similar to Father Smith's, but Jones would lead it.
Jones left school at age eleven in 1917. He spent his life preaching and spreading his beliefs. He said that God told him as a child that he would inspire people with good thoughts.
In 1924, at age 18, Jones became an ordained minister in the Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God in Christ. He quickly moved up in the church. By the 1930s, he was known as a "Prince" within the church's leadership.
Starting a New Church
In 1938, the Triumph Church sent Jones to Detroit as a missionary. He had traveled widely for the church before this. In Detroit, Jones started a radio ministry. Around this time, he became widely known as "Prophet Jones."
The national Triumph Church believed that any money given to Jones's ministry belonged to them. Jones disagreed with this. He soon left the Triumph Church to start his own group. He named it the 'Church of Universal Triumph, Dominion of God'.
Jones said he left for spiritual reasons. He claimed God told him to create a new "Kingdom" with himself as the Prophet and Ruler. His church's website states that God gave him this command on September 24, 1944. They cite Bible verses like Revelation 11:15 and Matthew 6:8,10 as support.
Leading the Universal Triumph Dominion of God
In 1944, Prophet Jones officially formed his new church in Detroit. It was called the Church of Universal Triumph, Dominion of God.
After leaving the Triumph Church, his new church began in Detroit's Black Bottom area. It started in a small church building. Later, in 1953, his followers moved to a larger building. This was the old Oriole Theater. Today, this building is the New Bethel Baptist Church. Prophet Jones's church later moved again. It found a permanent home at 1651 Ferry Park.
Prophet Jones taught that God spoke only to him. He claimed he was the second coming of Christ and the world's only true prophet and savior. He called himself God's "Holiness" and "Divine messenger." He said he had divine powers to predict the future, heal, bless, and condemn.
As the Universal Dominion Ruler, Jones led services from a special throne. It was on a raised stage with a canopy. He gave his closest followers special titles like sir, prince, and lady. He called his church members "citizens" of his dominion. He taught them his "true gospel" based on the Bible and his own "divine revelation".
Many of his teachings are found in his church's books. These include The Ritual and The Message. His teachings focused on God's coming "New World" of "perfect bliss." He said that in this new world, bad people would be destroyed. But faithful people would live forever in perfect bodies. He claimed that faithful followers could experience heaven on Earth. This would happen by recognizing his divine calling and obeying his rules.
In return, his followers had to obey his church's rules. They attended his weekly all-night worship services. They publicly spoke about their belief in his faith healing powers. They celebrated his birthday, called Philamethyu, instead of Christmas. They also gave him gifts to show their thanks and devotion.
The Dominion had many churches called "Thankful Centers" across the United States and other places. In 1953, Jones told a newspaper that his Dominion had about 35 churches. He claimed it had six million followers. The Detroit church, Thankful Center #1, was said to have about 1,500 members.
His Homes
Prophet Jones lived a very wealthy lifestyle. His first home in Detroit was a large, three-story mansion. It was located at 246 Ferry Avenue. A newspaper article in 1944 described it as "luxurious."
This mansion was once a funeral home. When Prophet Jones bought it, he used it as a place for twelve couples to live. It was a grand building with three floors and a basement. The top floor had a dance hall. The second floor had bedrooms. The first floor had a large living room and dining room.
His second mansion was even larger. It was in the Arden Park–East Boston Historic District. People said it was very grand. Aretha Franklin remembered loving this Detroit mansion as a child. Prophet Jones painted it a different color throughout the year. He called this home the "French Castle." It was also known as the "Dominion Residence."
This house was built in 1917. It was styled like an 18th-century French chateau. The inside had hand-carved wood and gold-painted ceilings. It had fancy drapes and thick carpets. The home was filled with beautiful furniture. Many items were gifts from his followers. These gifts included an expensive grand piano and valuable silver plate. A stained glass window was also installed. Visitors were amazed by how rich and fancy the home was.
A large double door guarded the front of the mansion. Security checked visitors carefully before letting them in. It was also reported that Prophet Jones loved his huge wardrobe. He had almost 500 expensive suits and ties. He also had colorful, jeweled robes. Some were imported, and others were custom-made for him.
Jones met visitors in a small study. This room had a life-size painting of him in a white robe. A newspaper reported that the room was always hot. This was because a gas fire burned in the fireplace all day and night. Jones said God told him to never let the fire go out. The report also mentioned seeing children's toys by the fireplace. Jones explained they symbolized his own "impoverished boyhood" without toys.
Prophet Jones had a staff of twelve servants. The church paid for them. He said, "A great person preaching the unadulterated gospel has to be careful." He believed the founder of the Triumph Church, Father Smith, died from poison. Later, Jones sold his "French Castle" to Daddy Grace. He then moved to his third large home at 8311 La Salle Blvd. This home is still the Detroit Dominion parsonage today.
In the 1950s, Jones hosted grand birthday parties at his Arden Park home. These parties lasted eight days. They were called Philamethyu and Hushdomcalama and were covered by the news. The governor of Michigan and the mayor of Detroit sent him birthday greetings in 1954. Important African Americans from politics, business, sports, and music attended these parties. These included Lionel Hampton and his wife.
Prophet Jones also visited Father Divine at his estate in Pennsylvania in 1953. Jones was friends with C. L. Franklin for some time. Jones was interviewed by TV reporters. He also had his own press agent. This agent owned a newspaper called the Detroit Tribune. Jones attended the funeral of famous singer Dinah Washington.
His Death
Prophet Jones died from a heart attack on August 12, 1971. He was 63 years old. He passed away at the Dominion parsonage on La Salle Blvd in Detroit. At the time, church leaders were planning a special burial place for him.
On August 17, 1971, over 4,000 people came to see Prophet Jones's body at the funeral home. Cars filled the streets as people waited in long lines. The funeral service was planned to be lively. It was meant to remind people of his crowded church services. His followers, including his "ladies" and "princesses," were expected to dance and shout with tambourines.
The funeral had two services. The first was a lively memorial service on August 18, 1971. The second was a more traditional service with celebrities on August 19, 1971. He was temporarily buried in a crypt at Woodlawn Cemetery.
About 15,000 people paid their last respects to him. Over 2,000 people came to his funeral. Some traveled from Canada and the Caribbean. More than 20 Universal Dominion ministers from many states and the West Indies took part. An eight-man honor guard surrounded his coffin. The funeral became a lively dance event. People sang, danced, clapped, and swayed. Famous gospel singer Reverend Louis H. Narcisse also attended.
Prophet Jones was buried in Detroit's Woodlawn Cemetery. He wore his silver embroidered robe. His signature white mink coat was placed on his bronze coffin during the services.
Succession
Pastor James Shaffer, who was 61, was an assistant to Prophet Jones. He became the most likely person to take over. After a vote, the Dominion Council and the Dominion Board of Trustees chose James Shaffer. He became the new 'Dominion ruler' and leader of the Church of Universal Triumph, Dominion of God.
His Legacy
Prophet Jones was a very important figure in the 1950s. He was featured in popular magazines like Ebony, Time, and Life.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Prophet Jones had a lot of fame and influence. He was important in the black religious community in many cities.
Images of Prophet Jones in magazines and on TV were striking. He sat on his throne, wearing gold jewelry and a long white mink coat over sparkling robes. This look may have influenced other religious figures. Some, like Bishop King Louis H. Narcisse, saw Prophet Jones as a "divine predecessor." Even today, Prophet Jones is remembered in spiritual circles. Leaders he trained continue to be important in the Spiritual Movement.
Prophet Jones's followers in Detroit still worship at the Church of Universal Triumph, Dominion of God Headquarters. It is located at 1651 Ferry Park, Detroit.
Famous gospel singer Professor Alex Bradford was a follower of Prophet Jones when he was young. Rev. Ralph J. Boyd of Detroit was also mentored by Prophet Jones. Rev. Boyd later started his own church called Universal Liberty in Christ Truth Kingdom, Inc.
Political Influence
Prophet Jones was very patriotic. He started his religious radio broadcasts with the national anthem and the pledge of allegiance.
He supported the Republican Party. He created a special award called the Crispus Attucks medal. He gave it to Michigan's Republican Senator Homer S. Ferguson and Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson. In 1951, Prophet Jones gave the opening prayer at the Michigan State Legislature.
In 1952, Prophet Jones predicted that General Dwight D. Eisenhower would win the 1952 presidential election. After Eisenhower won, Prophet Jones was invited to the inauguration. His attendance was noted in the news. Many of his supporters then saw him as a prophet who could influence the White House.
Images for kids
-
Prophet Jones wearing a double-breasted cut zoot-suit and $100 hand-painted cravat with ecclesiastical motif
-
Prophet Jones preaching in November 1944
-
Universal Triumph the Dominion of God church
-
Prophet Jones' "French Castle"
-
One of Prophet Jones' feasts
