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Emma Runcorn: The Elderly Lady Next Door
Her influence on Sabbath-keepers today is enormous. This woman of God is of
special importance to us in the Church of God. Until now, we did not even know
her first name. Why is she so important? In the fall of 1926, according to The
Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong, religious controversy entered the
family of Herbert and Loma Armstrong. Armstrong writes, “we had been visiting
my parents in Salem [Oregon]. My wife had become acquainted with an elderly
neighbor lady, Mrs. Ora Runcorn. Mrs. Runcorn was an avid student of the Bible.
“Before our marriage my wife had been quite interested in Bible study. She
had been for years an active Methodist. . . . But all of Mrs. Armstrong’s
active interest in things Biblical was reawakened when she became acquainted
with Mrs. Runcorn. One day Mrs. Runcorn gave her a ‘Bible study’. She asked my
wife to turn to a certain passage and read it. Then a second, then a third, and
so on for about an hour. Mrs. Runcorn made no comment — gave no explanation or
argument — just asked my wife to read aloud a series of Biblical passages.
“Why!” exclaimed Mrs. Armstrong in amazement, “do all these Scriptures say
that I’ve been keeping the wrong day as the Sabbath all my life?”
“Well, do they?” asked Mrs. Runcorn. “Don’t ask me whether
you have been wrong — you shouldn’t believe what any person tells you,
but only what God tells you through the Bible. What does He tell you, there? What
do you see there with your own eyes?”
“Why, it’s as plain as anything could be!” exclaimed Mrs. Armstrong. “Why,
this is a wonderful discovery. I must rush back to tell my husband the
good news. I know he’ll be overjoyed!”
“A minute or so later, Mrs. Armstrong came running into my parents’ home,
with the ‘good news’.
“My jaw dropped!
“This was the worst news I had ever heard! My wife gone into
religious fanaticism!
“Have you gone CRAZY?” I asked, incredulously.
“Of course not! I was never more sure of anything in my life,” responded my
wife with enthusiasm. . . .
“But,” I still contended, “Isn’t the Bible the very source of the teaching
of all these Christian churches? And they do all agree on observing
Sunday! I’m sure the Bible says, ‘Thou shalt keep Sunday’.
“Well, does it?” smiled my wife, handing me a Bible. “Show it to me, if it
does — and I’ll do what it says.”
Mrs. Armstrong goaded Herbert into studying the issue of Sunday versus the
Sabbath, and after six months of diligent study trying to prove his wife wrong,
Herbert Armstrong surrendered to God, was baptized, and came to consider Mr. and
Mrs. Runcorn the Armstrong’s “spiritual parents.” Through the Runcorns,
Armstrong became acquainted with the Church of God in Salem, and nearby
Jefferson, Oregon. (See Autobiography, pages 261-264, 281.) Armstrong
began to preach to the Church of God people, was ordained as an elder, and in
1934 began radio broadcasting, which led to the formation of the Radio Church of
God (later renamed Worldwide Church of God). Emma Runcorn, the elderly lady
next door to Armstrong’s parents, was instrumental in leading thousands to God!
Armstrong’s Autobiography shows that Mrs. Runcorn’s husband was O. J.
Runcorn, and HWA refers to her as Mrs. Ora Runcorn. HWA also mentions the
Runcorn’s son, Fern, who was on the school board for Eldreage School, north of
Salem.
In the 1900 census records for Marion County, Oregon, there is a listing for
Ora J. and Emma L. Runcorn. At that time, they were living in Salem,
Oregon. Ora J. is listed as male and the head of the family. He was
age 36, and was born in April of 1864 in Wisconsin. They had been married
for 14 years. His parents were both born in England. He is listed as
a day laborer who rents his home. His wife, Emma L. Runcorn, was born in
February of 1865 and was age 35. They had two children. She was born
in Wisconsin. Her father was born in New York, her mother in New Jersey.
Fern P. is listed as their son. He was born in October 1, 1886, in
Wisconsin. Molly S. was listed as born in May of 1888, and is age 12. She was
born in Wisconsin (See Marion County Census records for 1900, ED #136, Sheet 1,
lines 40-43).
The 1920 census had no listing for an O. J. or Ora Runcorn, but it did list
Fern, born in Wisconsin, as being 33 years old, employed as a baggage man for S.
P. Rye Co. His wife, M. Lucille, was aged 22 and a homemaker. They had, at
that time, a son named Robert E., who was six months old as of January
1920. (See Marion County, Oregon Census Records for 1920, ED # 346, Sheet 15,
lines 37-39).
Emma Spees (Speese or Speece) Runcorn married Ora J. Runcorn in 1886.
Her parents were: Silas Spees and Elizabeth Shover. Her brothers and sisters
were: Will, Addison, Martha, and George. Her grandparents were John Spees and
Martha Slater.
Both Ora and Emma were listed in the Salem City Directory for 1935. Neither
were listed in the 1938/39 directory. The 1936/37 directory is missing.
It appears that they died in the late 1930s. We have not yet been able to
obtain a photo of Emma Runcorn, but in the Kingdom of God, we look forward to
visiting with the “elderly lady next door.”
— research by Kathy Puliafico
The Bible is replete with examples of women whom God has used to further His
work. In the New Testament, we are first introduced to Mary, the
righteous mother of Jesus. She was highly favored by God, blessed among women,
and for this she was selected to be the mother of the Son of God, Luke
1:26-28. Anna the old prophetess, a widow, served God with fastings
and prayers in the temple night and day, Luke 2:36-38. Mary
Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many other women ministered unto Jesus with
their substance, being intimately involved in His ministry, Luke 8:1-3. Lydia of
Thyatira, a seller of purple cloth, worshipped God, and became instrumental in
Paul’s preaching in Philippi, Acts 16:14-40. Priscilla (Prisca)
and her husband Aquila, were an effective husband and wife gospel team who
helped Paul, and hosted a Church in their house, Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Romans
16:3; I Corinthians 16:19. Phoebe was a servant (diakonia) of
the Church, Romans 16:1-2. Likewise, Martha was cumbered about
with much serving (diakonia), Luke 10:40. John in his second
epistle addresses “the elect lady and her children,” II John 1. Philip
the deacon and evangelist had four virgin daughters who prophesied, Acts
21:8-9. Timothy’s mother Eunice and grandmother Lois taught
him to have faith in God, II Timothy 1:5; Acts 16:1. Women were an
integral part of the ministry (service) of the New Testament Church, Acts
1:13-14.
In the Old Testament, Sarah is an example of faith, Hebrews 11:11. Miriam,
sister of Moses, was a prophetess, and she led the women of Israel to sing
praises to God at the defeat of the Egyptian army at the Red Sea, Exodus
15:20-21. Deborah was a judge of Israel and a prophetess, Judges 4:4-5. Israel
came to Deborah for judgment, for decisions. She gave the word of the Lord to
Barak, who would not go to battle unless Deborah was with him, verses 6-9. It
is obvious from scripture that Deborah’s righteous civil and spiritual
leadership over all Israel was an anomaly. That does not take away from
Deborah’s righteous character and the fact that the Eternal used her
mightily. God chooses whomsoever He wills to deliver His messages to His
people. While there were some prophetesses in Israel, God was just as much
against false women prophetesses as He was against false men prophets, Ezekiel
13:1, 17. The widow of Zarephath sustained Elijah, and her dead son
was revived, I Kings 17:8-24. The Shunammite woman constrained
the prophet Elisha to eat and stay at her house. Her faith in God resulted in
Elisha’s resurrection of her dead son, II Kings 4:8-37. These two
mothers were examples of faith, Hebrews 11:35. Huldah the
prophetess gave God’s word to the priest Hilkiah, who forwarded it on to
Josiah. As a result, Josiah made a covenant with God and reinstituted the
Passover feast in Judah and the remnant of Israel, II Kings 22 and II
Chronicles 34. Certainly, the Almighty used Huldah in a powerful way!
As in the past, so in the present, the Creator uses righteous women to
further His work. Loma D. Armstrong, wife of Herbert W. Armstrong, was a
righteous woman instrumental in the work of the Radio (later, Worldwide) Church
of God. Mrs. Armstrong counseled and personally taught many women, including my
mother-in-law, Florence Whitaker. This is in line with the scriptural role of
older, righteous women, that they are to teach the young women, Titus 2:3-4.