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Evangelist Emma Elizabeth Craig
1872-October 26,1966
“A pioneer evangelist, zealous missionary, and holiness preacher!”
Early Life
Reverend Emma Elizabeth Craig was born Emma Elizabeth Collins in Roxboro, North Carolina in the year of 1872. She was the second child of a family of eleven children whose parents were Mrs. Mary and Mr. Harvey Collins. She was born during the Reconstruction Era of the United States. Her parents were freed slaves due to the close of the Civil War and the Emancipation of President Abraham Lincoln. The Collins were very adamant on Rev. Emma to receive an education beyond the primary and secondary levels thus she was privileged to graduate from Shaw University and worked as an educator for several years. Marriage & Conversion
Emma Elizabeth Collins married Elder Charles Christopher Craig in the year of 1892 and with the union ending her teaching career. Emma and Charles had one daughter in their union Mrs. Leory Craig. The Craigs family made their home in Durham, North Carolina and joined the St. Joseph African Methodist Church (AME). At sometime during their years in Durham the Craigs experienced “entire sanctification” and thus believed by the power or baptism of the Holy Spirit they received a sanctifying fire and thus were commanded to live “holy”. Their membership with St. Joseph AME church was terminated as a result of a request by church leadership that they renounce their testimony of holiness and sanctification. The Craigs refused and thus their membership with the St. Joseph AME church was recounted and they thrown out. The Craigs left and joined many “Holy” People also known as “Come Outers” and fellowshipped in house to house prayer meetings in the Durham, North Carolina area. These prayer meetings were known for their intense praying, fiery testifying and estatic praise! Ministry and the United Holy Church of America
Elder Charles and Reverend Emma were both ministers and were very active amongst “holy” prayer meetings and independent Holiness churches. Their interest and involvement led them to want to unite the different Holiness groups together into one organizational body. Their effort found fruition on October 13, 1894 when in their home the plans for the first convocation of the Holy Churches of North Carolina were done. This same organization would change their name and incorporate under the name of the United Holy Church of America Inc (UHCA). One of the first churches formed under this new banner was Gospel Tabernacle of Durham, North Carolina. The church was built and land deeded to the UHCA by the Craigs. Elder Charles Craig was installed as the first pastor of the Gospel Tabernacle UHC and served in that capacity for two years with Reverend Emma assisting him. Due to an evangelistic zeal Elder Charles stepped down as pastor and him and Reverend Emma went into the evangelistic field. Elder Charles became concerned with the new organization of the United Holy Church to have a guide and official manual. The convention of 1900 convened for the purpose of creating a governing manual for the United Holy Church with Evangelist Emma serving as editor of the 1900 manual. Elder Charles also pushed for the organization to incorporate and this goal was fulfilled on September 25, 1918 with the certification number of 16427. During the years of 1900 to 1917 the Craigs started several churches and evangelized much of the East Coast. Evangelist Emma stated “Brother Craig and I preached out 16 churches.” To their note many of them still stand today. Each of the 16 churches stand as historical monuments to the ministerial efforts of this dynamic couple for God. Much of the expansion of the United Holy Church is accredited to them Craigs. Elder Charles and Evangelist Emma preached, taught and ministered tirelessly. In spite of the many hardships they faced they preached the gospel of Jesus, holiness and pentecostalism “holding meetings in houses, under bush harbors, tents, fields, churches, school houses and everywhere people would listen and accept the gospel. The Walk Alone
The Craigs moved to Kinston, North Carolina in the year of 1921. During their tenure there they affiliated with the Faith Tabernacle Church under the ministry of Bishop G.J. Branch. In Kinston Elder Charles died in the year of 1928. His final words of testimony were “I have done my work, I have finished my course, I am ready to go home.” His work included that of a great evangelist, a tireless force in bringing groups together, dedicated organizer, an incorporator and founder of 16 churches along with his wife Evangelist Emma. Their union lasted for 36 years on Earth yet is eternal in Heaven. Succeeding the death of her husband Evangelist Emma relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While there she joined St. Paul Holy Church under the leadership of Bishop E.B. Lyon. Evangelist Craig continued her work for Jesus and the Church. She founded the Holiness Union, the official Church magazine known as the official church organ in 1917. She also served as Assistant Secretary to the Southern District Convocation of the United Holy Church of America from 1900 to 1920. She then served a term as Secretary of the Southern District for 28 years. Evangelist Craig in 1938 organized and pastored Mt. Calvary United Holy Church in Philadelphia. Pastor Emma Craig along with Rev. Mrs. Julia Delk by permission of Bishop Henry L. Fisher the General Bishop of the United Holy Church of America formed the Women’s Home and Foreign Missionary Convention in 1917. Pastor Emma Craig served as the first president of the Convention from 1917-1965. She was the most powerful woman in the United Holy Church serving in one of the highest positions for women in the UHCA during the time.Twilight Years
Due to Reverend Emma declining health Rev. Mrs Cora Dawson and Mrs. Ethel Tatnall helped her in her duties as General UHCA Missionary President. Evangelist Emma was chosen as the General Mother of the United Holy Church of America. Mother Emma and Rev. Julia Delk traveled extensively across the United Holy Church to establish missions and promoting the idea of building a Women’s dormitory at Branch Memorial Tabernacle in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The dormitory was named the Emma Elizabeth Craig Dormitory as an honor to Mother Emma Craig. Mother Emma Elizabeth Collins Craig gave up her earthly tasks of life at the age of 94 on October 26, 1966. Mrs. Emma Williams adequately epitomizes her grandmother Mother Emma Craig in the following quotes “The life of our General Mother the Reverend Mrs. Emma Craig stands as a gem of the Master’s choosing. Her characteristics of love, faithfulness, determination, togetherness with her courage and dedication are lustrous to behold, and present to us an example of service to God.” she furthers states “Mother Craig served as a pioneer evangelist, preaching holiness, living thirty eight years after the death of her husband Reverend Charles Christopher Craig to see our church well organized in the United States, Africa and the Islands of the sea. She leaves us with a pressing urgency to continue the propagation of the gospel, as she rest now at our feet.” Evangelist Mother Emma Craig was truly a woman of vision and evangelistic zeal. Evangelist Craig served as a pastor, evangelist, founder, missionary and General church Mother. A true Christian woman of faith, Holiness preacher and Pentecostal pioneer!
