Lettie B. Cowman’s Followers (29)

Lettie B. Cowman

Born

March 03, 1870

Died

April 17, 1960

Website

http://www.scriptoriumdaily.com/2009/03/03/toda...

Genre

Religion & Spirituality

edit data

also published under the name: Mrs. Charles E. Cowman & L.B. Cowman

"A lot of people who use the perennially popular devotional book Streams in the Desert think it is by somebody named Charles, because the title page is signed “Mrs. Charles Cowman.” As an author, she successfully concealed herself under her married name, her late husband’s name. Her full name was Lettie Burd Cowman (1870-1960). And the 1925 book she is famous for is itself another stunt of self-concealment: Streams in the Desert is mostly a pastiche of Lettie Cowman’s favorite passages from her own wide devotional reading, assembled on the grid of 365 daily doses.

The authors she cites are a who’s who of the late nineteenth century evangelical movement, especially the missio also published under the name: Mrs. Charles E. Cowman & L.B. Cowman

"A lot of people who use the perennially popular devotional book Streams in the Desert think it is by somebody named Charles, because the title page is signed “Mrs. Charles Cowman.” As an author, she successfully concealed herself under her married name, her late husband’s name. Her full name was Lettie Burd Cowman (1870-1960). And the 1925 book she is famous for is itself another stunt of self-concealment: Streams in the Desert is mostly a pastiche of Lettie Cowman’s favorite passages from her own wide devotional reading, assembled on the grid of 365 daily doses.

The authors she cites are a who’s who of the late nineteenth century evangelical movement, especially the missionary, holiness, and Keswick side of the tradition: A. C. Dixon, A. T. Pierson, F. B. Meyer, Andrew Murray, A. B. Simpson, Charles Trumbull, etc. There are many paragraphs written by Cowman herself, but they tend to flow in and out of the quotations seamlessly.

Her work in Streams is mainly a cut-and-paste job, yet Cowman’s compilation of sources has outlived and out-sold most of the authors she quotes. Streams is still in print in a major way.The secret of her editorial success is probably that she wasn’t trying to succeed. Cowman really did produce the book for her own benefit. She wasn’t trying to reach a large audience; she was going through a difficult phase of life, and learning how to commune with God through the suffering.

Lettie had married Charles Cowman in 1889, and five years into their marriage they responded to a call to world missions issued by A. B. Simpson in the Moody Church in Chicago. The couple served in Japan from 1901 to 1917, leading a remarkable evangelistic campaign that focused on distributing literature to every household and training indigenous Christian workers. Charles was a visionary, a gifted administrator, and an inspiring leader. Overwhelmed with the evangelistic success of his mission, Charles worked himself to a complete physical collapse. He and Lettie returned to the USA, settling in Los Angeles, where Charles died after a six-year period of sickness and decline. His biography, Charles E. Cowman: Missionary Warrior, was written by Lettie the year after his death.

It was during these six years that Lettie experienced the suffering that every reader of Streams in the Desert recognizes. For one thing, there was the great physical pain Charles endured in his decline, but equally difficult was the enforced retirement that both Charles and Lettie were subjected to: The Cowmans were habitually busy people, with a lot of energy and a love for accomplishments. Holding still for six years was unimaginably hard and absolutely necessary.

As they crept together through these six years, Lettie read through the Bible and a library of Christian books, gathering the bits and pieces that helped her the most. Lettie knew what she and Charles needed in these years: that is what provides the strong thematic unity holding together the cut-and-paste work of Streams. That’s why Christians in affliction will continue to find this book a word that speaks directly to their situation, in small daily doses.

Lettie lived for many busy decades after Charles’ death. By 1928 she took charge of the Oriental Missions Society, and she developed a ministry as a public speaker. Her labors as missionary stateswoman included travel to Wales, Ethiopia, Finland, Colombia. And she kept writing. Though none of her books ever reached the classic status of Streams, there was always a substantial reading public for anything she wrote. The follow-up volume, Springs in the Valley, is in some ways even better than Streams, reflecting wider reading and a more comprehensive outlook. But it lacks the focus and intensity that somehow reaches out to readers in Streams. Her last book, Handfuls of Purpose, came out when she was 85.

Lettie Cowman died on April 1 ...more

Combine Editions
Lettie B. Cowman’s books

Average rating: 4.44 · 7,877 ratings · 305 reviews · 38 distinct works • Similar authors

	Missionary Warrior: Charles E. Cowman 4.70 avg rating — 98 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Streams in the Desert for Graduates: 366 Daily Devotional Readings 4.31 avg rating — 36 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Streams In The Desert Journal 4.81 avg rating — 26 ratings — published 1998	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Springs in the Valley: 365 Daily Devotional Readings 4.38 avg rating — 24 ratings — published 2016	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Streams in the Desert for Kids: 366 Devotions to Bring Comfort by Lettie B. Cowman, Gwen Ellis 4.56 avg rating — 18 ratings — published 2009 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Charles E. Cowman - Missionary: Warrior 4.40 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 1928 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Manantiales en el desierto Vol. 2 - Serie Favoritos 4.67 avg rating — 9 ratings — published 2013 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Streams In The Desert [Hardcover] [Jan 01, 2007] Cowman L B 4.80 avg rating — 5 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Streams in the Desert: 1925 Original 366 Daily Devotional Readings by Lettie B. Cowman, Mrs. Charles E. Cowman it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cumbres de Inspiracion by Lettie B. Cowman, Adolfo Robleto (Translator) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Lettie B. Cowman…

Quotes by Lettie B. Cowman (?)

“Beloved, God’s promises can never fail to be accomplished, and those who patiently wait can never be disappointed, for a believing faith leads to realization.”
― L.B. Cowman, Streams in the Desert: 366 Daily Devotional Readings

16 likes

“We are safer with Him in the dark than without Him in the sunshine.”
― Lettie B. Cowman, Springs in the Valley: 365 Daily Devotional Readings

12 likes

“Combat comes before victory. If God has chosen special trials for you to endure, be assured He has kept a very special place in His heart just for you. A badly bruised soul is one who is chosen.”
― L.B. Cowman, Streams in the Desert: 366 Daily Devotional Readings

9 likes

See all Lettie B. Cowman's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Next Best Boo...: Author Alphabet	3703	3088	Mar 14, 2013 03:16PM
The Next Best Boo...: Last Letter Game (Writers/Authors)	1686	1303	May 30, 2013 12:55PM
Goodreads Librari...: Large Print III	976	688	Sep 14, 2021 12:58PM

More…

Lettie B. Cowman’s Followers (29)

Lettie B. Cowman

Combine EditionsLettie B. Cowman’s books

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
Lettie B. Cowman’s books