Bishop Benjamin Armour, Sr.

Born Into Time

Wednesday, December 19, 1923

Augusta, Arkansas

            Bishop Benjamin Armour, Sr. was born December 19, 1923 in Augusta, Woodruff County, Arkansas to the late Deacon Henry Armour and the late Martha Cora Davis Armour, one of eight sons.

            Benjamin and Osie Janet Lee made acquaintance in 1940. Upon meeting this beautiful young girl, young Benjamin fell in love at first sight, as the Holy Spirit spoke to him and said, “That’s my wife”. Shortly after this, he joined the United States Navy at the age of 19. He proudly served and frequently mentioned his 75 trips across the English Channel during WWII. Honorably discharged, he returned to the United States, enrolled and graduated from Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, and preached his first sermon the second Sunday in August, 1946, under the pastorship of Reverend J.C. MacFowler at Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church, inWest Hermondale, Missouri. He was an Evangelist and Pastor as well as a Moderator in the Baptist Church for many years. After receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and having received the gift of tongues, the Lord led him to the Church of God In Christ under the pastorship of Elder John Moore of Nehemiah Temple COGIC, Blytheville, Arkansas.

           On September 21, 1946, he and Osie were united in Holy Matrimony in Kennett, Missouri.  To this union twelve children were born, four sons and eight daughters.  He was preceded in death by one daughter, Sara Lee Armour-Foulks, and two sons, Elder Benjamin Armour, Jr. and Stanley Armour.  He was also preceded in death by his siblings, Quadilor, Ollie, Alvin (A.L.), Theopolis, Joseph, Ezell, and Lindsey.

            He simultaneously served as pastor of North 6^th Street (Hayti) and Progressive (Caruthersville) Churches of God in Christ for 17 years, under the late Bishop Columbus Williams. He led a consistent life of prayer and fasting and in 1952, started his Evangelical Ministry and conducted hundreds of revivals across the nation.   He was well known for his “healing and miracles” tent revivals in which people would travel far and near to attend. He served in the office of Prophet and spiritual advisor to many.  He also served along with Elder J.C . Pullen, Jr.,  in the Annual Union Baptizing of the Church of God in Christ at New Madrid, Missouri in the Mississippi River for 7 years.

            After having pastored faithfully in the area, the LORD gave him the Monument of Deliverance Ministries. During this season he was led by the Holy Spirit to place crosses on most, if not all, telephone posts throughout Hayti Heights and Hayti. He also encouraged all believers in the local area to place crosses in their yards as a symbol of their belief in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, his death, burial, and resurrection. He envisioned the area becoming known as “The City of Crosses”.

After being led to retire from active pastoring in 2010, he appointed his son-in-law, Elder Robert Bell, Jr., as Pastor of Monument of Deliverance.

Under the loving and tender care of his wife, children and grandchildren, he transitioned from this life and was promoted to his Heavenly Home on Monday, March 16, 2015, at the age of 91 years, 2 months, and 25 days.  Having transitioned on 3-16, it symbolized his belief in one of his favorite scriptures, St. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life”.

Left to cherish his memories are his Loving and Devoted Wife of 68 years, Mother Osie Armour; two sons, Elder Dwight Armour (Shelly) Poplar Bluff, MO; Dennis (Kathy), St. Louis, MO; seven daughters, Rev. Beverly Gilyard (Elder W.W. Gilyard, deceased) Atlanta, GA; Ramelda Armour, Hayti, MO; Evangelist Patricia Amos (Elder Eddie) Memphis, TN; Margie Armour-Smith, Milwaukee, WI; Missionary Kathy Bell (Elder Robert, Jr.) Hayti, MO, Evangelist Sandra Tates  (Elder Frederick), Dyersburg, TN; Martha Dunmore  (William) Milwaukee, WI.; and special daughter, Sharon Armour; as well as 36 grandchildren, 63 great-grandchildren, 12 great-great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and innumerable friends. 

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