Edward Armstrong Horse Drawn Evangelist 1907 Real Photo Postcard

Evangelist Edw Armstrong, identified as "of New York," likely utilized this horse-drawn mobile advertisement to promote his revival meetings. Traveling evangelists were a prominent feature of American religious life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reaching communities through public gatherings and tent revivals. This method of street-level proselytization, employing large, visible signs on wagons, was a common strategy to draw crowds to religious services, often held in temporary structures known as tabernacles.

The advertisement directs attendees to the Christian & Missionary Alliance Tabernacle at the corner of Carl St. and Second Ave. The Christian and Missionary Alliance, founded by A.B. Simpson, was (and is) a Protestant denomination known for its strong emphasis on evangelism and foreign missions, often establishing temporary tabernacles for revival campaigns. This street scene, with its commercial buildings and blend of horse-drawn and early automotive elements like the "Michelin Tires" sign, places the postcard in the early 20th century, likely between the 1910s and 1930s, reflecting a period of significant religious revivalism and urban development.