author

William L. (William Le Roy) Stidger

1885–1949

A lively Methodist preacher and prolific writer, he became known for bringing modern publicity, radio, and storytelling into American religious life. His work ranged from sermons and devotional books to poetry, reflecting a gift for speaking to broad audiences in a warm, direct way.

3 Audiobooks

Flash-lights from the Seven Seas

Flash-lights from the Seven Seas

by William L. (William Le Roy) Stidger

Giant Hours with Poet Preachers

Giant Hours with Poet Preachers

by William L. (William Le Roy) Stidger

Soldier silhouettes on our front

Soldier silhouettes on our front

by William L. (William Le Roy) Stidger

About the author

Born in Moundsville, West Virginia, in 1885, William Le Roy Stidger grew up in Appalachia and went on to attend Allegheny College. He was ordained in the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1914 and later served pastorates in cities including Detroit, Kansas City, San Francisco, and San Jose.

Stidger stood out as a preacher who embraced modern media and promotion unusually early for his time. Archival and library sources describe him as a minister who brought publicity tactics into evangelism, taught preaching at the Boston University School of Theology for many years, and also hosted a daily radio show.

He was also a remarkably productive author. Reference sources credit him with dozens of books across prose, sermons, and poetry, including the well-known poetry collection I Saw God Wash the World. He died in 1949, leaving behind a body of work that shows how religion, popular writing, and mass media were beginning to overlap in twentieth-century America.