Born on May 15, 1855, in Laurens County, South Carolina, Madame Phoebia Cheek Sullivan lived a life shaped by divine calling, extraordinary healing gifts, and unshakable faith. At just nine years old, she received what she described as a spiritual touch from God—marking the beginning of a lifelong ministry of healing and prophecy.

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Her gift first revealed itself when she miraculously healed her mother’s breast, stunning the family physician, Dr. Wolfe, who immediately recognized her extraordinary power. So moved by her abilities, he invited young Phoebia to travel with him throughout the Carolinas, where—over the next decade—she helped heal countless individuals from a variety of ailments.

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At 19, Phoebia married Henry Sullivan, but her path was not without struggle. She became afflicted with a mysterious illness that caused uncontrollable running spells, leaving doctors baffled and her family overwhelmed. On the verge of being institutionalized, Phoebia received a divine vision instructing her to gather twelve herbs from the forest. She brewed them into a tea and, by the grace of God, healed herself. This act of divine self-healing not only restored her, but also converted skeptics—including Dr. Foster, whose own chronic pain was relieved by her remedy.

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This miraculous moment marked the beginning of her journey as a renowned healer and seer, known for her herbal medicines, healing hands, and spirit-led words, often drawn from the Psalms. Her name quickly spread, and thousands traveled to receive her care.

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Madame Sullivan raised seven biological children and adopted several others—many of whom carried forward the family’s spiritual gifts. In the early 1900s, as Black families were being pushed out of South Carolina, the Sullivans relocated to Saluda, North Carolina, where they built a thriving community centered on faith, land, and healing.  In 1948, her son, Reverend James Sullivan, founded Sullivan’s Temple Missionary Baptist Church in her honor. While never ordained, Madame Sullivan played a vital leadership role, and the Temple became both a spiritual sanctuary and a cultural gathering place. Gospel legends such as Mahalia Jackson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and possibly Sam Cooke’s Soul Stirrers graced the Temple’s stage during her grand birthday celebrations, turning the mountain into a place of joy and worship.

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Though she could not read or write, Madame Phoebia’s life story and divine revelations were transcribed in real time by her daughters as she spoke them. These sacred writings—From the Cradle to the Crutch and Book of Dreams and Visions—were created during her lifetime and stand as enduring testaments to the power of oral tradition, spiritual insight, and matrilineal storytelling.

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Today, Madame Sullivan’s legacy endures through her writings, her land, her lineage of healers and leaders, and the continued spiritual impact of Sullivan’s Temple.

Her story is not just history—it is a sacred inheritance, a testament to resilience, and a reminder of the transformative power of divine purpose.