In Donna Johnson's memoir, "Holy Ghost Girl," Johnson shares her dramatic childhood, spent in the shadow of David Terrell. Donna's life consisted of traveling with Terrell, her family, and the Holy Roller crew to seek "the world with its terrible beauty"(p.236). Witnessing a series of miracles, hypocrisy, and abandonment, Donna comes to doubt the validity of David Terrell. Was David Terrell a prophet, or a con?.
David Terrell was the leader of the tent revival system Donna and her family were affiliated with. He "was a twenty-seven-year-old six-foot looker with black hair, blue eyes, and a smile that flashed Holy Ghost charm " (p.25). Terrell was able to win the hearts of the families that came to see him with his natural movement and smooth outflow of words on the tent's stage. He preached with the promise that if anyone trusted wholeheartedly in the Lord, good things would come to them. With this message given great emphasis by Terrell, and the longing people had to live better lives, Terrell's ministry steadily grew famous. .
David Terrell's tent "accommodated anywhere from five to ten thousand people"(p.141). Children, sinners, and the critically ill came from all over to see the miraculous healings made by Terrell. Terrell was seen healing the blind, removing tumors, giving the crippled the ability to walk, treating deafness, and above else, performing exorcisms. People were bewildered with Terrell's performances, referring to them as miracles. They believed he could cure anyone, no matter the condition.
In addition to the healings Terrell performed, he further made his mark by going to extremes with fasting. Terrell was seen going on fasts for weeks at a time in belief God would take his suffering and use it to heal others. Regularly looking weak, tiresome, and withdrawn, people encouraged him to eat just to make it through the day. Eventually, when Terrell would decide to eat, he made sure to do so only when a healing occurred.
