History

Mr. George Simpson Montgomery
Mrs. Carrie Francis Judd Montgomery

The ministry of the Home of Peace began on February 26, 1879 in a small house in Buffalo, New York. Mrs. Carrie Judd Montgomery, Ms. Carrie F. Judd at the time, lay bedridden and invalid. That evening she prayed the prayer of faith, found in James 5, and got up out of bed for the first time in over two-and-a-half years.

This experience of divine healing catapulted her into a life of ministry that greatly added to the Divine Healing Movement and modern Christian history.

In 1880, Mrs. Montgomery published her first book, the Prayer of Faith, which chronicled the powerful testimony of her divine healing. God used this book to encourage Christians near and far to take advantage of His healing promise. During the course of Mrs. Montgomery’s ministry The Prayer of Faith was translated into eight languages and over 400,000 copies were distributed world-wide.

In 1881 in response to multiple inquiries and requests, Mrs. Montgomery began publishing a monthly magazine titled the Triumphs of Faith which ran for over 97 years and was distributed world-wide.

Finally, in 1882 God laid the foundations of the Home of Peace in Mrs. Montgomery’s heart and in a step of faith she opened her first healing home, Faith Rest Cottage.

In the year 1890 Mrs. Montgomery was wed to a successful businessman, George S. Montgomery and they moved to San Francisco, California.

Mrs. Montgomery writes, “When Mr. Montgomery went out with the builder to show him where to locate the house, a lovely snow-white dove came and circled around my dear husband’s head. When he came in and told me about this we thought it was significant and said, ‘We will call it the Home of Peace.'” By 1893, the Home of Peace was completed and opened as the first healing home on the west coast.

After the turn of the 20th century, the Home of Peace quickly became a way station for missionaries with San Francisco and Oakland as their port of departure or return. Constantly adapting to the need of Christians and non-Christians alike internationally, the Home of Peace has served as a healing home, school of ministry, orphanage, boarding house, missionary supplier and shipper.

Since then hundreds of missionaries and Christian workers have felt the warm Christian atmosphere that the Montgomery’s fostered here so many years ago. Guests from all over the United States and abroad have and continue to enjoy the hospitality offered here at the Home.

Now, over the 125+ years since Mrs. Montgomery moved her ministry to Oakland, the Home of Peace continues to strive to meet the needs of the world-wide Christian community. Today the Home is primarily used as a Bed and Breakfast for Christian individuals, couples, missionaries, and families visiting the Bay Area, as well as churches and ministries who wish to host group events ranging from four to four hundred people at one time.

The Home of Peace of Oakland is a registered not for profit 501(c)(3) Christian and Missionary service agency incorporated within the State of California.