Hobart Freeman was a charismatic

Charismatic movement

The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...

 preacher

Preacher

Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...

 and author

Author

An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...

, who ministered in northern Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

 and actively promoted faith healing

Faith healing

Faith healing is healing through spiritual means. The healing of a person is brought about by religious faith through prayer and/or rituals that, according to adherents, stimulate a divine presence and power toward correcting disease and disability. Belief in divine intervention in illness or...

.
Hobart Edward Freeman was born in Ewing, Kentucky

Ewing, Kentucky

Ewing is a city in Fleming County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 278 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ewing is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....

, and grew up at St. Petersburg, Florida

St. Petersburg, Florida

St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...

, where he became a successful businessman after studying at Bryant and Stratton Business Institute, despite being a high school dropout. He also contracted polio, and in later years "... walked stiffly ... with an obvious limp."

Freeman was converted to Christ

Christ

Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...

 in 1952 at the age of 31, and baptized into the Southern Baptist Church.

Shortly before Freeman received "the baptism in the Holy Spirit", he survived a heart attack.