Memoir of Old Elizabeth, A Coloured Woman

Memoir of Old Elizabeth, A
Coloured Woman

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Title: Memoir of Old Elizabeth, A Coloured Woman
Author: Anonymous
Release Date: February 22, 2006 [EBook #17826]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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OF OLD ELIZABETH, A ***

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MEMOIR
OF

OLD ELIZABETH,
A
COLOURED WOMAN.
* * * * *
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."
GAL. iii. 25.
* * * * *
PHILADELPHIA:
COLLINS, PRINTER, 705 JAYNE STREET.
1863.

MEMOIR, &C.
In the following Narrative of "Old Elizabeth," which was taken mainly
from her own lips in her 97th year, her simple language has been
adhered to as strictly as was consistent with perspicuity and propriety.
I was born in Maryland in the year 1766. My parents were slaves. Both
my father and mother were religious people, and belonged to the
Methodist Society. It was my father's practice to read in the Bible aloud
to his children every sabbath morning. At these seasons, when I was
but five years old, I often felt the overshadowing of the Lord's Spirit,
without at all understanding what it meant; and these incomes and
influences continued to attend me until I was eleven years old,
particularly when I was alone, by which I was preserved from doing
anything that I thought was wrong.

In the eleventh year of my age, my master sent me to another farm,
several miles from my parents, brothers, and sisters, which was a great
trouble to me. At last I grew so lonely and sad I thought I should die, if
I did not see my mother. I asked the overseer if I might go, but being
positively denied, I concluded to go without his knowledge. When I
reached home my mother was away. I set off and walked twenty miles
before I found her. I staid with her for several days, and we returned
together. Next day I was sent back to my new place, which renewed my
sorrow. At parting, my mother told me that I had "nobody in the wide
world to look to but God." These words fell upon my heart with
ponderous weight, and seemed to add to my grief. I went back
repeating as I went, "none but God in the wide world." On reaching the
farm, I found the overseer was displeased at me for going without his
liberty. He tied me with a rope, and gave me some stripes of which I
carried the marks for weeks.
After this time, finding as my mother said, I had none in the world to
look to but God, I betook myself to prayer, and in every lonely place I
found an altar. I mourned sore like a dove and chattered forth my
sorrow, moaning in the corners of the field, and under the fences.
I continued in this state for about six months, feeling as though my
head were waters, and I could do nothing but weep. I lost my appetite,
and not being able to take enough food to sustain nature, I became so
weak I had but little strength to work; still I was required to do all my
duty. One evening, after the duties of the day were ended, I thought I
could not live over the night, so threw myself on a bench, expecting to
die, and without being prepared to meet my Maker; and my spirit cried
within me, must I die in this state, and be banished from Thy presence
forever? I own I am a sinner in Thy sight, and not fit to live where thou
art. Still it was my fervent desire that the Lord would pardon me. Just at
this season, I saw with my spiritual eye, an awful gulf of misery. As I
thought I was about to plunge into it, I heard a voice saying, "rise up
and pray," which strengthened me. I fell on my knees and prayed the
best I could the Lord's prayer. Knowing no more to say, I halted, but
continued on my knees. My spirit was then taught to pray, "Lord, have
mercy on me--Christ save me." Immediately there appeared a director,

clothed in white raiment. I thought he took me by the hand and said,
"come with me." He