Memoir of Old Elizabeth, A Coloured Woman | Page 3

carried to distant lands and shown
places where I should have to travel and deliver the Lord's message.
Years afterwards, I found myself visiting those towns and countries
that I had seen in the light as I sat at home at my sewing,--places of
which I had never heard.
Some years from this time I was sold to a Presbyterian for a term of
years, as he did not think it right to hold slaves for life. Having served
him faithfully my time out, he gave me my liberty, which was about the
thirtieth year of my age.
As I now lived in a neighborhood where I could attend religious
meetings, occasionally I felt moved to speak a few words therein; but I

shrank from it--so great was the cross to my nature.
I did not speak much till I had reached my forty-second year, when it
was revealed to me that the message which had been given to me I had
not yet delivered, and the time had come. As I could read but little, I
questioned within myself how it would be possible for me to deliver the
message, when I did not understand the Scriptures. Whereupon I was
moved to open a Bible that was near me, which I did, and my eyes fell
upon this passage, "Gird up thy loins now like a man, and answer thou
me. Obey God rather than man," &c. Here I fell into a great exercise of
spirit, and was plunged very low. I went from one religious professor to
another, enquiring of them what ailed me; but of all these I could find
none who could throw any light upon such impressions. They all told
me there was nothing in Scripture that would sanction such exercises. It
was hard for men to travel, and what would women do? These things
greatly discouraged me, and shut up my way, and caused me to resist
the Spirit. After going to all that were accounted pious, and receiving
no help, I returned to the Lord, feeling that I was nothing, and knew
nothing, and wrestled and prayed to the Lord that He would fully reveal
His will, and make the way plain.
Whilst I thus struggled, there seemed a light from heaven to fall upon
me, which banished all my desponding fears, and I was enabled to form
a new resolution to go on to prison and to death, if it might be my
portion: and the Lord showed me that it was His will I should be
resigned to die any death that might be my lot, in carrying his message,
and be entirely crucified to the world, and sacrifice all to His glory that
was then in my possession, which His witnesses, the holy Apostles, had
done before me. It was then revealed to me that the Lord had given me
the evidence of a clean heart, in which I could rejoice day and night,
and I walked and talked with God, and my soul was illuminated with
heavenly light, and I knew nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
One day, after these things, while I was at my work, the Spirit directed
me to go to a poor widow, and ask her if I might have a meeting at her
house, which was situated in one of the lowest and worst streets in
Baltimore. With great joy she gave notice, and at the time appointed I

appeared there among a few coloured sisters. When they had all prayed,
they called upon me to close the meeting, and I felt an impression that I
must say a few words; and while I was speaking, the house seemed
filled with light; and when I was about to close the meeting, and was
kneeling, a man came in and stood till I arose. It proved to be a
watchman. The sisters became so frightened, they all went away except
the one who lived in the house, and an old woman; they both appeared
to be much frightened, fearing they should receive some personal injury,
or be put out of the house. A feeling of weakness came over me for a
short time, but I soon grew warm and courageous in the Spirit. The
man then said to me, "I was sent here to break up your meeting.
Complaint has been made to me that the people round here cannot sleep
for the racket." I replied, "a good racket is better than a bad racket.
How do they rest when the ungodly are dancing and fiddling till
midnight? Why are not they molested by the watchmen? and why
should we be for praising God, our Maker? Are we worthy of greater
punishment for praying to Him? and are we to be prohibited from doing
so,