Women of distinction/Chapter 10
CHAPTER X.
MRS. AMANDA SMITH.
("THE FAMOUS NEGRO MISSIONARY EVANGELIST").
Few, if any, Afro-American women have done more real work that has gained for them a world-wide reputation than this faithful member of our race. However, at the time of this writing we are informed that Mrs. Smith is preparing for publication a history of her life; therefore, out of our very great respect for her and her writings, we withhold all recent facts concerning her life, and simply make a few brief extracts from "The Life and Mission of a Slave Girl," by Rev. M. W. Taylor, D. D., which we trust, will not in the least affect the sale of her book.
As our apology for the course we pursue attention is called to her letter to us, which we take the liberty to publish without consulting her:
No. 64 Park St., Newark, N. J., October 13, 1892.
Dr. L. A. Scruggs:
Your very kind letter of October 8th I got on my return from Boston yesterday, and I hasten to reply. I should be glad to respond to your wish, but I am in the act of writing a little sketch of my life and work, which I hope to get in the hands of the publisher by December. Wishing you much success. I am yours in great haste,
Amanda Berry was born March 17, 1836, according to her best information, at Long Green, Maryland. Among her earliest recollections is the kind face and gentle voice of her grandmother, who, she remembers hearing, was married three times. Her first husband's name was Mathews and the last Burgess. The name of the second is not remembered. They lived near Monkton, in the State of Maryland, and there her grandmother died. Her father died in Philadelphia, July. 1868. and her mother at York. Pennsylvania, but the year we do not know.
The deed of Mr. Berry's and his family's freedom is recorded in the Baltimore court-house. He had a copy of it. with the county seal attached in due form, which he often showed to his children, but his copy was lost after his death.
Her grandmother, father and mother were all truly pious people. Her grandmother was mighty in prayer, and her mother and father often said that to her grandmother's prayers they owed their freedom. Her mother, inheriting the spirit of her grandmother, was a woman of great faith and strong moral courage. And this faith and courage, in the third generation, has given to the world Amanda Smith.
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SOJOURNING AMONG THE FRIENDS.
The sweet, mild manner, unadorned costume, sturdy integrity, deep piety and all-embracing philanthropy characteristic of the Friends had charms for Sister Berry. So, about March. 1856, she went to reside with a family of Friends at Columbia, Pennsylvania, Robert Mifflin being the head of the family. Here her situation was conducive to piety. She returned to the Lord, and after struggling in ignorance, darkness and doubt for three months, it pleased the Lord to scatter the darkness of unbelief and set her soul at liberty. Speaking of that occurrence Sister Smith says: "Oh what joy and real peace swept. through my soul like a flood of light and love! I obtained a clear and distinct witness of the Spirit that God for Christ's sake had pardoned all my sins. And though I have had many storms and conflicts from Satan, yet, glory to God! I have never had a doubt from that hour. From then until this time I have had no spiritual trouble."
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Mrs. Smith has been twice married, and is the mother of five children. The name of her first husband was Calvin M. Devine, of Columbia, Pennsylvania. He died in July 1856. She next married Rev. James H. Smith, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a local deacon in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Smith died November, 1869. in the State of New York.
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In 1879, Mrs. Smith left America and sailed for England. She was all alone—yet not alone; for the Lol'd bade her go, and promised to go with her.
While holding a meeting in old Sands Street Church, Brooklyn, she chanced to meet Miss Price, an English lady who was visiting Mrs. Parker, a friend of hers. Mrs. Smith was at the time very much debilitated from overwork. Miss Price, observing this, seemingly in a casual manner, remarked to Mrs. Smith that a trip to Europe would be nice and she thought beneficial to her. She said, "I intend to go to Europe in April myself, and I think a trip would do you good." Says Mrs. Smith, "I supposed only well folks went to Europe for a change, but such as me, never, no, never."
The matter then passed out of Mrs. Smith's mind and was forgotten; but after a few days Miss Price mentioned it again, when Mrs. Smith replied, "Of gold and silver have I none; but it takes money to go to England." This was precisely what Miss Price knew, and to this point she had been directing her conversation from the first. So she promptly advised Mrs. Smith to take the matter to the Lord in prayer, saying, "And if you decide to go, I will see that the money is all right."
********* Mrs. Smith has been made to realize, by substantial and practical testimony, that her friends were many and resided in many lands. Touching this she says: "Some of the kind friends that helped me I have never seen. They have heard of the work and of me as an humble instrument in God's hands, and He has moved them to remember me. Praise His name! "
"We thank thee, O Father,
For all things bright and good,
The seed-time and the harvest,
Our life, our health, our food."
IN THE LAND OF BRAHMA AND BUDDHA.
The journey from London to Bombay gave Mrs. Smith a glance at Egypt, the land where her forefathers wrought splendidly, and whence many a grimy monument of theirs peers down with awe-inspiring ken upon the sweeping centuries. Almost every object was full of interest, and served to enrich her store of illustrations for future use.
AT THE ECUMENICAL CONFERENCE IN LONDON.
In July, iS8r, Sister Smith found herself again in London, and also found London the seat of one of the greatest religious gatherings of the nineteenth century. World-wide Methodism was convening there by its representatives for the purpose of a great "Ecumenical Conference."
IN LIBERIA.
On the 24th of December, 1881, Sister Smith sailed from Liverpool for Liberia, and arrived at Monrovia, west coast of Africa, the 18th of January, 1882. The Lord was with her then, as He had been at other times and in other lands.
She had her first attack of fever three weeks after landing. During her prostration she was the guest of Miss May Sharp, a zealous and devout missionary then at service in Liberia. She was tenderly cared for, and was speedily restored. The mercy of the Lord was with her, and led her out into His work.
********* HER SPECIAL MISSION TO AFRICA.
Says Sister Smith: "I believe God's leading me to Africa was that I might call the attention of the Church, both here and at home, more definitely to the subject of holiness and Gospel temperance. There never was a time when the attention of the Church in all lands was so clearly called to consider these subjects as in the past ten years, more or less, and why should not Africa wheel into line? May God help her."
Sister Smith, putting her faith into words and showing it by her works, says: "I have organized Bands of Hope and Gospel Temperance Societies in all the country and towns I have visited here, except Cape Palmas and Cape Mount. I have not visited Cape Mount, and expect to organize here in Cape Palmas this week." (First week in June, 1886).
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As an enlightened, thoroughly consecrated Christian evangelist, among negro women, Mrs. Amanda Smith takes the first place in American history.