Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1853-11-18
AUNT SUE.

from tho Colonization Herald, Is from the
pen OF the Rev. John l.. Wilson, well
known missionary in Africa. Mr.. w.
II native Of South Carolina. Tho
facts and reflections are interesting to
the Christiao. ets
Dear Brother A.. When you
were inquIrIng tho other day, about my
recent visit to South Carolina and Geor-
gia, | forgot 10 mention an incident that
greatly interested my feelings at the time
Il occurred. aud. which, have no donbt,
will be equally interesting to yourself
and others.
The Synod ofsouth Carolina held is
annual meetings In Yorkvllle In the
month OF November. | was present
and spoke several times on tho subject
Of African missions. On Sabbath after
noon, al their own request, | preached TO
a large assembly Of blacks, among whom
were elk or eight natives OF Africa.--
Several Of these called 10 see mo after
service at the house where lodged, but
none OF them had retained sufficient
knowledge Of their native tongue, TO
enable me 20 tell nom what particular
part OF the African continent they had
been brought. Afterwards, however,
m old woman with bright, cheerful
counte nance, but almost out OF breath.
for she had been running all over the
village In search Of the African mis-.
alonary, was brought In and Introdu eed
10 me NJ "good old Aun, Sue" She
was Invited 10 take scat, which che
did with becoming modesty, but gaxed
at mo ~ II she thought u impossible
that could have been 10 Africa.
"What 10 tho matter, Aunt SueF
said |. ffH4flHff
"Why. cir, they tell me YOU have been
all tho way TO Africa TO preach the gos-
pei, Ii II so, slrl"
ayes. aud what OF thatw
"why. was born there, air."
swell. are You sorry or are you glad
that YOU were brought 10 thIa countfyi"
I'll am glad, sir" she replied, with the
tear stealing from her eyei III have
heard OF Jesus here, and believe | love
Him. and hope to be with Him when
die, which would not have been tho case
IlfI had remained In Africa"
ado you know from what part of Afri-
ca you camel"
Greatly TO my surprise, she named tho
village In whIch she had lived, aud the
district OF country In which that village
IL situated, bat she had forgotten tho
European name OF the port where che
had been taken on board the vessel
which brought her 10 this country. |
knew the place very we'll; but lest there
might DO some mistake, ] requested her
TO repeat the numerals OF her native Ian
guage. This sho did with promptnesa
and accuracy. The village where she
had lived was, according 10 her own
statement, Kromantl, In the kingdom OF
Fanti. and the place other embarkation
was Cape Coast Castle. There was no
mistake about the matter. She was en-
tirely ignorant OF the fact, however, that
since she loft her native country, which
must have been more than forty years
ago, the Gospel had been extensively
preached In that very district, several
churches had been established, and some
eight hundred or thousand OF her coun-
Ittymcn had been gathered into those,
churches. I inquired how long she had
been Christian, and was told about
thirty years, which must have been at
least ten years anterior TO the commence
ment OF this mission by the English
Wesleyans.
"well," said I ,"Aunt Sue, and have
you not cared for your friends and coun-
trymen whom you have left behind you
IN Africai"
"oh, yosi I have prayed for then
: every day since have known tho Sa.
viori aud the last missionary who came
along here, ] have sent him two dollars
out OF my own pocket. TO help him NJ
, and preach the gospel TO the poor AIrl
, cans"
., do not know who the misslonar,
was. Aunt Sue probably did not know
/, that there were any other heather coun
trIos besides Africa, and supposed tina
. tho missionary was going there a. q mat
ter OF course. "Well," said I, "Aun
: Sue. do you think that God would oon
vert people no far of, In answer 10 Oh,
: prayer Of poor old woman like your
self"
: She hesltatcd, az u ready 10 charg,
herself with presumption, but relieve,
her momentary anxiety. by telling he
! what God had done for her eountrymen
that | know that the Gospel was stead
: lily preached In her native village, and |
! remembered Alright, Christian ehurcl
had been reared whore she had left al
old fetch temple. Whether any OF hel
= kindred had been converted could no
tell, for did not know them. She wa
\ deeply affected by what told her, 70
. turned audible thanks TO God for wha
!, lie had done for her countrymen, ant
!, went away, | have no doubt, 10 pra,
: more earnestly for the salvation Of Afri
ca than she had ever done before.
Who can say that the Gospel had no
: been sent to Africa In answer to III,
! prayers OF this pious old womanl How
little did the missionary brethren In thl
: Fanti country know by whose hand
j.. they were supported by preaching tn
Gospel on the distant shoresl II thes'
i, lines should not pass under their eyes
: they will not know until they reach eter
! nifty, that they were sustained by tn
! prayers ola poor, ignorant. but plou
African woman in remote corner o
South Carolina.
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