True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-06-18
A Slave Purchased in Plymouth
Church. Rrooklin,

Cnurcn, brO0Klln'
AT the conclusion Of the sermon yes
terday morning, the Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher announced to his congregation
that he was about to perform an action of
most extraordinary nature, which he
would preface by reading portion of
the 18th chapter Of Mathew. lie ac-
cordingly reNd the 10th, llth, and 18th
verses Of that chapter, after which he
proceeded to give a sketch of the later
history of a slave girl, Sarah by name,
an appeal in whose behalf he had lately
received. She was, he said, the daught-
er of Southern planter, acknowledged
by himself as his own offspring, and rear
ed in his own family until his other
daughters growing up treated her so cru
ely that she attempted to escape. She
was captured and taken back 10 her pa
rental master, who made immediate pre-
paratons to sell her 10 the Extreme South,
refusing to dispose Of her to any one who
would permit her to remain in the neigh
brrhood. Many persons in the vicinity,
knowing her to lc most faithful, efficient
and therefore valuable piece of property,
were anxious 10 purchase her, but the
owner utterly refused to sell to them, his
object being to have her removed to SO
great distance that her near relation to
the others of his children could occasion
them no further modification. She was,
accordingly, sold to Southern man who
held her al 81 ,5OO-but who finally con-
scented to part with her for $1,000. A
STAKEHOLDER in Washington, plying the
girl, bought her for the latter sum, i'm.
mediately, however, setting on foot
subscription to enable her to purchase her
freedom, he contributing 500, another
man. also a STAKEHOLDER, gave 500, and
500 were finally obtained. AT this
junction. said Mr.. Beecher, Il received
"a letter asking if We could do anything
toward making up the rest Of The money
10 which replied, tha, would promise
nothing unless we could see her here.
The reverend gentleman here stepped
from his desk, and with an encouraging
Come up Sarah he led upon the plat
form young, intelligent looking mulatto
girl, whom he presented to the crowded
audience as the slave girl in question.
She is apparently about twenty-three
years old, probably three quarters white,
of pleasing and modest appearance. Mr..
lIeecher seated her in chair by his side,
while he continued his remarks: she
is here,' he said, 'on her parole Of
honor. She had promised to go back,
and she must return, either with or with
out the five hundred dollars which were
y Ell necessary to make her free woman.
A collection would be taken up, and the
result would show thu ir verdict
By this time there was hardly dry
eye in the whole immense congregation
OF nearly 5000 people. Men wept and
women sobbed-not shameiacedly, but
openly and without any attempt at con-
cealment. All seemed TO be touched to
the very heart. The like scene has new
er been witnessed in the world. In a
Christian land, on the Christian Sabbath,
In the pulpit of Christian church, by
the lips of Christian minister, trem-
bling, shrinking woman begged from a
Christian people money 10 save herself
frem life Of slavery and compulsory
prostitution.
One gentleman here rose and announc-
ed the money should be forth coming to
make her free, and that il necessary he
would be personally responsible for The
whole amount. This announcement was
received with hearty and long continued
applause, the audience being no longer
able TO restrain their feelings, and Mr..
Beech expressed his approval Of the
jubilant demonstration. Sarah, the slave
girl, hal up to this time, preserved tol-
cradle composure, but when thu, certain
ty was declared that she should not 90
back to life Of slavery, she buried her
face in her handkerchief and wept aloud.
As the collectors passed among the audi
cnce, the plates were actually heaped up
with tokens of substantial sympathy, one
lady even took the jewelry f;om her per-
son and cast into the fund. The amount
collected on the spot was 1884, which
besides completing the sum necessary for
the purchase of Sarah, will also rescue
her child, boy of four years, who is
now in bondage.-N. Y. Tribune.