The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-10-01

consequence, and fewer of them do any
thing for the elevation of themselves and
their fellows.
Occasionally. however, there is notable
exception to the general rule, and we find
negroes who are thrifty. energetic and
progressive They seek in every possible
way to improve themselves and to elevate
their race. This class of colored people
should be encouraged. Cor it is the leaven
at may ono of these days Heaven the
whole lump"
We have some Of The better class of ne
e1Ces In Waycross. and hut for them the
des tiny of the negroes would be fixed.
An intensely interesting character is
Millie Wolf. an oil ex-slave whose home
Is I'm Waycross. She has lived here ever
since the town was first planted mid the
signing pines of old Ware. and If she has
ever figured in police matinee the rec
o:ds do not show the fact. The old wo-
man has other and more important bus
iress. She is engaged in an honest effort
to reclaim the fallen ones of her race and
to improve their condition
This old woman will soon be to the haIf
century notch. and ne il said to her credit
she has been the means no doubt OF saw
ing hundreds of negroes from lives OF i'm
morality and wiclledress to become moral
and upright citizens. and her work is GER
tainly commendsh!e
The story of this exsls. life Is one
~ interest with some touches OF pathos
added. -.
She was born In Richmond. Va. but
when she was only four or five years Of
age herself and her mother were brought
10 Georgia by a speculator in the slave
trade nv the name Of Bob Ramsey, ana
sold to Mr.. William Howard, whose plan
tatlon was located twelve miles soulh OF
7 homasville, in Thomas county. she tens
a nothetic tale of the separation of her
self and mother from her father. who was
held in Virginia or probably sold TO some
ono else In another part of the land. Any
xvav neither of tn I'm ever saw him from
tho day they We're taken away and start
cd on their journey to their new home ana
master in Georgia.
Ar the time of the surrender Millie
Wolf was a girl of about twelve years.
and I'm a short time after they We're 1reeo
she and her mother started back TO their
old Virginia home. At puPont her mother
was taken sick and died, and she there-
,,ncn abandoned the trip
She tolls a deeply interesting story of
her call to preach the gospel. and of her
early impressions when little slave girl
serving her mistress in Thomas county
She would go to church with her master
and mistress. as was the custom In ante
bellum days. and the preaching oil tne
pospel stirred her very soul She Joined
the church when a girl, but as she eX-
messed II, didn't get into the SOLID
rock" until shortly after ner marriage to
Hoe Wolf some twenty years ago.
MY mother has whipped me many a
time for preaching and singing" said the
old woman to The Constitution reporter.
..Sbe said there was no use in all that fool
,sbness." She says the impression to
nreach the gospel came upon her when "A
,,irI but she never yielled To 1t until
al nj sixteen years ago. She began work
as n travelling missionary, going from
Mace to place and telling in her simple
way the gospel story
She applied to her church Tor license 10
preach and after some discussion ana
hesitancy the QUART erly conference grant
cd her n license as local preacher. This
was ratified by the district conference,
Int when she Knocked at the door of the
annual conference she was refused admiS-
SIGN on the sole ground of her sex. She
stood eli the requlre ed examinations, and
ranked better than many of the male
men hers, but she was woman ana they
turned her down.
'rhis did rot dampen the ardor of the old
negro woman, however. for she kept on
exercising her functions as local preach
err She raised money by her own eXer-
items and built two or three churches and
chapels, which she promptly turned over
to the conference which had refused her
admission as one of its members. One Of