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110   ZILPAH MONTJOY.


ZILPAH MONTJOY.

In the year 1821, died, in the city of New York, an aged woman of color, named Zilpah Montjoy, whose pious circumspect life rendered her an object of peculiar interest to many of her acquaintances; to some of these, whose friendly notice she had experienced, she more than once related the following circumstance: —

2. Being a slave, inured to hard labor, she was brought up in so extreme ignorance, as to have no idea that she was an accountable being — that there was a future state — not even that death was universal, until the sixteenth year of her age, when a girl of her own color dying in the neighborhood, she was permitted to attend the funeral.

3. The minister's text was, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble: he cometh forth like a flower and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not!" by which subsequent remarks, she understood that all were to die; that there was a state of existence after death, a preparation for which was necessary while here. 

4. She was much affected, and returned home in great agitation. Revolving these things in her mind for several days, she at length asked her mistress whether she had understood right, that all

ZILPAH MONTJOY.  111

must die. The reply was, "Go to your work." She continued this exercised for a considerable time, earnestly desiring to know what she had to do, but had no one to give her instruction.

5. In this tired state, the Lord was pleased to reveal himself, and impress on her untaught mind a belief in an omnipotent and omniscient Being, and that his law was written on the hearth. Thus gradually becoming calm and settled, her confidence was made strong in him, who, hiding his counsels from the wise and prudent in their own eyes, "hath revealed them unto babes." And it is believed she was from that time guarded and careful in her conduct. 

6. She married, and had two daughters, one of whom was taken, at an early age, and placed at so great a distance from her that she never saw her after. The other died when about grown: and being also bereaved of her husband, she was very lonely. But under these trials she appears to have been sustained, as was David when he could say, "Thy rod and thy staff, the comfort me."

7. She was a member of the Methodist society, and a diligent attender of their meetings as long as her strength permitted. When she was (as near as can be ascertained) about sixty-eight years old, the "Clarkson Association for teaching colored women to read and write," was established. 

8. And when she received the information, she offered herself as a scholar, but the teachers endeavored

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-06-20 09:02:33 "en-" = "endeavored"