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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 1997)
-------------------- — —----------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------------------ -------------- -------------------------------------- . . . x z , - |,„ I-UKII AM) UBM KVI r BLACK HISTORY <Tlje Portland ©barrUer Looking back on history: Memoirs of M rs. Zilpha Elaw by James L. Swinton Zilpha was born in the state of Pennsylvania around 1790 to C hris tian parents. Her mother died when Zilpha was 12 years old. Her father then placed her under the care of Pierson and Rebecca Mitchel, who were Quakers, until she was eigh teen. Zilpha said she m issed the family devotions they had mornings and evenings where prayer and prais es were offered to God daily But her new Quaker family, their religious devotions were held, if any, only in their mind. As a result, Zilpha soon fell into sin. But she said God rebuked her through a dream in which the Angel Gabriel said, “Jehovah was about to judge the world, and execute ju d g ment on." After months o f prayer seeking G od’s forgiveness for her sins, Zilpha said, “I distinctly saw the Lord Jesus approach me with open arms, and a m ost divine and heavenly smile upon His counte nance. As He advanced toward me, I felt that His very looks spoke, and said, ‘Thy prayer is accepted, I own thy nam e.’” From that moment, Zilpha never doubted G od’s love for her soul. This was the time of her total acceptance o f God. And in the year 1808, Zilpha joined a local Methodist Episcopal Society. Zilpha still felt the lost o f her mother: "Oh, how often do 1 think of the advantage enjoyed by many young people, who are blessed with devout and god I y parents, and of the little estim ation they are held in by too many perverse and giddy chil dren, who, instead of greatly prizing the grace conferred upon them, re sent the kind restraints o f family worship and attendance at the house of God." In 1810, Zilpha married Joseph Elaw, who was not a Christian. Zilpha advised against such mar riages: “Oh! let me affectionately warn my dear unmarried sisters in Christ, against being thus unequally yoked with an unbeliever. In general your lot would be better, if a mill stone were hung about your necks, and you were drowned in the depths o f the sea, than that you should disobey the law of Jesus [Matt. 18:6], and plunge yourselves into all the sorrows, sins, and anomalies in volved in a matrimonial alliance with an unbeliever.” In 1817, while attending a gospel cam p-m eeting, a voice spoke to Zi Ipha and said: "Now thou art sanc tified; and I will show thee what thou must do.” Afterward, as she appeared not to be on earth, she prayed public ly. Many came to her requesting her to present their petitions to God, thus began her’’ministry of prayer." Before the end of the gospel cam p meeting, the Holy Spirit revealed to Zilpha that she was to be like anoth er Phoebe|R om . 16:1-2, a colleague of Apostle Paul) who was to visit families; she was to speak to them about salvation, the state of their soul, and to visit the sick. This revelation confirmed what her sister, after recovering from a near death experience, had stated a year previous. Her sister had said she had seen Jesus, had been in the society of the angels, and that an angel came and told her that Zilpha must preach the gospel. Both of these revelations still didn't move Zilpha to preach. But doing a severe sick ness, Zilpha said a person appeared and stood by her bedside and said: “Be of good cheer, for thou shalt yet see another camp-meeting; and at that meeting thou shalt know the will of God concerning thee.” It was nearly one and a half years later before Zilpha attended the next camp-meeting. W hile at the cam p meeting, a voice said to her, “Go outside o f the tent while I speak to thee.” Im m ediately, Zilpha went outside o f the tent, and began to speak, as if involuntarily, exhorting the people. After Zilpha had finish speaking, she said, “I sat down and closed my eyes; and there appeared a light shining round about me as well as within me, above the bright ness of the sun, and out of that light, the same identical voice which had spoken to me on the bed o f sickness many months before, spoke again to me on the camp ground, and said, ’Now thou knowest the will of God concerning thee; thou must preach the gospel; and thou must travel far and wide.’ This is my commission for the work of the ministry, which I received, not from mortal man, but from the voice of an invisible and heavenly p e rso n a g e sen t from God...my ministry was commenced in the midst o f thousands who were both eye and ear witnesses of the fact.” After Zilpha returned home, she got the approval of all the ministers in the Methodist Society to preach, but jealousy soon developed toward her among many of her local class members. She became a personal witness to Matt. 13:57 “A prophet is not without honor, saved [except] in his own house.” On January 27, 1823, Z ilpha’s husband died. Afterward, she tried working as a maid, and also opening a school to pay off her debts. But Zilpha wasn’t very pleased with her situation because she knew she w asn’t carrying out the commission God had given her She thought of schemes and ways of how He would work the situation out, but she knew the scripture said. “For as the heav ens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa. 1:9). After Zilpha finished her engage ments in New York, she returned home to Nantucket. While at home, she experienced three visions, each more vivid than the previous: "I was caught up in the Spirit, away from and far above all sublunary things; and appeared to be standing on a very elevated place in the midst of tens of thousands, who were all seat ed around, clothed in white; my own com plexion and raiment were also white and I was employed in ad dressing this immense concourse.” In 1839 as Zilpha again m inis tered in the southern states, she felt it was time for her to go England. W hen she returned to Providence, Rhode Island, Lady Hunter and may others, whites and blacks, contribut ed offerings to Zilpha for her ex penses to England. Zilpha left for England on July 1st, 1840 and arrived on July 25th. W hile in England, she preached over a thousand sermons during her five year tour. Her biggest opposition came from some ministers who be lieve that women shouldn’t preach, for they believed that Paul said wom en shouldn’t speak in a church. But Z ilpha responded: "T he apostle [Paul] directed that a woman, when praying or prophesying should have her head covered 11 Cor. 11:5]; from which it may be inferred, that the praying or prophesying of a woman is allowable ” Paul also said, "Who art thou that judgeth another m an’s servant: to his ow n m aster he standeth or falleth. Why doest thou judge thy brother?” (Rom. 14:4,10). INSIDE: “Remember, dear brethren, that they who will be rich, fall into tem p tation. and a snare, and a numerous foolish and hurtful lusts, which will eventually drown them in perdition. Cease, therefore, from earthly accu mulations; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Remember the love of money; for it is the root of all evil [ I Tim.6:10], Love not the world; for the love o f God is not in those who love the w orld.” * Source: Andrews, W illiam L. Sisters of Spirit: Three Black W om en ’s Autobiographies o f the N ine teenth Century. Bloomington: Indi ana University Press, 1986 Buildings of Portland's Afri can-American History Join the Bosco-M illigan Founda tion in celebrating Black History month by participating in the first community meeting for the founda tion’s program “Buildings o f Port land’s African A merican H istory”. The free event will describe the Foundation’s continuing effort to identify buildings and sites associat ed with African- American individ uals, institutions and events. In fall of 1995, the Foundation published Cornerstones of Com m u nity: Buildings of Portland’s A fri can-American History. A dedicated team of professional historians (Dr. Darrell Millner, Dr. Carl Abbott, Dr. QuintardTaylor, McKinley Burt and Kimberly Moreland) was sup ported by a community-based Histo ry Committee, to tell the story of Portland’s African-American com munity by connecting people with places, up through the early 1970s. Cornerstones documented 325 ex isting buildings w here A frican- American History happened! That extensive publication linked build ings to individuals, institutions, and events in Portland’s African-Am er ican History. As hoped, many people have ex pressed their interest in helping to “fill in the gaps” in Cornerstones and add many more people and plac es. An expanded publication with photographs will be developed by September 1997. At the February 15th meeting, a slide show o f signif- icant buildings from the 1995 publi cation will be shown. The Program Workshop will describe the project more fully, and seek individuals for the Community History Committee. In particular, we hope for the partic ipation of people willing to share their experiences, memories, and any photographs and information relat ed to African-American individu als, in stitu tio n s, b u ild in g s and events. This program is partially sup ported by funding from the State Historic Preservation Office, Black United Fund, The Oregon Council for the Humanities, and a territory resource. There is no fee for attending, but pre-registration is requested by call ing the Foundation Office at 231- 7264, so we can plan for handouts and refreshments. Special thanks to Mt. Sinai Baptist Church for hosting the event. You can park on the street or in the parking lot at the corner of 6th and NE Skidmore. For additional information call the Foundation Office at 231-7264. The Bosco-M illigan Foundation is a non-profit organization whose pur pose is to establish the Architectural Heritage Center at 701 SE Grand Avenue in the W est’s Block Build ing, the oldest building in Portland’s Central Eastside. Project Kick-Off and Community M eeting Saturday, February 15, 1997, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at M t. S in a i C o m m u n ity B a p tist Church 602 NE Prescott, Admis sion is free African American Women on tour CHICKEN & BISCUITS Salutes Black History Month Equal Opportunity Employer J. California Cooper (right), author. Some Soul To Keep; Homemade Love; A Piece o f Mine. Bertice Berry Ph.D (left), author o f Bertice: The World According to Me. pubished by Scribner, Photo by: Martin O'Jflffclligent, inspirational and to tally hilarious are all words used to describe talk show host and author Bertice Berry, who is scheduled to appear at the African A m erican Women on Tour conference in O ak land, California, Friday, April 4 at the Marriott City Center at 8pm. Presented by Allstate Insurance company, AAW OT is regarded as the nations foremost empowerment conference for Black women. The conference travels to five cit ies this year, including Dallas, TX, June 13-15; Chicago, IL, July 25-27; Atlanta, GA, August 14-16; and Phil- a d e lp h ia , PA , A u g u st 2 2 -2 4 . AAW OT features some of the na tion’s most sought-after speakers on Black female issues. B e rry , w ho w ill a p p e a r at A A W O T’s Opening Sessions, will also moderate a “Relationships Fo rum” hosted by Heart & Soul maga zine. She will be joined by author/ playwright J. California Cooper and legendary vocalist Gladys Knight on Sunday, April 6, sponsored by Chrysler Corporation. Berry , a professor-turned stand up comedian, burst onto the televi sion screen as host of her short-lived self-titled talk show in 1993. Now, back on the talk show scene on the USA Network, Berry also lectures and performs stand-up com edy nationally, while promoting her first book, Bertice: The World A c cording to Me, where she shares her story of success and triumph despite the stereotypes o f being and African American child growing up poor. Also appearing at African A m er ican W omen on Tour will be re nowned author/playwright J. Cali fornia Cooper on Saturday, April 5, sponsored by Mobil Oil Corpora tion. Author o f popular novels Family, and In Search o f Satisfaction, Coo per has also produced four collec tions of short stories: Some Soul To Keep, Homemade Love, The M atter is Life and A Piece o f Mine. Coo per’s latest work, Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime is being heralded as one o f her best works yet. She has also written 17 plays that have been perform ed on stage and radio. Awarded “Playwright of the Y ear” in 1978 for “Strangers”, C ooper’s work has a broad appeal to audienc es of all ages and interests. Vessels schedules activities for February V e sse ls, “T a b le w a re W ith M eaning,"announces events in cel ebration and honor of Black His tory Month. On Saturday, February 22, from 1:3O-3:3Op.m., Vessels will present a wedding planning workshop, "Be fore Jumpin' the Broom”. The work shop will feature details on wedding invitation etiquette and offer many helpful do’s and dont’s to follow to make this essential prelude to your wedding day a success. In addition, i the workshop will include ways to enhance your wedding by blending cultural elements into the ceremony. Front decorating the broom to view ing an African wedding gown, the session is an event not to miss. “Before Jum pin’ the Broom" will feature a presentation by Barbara Taylor, president of Positive G ath erings, a meeting planning and con sulting services business Co-spon sors include It’s My Kind of Face! Photography Studio and the Ramada Plaza Hotel. Discounts and door prizes will be available. Because seating is limited, registration is required Call Vessels at 249-1952 to reserve a space or for more infor mation. Vessels, “Tableware With Mean ing”, features ethnic items for the dining room bath and kitchen. Lo cated at 2605 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, at the corner Russell, Vessels is open Tuesday- Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.