Ex-slave Becomes a Missionary

Betsy Stockton—More Than A Servant

When she was only in her early twenties, Betsy Stockton found herself on her way to the Sandwich Islands along with twelve other missionaries en route to the southern tip of South America. The American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions had sent Betsy and her team, which consisted of herself and twelve men. Aside from being the only woman on the team, Betsy had another qualification that made her stand out as a significant member of this missionary trip. Betsy was a former slave. The law demanding the gradual emancipation of slaves in New Jersey did not go into effect until 1825. Yet God clearly answered Betsy’s heart’s desire when, soon after her conversion, her owner, Ashbel Green, set her free in 1816.

God Has Soul
Published by Honor Books 2004
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