Why She Left the City

The first years spent by Isabella in the city, she accumulated more than enough to satisfy all her wants, and she placed all the overplus in the Savings' Bank. Afterwards, while living with Mr. Pierson, he prevailed on her to take it all thence, and invest it in a common fund which he was about establishing, as a fund to be drawn from by all the faithful; the faithful, of course, were the handful that should subscribe to his peculiar creed. This fund, commenced by Mr. Pierson, afterwards became part and parcel of the kingdom of which Matthias assumed to be head; and at the breaking up of the kingdom, her little property was merged in the general ruin-or went to enrich those who profited by the loss of others, if any such there were. Mr. Pierson and others had so assured her, that the fund would supply all her wants, at all times, and in all emergencies, and to the end of life, that she became perfectly careless on the subject-asking for no interest when she drew her money from the bank, and taking no account of the sum she placed in the fund. She recovered a few articles of the furniture from the wreck of the kingdom, and received a small sum of money from Mr. B. Folger, as the price of Mrs. Folger's attempt to convict her of murder. With this to start upon, she commenced anew her labors, in the hope of yet being able to accumulate a sufficiency to make a little home for herself, in her advancing age. With this stimulus before her, she toiled hard, working early and late, doing a great deal for a little money, and turning her hand to almost anything that promised good pay. Still, she did not prosper, and somehow, could not contrive to lay by a single dollar for a 'rainy day.'

During her first years in the city, Isabella earned more than enough to meet all her needs. She put all the extra money in the Savings' Bank. Later, while she was living with Mr. Pierson, he persuaded her to withdraw it all. He wanted her to put it into a common fund he was about to establish. All the faithful could draw from this fund. The faithful, of course, were the handful of people who followed his peculiar creed. The fund Mr. Pierson started later became part of the kingdom that Matthias claimed to head. When the kingdom broke up, Isabella's modest savings were lost in the general ruin. Or perhaps they went to enrich those who profited from others' losses, if there were any such people. Mr. Pierson and others had assured her that the fund would meet all her needs, in every emergency, for life. She became completely careless about her money. She asked for no interest when she withdrew it from the bank, and kept no record of what she put into the fund. She recovered a few pieces of furniture from the wreck of the kingdom. She also received a small sum from Mr. B. Folger as compensation for Mrs. Folger's attempt to have her convicted of murder. With these to start with, she began working again. She hoped she could still save enough to make a little home for herself as she grew older. With that goal in mind, she worked hard from early morning until late at night. She did a great deal of work for little money and tried almost anything that promised good pay. Still, she did not prosper. Somehow, she could not manage to save a single dollar for a 'rainy day.'

When this had been the state of her affairs some time, she suddenly paused, and taking a retrospective view of what had passed, inquired within herself, why it was that, for all her unwearied labors, she had nothing to show; why it was that others, with much less care and labor, could hoard up treasures for themselves and children? She became more and more convinced, as she reasoned, that every thing she had undertaken in the city of New York had finally proved a failure; and where her hopes had been raised the highest, there she felt the failure had been the greatest, and the disappointment most severe.

After her affairs had been in this state for some time, she suddenly paused and looked back on what had happened. She asked herself why, despite all her tireless work, she had nothing to show for it. Why could others save up treasures for themselves and their children with much less care and labor? As she thought about it, she became more and more convinced that everything she had undertaken in New York City had failed. Where her hopes had been highest, she felt that the failure had been greatest and the disappointment most severe.

After turning it in her mind for some time, she came to the conclusion, that she had been taking part in a great drama, which was, in itself, but one great system of robbery and wrong. 'Yes,' she said, 'the rich rob the poor, and the poor rob one another.' True, she had not received labor from others, and stinted their pay, as she felt had been practised against her; but she had taken their work from them, which was their only means to get money, and was the same to them in the end. For instance-a gentleman where she lived would give her a dollar to hire a poor man to clear the new-fallen snow from the steps and side-walks. She would arise early, and perform the labor herself, putting the money into her own pocket. A poor man would come along, saying she ought to have let him have the job; he was poor, and needed the pay for his family. She would harden her heart against him, and answer-'I am poor too, and I need it for mine.' But, in her retrospection, she thought of all the misery she might have been adding to, in her selfish grasping, and it troubled her conscience sorely; and this insensibility to the claims of human brotherhood, and the wants of the destitute and wretched poor, she now saw, as she never had done before, to be unfeeling, selfish and wicked. These reflections and convictions gave rise to a sudden revulsion of feeling in the heart of Isabella, and she began to look upon money and property with great indifference, if not contempt-being at that time unable, probably, to discern any difference between a miserly grasping at and hoarding of money and means, and a true use of the good things of this life for one's own comfort, and the relief of such as she might be enabled to befriend and assist. One thing she was sure of-that the precepts, 'Do unto others as ye would that others should do unto you,' 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' and so forth, were maxims that had been but little thought of by herself, or practised by those about her.

After thinking about it for some time, she concluded that she had taken part in a great drama. The whole drama was one vast system of robbery and injustice. 'Yes,' she said, 'the rich rob the poor, and the poor rob one another.' True, she had not underpaid others for their labor, as she felt others had underpaid her. But she had taken work away from them, and work was their only way to earn money. In the end, it amounted to the same thing for them. For example, a gentleman she lived with would give her a dollar to hire a poor man. The man was to clear the freshly fallen snow from the steps and sidewalks. She would get up early and do the work herself, keeping the money. A poor man would come along and say she should have let him have the job. He was poor, and he needed the pay for his family. She would harden her heart against him and answer, 'I am poor too, and I need it for mine.' But when she looked back, she thought of all the suffering her selfish grasping might have added to. It troubled her conscience deeply. She had shown no feeling for the claims of human brotherhood or the needs of the destitute and miserable poor. Now, as never before, she saw this as unfeeling, selfish, and wicked. These thoughts and convictions suddenly changed Isabella's feelings. She began to view money and property with great indifference, if not contempt. At the time, she probably could not see any difference between greedily grasping and hoarding money and resources, and using life's good things well for her own comfort and to help those she could befriend and assist. She was sure of one thing. She herself had given little thought to the principles 'Do unto others as ye would that others should do unto you,' 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' and so forth. Those around her had done little to put them into practice.

Her next decision was, that she must leave the city; it was no place for her; yea, she felt called in spirit to leave it, and to travel east and lecture. She had never been further east than the city, neither had she any friends there of whom she had particular reason to expect any thing; yet to her it was plain that her mission lay in the east, and that she would find friends there. She determined on leaving; but these determinations and convictions she kept close locked in her own breast, knowing that if her children and friends were aware of it, they would make such an ado about it as would render it very unpleasant, if not distressing to all parties. Having made what preparations for leaving she deemed necessary,-which was, to put up a few articles of clothing in a pillow-case, all else being deemed an unnecessary incumbrance,-about an hour before she left, she informed Mrs. Whiting, the woman of the house where she was stopping, that her name was no longer Isabella, but SOJOURNER; and that she was going east. And to her inquiry, 'What are you going east for?' her answer was, 'The Spirit calls me there, and I must go.'

Her next decision was to leave the city. It was no place for her. Indeed, she felt called in spirit to leave and travel east to lecture. She had never been farther east than the city. Nor did she have any friends there from whom she had particular reason to expect anything. Yet it was clear to her that her mission lay in the east and that she would find friends there. She decided to leave, but she kept her plans and convictions to herself. She knew that if her children and friends found out, they would make a great fuss. That would make it very unpleasant, if not distressing, for everyone. She made the preparations she thought necessary for leaving. She put a few articles of clothing in a pillowcase, considering everything else an unnecessary burden. About an hour before she left, she spoke to Mrs. Whiting, the woman of the house where she was staying. She told Mrs. Whiting that her name was no longer Isabella, but SOJOURNER, and that she was going east. When Mrs. Whiting asked, 'What are you going east for?' she answered, 'The Spirit calls me there, and I must go.'

She left the city on the morning of the 1st of June, 1843, crossing over to Brooklyn, L.I.; and taking the rising sun for her only compass and guide, she 'remembered Lot's wife,' and hoping to avoid her fate, she resolved not to look back till she felt sure the wicked city from which she was fleeing was left too far behind to be visible in the distance; and when she first ventured to look back, she could just discern the blue cloud of smoke that hung over it, and she thanked the Lord that she was thus far removed from what seemed to her a second Sodom.

She left the city on the morning of June 1, 1843, and crossed over to Brooklyn, L.I. With only the rising sun to guide her, she 'remembered Lot's wife' and hoped to avoid her fate. She resolved not to look back until she was sure the wicked city she was fleeing was too far behind to be seen. When she finally dared to look back, she could just make out the blue cloud of smoke hanging over it. She thanked the Lord that she was now so far from what seemed to her a second Sodom.

She was now fairly started on her pilgrimage; her bundle in one hand, and a little basket of provisions in the other, and two York shillings in her purse-her heart strong in the faith that her true work lay before her, and that the Lord was her director; and she doubted not he would provide for and protect her, and that it would be very censurable in her to burden herself with any thing more than a moderate supply for her then present needs. Her mission was not merely to travel east, but to 'lecture,' as she designated it; 'testifying of the hope that was in her'-exhorting the people to embrace Jesus, and refrain from sin, the nature and origin of which she explained to them in accordance with her own most curious and original views. Through her life, and all its chequered changes, she has ever clung fast to her first permanent impressions on religious subjects.

She had now set out on her pilgrimage, with her bundle in one hand, a small basket of food in the other, and two York shillings in her purse. She had strong faith that her true work lay ahead and that the Lord was guiding her. She did not doubt that he would provide for and protect her. She also believed it would be wrong to burden herself with more than a modest supply for her immediate needs. Her mission was not merely to travel east, but to 'lecture,' as she called it. She would be 'testifying of the hope that was in her' and urging people to embrace Jesus and avoid sin. She explained the nature and origin of sin according to her own very unusual and original views. Throughout her life and all its varied changes, she has held fast to her first lasting religious beliefs.

Wherever night overtook her, there she sought for lodgings-free, if she might-if not, she paid; at a tavern, if she chanced to be at one-if not, at a private dwelling; with the rich, if they would receive her-if not, with the poor.

Wherever night found her, she looked for a place to stay. She stayed for free if she could. If not, she paid. She stayed at a tavern if she happened to be at one. Otherwise, she stayed in a private home. She stayed with the rich if they would take her in. If not, she stayed with the poor.

But she soon discovered that the largest houses were nearly always full; if not quite full, company was soon expected; and that it was much easier to find an unoccupied corner in a small house than in a large one; and if a person possessed but a miserable roof over his head, you might be sure of a welcome to part of it.

But she soon discovered that the largest houses were almost always full. If they were not quite full, guests were expected soon. It was much easier to find an empty corner in a small house than in a large one. And if a person had only a miserable roof over their head, you could be sure they would welcome you to share it.

But this, she had penetration enough to see, was quite as much the effect of a want of sympathy as of benevolence; and this was also very apparent in her religious conversations with people who were strangers to her. She said, 'she never could find out that the rich had any religion. If I had been rich and accomplished, I could; for the rich could always find religion in the rich, and I could find it among the poor.'

But she was perceptive enough to see that this was as much the result of a lack of sympathy as of kindness. This was also clear in her religious conversations with strangers. She said, 'she could never find out that the rich had any religion. If I had been rich and accomplished, I could. For the rich could always find religion in the rich, and I could find it among the poor.'

At first, she attended such meetings as she heard of, in the vicinity of her travels, and spoke to the people as she found them assembled. Afterwards, she advertised meetings of her own, and held forth to large audiences, having, as she said, 'a good time.'

At first, she attended meetings she heard about near the places she traveled. She spoke to the people gathered there. Later, she advertised her own meetings and spoke to large audiences. As she said, she had 'a good time.'

When she became weary of travelling, and wished a place to stop a while and rest herself, she said some opening for her was always near at hand; and the first time she needed rest, a man accosted her as she was walking, inquiring if she was looking for work. She told him that was not the object of her travels, but that she would willingly work a few days, if any one wanted. He requested her to go to his family, who were sadly in want of assistance, which he had been thus far unable to supply. She went to the house where she was directed, and was received by his family, one of whom was ill, as a 'Godsend;' and when she felt constrained to resume her journey, they were very sorry, and would fain have detained her longer; but as she urged the necessity of leaving, they offered her what seemed in her eyes a great deal of money as a remuneration for her labor, and an expression of their gratitude for her opportune assistance; but she would only receive a very little of it; enough, as she says, to enable her to pay tribute to Caesar, if it was demanded of her; and two or three York shillings at a time were all she allowed herself to take; and then, with purse replenished, and strength renewed, she would once more set out to perform her mission.

When she grew tired of traveling and wanted a place to rest, she said an opportunity was always close at hand. The first time she needed rest, a man approached her as she walked and asked if she was looking for work. She told him that was not why she was traveling. But she would gladly work for a few days if anyone needed her. He asked her to go to his family. They badly needed help, which he had so far been unable to find. She went to the house he directed her to. One member of the family was ill, and they welcomed her as a 'Godsend.' When she felt she had to resume her journey, they were very sorry and wanted her to stay longer. But she insisted that she had to leave. So they offered her what seemed to her a great deal of money for her work and timely help. She would accept only a little of it. As she said, it was enough to pay tribute to Caesar if it was demanded of her. She allowed herself to take only two or three York shillings at a time. Then, with her purse replenished and her strength renewed, she would set out once more to carry out her mission.