The Angel In Ebony
Humor
Windows for Sermons
Stories And Humor For Inspired Preaching
Object:
Ask any student or graduate of Taylor University in Indiana who Sammy Morris was, and you will hear the story of how God led this black boy in Africa from virtual slavery, to seek his goal of knowing more about the Holy Spirit by coming to America.
Born a tribal prince, he had been captured by another tribe and suffered severely, until one day Sammy ran away. He fled to a Christian mission where he heard the story of Jesus and accepted him as his Savior. Wanting to know more about God, Sammy traveled by faith to the Atlantic coast and worked his way across the ocean to New York City.
On the ship his living testimony of Christ was so compelling he led the captain and half of the crew to salvation. From that time on Sammy Morris was a soul winner.
His mentor in New York City was The Reverend Stephen Merritt, a leading Methodist minister and home secretary of Bishop William Taylor. The pastor saw the tremendous possibilities in Sammy, and sent him to Taylor University in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Everywhere he went, souls were won for Christ.
The influence of this godly black student was far beyond anything the faculty or other students had ever witnessed. Truly, he was "An Angel in Ebony," as Stephen Merritt had described him.
The rigors of cold winter weather in the Midwestern United States was more than Sammy's frail body could stand. He had so earnestly planned to complete his studies and return as a missionary to Africa, but Sammy died in May of 1893. The impact of his death was so great that through the years hundreds of students have willingly taken Sammy's place and have gone forth to be missionaries for Jesus Christ!
Born a tribal prince, he had been captured by another tribe and suffered severely, until one day Sammy ran away. He fled to a Christian mission where he heard the story of Jesus and accepted him as his Savior. Wanting to know more about God, Sammy traveled by faith to the Atlantic coast and worked his way across the ocean to New York City.
On the ship his living testimony of Christ was so compelling he led the captain and half of the crew to salvation. From that time on Sammy Morris was a soul winner.
His mentor in New York City was The Reverend Stephen Merritt, a leading Methodist minister and home secretary of Bishop William Taylor. The pastor saw the tremendous possibilities in Sammy, and sent him to Taylor University in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Everywhere he went, souls were won for Christ.
The influence of this godly black student was far beyond anything the faculty or other students had ever witnessed. Truly, he was "An Angel in Ebony," as Stephen Merritt had described him.
The rigors of cold winter weather in the Midwestern United States was more than Sammy's frail body could stand. He had so earnestly planned to complete his studies and return as a missionary to Africa, but Sammy died in May of 1893. The impact of his death was so great that through the years hundreds of students have willingly taken Sammy's place and have gone forth to be missionaries for Jesus Christ!
