Tag Archives: Jarena Lee

African American women in America – Jarena Lee, Part 2

Life  for black American women in the last three centuries has taken many turns from slavery to emancipation and from obscurity to world-wide recognition. In spite of obtaining constitutional freedom, continued racism still affects black women economically, politically, and religiously. But the women have not let the obstacles before them keep them from following their callings from God to serve in His kingdom.

We began this series by sharing the story of the first black female writer to be published – the poet Philis Wheatley. We continued our series with an emancipated slave who became a black itinerant evangelist, abolitionist, women’s rights activist and writer – Sojourner Truth. For the next few weeks we will relate the stories of black female preachers from the nineteenth century. Yes, you read this right – there were many courageous black women who preached as the Holy Spirit moved them. Many thousands of people were led to Christ through their ministries. Anyone – female or male, black or white, poor or rich, may share the Gospel (Joel 2:28 and Galatians 3:28). 

Last week we took a first look at the life of Jarena Lee. We shared the details of her childhood and conversion. Jarena accepted her call as an evangelist. This week we examine her thought and writing further.

Jarena Lee (1783 – 1864) Part 2

“Go preach the Gospel!”

These are the words that Jarena Lee distinctly heard one day a few years after she was saved and “sanctified”. 

It is not my purpose to discuss theology at this time. Jarena Lee held to a view of sanctification that was Wesleyan Methodist. Many have debated John Wesley’s view of “perfectionism”, but at the very least, Christians are called to live “in the world” but not be “of the world”. This takes a commitment on the part of believers and reliance on the Holy Spirit to do the sanctifying work. Some believe that sanctification comes all at once as a “second blessing” and others believe that there may be an initial blessing from the Holy Spirit as He causes the Christian to realize that, though saved, she still sins and needs more help. Thus begins a process called “progressive sanctification”.

In any event, Jarena knew that she was called to a purpose that involved more than just her own personal comfort. The Holy Spirit gives gifts to men and women alike. All are called to exercise those gifts to build up the Kingdom of Christ. How are women to exercise their gifts? In the early nineteenth century as well as today there are many who restrict women to using their gifts in the home only. For example, women may teach their children at home, but women may not exercise the gift of teaching in public. Some say they may never exercise the gift of preaching because that is for men only. 
Again, this is a discussion that I would like to continue at another time. I invite you, readers, to jump in here with your thoughts. What gifts does the Holy Spirit give to women? When may they use them? Consider looking at Joel 2:28 and Galatians 3:28 and I Corinthians 12.

Recall that the last posting, “Jarena Lee – Part 1”, I recounted the story of the first time Jarena approached Rev. Richard Allen and told him about her call to preach. He turned her away. He told her about a woman who was given permission to lead prayer meetings and to “exhort” under a licensed preacher, but he believed that women should not preach. 

At first, Jarena was a bit relieved to hear this. Later she honestly acknowledged that it was her own fear of following her call that made her glad to hear Rev. Allen’s reply. However she found that not heeding her call made her lose her burning desire to tell others of Jesus Christ. 

In the meantime, Jarena married, had children, and was widowed over the space of six years. She had occasions to speak to others about their souls, warning them to flee from the wrath to come. She still longed to preach the Gospel but was obedient to God in her present calling of wife and mother.

After eight years had gone by since the first time she applied to Rev. Allen, she received a fresh impression in her mind “as a fire shut up in my bones” to go and preach. She approached the now Bishop Richard Allen and simply asked for permission to hold prayer meetings. He granted that to her. This she did for some time.

Jarena’s account of her first opportunity to preach in public was given in Part 1. This was the story of her impromptu preaching from the book of Jonah. She was not sure of how she would be received, but actually she was well received and began her public ministry. 

It was important to Jarena that her call was truly of God. She did not want it to be of her own desire or to be a temptation from Satan. She recognized the devil could “transform himself into an angel of light for the purpose of deception.” The first time Jarena heard her call she was very careful to make sure it was from the Lord. She immediately “went into a secret place, and called upon the Lord to know if he had called me to preach, and whether I was deceived or not; when there appeared to my view the form and figure of a pulpit, with a Bible lying thereon, the back of which was presented to me as plainly as if it had been a literal fact.” In other words, Jarena had a vision. That night she had a vivid dream. She took a text and preached in her sleep. This convinced her of her call and she approached Rev. Allen for that first time.[1]

When she began her public ministry, Jarena defended her right to preach on three grounds. First was God’s direct call to her. Secondly, she could point to the results. There was no doubt about the support she received from men and women. And third, there were the Scriptures. 

Along with other black and white women who wanted to serve by using their call to preach, Jarena pointed to many Scriptures in support of her ministry. Here in her own words is her defense:

“If a man may preach, because the Saviour died for him, why not the woman? seeing he died for her also.”[2]
“Did not Mary first preach the risen Saviour, and is not the doctrine of the resurrection the very climax of Christianity — hangs not all our hope on this, as argued by St. Paul? Then did not Mary, a woman, preach the gospel? for she preached the resurrection of the crucified Son of God.
But some will say, that Mary did not expound the Scripture, therefore, she did not preach, in the proper sense of the term. To this I reply, it may be that the term preach, in those primitive times, did not mean exactly what it is now madeto mean; perhaps it was a great deal more simple then, than it is now: — if it were not, the unlearned fishermen could not have preached the gospel at all, as they had no learning.”

Some might reply that only men are inspired to preach the gospel. Jarena replied, “If then, to preach the gospel, by the gift of heaven, comes by inspiration solely, is God straitened; must he take the man exclusively? May he not, did he not, and can he not inspire a female to preach the simple story of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord, and accompany it too, with power to the sinners’ heart. As for me, I am fully persuaded that the Lord called me to labour according to what I have received, in his vineyard. If he has not, how could he consistently bear testimony in favour of my poor labours, in awakening and converting sinners?”

How indeed?

Jarena’s story is one of a series of a number of women that we will be exploring over the coming weeks. Was Jarena’s call real, or only the product of a vivid imagination? If a woman’s call to preach is real, how should we deal with it? Is the call to share the Gospel with others for all Christians or just men? 

More in the weeks to come.

[1]Jarena Lee. “The Life and Religious Experience of Jarena Lee, A Coloured Lady, Giving and Account of Her Call to Preach the Gospel.” (Printed and Published for the Author 1836 in Philadelphia).  Account of her call pages 35-38. From William L. Andrews, Editor.Sisters of the Spirit: Three Black Women’s Autobiographies of the Nineteenth Century. (Bloomington and Indianapolis, IN: Indiana University Press, 1986). 

[2]Ibid. These quotes pages 35 – 38.

African American Women in America – Jarena Lee, Part 1

African-American Women in America

Life for black American women in the last three centuries has taken many turns from slavery to emancipation and from obscurity to world-wide recognition. In spite of obtaining constitutional freedom, continued racism still affects black women economically, politically, and religiously. 

In spite of the obstacles against them, many black women bravely follow their callings from the Holy Spirit to serve in the Church and society. From eighteenth century Philis Wheatley to twenty-first century women today, black women evangelists and preachers such as Jarena Lee, Sojourner Truth, and Amanda Berry Smith, Mother Eliza Davis George, Madam C. J. Walker, and Rosa Parks have made contributions in religion, missions, business, and culture. 

We began this series by sharing the story of the first black female writer to be published – the poet Philis Wheatley. We continued our series with an emancipated slave who became a black itinerant evangelist, abolitionist, women’s rights activist and writer – Sojourner Truth. For the next few weeks we will relate the stories of black female preachers from the nineteenth century. Yes, you read this right – there were many courageous black women who preached as the Holy Spirit moved them. Many thousands of people were led to Christ through their ministries. Anyone – female or male, black or white, poor or rich, may share the Gospel (Galatians 3:28). 

Jarena Lee (1783 – 1864) Part 1

And it shall come to pass. .  . that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons, and your daughters shall prophecy.(Joel 2:28)

Jarena Lee was born on February 11, 1783, in Cape May, New Jersey. Her parents were free blacks but were poor so they hired Jarena out at the age of seven to be a servant girl. We don’t know much else about her childhood.

At the age of twenty-one Jarena was converted to Christianity. She had undergone a long process of wretchedness and guilt, convinced that she was such a horrible sinner that God had forsaken her. 

In 1804 she went to hear a Presbyterian missionary speak. Jarena tells in her autobiography what happened next, “At the reading of the Psalms, a ray of renewed conviction darted into my soul. These were the words, composing the first verse of the Psalms for the service:

Lord, I am vile, conceived in sin,
Born unholy and unclean.
Sprung from man, whose guilty fall
Corrupts the race, and taints us all.
This description of my condition struck me to the heart, and made me to feel in some measure, the weight of my sins, and sinful nature.”[1]
But Jarena had no one to tell her what she should do. Months went by. After undergoing temptations by Satan to destroy herself and a prolonged illness, Jarena had the opportunity to hear Rev. Richard Allen, a bishop of the African Episcopal Methodist Church. Up to this time she was aware of the wretchedness of her sinful condition but had not heard what to do about it. She decided to continue to worship with the Methodists and after about three weeks she was “gloriously converted to God.” 

Jarena was enjoying the wonderful feeling of being right with God for some months when she began to realize that there was still much pride, anger, and self-will in her nature. She had not yet learned how to deal with this. God graciously sent “a certain colored man, by name William Scott” to visit her. William explained the way of sanctification to Jarena which she embraced. Now Jarena felt that she was able to resist Satan and lead a godly life.

About four or five years after this Jarena received her call to preach the Gospel. At first she thought that it was either her own imagination or the devil speaking to her. She decided to go and tell Rev. Richard Allen that she felt it was her duty to preach the Gospel. He replied, “But as to women preaching… our Discipline knew nothing at all about it — that it did not call for women preachers.” 

Jarena was actually glad to hear this because it removed what she felt was a burden from her. However, later she wrote in her memoirs, “I found that a love of souls had in a measure departed from me; that holy energy which burned within me, as a fire, began to be smothered.” Jarena had let the “by-laws of church government and discipline” prevent her from following her calling. It would be eight years before she would again apply to become an official preacher.

In 1811, Jarena married Mr. Joseph Lee, Pastor of a Colored Society at Snow Hill. This town was about six miles from Philadelphia. As a wife, Jarena conformed to the marital mores of nineteenth-century American society. Therefore, though she was sad to leave her friends, Jarena moved with her husband who had charge of the congregation in Snow Hill. They had two children. Sadness filled Jarena’s life during this time. In the space of six years she lost five family members to death including her husband. 

Now Jarena was left with two small children, aged two years and six months. She depended on God’s promise, “I will be the widow’s God and a Father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5). Friends came to her aid and she and the children were taken care of.

By 1818 eight years had gone by since Jarena had first received her call to preach. Returning to Philadelphia, she approached Bishop Richard Allen again and asked for permission to hold prayer meetings in her house. Bishop Allen granted her the permission and her house was filled when she began her meetings. 

At this time it was allowable for women to exhort if they were invited to by the licensed preacher. This was to be done after the preacher completed his sermon and the preacher was to give the exhorter the text to be used.

Jarena got her chance to exhort a few months later. There came a time in 1819 when she attended a service at Bethel Church. The Rev. Richard Williams was to preach. Here in her own words is how Jarena began her preaching ministry:

“He (Rev. Williams) entered the pulpit, gave out the hymn, which was sung, and then addressed the throne of grace; took his text, passed through the exordium, and commenced to expound it. The text he took is in Jonah, 2d chap. 9th verse, — ‘Salvation is of the Lord.’ But as he proceeded to explain, he seemed to have lost the spirit; when in the same instant, I sprang, as by an altogether supernatural impulse, to my feet, when I was aided from above to give an exhortation on the very text which my brother Williams had taken.

I told them that I was like Jonah; for it had been then nearly eight years since the Lord had called me to preach his gospel to the fallen sons and daughters of Adam’s race, but that I lingered like him and delayed to go at the bidding of the Lord, and warn those who are as deeply guilty as were the people of Nineveh. 

During the exhortation, God made manifest his power in a manner sufficient to show the world that I was called to labour according to my ability and the grace given unto me, in the vineyard of the good husbandman.”

Jarena sat down, frightened at what she had done. She was sure she would be expelled from the church. But instead, the Bishop rose up in the assembly and told how Jarena had called on him eight years before asking to be permitted to preach and that he had put her off. Now, he said, he believed that she was called to the work of preaching as much as any of the ministers present. 

Now realizing the sureness of her call, Jarena began to exhort in public places though not in a church at first. She began in the home of a sister in her society with five congregants. Eventually Jarena would preach throughout New England, using Philadelphia as her home base. Her travels took her to Canada and out west to Ohio. 

In 1836, Jarena wrote her first autobiography out of the conviction that others might benefit from hearing how the Lord had worked in her life to help her to lead others to Christ. She spent her own money to have a thousand copies printed, which she distributed at camp meetings, church meetings, and on the street. Later a second autobiographical work was completed in 1849, Religious Experience and Journal, which recounted events up to her fiftieth birthday. Unfortunately, after this nothing is known of her activities.

In spite of being a black woman, Jarena saw herself as an evangelist. She was concerned with the souls of lost human beings. She did not let her gender or her color keep her from preaching the gospel. It was her sense of purpose, strength of will, and integrity that led Jarena to be a part of the social reformation that was begun in the nineteenth century.

Nearly two centuries later Christians still question whether or not women should preach or speak in public places. Next week in Jarena Lee – Part 2, we will read from Jarena’s own autobiography how she saw her calling from God, and why she believed that women should share the Gospel.

[1]William L. Andrews, Editor.Sisters of the Spirit: Three Black Women’s Autobiographies of the Nineteenth Century(Bloomington and Indianapolis, IN: Indiana University Press, 1986) 27.

Black Women in History – Jarena Lee

February is Black History Month. In our last post (February 1, 2019) we reviewed the book, Sisters of the Spirit: Three Black Women’s Autobiographies of the Nineteenth Century. The book contains the writings of three black women who have been forgotten but were well-known in their day. Thousands of people are now in Heaven thanks to their preaching and teaching. 

For the next 3 weeks this month we will look more closely at each of the three women’s stories and their writings. This week we will begin with Jarena Lee (1783 – 1864), who was born to free but poor black parents. She was the first African American woman to give us an account of her religious experiences. It was first published as The Life and Religious Experience of Jarena Lee in 1836. (It was later revised and expanded in 1849, but the account in this book is the 1836 account.)

In this post we will look at Jarena’s life including excerpts from the book. I think you would enjoy reading the whole account. This book is important because it demonstrates that women are called and gifted by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel. You will see from Jarena’s very frank account of her life that she struggled with accepting her call. Women, especially black women, were not considered fit for this kind of kingdom work for God. The true stories of Jarena Lee, Zilpha Elaw, and Julia Foote will show that God does indeed call and gift women for service.

And it shall come to pass. . . that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons, and your daughters shall prophecy.(Joel 2:28)

Jarena Lee was born on February 11, 1783, in Cape May, New Jersey. Her parents were free blacks but were so poor that they hired Jarena out at the age of seven to be a servant girl. We don’t know much else about her childhood.

At the age of twenty-one Jarena was converted to Christianity. She had undergone a long process of wretchedness and guilt, convinced that she was such a horrible sinner that God had forsaken her.

In 1804 she went to hear a Presbyterian missionary speak. Jarena tells in her autobiography what happened next.

“At the reading of the Psalms, a ray of renewed conviction darted into my soul. These were the words, composing the first verse of the Psalms for the service:

Lord, I am vile, conceived in sin,
Born unholy and unclean.
Sprung from man, whose guilty fall
Corrupts the race, and taints us all.

This description of my condition struck me to the heart, and made me to feel in some measure, the weight of my sins, and sinful nature.” 

But Jarena had no one to tell her what she should do. Months went by. After undergoing temptations by Satan to destroy herself and a prolonged illness, Jarena had the opportunity to hear Rev. Richard Allen, a bishop of the African Episcopal Methodist Church. Up to this time she felt that she knew the wretchedness of her sinful condition but had not heard what to do about it. She decided to continue to worship with the Methodists and after about three weeks she was “gloriously converted to God.” 

Jarena was enjoying the wonderful feeling of being right with God for some months when she began to realize that there was still much pride, anger, and self-will in her nature. She had not yet learned how to deal with this. God graciously sent “a certain colored man, by name William Scott” to visit her. William explained the way of sanctification to Jarena which she embraced. Now Jarena felt that she was able to resist Satan and lead a godly life.

About four or five years after this Jarena received her call to preach the Gospel. At first she thought that it was either her own imagination or the devil speaking to her. She decided to go and tell Rev. Richard Allen that she felt it was her duty to preach the Gospel. He replied, “But as to women preaching… our Discipline knew nothing at all about it — that it did not call for women preachers.” 

Jarena was actually glad to hear this because it removed what she felt was a burden from her. However, 

later she wrote in her memoirs, “I found that a love of souls had in a measure departed from me; that holy energy which burned within me, as a fire, began to be smothered.” Jarena had let the “by-laws of church government and discipline” prevent her from following her calling. It would be eight years before she would again apply to become an official preacher.

In 1811, Jarena married Mr. Joseph Lee, Pastor of a Colored Society at Snow Hill. This town was about six miles from Philadelphia. As a wife, Jarena conformed to the marital mores of nineteenth-century American society. Therefore, though she was sad to leave her friends, Jarena moved with her husband who had charge of the congregation in Snow Hill. They had two children. Sadness filled Jarena’s life during this time. In the space of six years she lost five family members to death including her husband. 

Now Jarena was left with two small children, aged two years and six months. She depended on God’s promise, “I will be the widow’s God and a Father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5). Friends came to her aid and she and the children were taken care of.

By 1818 eight years had gone by since Jarena had first received her impression that she was called to preach. Returning to Philadelphia, she approached Bishop Richard Allen again and asked for permission to hold prayer meetings in her house. Bishop Allen granted her the permission and her house was filled when she began her meetings. 

At this time it was allowable for women to exhort if they were invited to by the licensed preacher. This was to be done after the preacher completed his sermon and the preacher was to give the exhorter the text to be used.

Jarena got her chance to exhort a few months later. There came a time in 1819 when she attended a service at Bethel Church. The Rev. Richard Williams was to preach. Here in her own words is how Jarena began her preaching ministry:

“He (Rev. Williams) entered the pulpit, gave out the hymn, which was sung, and then addressed the throne of grace; took his text, passed through the exordium, and commenced to expound it. The text he took is in Jonah, 2d chap. 9th verse, — ‘Salvation is of the Lord.’ But as he proceeded to explain, he seemed to have lost the spirit; when in the same instant, I sprang, as by an altogether supernatural impulse, to my feet, when I was aided from above to give an exhortation on the very text which my brother Williams had taken.

I told them that I was like Jonah; for it had been then nearly eight years since the Lord had called me to preach his gospel to the fallen sons and daughters of Adam’s race, but that I lingered like him and delayed to go at the bidding of the Lord, and warn those who are as deeply guilty as were the people of Nineveh. 

During the exhortation, God made manifest his power in a manner sufficient to show the world that I was called to labour according to my ability and the grace given unto me, in the vineyard of the good husbandman.”

Jarena sat down, frightened at what she had done. She was sure she would be expelled from the church. But instead, the Bishop rose up in the assembly and told how Jarena had called on him eight years before asking to be permitted to preach and that he had put her off. Now, he said, he believed that she was called to the work of preaching as much as any of the ministers present. 

Now realizing the sureness of her call, Jarena began to exhort in public places though not in a church at first. She began in the home of a sister in her society with five congregants. Eventually Jarena would preach throughout New England, using Philadelphia as her home base. Her travels took her to Canada and out west to Ohio. 

In 1836, Jarena wrote her first autobiography out of the conviction that others might benefit from hearing how the Lord had worked in her life to help her to lead others to Christ. She spent her own money to have a thousand copies printed, which she distributed at camp meetings, church meetings, and on the street. Later a second autobiographical work was completed in 1849, Religious Experience and Journal, which recounted events up to her fiftieth birthday. Unfortunately, after this nothing is known of her activities.

Jarena saw herself as an evangelist. Jarena knew that she was called to a purpose that involved more than just her own personal comfort. “Go preach the Gospel!” She was concerned with the souls of lost human beings. She did not let her gender or her color keep her from preaching the gospel. It was her sense of purpose, strength of will, and integrity that led Jarena to be a part of the social reformation that was begun in the nineteenth century.

Nearly two centuries later Christians still question whether or not women should preach or speak in public places. That is why reading and studying about women in history who have followed their call is so important. As Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:7-8). Women like Jarena Lee proved that they were disciples of Christ by bearing much fruit; thousands came to Jesus for salvation through their preaching. 


It was important to Jarena that her call was truly of God. She did not want it to be of her own desire or to be a temptation from Satan. She recognized the devil could “transform himself into an angel of light for the purpose of deception.” The first time Jarena heard her call she was very careful to make sure it was from the Lord. She immediately “went into a secret place, and called upon the Lord to know if he had called me to preach, and whether I was deceived or not; when there appeared to my view the form and figure of a pulpit, with a Bible lying thereon, the back of which was presented to me as plainly as if it had been a literal fact.” In other words, Jarena had a vision. That night she had a vivid dream. She took a text and preached in her sleep. This convinced her of her call and she approached Rev. Allen for that first time.

When she began her public ministry, Jarena defended her right to preach on three grounds. First was God’s direct call to her (recounted above). Secondly, she could point to the results. There was no doubt about the support she received from men and women. And third, there were the Scriptures. 

Along with other black and white women who wanted to serve by using their call to preach, Jarena pointed to many Scriptures in support of her ministry. Here in her own words is her defense:

“If a man may preach, because the Saviour died for him, why not the woman? seeing he died for her also.”

“Did not Mary first preach the risen Saviour, and is not the doctrine of the resurrection the very climax of Christianity — hangs not all our hope on this, as argued by St. Paul? Then did not Mary, a woman, preach the gospel? for she preached the resurrection of the crucified Son of God.

But some will say, that Mary did not expound the Scripture, therefore, she did not preach, in the proper sense of the term. To this I reply, it may be that the term preach, in those primitive times, did not mean exactly what it is now madeto mean; perhaps it was a great deal more simple then, than it is now: — if it were not, the unlearned fishermen could not have preached the gospel at all, as they had no learning.”

Some might reply that only men are inspired to preach the gospel. Jarena replied, “If then, to preach the gospel, by the gift of heaven, comes by inspiration solely, is God straitened; must he take the man exclusively? May he not, did he not, and can he not inspire a female to preach the simple story of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord, and accompany it too, with power to the sinners’ heart. As for me, I am fully persuaded that the Lord called me to labour according to what I have received, in his vineyard. If he has not, how could he consistently bear testimony in favour of my poor labours, in awakening and converting sinners?”

How indeed?

Jarena’s story is one of a series of three women from the book Sisters of the Spirit: Three Black Women’s Autobiographies of the Nineteenth Century that I want to explore over the coming weeks. Was Jarena’s call real, or only the product of a vivid imagination? If a woman’s call to preach is real, how should we deal with it? Are men and women not both called to share the Gospel with others for all Christians? 

Next week we will continue the series with Zilpha Elaw, another early nineteenth black female preacher.