1 CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XII. CHAPTER XIII. CHAPTER XIV. CHAPTER XV. CHAPTER XVI. CHAPTER XVII. CHAPTER XVIII. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XII. The Grimké Sisters, by Catherine H. Birney 2 CHAPTER XIII. CHAPTER XIV. CHAPTER XV. CHAPTER XVI. CHAPTER XVII. CHAPTER XVIII. The Grimké Sisters, by Catherine H. Birney The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Grimké Sisters, by Catherine H. Birney This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: The Grimké Sisters Sarah and Angelina Grimké: The First American Women Advocates of Abolition and Woman's Rights Author: Catherine H. Birney Release Date: April 15, 2004 [EBook 12044] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GRIMKÉ SISTERS *** Produced by Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. THE GRIMKÉ SISTERS SARAH AND ANGELINA GRIMKÉ THE FIRST AMERICAN WOMEN ADVOCATES OF ABOLITION AND WOMAN'S RIGHTS By CATHERINE H. BIRNEY "The glory of all glories is the glory of self-sacrifice." 1885 PREFACE. It was with great diffidence, from inexperience in literary work of such length, that I engaged to write the biography which I now present to the public. But the diaries and letters placed in my hands lightened the work of composition, and it has been a labor of affection as well as of duty to pay what tribute I might to the memory of two of the noblest women of the country, whom I learned to love and venerate during a residence of nearly two years under the same roof, and who, to the end of their lives, honored me with their friendship. C.H.B. The Grimké Sisters, by Catherine H. Birney 3 Washington City, Sept., 1885. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. 4 CHAPTER I. Childhood of Sarah, 7. Practical teachings, 9. Teaching slaves, 11. Sarah a godmother, 13. Their mother, 15. CHAPTER II. 5 CHAPTER II. Thirst for knowledge, 17. Religious impressions, 19. Providence interposes, 21. Their father's death-bed, 23. Sarah and slavery, 25. Salvation by works, 27. The Friends, 29. Sarah resists the call, 31. Sarah leaves Charleston, 33. CHAPTER III. 6 CHAPTER III. Sarah a Quaker, 35. Visit to Charleston, 37. Angelina, 39. Angelina's slave, 41. Angelina converted, 43. Sarah's heart trial, 45. CHAPTER IV. 7 CHAPTER IV. Contrasts, 47. Spiritual change, 49. Novels and finery, 51. Plain dress, 53. CHAPTER V. 8 CHAPTER V. Angelina's progress, 55. Abandons Presbyterianism, 57. Adopts Quakerism, 59. A Quaker quarrel, 61. Angelina goes north, 63. Trimming a cap, 65. CHAPTER VI. 9 CHAPTER VI. Christian frugality, 67. Christian reproofs, 69. Faithful testimony, 71. Sitting in silence, 73. Sympathy with slaves, 75. Intercedes for a slave, 77. A sin to joke, 79. Introspection, 81. CHAPTER VII. 10 CHAPTER VII. Intellectual power, 83. Anti-slavery in 1829, 85. Bane of slavery, 87. Longs to leave home, 89. Narrow life, 91. Farewell to home, 93.