Samuel Morris: The African Missionary to North America

The remarkable story of Samuel Morris—a young Liberian who came to America in the late-19th century to deepen his Christian faith—is told in this interesting biographical documentary. Born Prince Kaboo, Morris (who would eventually take his English name from the American benefactor of a missionary) escaped a brutal kidnapping at the hands of a rival tribe, finding his way to a welcoming coffee plantation in Monrovia. Once there, Morris discovered that his own miraculous release from captivity—involving a heavenly bright light and the voice of God—sounded a lot like the conversion of St. Paul on the road to Damascus. Still a teen, Morris became a fervent Christian who wanted to know more about the Holy Spirit. Resolving to go to the United States to find a new mentor, Morris talked his way onto a passenger ship and famously converted the hard-nosed captain and rough crew. His talent for sparking a spiritual awakening in others carried over to his time in New York City with missionary Stephen Merritt, and later to Taylor University in Indiana, where his reputation spread beyond the campus to local churches, both black and white. Morris's extraordinary tale is told here using a combination of archival materials, drawings, and interviews with historians. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)