Moses led the Hebrew people out of bondage in Egypt. In our times, this Biblical truth has found echoes in the tale of Harriet
Tubman – who (though born a slave) led many of her fellow slaves to freedom in the proverbial “Promised Land” northwards. Harriet Tubman had a deep, abiding faith in the Lord. Though she led a charmed life, she never despaired and she was never captured either.
Harriet Tubman made nineteen, dangerous trips to the South to rescue slaves, but she never lost a single fugitive. To ensure the safety of her people, she followed a single point strategy: there was no turning back, there was no going back. Though frightened members of her group sometimes wanted to turn back, Harriet Tubman did not permit them to do so; because if any one of them was captured, he might betray the rest.
Even as a child, Harriet Tubman was willful and somewhat rebellious. Once in her teens, an incident occurred that was to change her entire life: she was struck on the head while protecting another (runaway) slave. Though she recovered, she would continue to suffer from occasional bouts of unconsciousness.
The heroic character of Harriet Tubman comes through, even in this brief account of her life. She was inspiring, brave and independent-minded. But, above all, she cared for the plight of her fellow slaves. Though she fled the South early on in her life, she kept coming back to rescue her friends and relatives from slavery. She also possessed rare leadership qualities. Though much stronger people grew afraid (of capture), the strength of her courage never failed her. In spite of her physical infirmity, she was a very strong-willed and determined person. People who knew her well say that she also possessed a keen sense of humor.
Long before the civil war came, Harriet Tubman had devoted her entire life to the cause of freedom; during the civil war she nursed the wounded, worked as an intelligence agent and even engaged the enemy in battle; and even after the civil war she worked tirelessly for the advancement of her people. But her struggles were not in vain – when she was forty years old, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation declaration, in effect giving freedom - and legal protection - to all former slaves.
Perhaps, the real significance of Harriet Tubman’s life is not the part she played in the freedom movement (being a historical movement driven by historical forces, it would have occurred even without her); but the leadership she provided it. Her fellow slaves were inspired by her example – and her faith - to follow suit in large numbers. Through out her many struggles, Harriet Tubman never gave up on hope, but always trusted in the good lord to stand by her in her times of need. Though her wartime activities were outstanding, she is not remembered for them but for the courageous example she set and for the guidance she provided to her fellow people in their hour of need. Her strength of character is best exemplified by the fact that she never asked for – or expected – anything in return. And that is why she has been compared to the Prophet Moses…