Legacy of Eliza Davis George: A Missionary’s Journey

Eliza Davis George served in Liberia from 1913 to 1972.

Eliza Davis George was born in 1879. In December 1913, she left Texas for New York. On December 12, 1913, she sailed from New York to Liberia. She went as a National Baptist missionary.

The Bible Industrial Academy

Eliza and another missionary opened a school for children in the interior of Liberia. This area had few missionaries or churches. They called the school Bible Industrial Academy. Their aim was to teach children to read the Bible. They also wanted to show them practical life skills. Within the first two years, they had fifty children attending the academy. In the nearby villages, more than 1,000 people accepted the Lord.

Ministry and Indigenous Leadership

Eliza served as an evangelist, teacher, and church planter throughout Sinoe County, Liberia. Wherever she established ministries, she trained Liberian young people. She sent them as missionaries to take the Word of God to their own people. She also aimed to provide education for their children.

Marriage and Financial Trials

Five years after arriving in Liberia, Eliza’s mission board disbanded. She lacked financial support. A British missionary doctor approached her. He urged her to marry him so that she would be able to remain in Africa. She prayed. She concluded that God was permitting her to marry. In 1919, Eliza became the wife of Dr. Charles George. Together they adopted three children: Maude, Cecelia, and Cerella.

Even when married, Eliza continued to live meagerly. She trusted in the Lord’s provision. She went to extraordinary lengths to secure support for the ministry Jesus had called her to. Her prayer life reflected her dependence on God:

“O heavenly Father, thou hast taught us to pray for our daily bread. Lord, thou dost know that I do not have one penny to buy food and pay the workers here at the mission. Father, send us something to meet our needs as thou hast promised. Help me to keep trusting Thee so that the children will know Thou art caring for them.”

Widowhood and the Eliza Davis George Baptist Association

In 1939, her husband passed away – yet she continued working for 33 more years. By the 1960s, The Eliza Davis George Baptist Association had twenty-seven churches in Liberia.

Eliza returned to the USA in 1972 at 93 due to fragile health. She passed away in Tyler, TX, in March 1980; having served in Africa for nearly six decades.

CITATIONS

Biographical details sourced from the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA).

Ministry records from the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc..

Historical context on Liberian missions: The Baptist World Alliance Archives