Born in London in 1714, Sarah Osborn arrived in the colonies in 1722 with her parents, who settled in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1729. Throughout her youth, Osborn struggled with deep feelings of emotional distress and guilt, which were largely relieved by her conversion experience during the Great Awakening.

SARAH OSBORN

I was married to Mr. Samuel Wheaten, being in my eighteenth year, October 21, 1731, and went with my husband, the next winter, to see his friends in the country. … After I came home, I met with much affliction in many respects. It seemed to me that the whole world were in arms against me. I thought I was the most despised creature living upon earth. I used to pray to God in secret to relieve me; but did not, as I ought, see his hand in permitting it so to be, as a just punishment for my vile sins: And therefore was not humbled under it as I ought; but let nature rise, and acted very imprudently, in many respects. I was then with child, and often lamented that I was to bring a child into such a world of sorrow. …

My child was born on Oct. 27, 1732. The next spring, my husband returned home; but went to sea again, and died abroad in November, 1733.

In Sept. 1740, God in mercy sent his dear servant [George] Whitefield here, which in some measure stirred me up. But when Mr. [Gilbert] Tennent came soon after, it pleased God to bless his preaching so to me, that it roused me. But I was all the winter after exercised with dreadful doubts and fears about my state. I questioned the truth of all I had experienced, and feared I had never yet passed through the pangs of the new birth, or ever had one spark of grace. …

I continued thus till March, 1741, and then it pleased God to return Mr. Tennent to us again. … But while he was here, I was more than ever distressed. I had lost the sensible manifestations of Christ’s love. … And [Mr. Tennent] struck directly at those things, for which I had so foolishly and wickedly pleaded Christian example, such as singing songs, dancing and foolish jesting. … He said, he would not say there was no such thing as a dancing Christian, but he had a very mean opinion of such as could bear to spend their time so, when it is so short, and the work for eternity so great. Then, and not till then, was I fully convinced what prodigal wasters of precious time such things were. And, through grace, I have abhorred them all ever since. …

About this time I had the offer of a second marriage, with one who appeared to be a real Christian (and I could not think of being unequally yoked with one who was not such). … I concluded it was the will of God that I should accept of the offer, and accordingly was married to Mr. Henry Osborn, on the fifth day of May, 1742. … Soon after this, we fell into disagreeable and difficult worldly circumstances, with respect to living and paying the debts we owed. … [But] God ordered things so that our creditors were paid to their satisfaction.

SOURCE : Samuel Hopkins, ed., Memoirs of the Life of Mrs. Sarah Osborn (Worcester, MA: Leonard Worcester, 1799), 39–55.