I didn't see de
use of prayin' to God when he let my mother get killed. I hated God then
and I said so to Jim, only nobody else talked to me about them things,
and I didn't get a chance to tell 'em. It was a good many years that I
went on that way, only I got steady work. One summer de fellows said
thar was goin' to be a camp meetin' somewhar near, so I concluded to go
and see what it looked like. So I sets out on Sunday mornin', and when I
seen de white tents, and heard de people singin' and shoutin', I thought
it was de curiousest thing I ever seen. I got along tolerable well,
talkin' to de colored folks what waited on de tables, when all at once a
big horn was blowed, and everybody went off to preachin'.

"I went too, jest to look on, and when de preacher give out his text he
said, 'Thou God seest me.' I didn't think I need to be afeard, for I
didn't steal nor nothin', so I looked him square in de face. But by and
by I began to feel queer, and then I begin to look down on de ground. It
appeared as ef old Satan was a tryin' to drag me down to de bottomless
pit, and I know'd ef he'd git me thar once, he'd take care to hold on to
me pretty tight. I was afeard to look down, expecting every minute to be
swallowed up, and I couldn't look up for I know'd God was looking at me.
All at once something appeared to pull me down, and thar I lay while de
people was a singin' and a prayin' all around. After a good spell
somethin' spoke and says: 'Look up, Pete;' and I says, 'What's wantin'?'
Nobody didn't give no answer, so I begin to groan agin. Then somethin'
spoke agin louder, and says: 'Don't be afeard, Pete, it's me.' I kind of
looked up, but didn't see nobody lookin' at me, so I felt worse. Then
the third time somethin' says: 'Rise, Pete, your sins is all forgiven.'
I says, right out loud; 'Who says so?' and de same voice, only sweeter
and more lovin' says, 'De blessed Jesus; you needn't to be afeard any
more.'

"I tell you I jumped up quick, and began to laugh as hard as I could.
Some of de people said I was crazy, but de pious folks said I had got a
blessin'; and so I had, de blessedest blessin' ever I got. Dat's about
all, ladies and gentlemen," and Pete, bowing, betook himself to clearing
the table.

The Rev. John Jay, who with the rest, had been an attentive listener,
now said: "To be able to tell that last part, my friend, is worth more
than all the world to a man; 'for what will it profit a man if he gain
all the w