he greater is the
debt. It is not den all the things that we do dat God reckon, but the
many things that we ought to do and which we leave undone. We receive
all the good things from God, and we give Him nothing in return. Then
we have no means to pay this debt, so Jesus Christ, because He love us,
say He pay it, and God say He accept His payment and set us free. Den I
say to the people, Do you believe dis? If you do, and try to love God,
and serve God, and do what Jesus Christ did when He was on earth, den
you have living faith, and you are free, and God no say longer that you
owe Him debt, but He call you His dear children, and when you leave this
world He receive you in heaven."

"Why, Paul," I exclaimed, after listening with astonishment to what he
had said, "I little expected to hear such things come out of a--" (I was
going to say negro's mouth, but changed it to) "African sailor's mouth.
You ought to be a missionary."

"Every Christian man ought to be a missionary," he answered. "If he
love the Lord Jesus, and know that the Lord Jesus love him, then he
ought to tell that love to others, and if he knows the value of his own
soul then he values the souls of others, and try to win those souls for
Christ. The truth is, massa, I do want to be missionary, and I seek to
go to England to learn more. I there learn to preach the gospel, and
when I come back I carry the glad tidings of salvation to my ignorant
countrymen."

I was very much struck with Paul's earnestness and zeal, though at that
time I could scarcely comprehend all he said--I myself knew nothing
experimentally of the great love of Jesus of which he spoke. The poor
black Christian was far more enlightened than I was. Still I felt a
satisfaction at having him on board. He at once showed that he was not
a mere theoretical Christian, for as soon as his duty on board the ship
was over, he devoted himself to attending on the sick men. All the
hours he could snatch from sleep he spent by the side of their bunks,
urging them to trust to Jesus, and to repent of their sins while yet
there was time.

The poor second mate grew worse and worse. Paul visited him, and he
heard from the lips of the black seaman, perhaps for the first time, the
full and free message of salvation; and, I believe, from what Paul told
me, and from the remarks the mate made to me before he died, that he had
fully accepted God's gracious offer of reconciliation.

I am going ahe