ning of the numeral letters
put in the Bible over the chapters. I had often seen them in the
spelling book running alongside a column of figures; but no one ever
told me that they were put there for the same use as the figures.

CHAPTER III.

Religious Experience--Conviction--Conversion.

Just about the close of my apprenticeship, and as I began to feel myself
a man, I commenced to visit the girls, which induced me to go still
more frequently to church.

At that time, there were four churches in Fredericksburg. The colored
people had apartments for worship with the white people, at each of
these churches. They were Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian and
Baptist.

I had no particular preference for any one of these denominations, more
than another; but, went wherever my favorites went. One night a young
lady invited me to go to the Methodist church, where a prayer-meeting
was to be held. During the meeting, a venerable old gentleman rose to
his feet, and related an account of the sudden death of a young lady,
which he had read in a newspapers. When he related that solemn
circumstance, it so affected me, that I felt as if I was about to die,
in a sudden manner also.

Having always, from parental training, purposed in my mind to become
religious before I died, I thought that now was the time to begin to
pray. But I could not try to pray in the church, for I was afraid that
the girls would laugh at me. Yet I became so troubled, that I left the
house, girls and all, intending to seek some place where I might pray.
But to my horror and surprise, when I got out of the church, this
reflection occurred to me, "God is in heaven, and you are on earth:--how
can He hear you?" O, what distress of mind I now felt! I began to wonder
how God could hear my prayer; for, sure enough, He was in heaven, and I
on the earth. In my perplexity, I started for home.

Just before I reached the shop, where I slept, this thought struck me,
if possible with more force than the former reflection: "God does see
you!" It really appeared to me as if I could see that God was indeed
looking at me; and not only so, but I felt that He had been looking at
me all my life. I now said to myself, "It is of no use for me to
pray.--If God has seen all my wickedness, as I feel that He has, then
there is no mercy for me."

So I ran to my lodging-place, and tried to hide myself in a dark room.
But this was useless; for it appeared that God could se