hrough Christ, His
Son. My soul was filled with love to God and Jesus Christ. It appeared
to me, I saw a fullness in Jesus Christ, to save every sinner who would
come to Him. And I felt, that if I was only converted, I would tell all
sinners how precious the Saviour was. But I could not think myself
converted yet, because I could not see what I had done, for God to
pardon my sins. Still I felt a love to Him for what He had done for my
soul.

Then I began to think upon my shopmates--and, O what pity ran through my
soul for them. I wished to pray for them; but I felt so unworthy, that I
could not do it. At last I promised the Lord that if He would convert my
soul, I would talk to them.

... It was several months after that, before I was made to realize this to
be the work of God; and when it was made plain, O what joy it did bring
to my poor soul!

I shortly became a member of the Baptist church, and was baptized, in
company with some twenty others, by Rev. Geo. F. Adams, who was then
pastor of the Baptist church in Fredericksburg--September 19, 1831. This
church then contained about three hundred colored members.

CHAPTER IV.

Marriage--License to Preach--Purchase of Freedom--A Call to Baltimore.

I had not been a member of the church a great while, before I formed an
attachment to a young woman, who ultimately became my wife. I have ever
regarded her as the special gift of God to me. She embraced religion
about the same time that I did. We had been acquainted with each other
for several years previous, and although we associated frequently in the
same social circle together; yet nothing of a special liking had
manifested itself until the day she was baptized.

But we were both slaves, and of course had to get the consent of our
owners, before we went further. My wife belonged to the late Carter L.
Stephenson, Esq., who was a brother to Hon. Andrew Stephenson, of Va. My
wife's master was quite indulgent to the servants about the house. He
never restrained visitors from coming on his premises to visit his
domestics. It was said he had the likeliest set of servant girls in the
town; and though I cannot say I got the prettiest, yet I think I got
the best one among them. We have lived happily together, as husband and
wife, for the last twenty-eight years. We have had nine children--seven
born in slavery, and two since my wife's freedom. Five out of the seven
in slavery I have bought--two are still in bondage.