d an unexpected, and to me an undesired call. I began to
think, how can I leave my wife and seven small children, to go to
Baltimore to live, a distance of more than a hundred miles from them.
This, I thought, could not be. I thought my children would need my
watchful care, more now than at any other time. It is true, they were
all slaves, belonging to a rich widow lady. But she had always given me
the entire control of my family. Now, if I should leave them at their
tender age, mischief might befall them. Still, as the letter from
Baltimore was from gentlemen of the best standing, it became me to give
them an answer. This I could not do, without first consulting my master.
I did so, and after giving the matter a careful consideration, he
thought I had better go and see those gentlemen--he was perfectly
willing to leave the matter to me.

The result was, that I accepted the offer of the brethren in Baltimore;
and by them I was enabled to pay the debt I owed; and I have never had
cause to repent it--though I had misgivings sometimes, when I would get
into trouble.

But I have found those who were my friends at first, are my friends
still. In a few weeks after I had arrived in Baltimore, (1847,) the
white Baptists who were favorable to the mission in behalf of the
colored people, secured for me an appointment as missionary of the
Domestic Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, in connection with
the Maryland Baptist Union Association. I now felt a debt of gratitude
to these dear friends, that I could not show more acceptably to them,
than by engaging heartily in the work to which I had been thus called. I
went to work, first, by hiring a room in a private house, where I would
collect what few children I could get together, in a Sabbath school. I
continued in this place for nearly a year, teaching the little children,
and preaching to a few grown persons, who would come in at times to hear
what this Baptist man had to say; and who, after satisfying their
curiosity, would generally leave me. During my stay in this locality, I
could not find half a dozen colored Baptists, who would take hold with
me in this missionary enterprise. There were some few attached to the
white churches; but only two of those showed any disposition to help me
in this great and good work. I found that everybody loved to go with the
multitude, and it was truly up-hill work with me. I found some who are
called Anti-Mission, or Old School Baptists,