of the noblest churches of this city, and it has some of
the best people in it of any church in the world, for there is more done
for those in need in other lands. When I became a member of that church
I could not read in any book, for I did not know a letter. There was a
gentleman in the church by the name of Mr. Lansberry, who finding that I
was one of those that was going to learn, went to a store and bought me
a First Reader and gave it to me, and I did not lose any of my time at
nights. I went to the meetings every night and came back and got a lady,
who was a sister of Mr. Bailey, to be my teacher, and sometimes she used
to be so very sleepy that she could not keep her eyes open and I would
shake her and say that my lesson was to be learned, and it was always
well learned. Then I went to the Sunday-school to let my Sunday-school
teacher hear it on Sundays, and he, Mr. Ward, always said that he was
sure that I would learn so fast I would soon catch up with his Bible
Class. It was not long before I could lay my Reader down and take my
lessons in the Bible, and I can bless God for all of this, for the love
and the kindness that I received of all that knew me was a token of His
great love for me, and I know that He was near me all the time to bring
me nearer to the Light. My mind was then fixed that I should some day go
to school and I could not rest night or day I was so anxious to go to
school; but my dear mother could not send me. She had poor health and no
one to help her to take care of the younger children, and I had to work
and do the best I could with my books, hoping that the time would come
that I should see myself sitting in some school studying, the same time
asking mother to let two of the other children go to school every day.
She did let them go for awhile, but some one came and wanted her to let
them go to work out again and she let them go out to work:

Well, I said that I would go to school some day, and they had a fine
time laughing at my high ideas and I let them laugh all that they wanted
to, but I worked hard and long to get the means that I might be able to
go, as I said, to some pay school, where I could not be stopped at any
time. When I was almost ready to leave for some school the smallpox took
me, and I was laid aside for three or four years; that is, I was not
well, and thought that my plans were all broken. I still trusted in God,
for I knew that He would do all things for me as long as I p