slaves I has no chance for edumacation. Three months
am de total time I's spent going to school. I teached myself to read and
write. I's anxious to larn to read so I could study and find out about
many things. Dat, I has done.

"There am lots of folks, and edumacated ones, too, what says we'uns
believes in superstition. Well, its 'cause dey don't understand. 'Member
de Lawd, in some of His ways, can be mysterious. De Bible says so. There
am some things de Lawd wants all folks to know, some things jus' de
chosen few to know, and some things no one should know. Now, jus' 'cause
yous don't know 'bout some of de Lawd's laws, 'taint superstition if
some other person understands and believes in sich.

"There is some born to sing, some born to preach, and some born to know
de signs. There is some born under de power of de devil and have de
power to put injury and misery on people, and some born under de power
of de Lawd for to do good and overcome de evil power. Now, dat produces
two forces, like fire and water. De evil forces starts de fire and I has
de water force to put de fire out.

"How I larnt sich? Well, I's done larn it. It come to me. When de Lawd
gives sich power to a person, it jus' comes to 'em. It am 40 years ago
now when I's fust fully realize' dat I has de power. However, I's allus
int'rested in de workin's of de signs. When I's a little piccaninny, my
mammy and other folks used to talk about de signs. I hears dem talk
about what happens to folks 'cause a spell was put on 'em. De old folks
in dem days knows more about de signs dat de Lawd uses to reveal His
laws den de folks of today. It am also true of de cullud folks in
Africa, dey native land. Some of de folks laughs at their beliefs and
says it am superstition, but it am knowin' how de Lawd reveals His laws.

"Now, let me tell yous of something I's seen. What am seen, can't be
doubted. It happens when I's a young man and befo' I's realize' dat I's
one dat am chosen for to show de power. A mule had cut his leg so bad
dat him am bleedin' to death and dey couldn't stop it. An old cullud man
live near there dat dey turns to. He comes over and passes his hand over
de cut. Befo' long de bleedin' stop and dat's de power of de Lawd
workin' through dat nigger, dat's all it am.

"I knows about a woman dat had lost her mind. De doctor say it was
caused from a tumor in de head. Dey took an ex-ray picture, but dere's
no tumor. Dey gives up and says its a peculiar cas