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+This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements,
+metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be
+in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES.
+
+Procedures for determining public domain status are described in
+the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org.
+
+No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in
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+status under the laws that apply to them.
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+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #65027 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65027)
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-The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Narrative of Some Remarkable Incidents in
-the Life of Solomon Bayley, by Solomon Bayley
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
-most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
-of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
-www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you
-will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before
-using this eBook.
-
-Title: A Narrative of Some Remarkable Incidents in the Life of Solomon
- Bayley
- Formerly a Slave, in the State of Delaware, North America
-
-Author: Solomon Bayley
-
-Release Date: April 08, 2021 [eBook #65027]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: UTF-8
-
-Produced by: Nick Wall, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed
- Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was
- produced from scanned images of public domain material from
- the Google Books project.)
-
-*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A NARRATIVE OF SOME REMARKABLE
-INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF SOLOMON BAYLEY ***
-
-A
-
-NARRATIVE
-
-OF SOME REMARKABLE INCIDENTS,
-
-In the Life of
-
-SOLOMON BAYLEY,
-
-FORMERLY
-
-A SLAVE,
-
-IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, NORTH AMERICA;
-
-WRITTEN BY HIMSELF,
-
-AND PUBLISHED FOR HIS BENEFIT;
-
-TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED, A FEW REMARKS BY
-
-ROBERT HURNARD.
-
-“Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”--II. Cor.
-iv. 9.
-
-LONDON: PRINTED FOR HARVEY AND DARTON, GRACECHURCH STREET; W. BAYNES &
-SON, PATERNOSTER-ROW; AND P. YOUNGMAN, WITHAM AND MALDON.
-
-1825.
-
-
-
-
-WITHAM AND MALDON:
-PRINTED BY P. YOUNGMAN.
-
-
-
-
-PREFACE.
-
-
-In presenting the following fragments to the attention of the public,
-it appears necessary to state the manner in which they came into my
-possession, and to give the reader a brief account of the Author,
-Solomon Bayley.
-
-During the early part of my residence in America in the year 1820, I
-met with the piece containing the account of his escape from slavery,
-with the mental and bodily trials he underwent, resulting from that
-step: being much interested in the perusal of this simple and unadorned
-narrative, I was induced to make some inquiry into the character and
-circumstances of a man, the recital of whose sufferings and wrongs had
-deeply excited my sympathy. The information which, in consequence,
-I obtained from many respectable inhabitants of Wilmington, where
-I then resided, was in all respects gratifying, so far as related
-to his character; and was, besides, such as to induce a hope that
-his situation in life was about to become comparatively easy and
-independent.
-
-I learned that at one period of his life he had been instructed in the
-business of a cooper, and for some time had wrought at that trade;
-but feeling some scruples in his mind with regard to following an
-occupation which he believed had a tendency, though a remote one, to
-promote the sale and consumption of ardent spirits, he conscientiously
-forsook that employment, under the persuasion that the frequent
-and indiscriminate use of distilled spirituous liquors, had proved
-as injurious to the moral and religious growth of society, as it
-was admitted to be subversive of health, and the bane of domestic
-happiness. He then engaged himself as a labourer in husbandry; and
-while deriving his support from this employment, he one day happened to
-meet with the Governor of the State of Delaware; and believing it to be
-his duty to speak to him on the great responsibility of the station in
-which he was placed, and on the importance of a faithful occupation of
-the talents committed to his charge, the worthy Governor was so well
-pleased with his communication, that he shortly after promoted Solomon
-to the oversight of one of his farms, admitting him as a joint sharer
-with himself in the profits. This mode of farming, which requires
-great confidence on one side, and skill and industry on the other, is
-not uncommon in America; the landlord usually finding all the necessary
-implements and stocking the farm, and the tenant, the requisite labour
-to manage the concern. But I subsequently learned that he did not long
-enjoy the above mentioned situation, as the Governor was soon after
-removed by death. He then engaged himself in the employment of a person
-at Camden, where with his wife he now resides.--Solomon was moreover
-described to be estimable as a religious character, remarkably humble,
-patient of wrong, poor as to worldly possessions, but rich in faith and
-in many other christian virtues: such was the account which was given
-me of this extraordinary man.
-
-Feeling a strong inclination to see and converse with one, whom, from
-the description of his character, I already esteemed; I requested a
-friend who had known him many years, and whom he sometimes visited,
-to introduce me to his acquaintance, when he should next come to
-Wilmington; this he did, and on a more intimate knowledge obtained in
-subsequent interviews, the favourable sentiments I at first conceived
-of his integrity and worth, were fully and satisfactorily confirmed,
-heightened as they were, by his solid instructive conversation, and I
-may add, the just sense he appeared to entertain of divine things.
-
-It was in some of these interviews, that among other circumstances of
-his life, he related the affecting account of the sale and purchase
-of his only son, whom he afterwards lost by death; he also mentioned
-several particulars of his two daughters, whom he had placed out in the
-service of respectable families, but who, on account of ill health,
-had returned home, and died within a short period of each other.
-While narrating in my family the particulars of these severe domestic
-bereavements, which he did with great feeling and sensibility, it
-was evident that he was no stranger to the source from whence true
-consolation is derived.
-
-In common with my brethren of the same religious profession, and
-with many philanthropists of other persuasions, I had long felt a
-warm interest towards the descendants of Africa generally: but the
-peculiar regard which was awakened in my mind, towards this deserving
-individual, made me anxious to obtain more of his history, especially
-when I had a prospect of returning to my native country. I therefore
-determined to obtain from him as much of it as he should be free to
-communicate, and wrote to him two or three times on the subject.
-We lived fifty miles apart, and my avocations, as well as his,
-precluded our meeting again. I wished to possess it in his own simple,
-unvarnished style; but Solomon being a self-taught penman, and ignorant
-of orthography, though willing to oblige me if he could, made many
-objections on the ground of his incapacity and the advanced period of
-his life: he was, however, at length induced to comply with my request,
-and in a while forwarded me such parts as I had particularly requested.
-
-I cannot but regret that the manuscript is so disjointed and
-incomplete, being written and forwarded to me at different times; but
-imperfect as it is, it appeared too interesting and valuable, to be
-restricted to the circle of my own acquaintance; and I offer it to a
-candid public, presuming that every indulgence on this score will be
-granted to a man, whose life has been chiefly spent in slavery and
-servitude.
-
-Solomon is in connexion with that body of Christians, called
-Methodists; and my last communication from him, sufficiently evinces
-on what grounds he has believed himself called to the ministry. From
-the general tenor of his writings, and from this letter in particular,
-I leave the serious reader to form his own judgment, whether he be not
-rightly called and qualified to be engaged in that important service.
-
-I wish it to be understood, that it is intended to transmit the whole
-of the profits of the publication to America, for the benefit of the
-aged couple; and I hope the friends of humanity generally, will, for
-this purpose, assist in promoting an extensive circulation of the
-tract; by so doing, they will also contribute to place SLAVERY in a new
-and appalling light.
-
-This narrative discloses the melancholy and incontrovertible fact,
-that the rights of Slaves are shamefully invaded in a country, where a
-man is suffered to go unpunished, who has dared to sell and transport
-those, who are legally entitled to their freedom, by his own voluntary
-act: and if such be the case in America, notwithstanding all the
-vigilance of her abolition societies, it may be asked, what presumption
-have the friends of this injured people to hope, that any real benefit
-can result from the tardy and temporizing measures, which have been
-introduced into the British West India Colonies, where no public bodies
-are organised to take cognizance of their wrongs.
-
-A period of nearly twenty years has elapsed, during which the friends
-of gradual manumission have been lulled by hope, and cheated by
-disappointed expectation; and when it is considered, that at this
-moment England retains nearly eight hundred thousand human beings, and
-America more than fifteen hundred thousand, in this cruel state of
-bondage, it remains even now a doubt, whether the present generation
-will witness the end of this aggravated evil, unless prompt and more
-vigorous measures be taken for its immediate extinction.
-
-R. HURNARD.
-
-KELVEDON, ESSEX,
-1ST MONTH, 1825.
-
-
-
-
-NARRATIVE, &c.
-
-
-Solomon Bayley, unto all people, and nations, and languages, grace be
-unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
-
-Having lived some months in continual expectation of death, I have
-felt uneasy in mind about leaving the world, without leaving behind
-me some account of the kindness and mercy of God towards me. But when
-I go to tell of his favours, I am struck with wonder at the exceeding
-riches Of his grace. O! that all people would come to admire him for
-his goodness, and declare his wonders which he doth for the children
-of men. The Lord tried to teach me his fear when I was a little boy;
-but I delighted in vanity and foolishness, and went astray. But the
-Lord found out a way to overcome me, and to cause me to desire his
-favour, and his great help; and although I thought no one could be more
-unworthy of his favour, yet he did look on me, and pitied me in my
-great distress.
-
-I was born a slave in the state of Delaware, and was one of those
-slaves that were carried out of Delaware into the state of Virginia;
-and the laws of Delaware did say, that slaves carried out of that state
-should be free; whereupon I moved to recover my freedom. I employed
-lawyers, and went to court two days, to have a suit brought to obtain
-my freedom. After court I went home to stay until the next court, which
-was about six weeks off. But two days before the court was to sit, I
-was taken up and put on board of a vessel out of Hunting Creek, bound
-to Richmond, on the western shore of Virginia, and there put into
-Richmond jail, and irons were put on me; and I was brought very low. In
-my distress I was often visited with some symptoms of distraction. At
-length I was taken out of jail, and put into one of the back country
-waggons, to go toward the going down of the sun. Now consider, how
-great my distress must have been, being carried from my wife and
-children, and from my natural place, and from my chance for freedom.
-
-On the third day my distress was bitter, and I cried out in my heart,
-‘I am past all hope:’ and the moment I said I was past all hope,
-it pleased the father of all mercy to look on me, and he sent a
-strengthening thought into my heart, which was this: that he that made
-the heavens and the earth, was able to deliver me. I looked up to the
-sky, and then to the trees and ground, and I believed in a moment, that
-if he could make all these, he was able to deliver me. Then did that
-scripture come into my mind, which I had heard before, and that was,
-“they that trust in the Lord, shall never be confounded.” I believed
-that was a true word, and I wanted to try that word, and got out of the
-waggon; but I thought I was not fit to lay hold of the promise: yet
-another thought came into my mind, and that was, that I did not know
-to what bounds his mercy would extend. I then made haste and got out
-of the waggon, and went into the bushes; I squatted down to see what
-would follow. Now there were three waggons in company, and four white
-people; they soon missed me, and took out one of the horses and rode
-back, and were gone about three-quarters of an hour, and then returned,
-and put the horse in the waggon again, and went on their way; and that
-was the last I ever saw or heard of them. I sat still where I was till
-night, and then walked out into the road and looked up to the sky,
-and I felt very desolate. Oh! the bitterness of distress which I then
-felt, for having sinned against God; whom if I had been careful to obey
-in all things, he would have spared me all my troubles. Oh! it is a
-dangerous thing to cast off fear, and to restrain prayer before God. If
-we do that which we believe will please him, with a desire to obtain
-his favour, it is a real prayer; but if we do, or say, that which we
-believe will displease him, that is to cast off fear, and to restrain
-prayer before him.
-
-When night came and I walked out of the bushes, I felt very awful. I
-set off to walk homewards, but soon was chased by dogs, at the same
-house where the man told the waggoner he had taken up a runaway three
-days before. But it pleased the highest, to send out a dreadful wind,
-with thunder and lightning, and rain; which was the means by which I
-escaped, as I then thought, as I travelled along that night. Next day
-I was taken with the dysentery, which came on so bad, I thought I must
-die; but I obtained great favour, and kept on my feet, and so I got
-down to Richmond; but had liked to have been twice taken, for twice I
-was pursued by dogs.
-
-But after I got to Richmond, a coloured man pretended to be my
-friend, and then sent white people to take me up; but a little while
-before they came, it came expressly into my mind, that he would prove
-treacherous and betray me. I obeyed the impression immediately, and
-left the place I was in, and presently there came with clubs to take
-me, as it did appear, two white men and a coloured man. When I saw them
-I was in an hollow place on the ground, not far from where the coloured
-man left me: at sight of them I was struck with horror and fear, and
-the fear that came into my soul, took such an impression on my animal
-frame, that I felt very weak: I cried to the Maker of heaven and earth
-to save me, and he did so. I lay there and prayed to the Lord, and
-broke persimmon tree bushes, and covered myself: when night came on, I
-felt as if the great God had heard my cry. Oh! how marvellous is his
-loving kindness toward men of every description and complexion. Though
-he is high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly, and will hear the cry
-of the distressed when they call upon him, and will make known his
-goodness and his power.
-
-I lay there till night, and then with great fear I went into the town
-of Richmond, and enquired the way over the river to go to Petersburgh,
-where I staid near three weeks, in which time, severe and painful were
-my exercises: I appeared to be shut up in such a straight case, I could
-not see which way to take. I tried to pray to the Lord for several
-days together, that he would be pleased to open some way for me to get
-along. And I do remember, that when I was brought to the very lowest,
-suddenly a way appeared, and I believe it was in the ordering of a good
-providence.
-
-It was so; there came a poor distressed coloured man to the same house
-where I had taken refuge: we both agreed to take a craft, and go down
-James’ River, which was attended with great difficulty, for we met
-with strict examination twice, and narrowly escaped; we had like to
-have been drowned twice, once in the river, and once in the bay. But
-how unable were we to offer unto God that tribute of praise due to his
-name, for the miracle of grace shewn to us in our deliverance! Surely
-wisdom and might are his, and all them that walk in pride he is able to
-abase. Oh!
-
-
- “Let all the world fall down and know
- “That none but God such power can shew.”
-
-
-We got safe over to the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, where his
-wife and mine were. And now, reader, I do not tell thee how glad I was,
-but will leave thee to judge, by supposing it had been thy own case. We
-landed near Nandew, and then started for Hunting Creek, and we found
-both our wives; but we found little or no satisfaction, for we were
-hunted like partridges on the mountains.
-
-My companion got to work on board of a vessel to get clams, perhaps
-to get some money to bring suit for his freedom, (as he had been sold
-like me, out of the state of Delaware,) if his master should come after
-him from the back countries, who he said, lived about three hundred
-and thirty miles from the eastern shore; but poor fellow, they went on
-board of the vessel where he had been at work, and talked of taking him
-up and putting him in jail, and of writing to his master in the back
-countries. He was said to tell them, that he had rather die than to
-be taken and carried away from his wife again: and it was said, they
-went down into the cabin and drank, and then came up on deck and seized
-him, and in the scuffle he slipped out of their hands, and jumped
-overboard, and tried to swim to an island that was not far off; but
-they got out the tow boat and went after him, and when they overtook
-him, he would dive to escape, and still he tried to reach the island:
-but they watched their opportunity as he rose, when they struck him
-with the loom of the oar, and knocked his brains out, and he died. And
-now, reader, consider if you had been carried away from your wife and
-children, and had got back again, how hard it would seem to be, to be
-thus chased out of the world; but the great God, whose eyes behold the
-things that are equal, he continues to make such repent, either in this
-world, or in the world to come. And now, readers, you have heard of the
-end of my fellow-sufferer, but I remain as yet, a monument of mercy,
-thrown up and down on life’s tempestuous sea; sometimes feeling an
-earnest desire to go away and be at rest; but I travel on, in hopes of
-overcoming at my last combat.
-
-But I will go on to tell of my difficulties. After I came over the bay,
-I went to see my wife, but was still in trouble; and it was thought
-best to leave the state of Virginia and go to Dover, and then if my
-master came after me, to bring suit at Dover, and have a trial for my
-freedom. The distance from where I then was to Dover, was about one
-hundred and twenty miles: so I started and travelled at nights, and lay
-by in the day time. I went on northwards, with great fear and anxiety
-of mind. It abode on my mind that I should meet with some difficulty
-before I got to Dover: however I tried to study on the promises of
-the Almighty, and so travelled on until I came to a place called
-Anderson’s Cross-Roads; and there I met with the greatest trial I ever
-met with in all my distress. But the greater the trial, the greater the
-benefit, if the mind be but staid on that everlasting arm of power,
-whom the winds and the waves obey. It was so, that I called at them
-cross-roads, to enquire the way to Camden, and I thought I would go
-to the kitchen, where the black people were; but when the door was
-opened, it was a white man I saw, of a portly appearance, with a sulky
-down look. Now the day was just a breaking: he raised up out of his
-bed, and came towards the door and began to examine me, and I did not
-know what to say to him; so he soon entangled me in my own talk, and
-said, I doubt you are a lying: I said I scorn to lie; but I felt very
-weak and scared, and soon bid him farewell and started. I went some
-distance along the road, and then went into the woods, and leaned my
-back against a tree to study, and soon fell to sleep; and when I waked,
-the sun was up, and I said to myself, if I stand sleeping about here,
-and that man that examined me in the morning comes to look for me and
-finds me, he may tie me before I get awake; for the poor fellow that
-came across the bay with me told me, that he travelled all night, and
-in the morning he met a coloured man, and passed on, and went into the
-woods and lay down, and went to sleep; and he said there came white
-men and tied him, and waked him up to go before the justice; but so it
-was, he got away from them and found me at Petersburgh. So considering
-on what he had told me, and that man’s examining me in the morning,
-made me I did not know what to do. I concluded to look for a thick
-place and lay down, and then another thought came into my mind, and
-that was, to look for a thin place, and there lie down. So I concluded
-to do so; withal I thought to take a sally downwards, as I enquired of
-the man to go upwards, I thought by going a little downwards, would
-be a dodge, and so I should miss him: I thought this plan would do. I
-then looked for a thin place, and lay down and slept till about nine
-o’clock, and then waked; and when I awoke, I felt very strange: I said
-to myself I never felt so in all my distress: I said something was
-going to happen to me to-day. So I studied about my feelings until
-I fell to sleep, and when I awoke, there had come two birds near to
-me; and seeing the little strange looking birds, it roused up all my
-senses; and a thought came quick into my mind that these birds were
-sent to caution me to be away out of this naked place; that there was
-danger at hand. And as I was about to start, it came into my mind with
-great energy and force, “if you move out of this circle this day, you
-will be taken;” for I saw the birds went all round me: I asked myself
-what this meant, and the impression grew stronger, that I must stay in
-the circle which the birds made. At the same time a sight of my faults
-came before me, and a scanty sight of the highness and holiness of the
-great Creator of all things. And now, reader, I will assure thee I was
-brought very low, and I earnestly asked what I should do: and while I
-waited to be instructed, my mind was guided back to the back countries,
-where I left the waggons about sixty or seventy miles from Richmond,
-towards the sun-setting; and a question arose in my mind, how I got
-along all that way, and to see if I could believe that the great God
-had helped me notwithstanding my vileness. I said in my heart, it must
-be the Lord, or I could not have got along, and the moment I believed
-in his help, it was confirmed in my mind, if he had begun to help me,
-and if he did send those birds, he would not let anything come into
-the circle the birds had made; I therefore tried to confirm myself in
-the promises of God, and concluded to stay in the circle; and so being
-weary, travelling all night, I soon fell to sleep; and when I awaked,
-it was by the noise of the same man that examined me in the morning,
-and another man, an old conjuror, for so I called him. And the way they
-waked me was by their walking in the leaves, and coming right towards
-me. I was then sitting on something about nine inches high from the
-ground, and when I opened my eyes and saw them right before me, and
-I in that naked place, and the sun a shining down on me about eleven
-o’clock, I was struck with dread, but was afraid to move hand or foot:
-I sat there, and looked right at them; and thought I, here they come
-right towards me; and the first thought that struck my mind was, am I
-a going to sit here until they come and lay hands on me? I knew not
-what to do; but so it was, there stood a large tree about eleven or
-twelve yards from me, and another big tree had fallen with the top
-limbs round it: and so it was, through divine goodness, they went the
-other side of the tree, and the tree that had fallen, was between them
-and me. Then I fell down flat upon my face, on the ground; as I raised
-up my head to look, I saw the actions of this old craftsman; he had a
-stick like a surveyor’s rod; he went along following his stick very
-diligently. The young man that examined me in the morning, had a large
-club, with the big end downwards, and the small end in his hand; he
-looked first one side, and then on the other: the old man kept on away
-past me about sixty yards, and then stopped; and I heard him say, “he
-h’ant gone this way.” Then he took his stick and threw it over his
-shoulder, and pointed this way and that way, until he got it right
-towards me; and then I heard him say, “come let us go this way.” Then
-he turned his course and came right towards me: then I trembled, and
-cried in my heart to the Lord, and said, what shall I do? what shall I
-do? and it was impressed on my mind immediately, “Stand still and see
-the salvation of the Lord;” the word that was spoken to the children of
-Israel when at the Red Sea. And I said in my heart, bless the Lord, O
-my soul; I will try the Lord this time. Here they come; and still that
-word sounded in my heart; “Stand still and see the salvation of the
-Lord.” They came not quite so near me as the circle the birds had made,
-when the old man sheered off, and went by me; but the young man stopped
-and looked right down on me, as I thought, and I looked right up into
-his eyes; and then he stood and looked right into my eyes, and when he
-turned away, he ran after the old man, and I thought he saw me; but
-when he overtook the old man, he kept on, and then I knew he had not
-seen me. Then I said, bless the Lord, he that gave sight to man’s eyes,
-hath kept him from seeing me this day: I looked up among the trees, and
-said, how dreadful is this place. I said, two great powers have met
-here this day; the power of darkness, and the power of God; and the
-power of God has overthrown the power of darkness for me a sinner. I
-thought I must jump and shout, but another thought struck my mind, that
-it was not a right time to shout; I therefore refrained. But my heart
-was overwhelmed at the sight of the goodness and power of God, and his
-gracious readiness to help the stranger in distress: though he is high,
-yet hath he respect unto the lowly. It is a solemn truth, he is nigh to
-all them that call on him, with a view to his greatness and their own
-nothingness: I felt greatly at loss to know how to adore him according
-to his excellent greatness. I said, has the maker of heaven and earth
-took my part? I said again, what could all the world do in comparison
-with him? I now believed if every body in the world was engaged against
-me, that he was able to deliver me out of their hands.
-
-After a while I moved out of that place, and went away to a small
-stream of water, and staid there a little while, and then went out of
-that neighbourhood. But whether I did right or not, I know not; for
-in moving out of that circle so quickly, I became so bewildered as to
-be quite lost, and did not know what course to take, or what to do;
-and I thought it was because my faith failed me so quickly. Oh! what
-pains God doth take to help his otherwise helpless creatures. O that
-his kindness and care were more considered and laid to heart, and then
-there would not be that cause to complain that “the ox knoweth his
-owner, and the ass his master’s crib, but Israel doth not know, my
-people doth not consider.” Oh! how marvellous is his loving-kindness
-toward people of every description, both high and low, rich and poor.
-O that all people would study to please him, for his goodness and his
-power; for his wisdom is great, and he knoweth how to deliver all those
-that look unto him, and will pass by none, no not the least of all his
-human creatures; and he will make them see that they are of more value
-than many sparrows; and that they are not their own, but that they are
-bought with a price.
-
-Now unto the king immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be glory and
-honour, dominion and power, now and for ever. Amen.
-
-After this, my understanding was opened to see for what purpose this
-last trial had happened unto me; and it was impressed on my mind
-that I had come through difficulties and troubles, in order that my
-faith and confidence might be tried; and that I might be made strong
-in the faith to believe that so high and holy an one, who had thus
-marvellously preserved me, would hereafter help so poor an object as
-me, out of his great mercy and condescension, and that I might be
-afraid again to sin against his majesty, who had suffered me to be thus
-sorely tried, that I might see the greatness of my past transgressions,
-and his boundless loving-kindness and mercy.
-
-
-END OF PART I.
-
-
-
-
-SECOND PART.
-
- [What follows, was written and communicated to me at my request,
- but without any idea on the part of the writer, of the purpose to
- which I designed it; the originals of which, if desired, may be
- seen by application to me, in order to satisfy any who might feel
- a doubt with regard to the faithfulness of the transcript. I can
- however, assure the reader, that the alterations I have ventured
- to make, have been almost altogether confined to the spelling.--R.
- H.]
-
-
-7th Mo. 24, 1799, I got to Camden. I will yet go on to shew the reader
-my uneasiness of mind after I got to Camden. I then thought I wanted
-a preparation to adore the goodness of God, that had begun with me in
-the back countries, and had brought me through so many difficulties;
-but with shame I must confess, I sang his praise, but soon forgot his
-works: yet the great God pitied me, and exercised a careful constant
-mind towards me, for my good: Oh! how deceitful is the heart of man.
-
-But not long after I got to Camden, my master came from the state of
-Virginia, to Camden, Kent County, state of Delaware, where he found me;
-whereas he had not seen me since he put me aboard of the back country
-waggon, which, as I suppose, is near three or four hundred miles from
-Camden: upon first sight he asked me what I was a going to do? I says,
-how, master? he asked me, how did I think I was a going to get free, by
-running and dodging about in that manner? I said, why, master, I have
-suffered a great deal, and seen a great deal of trouble, I think you
-might let me go for little or nothing: he said, I wont do that, but I
-will give you the same chance I gave you before I sent you away; give
-me forty pounds bond and security, and you may be free: but I replied,
-I work hard at nights to get a little money to fee my lawyers, and if
-it had been right for me to be free, I ought to have been free without
-so much trouble; he asked me who I blamed for my trouble? I answered,
-I did not consider that I was to blame: Ah! said he, you can see other
-people’s faults, but cannot see your own. I said, master, you can’t
-blame me for a thing I never did; Ah! said he, my wrongs don’t make
-your’s right, and that word put me to silence; but I thought where
-the laws of the land made liberty the right of any man, he could, not
-be wrong in trying to recover it: but finally he sold me my time for
-eighty dollars and I dropped the lawsuit. I went to work, and worked it
-out in a shorter time than he gave me, and then I was free from man.
-
-And when I came to think that the yoke was off my neck, and how it was
-taken off, I was made to wonder, and to admire, and to adore the order
-of kind providence, which assisted me in all the way. But I found in me
-a disposition to wander from the path of life, and forget the favour
-bestowed upon me, and went astray too shameful to be mentioned.
-
-But in this lost condition there came a reasoning to me, to consider
-where I was a going, and where I should end; and to consider on the
-shortness of time, and the length of eternity: and a thought came into
-my mind, assuring me that my life was in the hand of God, and that he
-was looking for better behaviour from me; and that he was angry with me
-every day; and that he had whetted his sword, and made ready his arrows
-to shoot at me. Then my understanding began to be enlightened, to see
-my dreadful state by nature; and the more I considered on the nature
-and heinousness of my sin, both in thought, word, and deed, the more I
-was distressed in mind; but I found the sentence of death was passed
-against me, and it pressed on my mind, if I kept on going against
-light, I should soon feel the heat of the burning lake, or the misery
-of those that are driven to darkness at death. And when I considered
-the power of God, and for that power to be poured out upon me to all
-eternity, I began then to examine into my state and condition, and I
-found I had a falling spirit, prone to evil as the sparks fly upward;
-then I set myself to think how I could escape the misery that was
-coming on me. I considered my punishment would be as bad as those that
-went to darkness in old time: then I began to consider what God had
-done to save mankind from that fearful condition; and while I thought
-on the many ways he had taken to shew his earnest mind to save sinners,
-this consideration moderated my distress; but when I remembered my own
-ways that were not good, I felt ashamed even to lift my eyes to heaven
-to ask pardon for my sins; but the shortness of time, and the length of
-awful eternity, so arrested my mind, that I was made to realize eternal
-misery, and to cry like Jonah, as out of the belly of hell, for mercy
-and for pardon for all my sins. Oh! the thought of being amongst that
-black crew, when the Lord rains down snares, fire, and brimstone, and
-horribleness, terrified me much.
-
-And now, reader, I will here record that God is rich in mercy, towards
-sinners of the deepest die; for when every other method failed, to shew
-his steadfast mind to save me, he sent a little boy to me with his
-finger at a text in a sermon book, “The wicked is driven away in his
-wickedness, but the righteous hath hope in his death;” the same text I
-had heard a methodist preacher take on a funeral occasion; then that
-little boy coming to me with his finger pointing at the same in the
-sermon book, it was about noon, the people nearly all gone to meeting,
-and I reading very earnest in the Testament: I took the book and began
-to read, and it pleased infinite goodness to look on me from the throne
-of his highness, and being unwilling that I should perish eternally, he
-sent down his awakening power, and I was made to quake and tremble; and
-an impression abode on my mind, that God was a true, and a just, and a
-holy God, and that no unclean thing could rest in his holy habitation.
-I saw I was a sinner condemned to die, but a call reached my soul,
-“take heed that you entertain no hopes of heaven, but what are built on
-a solid foundation;” a question arose in my mind, what foundation I had
-to hope for heaven? I examined and found I had none but what was built
-on the sand, and at death I must fall into hell; which caused a cry
-to be started from my heart to my maker, what I should do? a thought
-passed through my mind to make a resolution to amend my way, and turn
-and be good, but a second thought came powerfully into my mind, if
-I made another resolution and broke it as I had done, the door of
-mercy would be for ever shut against me. Then the good spirit brought
-to my mind the dangers and deaths from which I had been delivered,
-through the mercy of an indulgent God, and how I had called on him in
-trouble and he delivered me, and had answered me in the secret place
-of thunder; and it was pressed on my mind, that it was too dangerous
-to make another fool’s start: then I sensed to be in the wilderness,
-not knowing what to do: a thought arose in my mind, you have got into
-a pretty fix now, afraid even to make a resolution of amendment; then
-an enquiry again arose in my heart, from that depth of thought, what I
-should do? at the same time the hand-writing of God appeared against
-me, and that power that once shook the earth, shook my soul and body:
-it pressed on my mind, that it was the great power of God: and that
-word came into my mind, “they that resist shall receive to themselves
-damnation;” at the same time, the spirit of truth brought all things
-to my remembrance, my sins old and new, little and big, and I saw how
-hateful they all were in the sight of a holy God. Now let the Lord be
-praised both now and for ever, for the exceeding riches of his grace
-to all who will look at their sins, and his goodness, and consider and
-think, before it be too late, and be sorry, and turn from the evil of
-their ways, that they may understand the truth.
-
-And now, reader, attend to the word sent to me in my distress, which
-was this: “believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
-shalt be saved.” Oh! then, and not till then, did I ever desire saving
-faith; but I could not attain to it by all the exertion I could make:
-but Oh! reader, I found here in my distress, that faith is the gift of
-God, and that grace is not sown in the heart, till the heart is broken
-and contrite; that is, in earnest to study and enter into the saving
-plan of life and salvation, which is: “Let the wicked, forsake his
-way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let them turn unto the
-Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and abundantly pardon all that
-is passed.” But when I was put to the test to try my faith, I found
-I had none: then in the bitterness of my spirit, I desired the Lord
-to give me to feel the power of saving faith; and I struggled to lay
-hold on that word, “Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find;”
-but a question made me quake--which question was this: is your heart
-right? then I trembled, but could not tell whether my heart was right
-or not; and while I desired to know myself, this form passed through
-my mind; “Are you willing now to renounce the devil and all his works,
-and all the pomp and vanity of this wicked world, and all the sinful
-lusts of the flesh;” and I was enabled in my sinking, distressed state,
-to forsake every forbidden way for the sake of peace and pardon.--Then
-did God send down the power of saving faith; then, Oh! how terrible I
-saw the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of God’s eternal
-law: I also saw that heaven and earth would pass away, before one jot
-or tittle of his law should fail, or fall to the ground. Man must be
-converted, or never enter into the kingdom of heaven. A thought came
-into my heart, to go out to some secret place to pray; and as I walked,
-I trembled, and when I got to the place, I could only pray, “Lord have
-mercy upon me.” I cried as if falling into black despair, and having
-consented to forsake every wrong way, God, for Christ’s sake, had mercy
-on me, and pardoned my sins: Glory be to God, for ever and ever, Amen.
-Oh! praise the Lord, whose mercy is over all his works, from generation
-to generation, who hath put down the mighty from their seats, and
-hath exalted them of low degree, and ever holds his servant Israel in
-remembrance of his mercy. Oh! how faithful and true he is, to all who
-will yield to the striving of his spirit in their own hearts, before it
-takes its everlasting flight. Oh! how careful ought we to be, for fear
-we be left to ourselves; then blindness of mind, and hardness of heart
-will take place, and the soul be left to stumble on the dark mountains
-of unbelief, on which many have stumbled since the world began for not
-following the light that visits their mind; which appeareth in youth,
-and continueth with some shorter, and some longer, according to the
-entertainment this heavenly messenger gets in the hearts of all people.
-Oh! reader, think how many are now in the road to ruin, who are still
-slighting the call of grace; and if they keep on, must overtake them
-that are there already; and now I pray that none that sees this, may
-ever go another step towards the pit, from whence there is no return.
-
-
- “Oh! that all may taste and see
- “The riches of his grace:
- “The arms of love that compass me,
- “Would all mankind embrace!”
-
-
-Having given the reader a short account of the abundant mercy bestowed
-on me by a bountiful God, who is engaged to raise poor sinners from a
-depth of sin and shame, to the height of happiness and glory; and if
-they yield to him he will do it, for faithful is he that has called
-you, who also will do it, if ye be willing and obedient. I now return
-to give the reader an account of the difficulties I met with, in buying
-my wife.
-
-She was born a slave, and continued a slave till she was about
-thirty-two years of age, and I about twenty-eight years old; and having
-paid for myself, and got a little money beforehand, I was provoked
-to purpose buying of her. Before this, she and her master had fallen
-out, and he purposed to send her, and our first daughter, about three
-months old, away to the back countries; and how to do I did not know:
-to go with her I knew not where, or buy her at his price, brought me
-to a stand: and while I was perplexed, there came a messenger to me,
-who said her master had carried the negro buyer with him from court,
-in order to sell her to him; but when they were about to count out the
-money, his daughter broke out and cried in such a distressing manner,
-for my little daughter, that it caused him to recant at that time; but
-he made two more attempts, but was misput most providentially. At the
-same time, her master and I were both on one class-paper, which made
-it very trying to me, to keep up true love and unity between him and
-me, in the sight of God: this was a cause of wrestling in my mind; but
-that scripture abode with me, “He that loveth father or mother, wife
-or children, more than me, is not worthy of me;” then I saw it became
-me to hate the sin with all my heart, but still the sinner love: but
-I should have fainted, if I had not looked to Jesus, the author of my
-faith: but I would remark, that at the very moment I was about to give
-up, the Lord appeared for my help, to my great surprise. It pleased
-almighty goodness, to give my wife’s mistress that power which cut
-Rahab and wounded the Dragon; and she spoke with such concern of mind
-and said, “Oh do let Solomon have her; I have been afraid to speak,
-but I want him to have her, he appears to want to have her;” and these
-words, with a few more I omit, were attended with such force to her
-master’s mind, that he gave up with a whining tone, and said “He may
-have her;” so I hired her, and took her away the same day. After the
-year was out I went to pay him his money for her hire, and it being on
-a meeting day, some friends there who saw me pay the money, said to me,
-“you had better buy your wife at once;” her master answered, “I want
-him to buy her:” then they insisted on knowing his price; he said, “a
-hundred dollars, and give in all the hire;” which was fifty dollars
-less than ever he had mentioned before: I then said I would undertake
-it: then they insisted we should have it in writing, and we had it so.
-Thus I entered purchase of my wife, one hundred and three dollars and
-a third, which is thirty one pounds Virginia money. When the articles
-were drawn, I desired the writer to put down what was paid, and what
-was due; and then went on working and paying, until I had paid all but
-forty dollars and four-pence.
-
-But here I will mention a remarkable circumstance: I grew uneasy about
-my wife and me living together without being married; and while I was
-studying how to bring it about, a tradition arose in the methodist
-church, to turn out all free members, that lived together as man and
-wife without being married: at the same time, preaching being held
-at her master’s house, the day came round for meeting; after public
-meeting, the class was called, when to my great surprise, the preacher
-asked me if I was free? I answered “yes:” he asked “if I had a wife?” I
-said “yes:” he asked, “are you married?” I answered “no:” he asked “if
-my wife was free?” I said “no, not properly so:” he asked “who had any
-claim on her?” the class leader said “Brother Melson:” the preacher
-asked me “if I was willing to be married?” I answered “yes,” and added,
-“I had been concerned about it, but did not know how to bring it to
-pass:” the preacher said, “it is easy driving when we are willing;”
-and then, before the society, added his reason as above, and said, “I
-suppose Brother Melson will have no objection.” Melson, her master,
-answered, “they may be married, and welcome, for what I care:” then
-said the preacher, “you can just give him an instrument to the clerk
-of the court, and he can get a licence and be married, and finish your
-business afterwards:” he then wrote to the same effect, and I went and
-got a licence, and we were married according to law.
-
-Now the reader may take notice, that when we bargained, her master
-agreed to free her upon my paying him his money, or give me a bill
-of sale to empower me to free her; but after I had paid him about
-sixty-three dollars, he then took pet, and said “he would take her
-away, without I paid him all,” which was forty dollars and four-pence
-due: now he had given me receipts for all the money I had paid him,
-but no bill of sale or freedom. By this time my wife had one child
-after we bargained: he said he “would have the negroes or money;” but
-we being married, according to law, it made her mine; and the Judge of
-the court told me, “that her master could not get her, nor any more
-money:” but I felt easiest to do according to bargain, if he would
-fulfil according to agreement: but it was with great difficulty I got
-him to fix the business; when done, then I paid him, and then she was
-manumitted free, and I desired rest.
-
-But I had one child in bondage, my only son, my first-born son; and
-having worked through the purchase of myself and wife, I thought I
-would give up my son, to the ordering of divine providence. So we
-worked on and got to farming, and were favoured, so that we did not
-fall through in twelve or thirteen years, renting land, and paying up,
-and keeping clear of the world.
-
-Now the reader may take notice, that as I was going on thus, my son’s
-master died; and his property had to be sold, and my son had to be
-sold, as the other property, at public sale: the back-woods-men being
-come over, and giving such large prices for slaves, it occasioned a
-great concern to come over my mind; and I began to tell my concern to
-some friends, white and coloured, rich and poor; and they all with one
-accord persuaded me to buy him, that is, my son: I answered I could
-have no heart, because he was appraised at the death of his master at
-four hundred dollars; it being the latter end of the war in America,
-1813, and the times dark and dull, I was much afraid to attempt to buy
-him: but I told my friends what was like to befal me, that when my son
-was nine months old, then I was sent away from him, as I told the
-reader in the beginning of my journal, and then I went through a fit of
-distress, and now he is like to be sent away from me, and then I shall
-have to go through another fit, and it will seem like double trouble:
-but my friends and neighbours continued pressing it on me, to meet the
-day of sale, and buy him; and finally I concluded to do it, and met the
-day of sale.
-
-Then the crier made a noise in the court yard, before the court house
-door, and said, “a likely young negro fellow for sale,” and then asked
-for a bid; the second time he asked for a bid, I bid two hundred
-dollars, which was half what he was appraised to, at the death of
-his master. As soon as ever I had bid two hundred dollars, the man,
-I feared would buy and sell him to the back-country men, bid three
-hundred and thirty three dollars and a third, which was thirty-three
-dollars and a third more than I had intended to bid, which beat down
-all my courage. But a thought struck me, don’t give out so, so don’t;
-so I bid a shilling: then the same man bid twenty dollars, which was
-three hundred and fifty-four dollars: at that I sighed, and thought
-I must give him up, and let him go; but a thought came into my mind,
-to bid one time more, and not bid any more, if he went to the West
-Indies: so I bid a cent; but the crier said, no Solomon, not a cent,
-a shilling: well says I, let it go. As soon as my bid was confirmed,
-the same man went on, and I gave up then. My son had chosen a master,
-a justice of peace in town, said to be a good master, who had promised
-me before the sale began, that if he saw me give up, he would try and
-buy him; so he began and moved him up to three hundred and fifty-seven
-dollars, then he gave up. Then three great men, who had agreed to be
-my securities, were standing by; one of them was a methodist preacher,
-very rich; he looked at me as if he pitied me, and when he saw my son
-was likely to go off the wrong way, he says, “three shillings;” and
-when he spoke I cried, and turned off, and went and leaned against the
-court house, under a weight of concern; and as I was considering, that
-word came into my mind, “this is their hour and the power of darkness,”
-so I gave him up then. Now it did appear, the very moment I gave him
-up, and hope left me, then help came; for it pleased the Most High, who
-pitieth every sorrowful soul, in the riches of his mercy, to look on
-two young men that were acquainted with me, and to touch their hearts
-with such a sense of sympathy and pity towards my case, that they could
-not endure; and the dear young neighbour man, a great man’s son, says
-to my young master, who were both standing in the ring looking on, he
-says, “I had rather give twenty dollars out of my own pocket, than
-Solomon should not get him; but if Solomon will bid once more, I will
-give him four dollars:” my young master answered, “if you will give him
-five dollars, I will give him five dollars,” and says, “let us go and
-tell him;” so they both came to me, as I was leaning against the court
-house wall, and said in a moving tone, “Solomon, if you will bid one
-more bid, we will give you five dollars a piece;” I turned round and
-says, “a shilling,” which was a shilling upon three hundred and sixty
-dollars. Then a great man said, “there, let the old man have him, he
-is his son, he wants him, he can get security;” they kept at that till
-the switch went down; so he was knocked off to me at three hundred and
-sixty dollars and a shilling. Then the tender-hearted young man, that
-first proposed to my young master, went into the store, and brought
-five round silver dollars, and gave to me in the office, where I went
-to sign the bond; then three of my securities agreed upon the spot, to
-make me up twenty dollars at the day of payment.
-
-By this time I got raised up from my sadness, and went out after I
-had signed the bond, so much revived and clothed with such a spirit
-of faith and courage, believing a way would be opened for me to get
-through, though I could not tell how; but as I came out of the office,
-I met the executor and administrator who said to me, “well, Solomon,
-you have got Spence after all;” I said, “yes, master George, but I
-gave up, and if it had not been for those men who pitied me, and who
-did as they did, I never should have got him, and now what will you
-give me?” He put his hand into his pocket, and pulled out a round
-silver dollar and gave me, which caused me to rejoice more for that
-one dollar, than for the twenty dollars promised me just before in
-the office: and now I will give the reader my reason why I rejoiced
-more for the one than for the twenty dollars; because two days before
-the sale, he, the executor and administrator, offered a challenge to
-me and to them I trusted in, touching the sale of my son; now as he
-was the first that put me in heart to try to buy my son, I thought it
-right, two days before the sale, to go to him and hear what he had to
-say to me; and when I got there, he says, “well Solomon, where are you
-going?” I said, “I am come down to meet the day of sale;” he said,
-“well, what are you going to do?” I answered, I want to buy my son if I
-can; he says, “you do?” and added, “you will have a hard time of it;” I
-answered, “I have been thinking so;” he says, “Solomon, there are four
-men who say they will give four hundred dollars for your son;” then
-says I “they will get him;” he says, “Solomon what are you willing to
-give?” I answered, “not more than two hundred and fifty dollars;” he
-says, “you will not get him for that, but I suppose you are so much in
-favour with the people, nobody will bid against you; but if nobody
-will bid against you, I will; you need not think you are going to get
-him for nothing,” and he seemed angry; then I was very sad at that
-saying, and says, “master George, you was the very first man that put
-me in heart, and now you seem to put me out of heart;” then he, in an
-angry gust of manner, said, “well Solomon, try your faith, and added,
-you remember the birds, and how you exercised faith, and was delivered;
-now try your faith;” as though he felt as if he could defy the armies
-of the living God: but when he gave me the dollar, then I thought of
-the challenge “now try your faith.” I then believed, that God could
-work and none could hinder him: although it appeared this man had done
-what he could, to bring me into that difficulty, yet, when through the
-goodness of the Highest I was encouraged, as above described, and being
-brought down as it were to nothing before the Lord, I was enabled to
-ask him in such a way that his hand and heart appeared to be opened,
-so that he gave me that dollar, for which I rejoiced more than for the
-twenty dollars promised me just before, as above stated: then was I
-enabled to sing aloud the praises of our king in spirit and in truth,
-who ever sits above, till all his foes submit and bow to his command,
-and fall beneath his feet: I confess the eyes of my mind appeared to
-be dazzled, as I was let into a sight of the great goodness of the
-Highest in undertaking for me: but Oh! reader, I felt a fear, lest
-my behaviour should not be suitable to the kindness and favour shewed
-towards me.
-
-Now there was an impression on my mind, that the Father of Mercy
-would do greater things for me, for his own honour and praise, and
-my everlasting advantage, if my behaviour was right before him: it
-was impressed on my mind, that he was unchangeable in his purposes
-and designs, which are to set the captive souls at liberty, if they
-will follow him in the path of obedience; and no degrees of grace
-will destroy man’s capability of choosing, whether he will do right
-or wrong; doing right gives a secret satisfaction to the mind; but
-doing wrong is followed by a secret uneasiness, because God will be
-a swift witness against the wrong, and will justify what is right in
-man’s words and deeds, when done with right views. Oh! that all men
-would study the end of their creation, and act accordingly; then they
-would walk in the light of his countenance indeed, and “in his name
-they would rejoice all the day, and in his righteousness for ever be
-exalted;”
-
-
- “Then should their sun in smiles decline,
- “And bring a peaceful night;”
-
-
-which, may all who read these lines, desire, seek, and obtain, through
-Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, and Amen.
-
-
-
-
-EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO R. H.;
-
- _dated, Cambden, 1st of 2nd month, 1824_.
-
- “ESTEEMED FRIEND,
-
- “I received thy[1] book and pens, with a letter unsealed,
- yesterday, dated 1st month, 17th, 1824, requesting some account
- of my deceased mother and daughters. Dear Robert, thy letter
- discovered a sign of generosity, or concern, for the good of all
- people; and this concern enables thee to be condescending to men
- of low estate; wherefore I pray, that the condescending grace of
- God, that has begun with thee, may continue with thee, all the
- days of thy life; and that through the all-sufficient merits of
- Christ, both thee and thy family, all may be brought to Sion’s
- hill; and that you may be enabled to join the blessed company, to
- sing redeeming love, for ever and ever, Amen.
-
- “If thou go home to England, then I shall see thee no more; but
- I trust to see you in the land of rest, where partings are no
- more, * * * * * the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with your
- spirits. Amen.
-
- “SOLOMON BAYLEY.”
-
-
-I now proceed to give some brief account of the nativity, life, and
-death, of my mother. She was born of a Guinea Woman, who was brought
-from Guinea about the year 1690, as near as I can guess; and said to be
-about eleven years old when brought to America. But oh! how different
-is the situation of things, towards the coloured people since that day;
-the Lord certainly is at work in the rising generations, to have more
-pity and compassion than in ages past. My Grandmother was bought into
-one of the most barbarous families of that day; and although treated
-hard, was said to have fifteen sons and daughters: she lived to a great
-age, until she appeared weary of life.
-
-My mother had thirteen sons and daughters; she served the same cruel
-family, until they died. Then great distress and dispersion took place:
-our young mistress married, and brought our family, out of the state
-of Virginia, into the state of Delaware. After some years, her husband
-removed back into Virginia: after that law took place against moving
-slaves, which entitled all of us to freedom; we made a move to recover
-it by that law, but we soon were all sold and scattered very wide
-apart, some to the east, and some west, north, and south. My father and
-mother they pretended to set free, to stop a trial in court, and after
-they had been free about eleven months, they came upon them unawares;
-my father Abner, sister Margaret, and brother Abner, were taken in the
-night, and carried to Long Island, one of the West India Islands, and
-sold to Abner Stephen; he has sent two letters here, or we never should
-have known what had become of them.
-
-On the same night as above cited, my mother being in the house, they
-meant to take her; but she made an excuse to go out at the door,
-and ran and left her sucking child, and her two other children, and
-her husband my father: now it being winter time, the child cried;
-they therefore left it and carried away my father and the other two
-children. Then some friend took the child and carried it to mother;
-then mother took her son about eleven months old, and travelled near a
-hundred miles from the State of Virginia to Dover in Kent County, State
-of Delaware; and from thence to New Jersey.
-
-In this time she testified she experienced great affliction both of
-body and mind; but at length, like Hagar, she was enabled to see Him
-who had seen her in all her affliction, and not only to see him in
-the works of creation, but also in the works of his providence; and
-her mind was enlightened to see into the nature and largeness of her
-sins. She also testified, that the view of eternity and of eternal
-consequences, so distressed her mind, that it swallowed up her present
-distress, and so she was induced to give up the lesser, and attend
-to the greater; namely, to find peace and rest in the life to come:
-she was enabled to go on in search after truth, until she experienced
-peace of mind, and evidence of pardon for all her sins, which was her
-greatest concern till death.
-
-Now the number of years that we were parted, mother and I, was about
-eighteen; except that once in a great hurry, I travelled more than a
-hundred miles to see her; at the same time I left keeping of a saw
-mill, my wife, and young child about a mouth old, and taking with me
-seventeen or eighteen dollars, which all became a sacrifice with my
-time, to the relief of my mother; but I was favoured to find that
-satisfaction, which I esteemed more than time or money.
-
-Now it came to pass after eighteen years, my mind was visited with a
-concern to go to Africa, after that Paul Cuffee had been there, and
-brought good tidings from that place;[2] therefore I thought it good
-to put out my children in good families, where they could get some
-schooling, and learn how to work, and then get my wife in with some
-good sort of people; and being advised to wait till it should seem
-proper to recommend me to that service, I thought it right to engage in
-some profitable business, and was hired to attend a mill; in which time
-the case of my mother came before me, and I sent for her to the State
-of Delaware from New Jersey; and when brought together, it was indeed
-like heaven on earth begun; we could sit and tell of the dangers and
-difficulties we had been brought through; so my mother was favoured to
-end her days with me: she, like my grandmother lived to a great age,
-and appeared weary of affliction, and of this troublesome world; her
-mind became disordered; she desired a short illness, which was granted;
-she died the third day after she was taken sick, with very little
-complaint or struggle; but was thought to have fallen asleep.
-
-FOOTNOTES:
-
-[1] The reader will observe, that Solomon frequently makes use of the
-pronoun “thee,” when addressing an individual; this occurs simply from
-the circumstance, that it is a mode of speech not unusual in some parts
-of America, with people of different denominations; and does not arise
-from any connexion that he has ever had with the society of friends.
-
-R. H.
-
-[2] This concern was doubtless of a religious character: the death of
-the pious and enterprising Paul Cuffee, was the probable cause of the
-visit being relinquished.
-
-R. H.
-
-
-
-
-A BRIEF ACCOUNT
-
-OF MY
-
-ELDEST DAUGHTER, MARGARET BAYLEY,
-
-_Who died in the twenty-fourth year of her age_.
-
-
-She was a pleasant child in her manners and behaviour, yet fond of gay
-dress and new fashions; yet her mind was much inclined to her book, and
-to read good lessons.
-
-And it pleased the Father of mercy to open her understanding, to see
-excellent things out of his law, and to convince her that it was his
-will she should be holy here and happy hereafter; but custom, habit,
-and shame, seemed to chain her down, so that she appeared like one that
-was halting between two opinions.
-
-But about a month before she was taken for death, she went to Meeting
-under a concern about her future state; and the Meeting appeared to
-be favoured with the out pouring of the spirit of love, and of power:
-Margaret came home under great concern of mind, and manifested a
-wonderful change in her manners and behaviour; I believe the whole
-family were affected at the sight of the alteration, which indeed
-appeared like that of the prodigal son coming home to his father; for
-my own part I felt fear and great joy; such was her delight to read
-the Bible, and ask the meaning of certain texts of Scripture, which
-evidenced a concern to make sure work for eternity.
-
-In this frame of mind she was taken for death; she appeared very
-desirous to live for the first four weeks, but was very patient, and
-of a sweet temper and disposition all the time: I recollect but one
-instance when she was known to give way to peevish fretfulness; then
-I, feeling the evil spirit striving to get the advantage of her, very
-tenderly and earnestly admonished her not to regard trifles, but to
-look to that power which was able to save her; and from that time she
-became passive and resigned.
-
-The following two weeks her pain was great, and baffled all the force
-of medicine: a few days before her departure, she was urged with much
-brokenness of heart to make confession; when she was let into a view
-of the vanity of the world, with all its glittering snares; and said,
-she could not rest till her hair was cut off; for she said, “I was
-persuaded to plait my hair against my father’s advice, and I used to
-tie up my head when father would come to see me, and hide ruffles and
-gay dress from him, and now I cannot rest till my hair is cut off.” I
-said, “no, my daughter, let it be till thee gets well:” she answered,
-“Oh! no, cut it now:” so I to pacify her took and cropped it.
-
-After this she appeared filled with raptures of joy, and talked of
-going, as if death had lost its sting; this was about three days before
-her departure; she seemed to have her senses as long as she could
-speak: a little before her speech left her, she called us all, one by
-one, held out her hand, bade us farewell, and looked as if she felt
-that assurance and peace that destroyed the fear of death; and while
-she held out her hands, she earnestly charged us to meet her in heaven.
-
-Thus ends the account of Margaret Bayley, daughter of Solomon and
-Thamar Bayley, who departed this life the 26th of the 3rd month, 1821,
-aged twenty-three years, eleven months, and twenty-eight days.
-
-
-TO THE PIOUS READER.
-
- _I desire to give the pious, a brief account of the life and death
- of my youngest daughter, Leah Bayley, who departed this life the
- 27th of the 7th month, 1821, aged twenty-one years, six months,
- and one day._
-
-
-She, from a child, was more weak and sickly than her sister Margaret,
-and the thought of leaving her here in this ill-natured world caused
-me many serious moments; but the great Parent of all good, in the
-greatness of his care, took her away, and relieved me of the care of
-her for ever.
-
-Weakness of body and mind appeared in her as she grew up; and an
-inclination to vanity and idleness; but being bound out under an
-industrious mistress, to learn to work and to have schooling, her mind
-soon became much inclined to her book and then to business. Her school
-mistress gave her a little book, concerning some pious young people
-that lived happily and died happily, and were gone to heaven: namely,
-
-
- Young Samuel, that little child,
- Who served the Lord, liv’d undefiled.
- Like young Abijah I must be,
- That good things may be found in me.
- Young Timothy, that blessed youth,
- Who sought the Lord and loved the truth.
- I must not sin as others do
- Lest I lie down in sorrow too.
-
-
-These blessed examples won her heart, so as to bury every other
-enjoyment: she seemed to possess as great a deadness to the world, as
-any young woman I ever observed: she seemed not ashamed to read in
-any company, white or coloured; and she read to the sick with intense
-desire, which appeared from her weeping, and solid manner of behaviour.
-She seemed to desire to walk in the fear of the Lord all the day long:
-every body that observed her, remarked her serious steady behaviour;
-she seemed as if she was trying to imitate those good children whom she
-read about; and so continued until she was taken sick; and although
-her sickness was long and sharp, yet she bore it like a lamb.
-
-A few days before her decease, I was noticing how hard she drew her
-breath: she looked very wistful at me, and said, “O! father, how much
-I do suffer:” I answered, “yes, my dear, I believe thee does:” then,
-after a long pause, she said, “but I think I never shall say I suffer
-too much:” this I apprehend was extorted from a view of the sufferings
-of Christ, and her own imperfections: this was about three days before
-her decease. The day she died, she called us all, one by one, and like
-her sister Margaret, held out her hand, and with much composure of mind
-bade us farewell, as if she was only going a short walk, and to return.
-
-
-
-
-EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO R. H.
-
- _Dated 3rd month 26th, 1824._
-
- “I thank thee, dear Robert, for spending a thought
- on so poor and unworthy a thing as I am; but I especially thank
- your God and my God, for putting it into thy heart to enquire
- anything about the work of grace on my mind. I trust it is with
- gratitude I now write onto thee of my call to the ministry: and
- first I may say,
-
-
- “God works in a mysterious way,”
- “His wonders to perform.”
-
-
- “Secondly, he knows how to get himself honour and praise by the
- most feeble; for to undertake to make such a creature as I am,
- work in his vineyard, was amazing to me; but there was a great
- work to do, to make me fit for anything at all; surely he called
- me oftener than he did Samuel, when he was a child: but after I
- was savingly converted to God, he was pleased to pour into my
- heart a measure of his universal love; and when my heart was
- filled with love towards God, and good will towards all mankind;
- then a longing desire that all people might taste and see the
- riches of his grace, continued with me day and night; then a
- strong impression to go in the fear of the Lord and speak to men
- of all descriptions, seemed to be required of me.
-
- “But Oh! dear friend, after my mind was thus prepared, I had a
- great warfare and strife; first, with man-fear, and a man-pleasing
- spirit, then with shame, desire of praise, and a good name.
-
- “Now, dear friend, in this exercise of mind there were some
- scriptures came into my mind, to encourage and strengthen me; such
- as, the II. Corinthians, xii. 9--II. Kings, v. 4--I. Corinthians,
- i. 21, 27, 28, and chapter xi. 3. also chapter ix. 16, 22--II.
- Corinthians, xi. 29--Daniel xii. 3--Isaiah vi. 5--Jeremiah i.
- 6--John i. 15, and chapter iii. 2--Hebrews xi. 34; all these
- scriptures mightily helped to encourage me to go forward in
- speaking to a dying people, the words of eternal life. Oh! what
- an affecting view of the worth of souls, came into my mind; and
- I thought, if I could be made instrumental in the hand of the
- Lord, in saving one soul, it would be matter of rejoining to all
- eternity. So I went out trusting in the Lord; but I should soon
- have fainted in mind, if it had not been for the encouragement I
- met with, both from God and man. Now to Him that sits upon the
- throne be honour and praise, world without end. Amen.
-
- “With good wishes to thee and thine, I conclude, thy friend,
-
- “SOLOMON BAYLEY.”
-
-
-YOUNGMAN, PRINTER, WITHAM AND MALDON.
-
-*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A NARRATIVE OF SOME REMARKABLE
-INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF SOLOMON BAYLEY ***
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-<div style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Narrative of Some Remarkable Incidents in the Life of Solomon Bayley, by Solomon Bayley</div>
-
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-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
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-<table style='min-width:0; padding:0; margin-left:0; border-collapse:collapse'>
- <tr><td>Title:</td><td>A Narrative of Some Remarkable Incidents in the Life of Solomon Bayley</td></tr>
- <tr><td></td><td>Formerly a Slave, in the State of Delaware, North America</td></tr>
-</table>
-
-<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Solomon Bayley</div>
-
-<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: April 08, 2021 [eBook #65027]</div>
-
-<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div>
-
-<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div>
-
-<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Nick Wall, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Books project.)</div>
-
-<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A NARRATIVE OF SOME REMARKABLE INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF SOLOMON BAYLEY ***</div>
-
-<div class="center"><img src="images/front.jpg" alt="title page" /></div>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[Pg i]</a></span></p>
-
-
-<p class="bold">A</p>
-
-<p class="bold2">NARRATIVE</p>
-
-<p class="bold">OF SOME REMARKABLE INCIDENTS,</p>
-
-<p class="bold">In the Life of</p>
-
-<h1>SOLOMON BAYLEY,</h1>
-
-<p class="bold">FORMERLY</p>
-
-<p class="bold2">A SLAVE,</p>
-
-<p class="bold">IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, NORTH AMERICA;</p>
-
-<p class="bold2">WRITTEN BY HIMSELF,</p>
-
-<p class="bold">AND PUBLISHED FOR HIS BENEFIT;</p>
-
-<p class="bold">TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED, A FEW REMARKS BY</p>
-
-<p class="bold2">ROBERT HURNARD.</p>
-
-<hr class="smler" />
-
-<p class="bold">&#8220;Persecuted but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.&#8221;&mdash;II. Cor.
-iv. 9.</p>
-
-<hr class="smler" />
-
-<p class="bold">LONDON:<br />PRINTED FOR<br />HARVEY AND DARTON, GRACECHURCH STREET;<br />W. BAYNES &amp;
-SON, PATERNOSTER-ROW;<br />AND P. YOUNGMAN, WITHAM AND MALDON.<br />1825.</p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[Pg ii]</a></span></p>
-
-<hr class="smler" />
-
-<p class="center">WITHAM AND MALDON:<br />PRINTED BY P. YOUNGMAN.</p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</a></span></p>
-
-<h2>PREFACE.</h2>
-
-<hr class="smler" />
-
-<p>In presenting the following fragments to the attention of the public,
-it appears necessary to state the manner in which they came into my
-possession, and to give the reader a brief account of the Author,
-Solomon Bayley.</p>
-
-<p>During the early part of my residence in America in the year 1820, I
-met with the piece containing the account of his escape from slavery,
-with the mental and bodily trials he underwent, resulting from that
-step: being much interested in the perusal of this simple and unadorned
-narrative, I was induced to make some inquiry into the character and
-circumstances of a man, the recital of whose sufferings and wrongs had
-deeply excited my sympathy. The information which, in consequence,
-I obtained from many respectable inhabitants of Wilmington, where
-I then resided, was in all respects gratifying, so far as related
-to his character; and was, besides, such as to induce a hope that
-his situation in life was about to become comparatively easy and
-independent. </p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</a></span></p>
-
-<p>I learned that at one period of his life he had been instructed in the
-business of a cooper, and for some time had wrought at that trade;
-but feeling some scruples in his mind with regard to following an
-occupation which he believed had a tendency, though a remote one, to
-promote the sale and consumption of ardent spirits, he conscientiously
-forsook that employment, under the persuasion that the frequent
-and indiscriminate use of distilled spirituous liquors, had proved
-as injurious to the moral and religious growth of society, as it
-was admitted to be subversive of health, and the bane of domestic
-happiness. He then engaged himself as a labourer in husbandry; and
-while deriving his support from this employment, he one day happened to
-meet with the Governor of the State of Delaware; and believing it to be
-his duty to speak to him on the great responsibility of the station in
-which he was placed, and on the importance of a faithful occupation of
-the talents committed to his charge, the worthy Governor was so well
-pleased with his communication, that he shortly after promoted Solomon
-to the oversight of one of his farms, admitting him as a joint sharer
-with himself in the profits. This mode of farming, which requires<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span>
-great confidence on one side, and skill and industry on the other, is
-not uncommon in America; the landlord usually finding all the necessary
-implements and stocking the farm, and the tenant, the requisite labour
-to manage the concern. But I subsequently learned that he did not long
-enjoy the above mentioned situation, as the Governor was soon after
-removed by death. He then engaged himself in the employment of a person
-at Camden, where with his wife he now resides.&mdash;Solomon was moreover
-described to be estimable as a religious character, remarkably humble,
-patient of wrong, poor as to worldly possessions, but rich in faith and
-in many other christian virtues: such was the account which was given
-me of this extraordinary man.</p>
-
-<p>Feeling a strong inclination to see and converse with one, whom, from
-the description of his character, I already esteemed; I requested a
-friend who had known him many years, and whom he sometimes visited,
-to introduce me to his acquaintance, when he should next come to
-Wilmington; this he did, and on a more intimate knowledge obtained in
-subsequent interviews, the favourable sentiments I at first conceived
-of his integrity<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span> and worth, were fully and satisfactorily confirmed,
-heightened as they were, by his solid instructive conversation, and I
-may add, the just sense he appeared to entertain of divine things.</p>
-
-<p>It was in some of these interviews, that among other circumstances of
-his life, he related the affecting account of the sale and purchase
-of his only son, whom he afterwards lost by death; he also mentioned
-several particulars of his two daughters, whom he had placed out in the
-service of respectable families, but who, on account of ill health,
-had returned home, and died within a short period of each other.
-While narrating in my family the particulars of these severe domestic
-bereavements, which he did with great feeling and sensibility, it
-was evident that he was no stranger to the source from whence true
-consolation is derived.</p>
-
-<p>In common with my brethren of the same religious profession, and
-with many philanthropists of other persuasions, I had long felt a
-warm interest towards the descendants of Africa generally: but the
-peculiar regard which was awakened in my mind, towards this deserving
-individual, made<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span> me anxious to obtain more of his history, especially
-when I had a prospect of returning to my native country. I therefore
-determined to obtain from him as much of it as he should be free to
-communicate, and wrote to him two or three times on the subject.
-We lived fifty miles apart, and my avocations, as well as his,
-precluded our meeting again. I wished to possess it in his own simple,
-unvarnished style; but Solomon being a self-taught penman, and ignorant
-of orthography, though willing to oblige me if he could, made many
-objections on the ground of his incapacity and the advanced period of
-his life: he was, however, at length induced to comply with my request,
-and in a while forwarded me such parts as I had particularly requested.</p>
-
-<p>I cannot but regret that the manuscript is so disjointed and
-incomplete, being written and forwarded to me at different times; but
-imperfect as it is, it appeared too interesting and valuable, to be
-restricted to the circle of my own acquaintance; and I offer it to a
-candid public, presuming that every indulgence on this score will be
-granted to a man, whose life has been chiefly spent in slavery and
-servitude. </p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span></p>
-
-<p>Solomon is in connexion with that body of Christians, called
-Methodists; and my last communication from him, sufficiently evinces
-on what grounds he has believed himself called to the ministry. From
-the general tenor of his writings, and from this letter in particular,
-I leave the serious reader to form his own judgment, whether he be not
-rightly called and qualified to be engaged in that important service.</p>
-
-<p>I wish it to be understood, that it is intended to transmit the whole
-of the profits of the publication to America, for the benefit of the
-aged couple; and I hope the friends of humanity generally, will, for
-this purpose, assist in promoting an extensive circulation of the
-tract; by so doing, they will also contribute to place <span class="smcap">Slavery</span>
-in a new and appalling light.</p>
-
-<p>This narrative discloses the melancholy and incontrovertible fact,
-that the rights of Slaves are shamefully invaded in a country, where a
-man is suffered to go unpunished, who has dared to sell and transport
-those, who are legally entitled to their freedom, by his own voluntary
-act: and if such be the case in America, notwithstanding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</a></span> all the
-vigilance of her abolition societies, it may be asked, what presumption
-have the friends of this injured people to hope, that any real benefit
-can result from the tardy and temporizing measures, which have been
-introduced into the British West India Colonies, where no public bodies
-are organised to take cognizance of their wrongs.</p>
-
-<p>A period of nearly twenty years has elapsed, during which the friends
-of gradual manumission have been lulled by hope, and cheated by
-disappointed expectation; and when it is considered, that at this
-moment England retains nearly eight hundred thousand human beings, and
-America more than fifteen hundred thousand, in this cruel state of
-bondage, it remains even now a doubt, whether the present generation
-will witness the end of this aggravated evil, unless prompt and more
-vigorous measures be taken for its immediate extinction.</p>
-
-<p class="right">R. HURNARD.</p>
-
-<p><span class="smcap">Kelvedon, Essex,<br />&nbsp; &nbsp;1st month, 1825.</span></p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p>
-
-<h2>NARRATIVE, &amp;c.</h2>
-
-<hr class="smler" />
-
-<p>Solomon Bayley, unto all people, and nations, and languages, grace be
-unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.</p>
-
-<p>Having lived some months in continual expectation of death, I have
-felt uneasy in mind about leaving the world, without leaving behind
-me some account of the kindness and mercy of God towards me. But when
-I go to tell of his favours, I am struck with wonder at the exceeding
-riches Of his grace. O! that all people would come to admire him for
-his goodness, and declare his wonders which he doth for the children
-of men. The Lord tried to teach me his fear when I was a little boy;
-but I delighted in vanity and foolishness, and went astray. But the
-Lord found out a way to overcome me, and to cause me to desire his
-favour, and his great help; and although I thought no one could be more
-unworthy of his favour, yet he did look on me, and pitied me in my
-great distress.</p>
-
-<p>I was born a slave in the state of Delaware, and was one of those
-slaves that were carried out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> of Delaware into the state of Virginia;
-and the laws of Delaware did say, that slaves carried out of that state
-should be free; whereupon I moved to recover my freedom. I employed
-lawyers, and went to court two days, to have a suit brought to obtain
-my freedom. After court I went home to stay until the next court, which
-was about six weeks off. But two days before the court was to sit, I
-was taken up and put on board of a vessel out of Hunting Creek, bound
-to Richmond, on the western shore of Virginia, and there put into
-Richmond jail, and irons were put on me; and I was brought very low. In
-my distress I was often visited with some symptoms of distraction. At
-length I was taken out of jail, and put into one of the back country
-waggons, to go toward the going down of the sun. Now consider, how
-great my distress must have been, being carried from my wife and
-children, and from my natural place, and from my chance for freedom.</p>
-
-<p>On the third day my distress was bitter, and I cried out in my heart,
-&#8216;I am past all hope:&#8217; and the moment I said I was past all hope,
-it pleased the father of all mercy to look on me, and he sent a
-strengthening thought into my heart, which was this: that he that made
-the heavens and the earth, was able to deliver me. I looked up to the
-sky, and then to the trees and ground, and I believed in a moment, that
-if he could make<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> all these, he was able to deliver me. Then did that
-scripture come into my mind, which I had heard before, and that was,
-&#8220;they that trust in the Lord, shall never be confounded.&#8221; I believed
-that was a true word, and I wanted to try that word, and got out of the
-waggon; but I thought I was not fit to lay hold of the promise: yet
-another thought came into my mind, and that was, that I did not know
-to what bounds his mercy would extend. I then made haste and got out
-of the waggon, and went into the bushes; I squatted down to see what
-would follow. Now there were three waggons in company, and four white
-people; they soon missed me, and took out one of the horses and rode
-back, and were gone about three-quarters of an hour, and then returned,
-and put the horse in the waggon again, and went on their way; and that
-was the last I ever saw or heard of them. I sat still where I was till
-night, and then walked out into the road and looked up to the sky,
-and I felt very desolate. Oh! the bitterness of distress which I then
-felt, for having sinned against God; whom if I had been careful to obey
-in all things, he would have spared me all my troubles. Oh! it is a
-dangerous thing to cast off fear, and to restrain prayer before God. If
-we do that which we believe will please him, with a desire to obtain
-his favour, it is a real prayer; but if we do, or say, that which we
-believe will displease<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> him, that is to cast off fear, and to restrain
-prayer before him.</p>
-
-<p>When night came and I walked out of the bushes, I felt very awful. I
-set off to walk homewards, but soon was chased by dogs, at the same
-house where the man told the waggoner he had taken up a runaway three
-days before. But it pleased the highest, to send out a dreadful wind,
-with thunder and lightning, and rain; which was the means by which I
-escaped, as I then thought, as I travelled along that night. Next day
-I was taken with the dysentery, which came on so bad, I thought I must
-die; but I obtained great favour, and kept on my feet, and so I got
-down to Richmond; but had liked to have been twice taken, for twice I
-was pursued by dogs.</p>
-
-<p>But after I got to Richmond, a coloured man pretended to be my
-friend, and then sent white people to take me up; but a little while
-before they came, it came expressly into my mind, that he would prove
-treacherous and betray me. I obeyed the impression immediately, and
-left the place I was in, and presently there came with clubs to take
-me, as it did appear, two white men and a coloured man. When I saw them
-I was in an hollow place on the ground, not far from where the coloured
-man left me: at sight of them I was struck with horror and fear, and
-the fear that came into my soul, took such an <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span>impression on my animal
-frame, that I felt very weak: I cried to the Maker of heaven and earth
-to save me, and he did so. I lay there and prayed to the Lord, and
-broke persimmon tree bushes, and covered myself: when night came on, I
-felt as if the great God had heard my cry. Oh! how marvellous is his
-loving kindness toward men of every description and complexion. Though
-he is high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly, and will hear the cry
-of the distressed when they call upon him, and will make known his
-goodness and his power.</p>
-
-<p>I lay there till night, and then with great fear I went into the town
-of Richmond, and enquired the way over the river to go to Petersburgh,
-where I staid near three weeks, in which time, severe and painful were
-my exercises: I appeared to be shut up in such a straight case, I could
-not see which way to take. I tried to pray to the Lord for several
-days together, that he would be pleased to open some way for me to get
-along. And I do remember, that when I was brought to the very lowest,
-suddenly a way appeared, and I believe it was in the ordering of a good
-providence.</p>
-
-<p>It was so; there came a poor distressed coloured man to the same house
-where I had taken refuge: we both agreed to take a craft, and go down
-James&#8217; River, which was attended with great difficulty, for we met
-with strict <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span>examination twice, and narrowly escaped; we had like to
-have been drowned twice, once in the river, and once in the bay. But
-how unable were we to offer unto God that tribute of praise due to his
-name, for the miracle of grace shewn to us in our deliverance! Surely
-wisdom and might are his, and all them that walk in pride he is able to
-abase. Oh!</p>
-
-<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
-<div>&#8220;Let all the world fall down and know</div>
-<div>&#8220;That none but God such power can shew.&#8221;</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-<p>We got safe over to the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, where his
-wife and mine were. And now, reader, I do not tell thee how glad I was,
-but will leave thee to judge, by supposing it had been thy own case. We
-landed near Nandew, and then started for Hunting Creek, and we found
-both our wives; but we found little or no satisfaction, for we were
-hunted like partridges on the mountains.</p>
-
-<p>My companion got to work on board of a vessel to get clams, perhaps
-to get some money to bring suit for his freedom, (as he had been sold
-like me, out of the state of Delaware,) if his master should come after
-him from the back countries, who he said, lived about three hundred
-and thirty miles from the eastern shore; but poor fellow, they went on
-board of the vessel where he had been at work, and talked of taking him
-up and putting him in jail, and of writing to his master in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> back
-countries. He was said to tell them, that he had rather die than to
-be taken and carried away from his wife again: and it was said, they
-went down into the cabin and drank, and then came up on deck and seized
-him, and in the scuffle he slipped out of their hands, and jumped
-overboard, and tried to swim to an island that was not far off; but
-they got out the tow boat and went after him, and when they overtook
-him, he would dive to escape, and still he tried to reach the island:
-but they watched their opportunity as he rose, when they struck him
-with the loom of the oar, and knocked his brains out, and he died. And
-now, reader, consider if you had been carried away from your wife and
-children, and had got back again, how hard it would seem to be, to be
-thus chased out of the world; but the great God, whose eyes behold the
-things that are equal, he continues to make such repent, either in this
-world, or in the world to come. And now, readers, you have heard of the
-end of my fellow-sufferer, but I remain as yet, a monument of mercy,
-thrown up and down on life&#8217;s tempestuous sea; sometimes feeling an
-earnest desire to go away and be at rest; but I travel on, in hopes of
-overcoming at my last combat.</p>
-
-<p>But I will go on to tell of my difficulties. After I came over the bay,
-I went to see my wife, but was still in trouble; and it was thought
-best to leave the state of Virginia and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> go to Dover, and then if my
-master came after me, to bring suit at Dover, and have a trial for my
-freedom. The distance from where I then was to Dover, was about one
-hundred and twenty miles: so I started and travelled at nights, and lay
-by in the day time. I went on northwards, with great fear and anxiety
-of mind. It abode on my mind that I should meet with some difficulty
-before I got to Dover: however I tried to study on the promises of
-the Almighty, and so travelled on until I came to a place called
-Anderson&#8217;s Cross-Roads; and there I met with the greatest trial I ever
-met with in all my distress. But the greater the trial, the greater the
-benefit, if the mind be but staid on that everlasting arm of power,
-whom the winds and the waves obey. It was so, that I called at them
-cross-roads, to enquire the way to Camden, and I thought I would go
-to the kitchen, where the black people were; but when the door was
-opened, it was a white man I saw, of a portly appearance, with a sulky
-down look. Now the day was just a breaking: he raised up out of his
-bed, and came towards the door and began to examine me, and I did not
-know what to say to him; so he soon entangled me in my own talk, and
-said, I doubt you are a lying: I said I scorn to lie; but I felt very
-weak and scared, and soon bid him farewell and started. I went some
-distance along the road, and then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> went into the woods, and leaned my
-back against a tree to study, and soon fell to sleep; and when I waked,
-the sun was up, and I said to myself, if I stand sleeping about here,
-and that man that examined me in the morning comes to look for me and
-finds me, he may tie me before I get awake; for the poor fellow that
-came across the bay with me told me, that he travelled all night, and
-in the morning he met a coloured man, and passed on, and went into the
-woods and lay down, and went to sleep; and he said there came white
-men and tied him, and waked him up to go before the justice; but so it
-was, he got away from them and found me at Petersburgh. So considering
-on what he had told me, and that man&#8217;s examining me in the morning,
-made me I did not know what to do. I concluded to look for a thick
-place and lay down, and then another thought came into my mind, and
-that was, to look for a thin place, and there lie down. So I concluded
-to do so; withal I thought to take a sally downwards, as I enquired of
-the man to go upwards, I thought by going a little downwards, would
-be a dodge, and so I should miss him: I thought this plan would do. I
-then looked for a thin place, and lay down and slept till about nine
-o&#8217;clock, and then waked; and when I awoke, I felt very strange: I said
-to myself I never felt so in all my distress: I said something was
-going to happen to me to-day.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> So I studied about my feelings until
-I fell to sleep, and when I awoke, there had come two birds near to
-me; and seeing the little strange looking birds, it roused up all my
-senses; and a thought came quick into my mind that these birds were
-sent to caution me to be away out of this naked place; that there was
-danger at hand. And as I was about to start, it came into my mind with
-great energy and force, &#8220;if you move out of this circle this day, you
-will be taken;&#8221; for I saw the birds went all round me: I asked myself
-what this meant, and the impression grew stronger, that I must stay in
-the circle which the birds made. At the same time a sight of my faults
-came before me, and a scanty sight of the highness and holiness of the
-great Creator of all things. And now, reader, I will assure thee I was
-brought very low, and I earnestly asked what I should do: and while I
-waited to be instructed, my mind was guided back to the back countries,
-where I left the waggons about sixty or seventy miles from Richmond,
-towards the sun-setting; and a question arose in my mind, how I got
-along all that way, and to see if I could believe that the great God
-had helped me notwithstanding my vileness. I said in my heart, it must
-be the Lord, or I could not have got along, and the moment I believed
-in his help, it was confirmed in my mind, if he had begun to help me,
-and if he did send those birds, he would not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> let anything come into
-the circle the birds had made; I therefore tried to confirm myself in
-the promises of God, and concluded to stay in the circle; and so being
-weary, travelling all night, I soon fell to sleep; and when I awaked,
-it was by the noise of the same man that examined me in the morning,
-and another man, an old conjuror, for so I called him. And the way they
-waked me was by their walking in the leaves, and coming right towards
-me. I was then sitting on something about nine inches high from the
-ground, and when I opened my eyes and saw them right before me, and
-I in that naked place, and the sun a shining down on me about eleven
-o&#8217;clock, I was struck with dread, but was afraid to move hand or foot:
-I sat there, and looked right at them; and thought I, here they come
-right towards me; and the first thought that struck my mind was, am I
-a going to sit here until they come and lay hands on me? I knew not
-what to do; but so it was, there stood a large tree about eleven or
-twelve yards from me, and another big tree had fallen with the top
-limbs round it: and so it was, through divine goodness, they went the
-other side of the tree, and the tree that had fallen, was between them
-and me. Then I fell down flat upon my face, on the ground; as I raised
-up my head to look, I saw the actions of this old craftsman; he had a
-stick like a surveyor&#8217;s rod; he went along following<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> his stick very
-diligently. The young man that examined me in the morning, had a large
-club, with the big end downwards, and the small end in his hand; he
-looked first one side, and then on the other: the old man kept on away
-past me about sixty yards, and then stopped; and I heard him say, &#8220;he
-h&#8217;ant gone this way.&#8221; Then he took his stick and threw it over his
-shoulder, and pointed this way and that way, until he got it right
-towards me; and then I heard him say, &#8220;come let us go this way.&#8221; Then
-he turned his course and came right towards me: then I trembled, and
-cried in my heart to the Lord, and said, what shall I do? what shall I
-do? and it was impressed on my mind immediately, &#8220;Stand still and see
-the salvation of the Lord;&#8221; the word that was spoken to the children of
-Israel when at the Red Sea. And I said in my heart, bless the Lord, O
-my soul; I will try the Lord this time. Here they come; and still that
-word sounded in my heart; &#8220;Stand still and see the salvation of the
-Lord.&#8221; They came not quite so near me as the circle the birds had made,
-when the old man sheered off, and went by me; but the young man stopped
-and looked right down on me, as I thought, and I looked right up into
-his eyes; and then he stood and looked right into my eyes, and when he
-turned away, he ran after the old man, and I thought he saw me; but
-when he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> overtook the old man, he kept on, and then I knew he had not
-seen me. Then I said, bless the Lord, he that gave sight to man&#8217;s eyes,
-hath kept him from seeing me this day: I looked up among the trees, and
-said, how dreadful is this place. I said, two great powers have met
-here this day; the power of darkness, and the power of God; and the
-power of God has overthrown the power of darkness for me a sinner. I
-thought I must jump and shout, but another thought struck my mind, that
-it was not a right time to shout; I therefore refrained. But my heart
-was overwhelmed at the sight of the goodness and power of God, and his
-gracious readiness to help the stranger in distress: though he is high,
-yet hath he respect unto the lowly. It is a solemn truth, he is nigh to
-all them that call on him, with a view to his greatness and their own
-nothingness: I felt greatly at loss to know how to adore him according
-to his excellent greatness. I said, has the maker of heaven and earth
-took my part? I said again, what could all the world do in comparison
-with him? I now believed if every body in the world was engaged against
-me, that he was able to deliver me out of their hands.</p>
-
-<p>After a while I moved out of that place, and went away to a small
-stream of water, and staid there a little while, and then went out of
-that neighbourhood. But whether I did right or not,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> I know not; for
-in moving out of that circle so quickly, I became so bewildered as to
-be quite lost, and did not know what course to take, or what to do;
-and I thought it was because my faith failed me so quickly. Oh! what
-pains God doth take to help his otherwise helpless creatures. O that
-his kindness and care were more considered and laid to heart, and then
-there would not be that cause to complain that &#8220;the ox knoweth his
-owner, and the ass his master&#8217;s crib, but Israel doth not know, my
-people doth not consider.&#8221; Oh! how marvellous is his loving-kindness
-toward people of every description, both high and low, rich and poor.
-O that all people would study to please him, for his goodness and his
-power; for his wisdom is great, and he knoweth how to deliver all those
-that look unto him, and will pass by none, no not the least of all his
-human creatures; and he will make them see that they are of more value
-than many sparrows; and that they are not their own, but that they are
-bought with a price.</p>
-
-<p>Now unto the king immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be glory and
-honour, dominion and power, now and for ever. Amen.</p>
-
-<p>After this, my understanding was opened to see for what purpose this
-last trial had happened unto me; and it was impressed on my mind
-that I had come through difficulties and troubles, in order that my
-faith and confidence might be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> tried; and that I might be made strong
-in the faith to believe that so high and holy an one, who had thus
-marvellously preserved me, would hereafter help so poor an object as
-me, out of his great mercy and condescension, and that I might be
-afraid again to sin against his majesty, who had suffered me to be thus
-sorely tried, that I might see the greatness of my past transgressions,
-and his boundless loving-kindness and mercy.</p>
-
-<p class="center space-above">END OF PART I. </p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p>
-
-<h2>SECOND PART.</h2>
-
-<hr class="smler" />
-
-<blockquote><p>[What follows, was written and communicated to me at my request,
-but without any idea on the part of the writer, of the purpose to
-which I designed it; the originals of which, if desired, may be
-seen by application to me, in order to satisfy any who might feel
-a doubt with regard to the faithfulness of the transcript. I can
-however, assure the reader, that the alterations I have ventured
-to make, have been almost altogether confined to the spelling.&mdash;R.
-H.]</p></blockquote>
-
-<hr class="smler" />
-
-<p>7th Mo. 24, 1799, I got to Camden. I will yet go on to shew the reader
-my uneasiness of mind after I got to Camden. I then thought I wanted
-a preparation to adore the goodness of God, that had begun with me in
-the back countries, and had brought me through so many difficulties;
-but with shame I must confess, I sang his praise, but soon forgot his
-works: yet the great God pitied me, and exercised a careful constant
-mind towards me, for my good: Oh! how deceitful is the heart of man.</p>
-
-<p>But not long after I got to Camden, my master came from the state of
-Virginia, to Camden, Kent County, state of Delaware, where he found me;
-whereas he had not seen me since he put me aboard of the back country
-waggon, which, as I suppose, is near three or four hundred miles<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> from
-Camden: upon first sight he asked me what I was a going to do? I says,
-how, master? he asked me, how did I think I was a going to get free, by
-running and dodging about in that manner? I said, why, master, I have
-suffered a great deal, and seen a great deal of trouble, I think you
-might let me go for little or nothing: he said, I wont do that, but I
-will give you the same chance I gave you before I sent you away; give
-me forty pounds bond and security, and you may be free: but I replied,
-I work hard at nights to get a little money to fee my lawyers, and if
-it had been right for me to be free, I ought to have been free without
-so much trouble; he asked me who I blamed for my trouble? I answered,
-I did not consider that I was to blame: Ah! said he, you can see other
-people&#8217;s faults, but cannot see your own. I said, master, you can&#8217;t
-blame me for a thing I never did; Ah! said he, my wrongs don&#8217;t make
-your&#8217;s right, and that word put me to silence; but I thought where
-the laws of the land made liberty the right of any man, he could, not
-be wrong in trying to recover it: but finally he sold me my time for
-eighty dollars and I dropped the lawsuit. I went to work, and worked it
-out in a shorter time than he gave me, and then I was free from man.</p>
-
-<p>And when I came to think that the yoke was off my neck, and how it was
-taken off, I was made to wonder, and to admire, and to adore the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> order
-of kind providence, which assisted me in all the way. But I found in me
-a disposition to wander from the path of life, and forget the favour
-bestowed upon me, and went astray too shameful to be mentioned.</p>
-
-<p>But in this lost condition there came a reasoning to me, to consider
-where I was a going, and where I should end; and to consider on the
-shortness of time, and the length of eternity: and a thought came into
-my mind, assuring me that my life was in the hand of God, and that he
-was looking for better behaviour from me; and that he was angry with me
-every day; and that he had whetted his sword, and made ready his arrows
-to shoot at me. Then my understanding began to be enlightened, to see
-my dreadful state by nature; and the more I considered on the nature
-and heinousness of my sin, both in thought, word, and deed, the more I
-was distressed in mind; but I found the sentence of death was passed
-against me, and it pressed on my mind, if I kept on going against
-light, I should soon feel the heat of the burning lake, or the misery
-of those that are driven to darkness at death. And when I considered
-the power of God, and for that power to be poured out upon me to all
-eternity, I began then to examine into my state and condition, and I
-found I had a falling spirit, prone to evil as the sparks fly upward;
-then I set myself to think how I could escape the misery that was
-coming on me.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> I considered my punishment would be as bad as those that
-went to darkness in old time: then I began to consider what God had
-done to save mankind from that fearful condition; and while I thought
-on the many ways he had taken to shew his earnest mind to save sinners,
-this consideration moderated my distress; but when I remembered my own
-ways that were not good, I felt ashamed even to lift my eyes to heaven
-to ask pardon for my sins; but the shortness of time, and the length of
-awful eternity, so arrested my mind, that I was made to realize eternal
-misery, and to cry like Jonah, as out of the belly of hell, for mercy
-and for pardon for all my sins. Oh! the thought of being amongst that
-black crew, when the Lord rains down snares, fire, and brimstone, and
-horribleness, terrified me much.</p>
-
-<p>And now, reader, I will here record that God is rich in mercy, towards
-sinners of the deepest die; for when every other method failed, to shew
-his steadfast mind to save me, he sent a little boy to me with his
-finger at a text in a sermon book, &#8220;The wicked is driven away in his
-wickedness, but the righteous hath hope in his death;&#8221; the same text I
-had heard a methodist preacher take on a funeral occasion; then that
-little boy coming to me with his finger pointing at the same in the
-sermon book, it was about noon, the people nearly all gone to meeting,
-and I reading very earnest in the Testament: I took the book and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> began
-to read, and it pleased infinite goodness to look on me from the throne
-of his highness, and being unwilling that I should perish eternally, he
-sent down his awakening power, and I was made to quake and tremble; and
-an impression abode on my mind, that God was a true, and a just, and a
-holy God, and that no unclean thing could rest in his holy habitation.
-I saw I was a sinner condemned to die, but a call reached my soul,
-&#8220;take heed that you entertain no hopes of heaven, but what are built on
-a solid foundation;&#8221; a question arose in my mind, what foundation I had
-to hope for heaven? I examined and found I had none but what was built
-on the sand, and at death I must fall into hell; which caused a cry
-to be started from my heart to my maker, what I should do? a thought
-passed through my mind to make a resolution to amend my way, and turn
-and be good, but a second thought came powerfully into my mind, if
-I made another resolution and broke it as I had done, the door of
-mercy would be for ever shut against me. Then the good spirit brought
-to my mind the dangers and deaths from which I had been delivered,
-through the mercy of an indulgent God, and how I had called on him in
-trouble and he delivered me, and had answered me in the secret place
-of thunder; and it was pressed on my mind, that it was too dangerous
-to make another fool&#8217;s start: then I sensed to be in the wilderness,
-not knowing what to do:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> a thought arose in my mind, you have got into
-a pretty fix now, afraid even to make a resolution of amendment; then
-an enquiry again arose in my heart, from that depth of thought, what I
-should do? at the same time the hand-writing of God appeared against
-me, and that power that once shook the earth, shook my soul and body:
-it pressed on my mind, that it was the great power of God: and that
-word came into my mind, &#8220;they that resist shall receive to themselves
-damnation;&#8221; at the same time, the spirit of truth brought all things
-to my remembrance, my sins old and new, little and big, and I saw how
-hateful they all were in the sight of a holy God. Now let the Lord be
-praised both now and for ever, for the exceeding riches of his grace
-to all who will look at their sins, and his goodness, and consider and
-think, before it be too late, and be sorry, and turn from the evil of
-their ways, that they may understand the truth.</p>
-
-<p>And now, reader, attend to the word sent to me in my distress, which
-was this: &#8220;believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
-shalt be saved.&#8221; Oh! then, and not till then, did I ever desire saving
-faith; but I could not attain to it by all the exertion I could make:
-but Oh! reader, I found here in my distress, that faith is the gift of
-God, and that grace is not sown in the heart, till the heart is broken
-and contrite; that is, in earnest to study and enter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> into the saving
-plan of life and salvation, which is: &#8220;Let the wicked, forsake his
-way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let them turn unto the
-Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and abundantly pardon all that
-is passed.&#8221; But when I was put to the test to try my faith, I found
-I had none: then in the bitterness of my spirit, I desired the Lord
-to give me to feel the power of saving faith; and I struggled to lay
-hold on that word, &#8220;Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find;&#8221;
-but a question made me quake&mdash;which question was this: is your heart
-right? then I trembled, but could not tell whether my heart was right
-or not; and while I desired to know myself, this form passed through
-my mind; &#8220;Are you willing now to renounce the devil and all his works,
-and all the pomp and vanity of this wicked world, and all the sinful
-lusts of the flesh;&#8221; and I was enabled in my sinking, distressed state,
-to forsake every forbidden way for the sake of peace and pardon.&mdash;Then
-did God send down the power of saving faith; then, Oh! how terrible I
-saw the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of God&#8217;s eternal
-law: I also saw that heaven and earth would pass away, before one jot
-or tittle of his law should fail, or fall to the ground. Man must be
-converted, or never enter into the kingdom of heaven. A thought came
-into my heart, to go out to some secret place to pray; and as I walked,
-I trembled,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> and when I got to the place, I could only pray, &#8220;Lord have
-mercy upon me.&#8221; I cried as if falling into black despair, and having
-consented to forsake every wrong way, God, for Christ&#8217;s sake, had mercy
-on me, and pardoned my sins: Glory be to God, for ever and ever, Amen.
-Oh! praise the Lord, whose mercy is over all his works, from generation
-to generation, who hath put down the mighty from their seats, and
-hath exalted them of low degree, and ever holds his servant Israel in
-remembrance of his mercy. Oh! how faithful and true he is, to all who
-will yield to the striving of his spirit in their own hearts, before it
-takes its everlasting flight. Oh! how careful ought we to be, for fear
-we be left to ourselves; then blindness of mind, and hardness of heart
-will take place, and the soul be left to stumble on the dark mountains
-of unbelief, on which many have stumbled since the world began for not
-following the light that visits their mind; which appeareth in youth,
-and continueth with some shorter, and some longer, according to the
-entertainment this heavenly messenger gets in the hearts of all people.
-Oh! reader, think how many are now in the road to ruin, who are still
-slighting the call of grace; and if they keep on, must overtake them
-that are there already; and now I pray that none that sees this, may
-ever go another step towards the pit, from whence there is no return. </p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p>
-
-<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
-<div>&#8220;Oh! that all may taste and see</div>
-<div class="i1">&#8220;The riches of his grace:</div>
-<div>&#8220;The arms of love that compass me,</div>
-<div class="i1">&#8220;Would all mankind embrace!&#8221;</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-<p>Having given the reader a short account of the abundant mercy bestowed
-on me by a bountiful God, who is engaged to raise poor sinners from a
-depth of sin and shame, to the height of happiness and glory; and if
-they yield to him he will do it, for faithful is he that has called
-you, who also will do it, if ye be willing and obedient. I now return
-to give the reader an account of the difficulties I met with, in buying
-my wife.</p>
-
-<p>She was born a slave, and continued a slave till she was about
-thirty-two years of age, and I about twenty-eight years old; and having
-paid for myself, and got a little money beforehand, I was provoked
-to purpose buying of her. Before this, she and her master had fallen
-out, and he purposed to send her, and our first daughter, about three
-months old, away to the back countries; and how to do I did not know:
-to go with her I knew not where, or buy her at his price, brought me
-to a stand: and while I was perplexed, there came a messenger to me,
-who said her master had carried the negro buyer with him from court,
-in order to sell her to him; but when they were about to count out the
-money, his daughter broke out and cried in such a distressing manner,
-for my little daughter, that it caused him to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> recant at that time; but
-he made two more attempts, but was misput most providentially. At the
-same time, her master and I were both on one class-paper, which made
-it very trying to me, to keep up true love and unity between him and
-me, in the sight of God: this was a cause of wrestling in my mind; but
-that scripture abode with me, &#8220;He that loveth father or mother, wife
-or children, more than me, is not worthy of me;&#8221; then I saw it became
-me to hate the sin with all my heart, but still the sinner love: but
-I should have fainted, if I had not looked to Jesus, the author of my
-faith: but I would remark, that at the very moment I was about to give
-up, the Lord appeared for my help, to my great surprise. It pleased
-almighty goodness, to give my wife&#8217;s mistress that power which cut
-Rahab and wounded the Dragon; and she spoke with such concern of mind
-and said, &#8220;Oh do let Solomon have her; I have been afraid to speak,
-but I want him to have her, he appears to want to have her;&#8221; and these
-words, with a few more I omit, were attended with such force to her
-master&#8217;s mind, that he gave up with a whining tone, and said &#8220;He may
-have her;&#8221; so I hired her, and took her away the same day. After the
-year was out I went to pay him his money for her hire, and it being on
-a meeting day, some friends there who saw me pay the money, said to me,
-&#8220;you had better buy your wife at once;&#8221; her master <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span>answered, &#8220;I want
-him to buy her:&#8221; then they insisted on knowing his price; he said, &#8220;a
-hundred dollars, and give in all the hire;&#8221; which was fifty dollars
-less than ever he had mentioned before: I then said I would undertake
-it: then they insisted we should have it in writing, and we had it so.
-Thus I entered purchase of my wife, one hundred and three dollars and
-a third, which is thirty one pounds Virginia money. When the articles
-were drawn, I desired the writer to put down what was paid, and what
-was due; and then went on working and paying, until I had paid all but
-forty dollars and four-pence.</p>
-
-<p>But here I will mention a remarkable circumstance: I grew uneasy about
-my wife and me living together without being married; and while I was
-studying how to bring it about, a tradition arose in the methodist
-church, to turn out all free members, that lived together as man and
-wife without being married: at the same time, preaching being held
-at her master&#8217;s house, the day came round for meeting; after public
-meeting, the class was called, when to my great surprise, the preacher
-asked me if I was free? I answered &#8220;yes:&#8221; he asked &#8220;if I had a wife?&#8221; I
-said &#8220;yes:&#8221; he asked, &#8220;are you married?&#8221; I answered &#8220;no:&#8221; he asked &#8220;if
-my wife was free?&#8221; I said &#8220;no, not properly so:&#8221; he asked &#8220;who had any
-claim on her?&#8221; the class leader said &#8220;Brother Melson:&#8221;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> the preacher
-asked me &#8220;if I was willing to be married?&#8221; I answered &#8220;yes,&#8221; and added,
-&#8220;I had been concerned about it, but did not know how to bring it to
-pass:&#8221; the preacher said, &#8220;it is easy driving when we are willing;&#8221;
-and then, before the society, added his reason as above, and said, &#8220;I
-suppose Brother Melson will have no objection.&#8221; Melson, her master,
-answered, &#8220;they may be married, and welcome, for what I care:&#8221; then
-said the preacher, &#8220;you can just give him an instrument to the clerk
-of the court, and he can get a licence and be married, and finish your
-business afterwards:&#8221; he then wrote to the same effect, and I went and
-got a licence, and we were married according to law.</p>
-
-<p>Now the reader may take notice, that when we bargained, her master
-agreed to free her upon my paying him his money, or give me a bill
-of sale to empower me to free her; but after I had paid him about
-sixty-three dollars, he then took pet, and said &#8220;he would take her
-away, without I paid him all,&#8221; which was forty dollars and four-pence
-due: now he had given me receipts for all the money I had paid him,
-but no bill of sale or freedom. By this time my wife had one child
-after we bargained: he said he &#8220;would have the negroes or money;&#8221; but
-we being married, according to law, it made her mine; and the Judge of
-the court told me, &#8220;that her master could not get her, nor any more
-money:&#8221; but I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> felt easiest to do according to bargain, if he would
-fulfil according to agreement: but it was with great difficulty I got
-him to fix the business; when done, then I paid him, and then she was
-manumitted free, and I desired rest.</p>
-
-<p>But I had one child in bondage, my only son, my first-born son; and
-having worked through the purchase of myself and wife, I thought I
-would give up my son, to the ordering of divine providence. So we
-worked on and got to farming, and were favoured, so that we did not
-fall through in twelve or thirteen years, renting land, and paying up,
-and keeping clear of the world.</p>
-
-<p>Now the reader may take notice, that as I was going on thus, my son&#8217;s
-master died; and his property had to be sold, and my son had to be
-sold, as the other property, at public sale: the back-woods-men being
-come over, and giving such large prices for slaves, it occasioned a
-great concern to come over my mind; and I began to tell my concern to
-some friends, white and coloured, rich and poor; and they all with one
-accord persuaded me to buy him, that is, my son: I answered I could
-have no heart, because he was appraised at the death of his master at
-four hundred dollars; it being the latter end of the war in America,
-1813, and the times dark and dull, I was much afraid to attempt to buy
-him: but I told my friends what was like to befal me, that when my son
-was nine months<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> old, then I was sent away from him, as I told the
-reader in the beginning of my journal, and then I went through a fit of
-distress, and now he is like to be sent away from me, and then I shall
-have to go through another fit, and it will seem like double trouble:
-but my friends and neighbours continued pressing it on me, to meet the
-day of sale, and buy him; and finally I concluded to do it, and met the
-day of sale.</p>
-
-<p>Then the crier made a noise in the court yard, before the court house
-door, and said, &#8220;a likely young negro fellow for sale,&#8221; and then asked
-for a bid; the second time he asked for a bid, I bid two hundred
-dollars, which was half what he was appraised to, at the death of
-his master. As soon as ever I had bid two hundred dollars, the man,
-I feared would buy and sell him to the back-country men, bid three
-hundred and thirty three dollars and a third, which was thirty-three
-dollars and a third more than I had intended to bid, which beat down
-all my courage. But a thought struck me, don&#8217;t give out so, so don&#8217;t;
-so I bid a shilling: then the same man bid twenty dollars, which was
-three hundred and fifty-four dollars: at that I sighed, and thought
-I must give him up, and let him go; but a thought came into my mind,
-to bid one time more, and not bid any more, if he went to the West
-Indies: so I bid a cent; but the crier said, no Solomon, not a cent,
-a shilling: well says I, let it go. As soon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> as my bid was confirmed,
-the same man went on, and I gave up then. My son had chosen a master,
-a justice of peace in town, said to be a good master, who had promised
-me before the sale began, that if he saw me give up, he would try and
-buy him; so he began and moved him up to three hundred and fifty-seven
-dollars, then he gave up. Then three great men, who had agreed to be
-my securities, were standing by; one of them was a methodist preacher,
-very rich; he looked at me as if he pitied me, and when he saw my son
-was likely to go off the wrong way, he says, &#8220;three shillings;&#8221; and
-when he spoke I cried, and turned off, and went and leaned against the
-court house, under a weight of concern; and as I was considering, that
-word came into my mind, &#8220;this is their hour and the power of darkness,&#8221;
-so I gave him up then. Now it did appear, the very moment I gave him
-up, and hope left me, then help came; for it pleased the Most High, who
-pitieth every sorrowful soul, in the riches of his mercy, to look on
-two young men that were acquainted with me, and to touch their hearts
-with such a sense of sympathy and pity towards my case, that they could
-not endure; and the dear young neighbour man, a great man&#8217;s son, says
-to my young master, who were both standing in the ring looking on, he
-says, &#8220;I had rather give twenty dollars out of my own pocket, than
-Solomon should not get<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> him; but if Solomon will bid once more, I will
-give him four dollars:&#8221; my young master answered, &#8220;if you will give him
-five dollars, I will give him five dollars,&#8221; and says, &#8220;let us go and
-tell him;&#8221; so they both came to me, as I was leaning against the court
-house wall, and said in a moving tone, &#8220;Solomon, if you will bid one
-more bid, we will give you five dollars a piece;&#8221; I turned round and
-says, &#8220;a shilling,&#8221; which was a shilling upon three hundred and sixty
-dollars. Then a great man said, &#8220;there, let the old man have him, he
-is his son, he wants him, he can get security;&#8221; they kept at that till
-the switch went down; so he was knocked off to me at three hundred and
-sixty dollars and a shilling. Then the tender-hearted young man, that
-first proposed to my young master, went into the store, and brought
-five round silver dollars, and gave to me in the office, where I went
-to sign the bond; then three of my securities agreed upon the spot, to
-make me up twenty dollars at the day of payment.</p>
-
-<p>By this time I got raised up from my sadness, and went out after I
-had signed the bond, so much revived and clothed with such a spirit
-of faith and courage, believing a way would be opened for me to get
-through, though I could not tell how; but as I came out of the office,
-I met the executor and administrator who said to me, &#8220;well, Solomon,
-you have got Spence after all;&#8221; I said, &#8220;yes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> master George, but I
-gave up, and if it had not been for those men who pitied me, and who
-did as they did, I never should have got him, and now what will you
-give me?&#8221; He put his hand into his pocket, and pulled out a round
-silver dollar and gave me, which caused me to rejoice more for that
-one dollar, than for the twenty dollars promised me just before in
-the office: and now I will give the reader my reason why I rejoiced
-more for the one than for the twenty dollars; because two days before
-the sale, he, the executor and administrator, offered a challenge to
-me and to them I trusted in, touching the sale of my son; now as he
-was the first that put me in heart to try to buy my son, I thought it
-right, two days before the sale, to go to him and hear what he had to
-say to me; and when I got there, he says, &#8220;well Solomon, where are you
-going?&#8221; I said, &#8220;I am come down to meet the day of sale;&#8221; he said,
-&#8220;well, what are you going to do?&#8221; I answered, I want to buy my son if I
-can; he says, &#8220;you do?&#8221; and added, &#8220;you will have a hard time of it;&#8221; I
-answered, &#8220;I have been thinking so;&#8221; he says, &#8220;Solomon, there are four
-men who say they will give four hundred dollars for your son;&#8221; then
-says I &#8220;they will get him;&#8221; he says, &#8220;Solomon what are you willing to
-give?&#8221; I answered, &#8220;not more than two hundred and fifty dollars;&#8221; he
-says, &#8220;you will not get him for that, but I suppose you are so much in
-favour with the people,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> nobody will bid against you; but if nobody
-will bid against you, I will; you need not think you are going to get
-him for nothing,&#8221; and he seemed angry; then I was very sad at that
-saying, and says, &#8220;master George, you was the very first man that put
-me in heart, and now you seem to put me out of heart;&#8221; then he, in an
-angry gust of manner, said, &#8220;well Solomon, try your faith, and added,
-you remember the birds, and how you exercised faith, and was delivered;
-now try your faith;&#8221; as though he felt as if he could defy the armies
-of the living God: but when he gave me the dollar, then I thought of
-the challenge &#8220;now try your faith.&#8221; I then believed, that God could
-work and none could hinder him: although it appeared this man had done
-what he could, to bring me into that difficulty, yet, when through the
-goodness of the Highest I was encouraged, as above described, and being
-brought down as it were to nothing before the Lord, I was enabled to
-ask him in such a way that his hand and heart appeared to be opened,
-so that he gave me that dollar, for which I rejoiced more than for the
-twenty dollars promised me just before, as above stated: then was I
-enabled to sing aloud the praises of our king in spirit and in truth,
-who ever sits above, till all his foes submit and bow to his command,
-and fall beneath his feet: I confess the eyes of my mind appeared to
-be dazzled, as I was let into a sight of the great goodness of the
-Highest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> in undertaking for me: but Oh! reader, I felt a fear, lest
-my behaviour should not be suitable to the kindness and favour shewed
-towards me.</p>
-
-<p>Now there was an impression on my mind, that the Father of Mercy
-would do greater things for me, for his own honour and praise, and
-my everlasting advantage, if my behaviour was right before him: it
-was impressed on my mind, that he was unchangeable in his purposes
-and designs, which are to set the captive souls at liberty, if they
-will follow him in the path of obedience; and no degrees of grace
-will destroy man&#8217;s capability of choosing, whether he will do right
-or wrong; doing right gives a secret satisfaction to the mind; but
-doing wrong is followed by a secret uneasiness, because God will be
-a swift witness against the wrong, and will justify what is right in
-man&#8217;s words and deeds, when done with right views. Oh! that all men
-would study the end of their creation, and act accordingly; then they
-would walk in the light of his countenance indeed, and &#8220;in his name
-they would rejoice all the day, and in his righteousness for ever be
-exalted;&#8221;</p>
-
-<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
-<div>&#8220;Then should their sun in smiles decline,</div>
-<div class="i1">&#8220;And bring a peaceful night;&#8221;</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-<p>which, may all who read these lines, desire, seek, and obtain, through
-Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, and Amen. </p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p>
-
-<h2>EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO R. H.;</h2>
-
-
-<blockquote><p class="right"><i>dated, Cambden, 1st of 2nd month, 1824</i>.</p>
-
-<p>&#8220;<span class="smcap">Esteemed Friend</span>,</p>
-
-<p>&#8220;I received thy<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1">[1]</a> book and pens, with a letter unsealed,
-yesterday, dated 1st month, 17th, 1824, requesting some account
-of my deceased mother and daughters. Dear Robert, thy letter
-discovered a sign of generosity, or concern, for the good of all
-people; and this concern enables thee to be condescending to men
-of low estate; wherefore I pray, that the condescending grace of
-God, that has begun with thee, may continue with thee, all the
-days of thy life; and that through the all-sufficient merits of
-Christ, both thee and thy family, all may be brought to Sion&#8217;s
-hill; and that you may be enabled to join the blessed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> company, to
-sing redeeming love, for ever and ever, Amen.</p>
-
-<p>&#8220;If thou go home to England, then I shall see thee no more; but
-I trust to see you in the land of rest, where partings are no
-more, * * * * * the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with your
-spirits. Amen.</p>
-
-<p class="right">&#8220;SOLOMON BAYLEY.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
-
-<hr class="smler" />
-
-<p>I now proceed to give some brief account of the nativity, life, and
-death, of my mother. She was born of a Guinea Woman, who was brought
-from Guinea about the year 1690, as near as I can guess; and said to be
-about eleven years old when brought to America. But oh! how different
-is the situation of things, towards the coloured people since that day;
-the Lord certainly is at work in the rising generations, to have more
-pity and compassion than in ages past. My Grandmother was bought into
-one of the most barbarous families of that day; and although treated
-hard, was said to have fifteen sons and daughters: she lived to a great
-age, until she appeared weary of life.</p>
-
-<p>My mother had thirteen sons and daughters; she served the same cruel
-family, until they died. Then great distress and dispersion took place:
-our young mistress married, and brought our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> family, out of the state
-of Virginia, into the state of Delaware. After some years, her husband
-removed back into Virginia: after that law took place against moving
-slaves, which entitled all of us to freedom; we made a move to recover
-it by that law, but we soon were all sold and scattered very wide
-apart, some to the east, and some west, north, and south. My father and
-mother they pretended to set free, to stop a trial in court, and after
-they had been free about eleven months, they came upon them unawares;
-my father Abner, sister Margaret, and brother Abner, were taken in the
-night, and carried to Long Island, one of the West India Islands, and
-sold to Abner Stephen; he has sent two letters here, or we never should
-have known what had become of them.</p>
-
-<p>On the same night as above cited, my mother being in the house, they
-meant to take her; but she made an excuse to go out at the door,
-and ran and left her sucking child, and her two other children, and
-her husband my father: now it being winter time, the child cried;
-they therefore left it and carried away my father and the other two
-children. Then some friend took the child and carried it to mother;
-then mother took her son about eleven months old, and travelled near a
-hundred miles from the State of Virginia to Dover in Kent County, State
-of Delaware; and from thence to New Jersey. </p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p>
-
-<p>In this time she testified she experienced great affliction both of
-body and mind; but at length, like Hagar, she was enabled to see Him
-who had seen her in all her affliction, and not only to see him in
-the works of creation, but also in the works of his providence; and
-her mind was enlightened to see into the nature and largeness of her
-sins. She also testified, that the view of eternity and of eternal
-consequences, so distressed her mind, that it swallowed up her present
-distress, and so she was induced to give up the lesser, and attend
-to the greater; namely, to find peace and rest in the life to come:
-she was enabled to go on in search after truth, until she experienced
-peace of mind, and evidence of pardon for all her sins, which was her
-greatest concern till death.</p>
-
-<p>Now the number of years that we were parted, mother and I, was about
-eighteen; except that once in a great hurry, I travelled more than a
-hundred miles to see her; at the same time I left keeping of a saw
-mill, my wife, and young child about a mouth old, and taking with me
-seventeen or eighteen dollars, which all became a sacrifice with my
-time, to the relief of my mother; but I was favoured to find that
-satisfaction, which I esteemed more than time or money.</p>
-
-<p>Now it came to pass after eighteen years, my mind was visited with a
-concern to go to Africa,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> after that Paul Cuffee had been there, and
-brought good tidings from that place;<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2">[2]</a> therefore I thought it good
-to put out my children in good families, where they could get some
-schooling, and learn how to work, and then get my wife in with some
-good sort of people; and being advised to wait till it should seem
-proper to recommend me to that service, I thought it right to engage in
-some profitable business, and was hired to attend a mill; in which time
-the case of my mother came before me, and I sent for her to the State
-of Delaware from New Jersey; and when brought together, it was indeed
-like heaven on earth begun; we could sit and tell of the dangers and
-difficulties we had been brought through; so my mother was favoured to
-end her days with me: she, like my grandmother lived to a great age,
-and appeared weary of affliction, and of this troublesome world; her
-mind became disordered; she desired a short illness, which was granted;
-she died the third day after she was taken sick, with very little
-complaint or struggle; but was thought to have fallen asleep.</p>
-
-<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3>
-
-<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1">[1]</a> The reader will observe, that Solomon frequently makes
-use of the pronoun &#8220;thee,&#8221; when addressing an individual; this occurs
-simply from the circumstance, that it is a mode of speech not unusual
-in some parts of America, with people of different denominations; and
-does not arise from any connexion that he has ever had with the societyof friends.</p>
-
-<p class="right">R. H.</p>
-
-<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2">[2]</a> This concern was doubtless of a religious character: the
-death of the pious and enterprising Paul Cuffee, was the probable cause
-of the visit being relinquished.</p>
-
-<p class="right">R. H.</p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p>
-
-<h2>A BRIEF ACCOUNT</h2>
-
-<p class="bold">OF MY</p>
-
-<p class="bold2">ELDEST DAUGHTER, MARGARET BAYLEY,</p>
-
-<p class="bold"><i>Who died in the twenty-fourth year of her age</i>.</p>
-
-<p>She was a pleasant child in her manners and behaviour, yet fond of gay
-dress and new fashions; yet her mind was much inclined to her book, and
-to read good lessons.</p>
-
-<p>And it pleased the Father of mercy to open her understanding, to see
-excellent things out of his law, and to convince her that it was his
-will she should be holy here and happy hereafter; but custom, habit,
-and shame, seemed to chain her down, so that she appeared like one that
-was halting between two opinions.</p>
-
-<p>But about a month before she was taken for death, she went to Meeting
-under a concern about her future state; and the Meeting appeared to
-be favoured with the out pouring of the spirit of love, and of power:
-Margaret came home under great concern of mind, and manifested a
-wonderful change in her manners and behaviour; I believe the whole
-family were affected at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> sight of the alteration, which indeed
-appeared like that of the prodigal son coming home to his father; for
-my own part I felt fear and great joy; such was her delight to read
-the Bible, and ask the meaning of certain texts of Scripture, which
-evidenced a concern to make sure work for eternity.</p>
-
-<p>In this frame of mind she was taken for death; she appeared very
-desirous to live for the first four weeks, but was very patient, and
-of a sweet temper and disposition all the time: I recollect but one
-instance when she was known to give way to peevish fretfulness; then
-I, feeling the evil spirit striving to get the advantage of her, very
-tenderly and earnestly admonished her not to regard trifles, but to
-look to that power which was able to save her; and from that time she
-became passive and resigned.</p>
-
-<p>The following two weeks her pain was great, and baffled all the force
-of medicine: a few days before her departure, she was urged with much
-brokenness of heart to make confession; when she was let into a view
-of the vanity of the world, with all its glittering snares; and said,
-she could not rest till her hair was cut off; for she said, &#8220;I was
-persuaded to plait my hair against my father&#8217;s advice, and I used to
-tie up my head when father would come to see me, and hide ruffles and
-gay dress from him, and now I cannot rest till my hair is cut off.&#8221; I
-said, &#8220;no, my <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>daughter, let it be till thee gets well:&#8221; she answered,
-&#8220;Oh! no, cut it now:&#8221; so I to pacify her took and cropped it.</p>
-
-<p>After this she appeared filled with raptures of joy, and talked of
-going, as if death had lost its sting; this was about three days before
-her departure; she seemed to have her senses as long as she could
-speak: a little before her speech left her, she called us all, one by
-one, held out her hand, bade us farewell, and looked as if she felt
-that assurance and peace that destroyed the fear of death; and while
-she held out her hands, she earnestly charged us to meet her in heaven.</p>
-
-<p>Thus ends the account of Margaret Bayley, daughter of Solomon and
-Thamar Bayley, who departed this life the 26th of the 3rd month, 1821,
-aged twenty-three years, eleven months, and twenty-eight days.</p>
-
-
-<p class="center">TO THE PIOUS READER.</p>
-
-<blockquote><p><i>I desire to give the pious, a brief account of the life and death
-of my youngest daughter, Leah Bayley, who departed this life the
-27th of the 7th month, 1821, aged twenty-one years, six months,
-and one day.</i></p></blockquote>
-
-<p>She, from a child, was more weak and sickly than her sister Margaret,
-and the thought of leaving her here in this ill-natured world caused
-me many serious moments; but the great Parent of all good, in the
-greatness of his care, took her away, and relieved me of the care of
-her for ever. </p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p>
-
-<p>Weakness of body and mind appeared in her as she grew up; and an
-inclination to vanity and idleness; but being bound out under an
-industrious mistress, to learn to work and to have schooling, her mind
-soon became much inclined to her book and then to business. Her school
-mistress gave her a little book, concerning some pious young people
-that lived happily and died happily, and were gone to heaven: namely,</p>
-
-<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
-<div>Young Samuel, that little child,</div>
-<div>Who served the Lord, liv&#8217;d undefiled.</div>
-<div>Like young Abijah I must be,</div>
-<div>That good things may be found in me.</div>
-<div>Young Timothy, that blessed youth,</div>
-<div>Who sought the Lord and loved the truth.</div>
-<div>I must not sin as others do</div>
-<div>Lest I lie down in sorrow too.</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-<p>These blessed examples won her heart, so as to bury every other
-enjoyment: she seemed to possess as great a deadness to the world, as
-any young woman I ever observed: she seemed not ashamed to read in
-any company, white or coloured; and she read to the sick with intense
-desire, which appeared from her weeping, and solid manner of behaviour.
-She seemed to desire to walk in the fear of the Lord all the day long:
-every body that observed her, remarked her serious steady behaviour;
-she seemed as if she was trying to imitate those good children whom she
-read about; and so continued until she was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> taken sick; and although
-her sickness was long and sharp, yet she bore it like a lamb.</p>
-
-<p>A few days before her decease, I was noticing how hard she drew her
-breath: she looked very wistful at me, and said, &#8220;O! father, how much
-I do suffer:&#8221; I answered, &#8220;yes, my dear, I believe thee does:&#8221; then,
-after a long pause, she said, &#8220;but I think I never shall say I suffer
-too much:&#8221; this I apprehend was extorted from a view of the sufferings
-of Christ, and her own imperfections: this was about three days before
-her decease. The day she died, she called us all, one by one, and like
-her sister Margaret, held out her hand, and with much composure of mind
-bade us farewell, as if she was only going a short walk, and to return.</p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<h2>EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO R. H.</h2>
-
-<blockquote><p class="right"><i>Dated 3rd month 26th, 1824.</i></p>
-
-<p><span class="s6">&nbsp;</span>&#8220;I thank thee, dear Robert, for spending a thought
-on so poor and unworthy a thing as I am; but I especially thank
-your God and my God, for putting it into thy heart to enquire
-anything about the work of grace on my mind. I trust it is with
-gratitude I now<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> write onto thee of my call to the ministry: and
-first I may say,</p>
-
-<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
-<div>&#8220;God works in a mysterious way,&#8221;</div>
-<div class="i1">&#8220;His wonders to perform.&#8221;</div>
-</div></div></div>
-
-<p>&#8220;Secondly, he knows how to get himself honour and praise by the
-most feeble; for to undertake to make such a creature as I am,
-work in his vineyard, was amazing to me; but there was a great
-work to do, to make me fit for anything at all; surely he called
-me oftener than he did Samuel, when he was a child: but after I
-was savingly converted to God, he was pleased to pour into my
-heart a measure of his universal love; and when my heart was
-filled with love towards God, and good will towards all mankind;
-then a longing desire that all people might taste and see the
-riches of his grace, continued with me day and night; then a
-strong impression to go in the fear of the Lord and speak to men
-of all descriptions, seemed to be required of me.</p>
-
-<p>&#8220;But Oh! dear friend, after my mind was thus prepared, I had a
-great warfare and strife; first, with man-fear, and a man-pleasing
-spirit, then with shame, desire of praise, and a good name.</p>
-
-<p>&#8220;Now, dear friend, in this exercise of mind there were some
-scriptures came into my mind, to encourage and strengthen me; such
-as, the II. Corinthians, xii. 9&mdash;II. Kings, v. 4&mdash;I.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> Corinthians,
-i. 21, 27, 28, and chapter xi. 3. also chapter ix. 16, 22&mdash;II.
-Corinthians, xi. 29&mdash;Daniel xii. 3&mdash;Isaiah vi. 5&mdash;Jeremiah i.
-6&mdash;John i. 15, and chapter iii. 2&mdash;Hebrews xi. 34; all these
-scriptures mightily helped to encourage me to go forward in
-speaking to a dying people, the words of eternal life. Oh! what
-an affecting view of the worth of souls, came into my mind; and
-I thought, if I could be made instrumental in the hand of the
-Lord, in saving one soul, it would be matter of rejoining to all
-eternity. So I went out trusting in the Lord; but I should soon
-have fainted in mind, if it had not been for the encouragement I
-met with, both from God and man. Now to Him that sits upon the
-throne be honour and praise, world without end. Amen.</p>
-
-<p>&#8220;With good wishes to thee and thine, I conclude, thy friend,</p>
-
-<p class="right">&#8220;SOLOMON BAYLEY.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
-
-
-<p class="center space-above">&mdash;&mdash;<br />YOUNGMAN, PRINTER, WITHAM AND MALDON.</p>
-
-<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A NARRATIVE OF SOME REMARKABLE INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF SOLOMON BAYLEY ***</div>
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