Part 10 (1/2)
”He sometime look me in de face, and say dat Jesus Christ came to die for sinners, poor black sinners as well as white sinners. Me tought dis was very goot, very goot, indeed, to do so for a wicked sinner.”
”And what made you think this was all spoken to you in particular?”
”Because me sure no such wicked sinner as me in all de place. De goot minister must know me was dere.”
”And what did you think of yourself while he preached about Jesus Christ?”
”Sir, me was very much afraid, when he said the wicked must be turned into h.e.l.l-fire. For me felt dat me was very wicked sinner, and dat make me cry. And he talk much about de love of Christ to sinners, and dat make me cry more. And me tought me must love Jesus Christ; but me not know how, and dat make me cry again.”
”Did you hear more sermons than one during that month?”
”Yes, sir; master gave me leave to go tree times, and all de times me wanted to love Jesus more, and do what Jesus said; but my heart seem sometime hard, like a stone.”
”Have you ever heard any preaching since that time?”
”Never, till me hear sermon at dis church last Sunday, and den me long to be baptized in Jesus' name; for me had no Christian friends to baptize me when little child.”
”And what have been your thoughts all the time since you first heard these sermons in America? Did you tell anybody what you then felt?”
”No, me speak to n.o.body but to G.o.d den. De goot minister say dat G.o.d hear de cry of de poor; so me cry to G.o.d, and he hear me. And me often tink about Jesus Christ, and wish to be like him.”
”Can you read?”
”A little.”
”Who taught you to read?”
”G.o.d teach me to read.”
”What do you mean by saying so?”
”G.o.d give me desire to read, and dat make reading easy. Master give me Bible, and one sailor show me de letters: and so me learned to read by myself, with G.o.d's good help.”
”And what do you read in the Bible?”
”Oh, me read all about Jesus Christ, and how he loved sinners; and wicked men killed him, and he died, and came again from de grave; and all dis for poor Negro. And it sometime make me cry, to tink that Christ love so poor Negro.”
”And what do the people say about your reading, and praying, and attention to the things of G.o.d?”
”Some wicked people, dat do not love Jesus Christ, call me great fool, and Negro dog, and black hypocrite. And dat make me sometimes feel angry; but den me remember Christian must not be angry, for Jesus Christ was called ugly black names, and he was quiet as a lamb; and so den me remember Jesus Christ; and me say nothing again to dem.”
I was much delighted with the simplicity and apparent sincerity of this poor Negro, and wished to ascertain what measure of light and feeling he possessed on a few leading points. St. Paul's summary of religion {97} occuring to me, I said, ”Tell me what is faith? What is your faith? What do you believe about Jesus Christ, and your own soul?”
”Me believe,” said he, ”dat Jesus Christ came into de world to save sinners; and dough me be chief of sinners, yet Jesus will save me, dough me be only poor black Negro.”
”What is your hope? What do you hope for, both as to this life and that which is to come?”
”Me hope Jesus Christ will take good care of me, and keep me from sin and harm, while me live here; and me hope, when me come to die, to go and live with him always, and never die again.”