Sabbath, by
comparatively intelligent colored ministers--what could I expect, but
that the people would turn away from one who was trying to preach in the
room of a private house, some fifteen by twenty feet? Yet, there was no
turning back: God had called me to the work, and it was His cause I was
advocating.

I found, that to preach, like other preachers, I must improve my mind,
by reading the Bible and other good books, and by studying my own
language. I started afresh--I got a small stock of books, and the white
brethren loaned and gave me other useful volumes, to which they added a
word of instruction and encouragement, whenever an opportunity offered;
and the ministers cordially invited me to attend their Monday
ministerial conference meeting, which was very useful to me.

... I had now been in Baltimore more than a year. My wife and seven
children were still in Virginia. I went to see them as often as my
circumstances permitted--three or four times a year. About this time, my
wife's mistress agreed to sell to me my wife and our two youngest
children. The price fixed, was eight hundred dollars cash, and she gave
me twelve months to raise the money. The sun rose bright in my sky that
day; but before the year was out, my prospects were again in darkness.
Now I had two great burdens upon my mind: one to attend properly to my
missionary duty, the other to raise eight hundred dollars. During this
time we succeeded in getting a better place for the Sabbath school, and
there was a larger attendance upon my preaching, which demanded reading
and study, and also visiting, and increased my daily labors. On the
other hand, the year was running away, in which I had to raise eight
hundred dollars. So that I found myself at times in a great strait.

My plan to raise the money was, to secure the amount, first, by pledges,
before I collected any.... Finally, the year was more than passed away,
and I had upon my subscription list about one half of the money
needed. It was now considered that the children had increased in value
one hundred dollars, and I was told that I could have them, by paying in
cash six hundred dollars, and giving a bond, with good security, for
three hundred more, payable in twelve months. I had six weeks, in which
to consummate this matter. I felt deeply, that this was a time to pray
the Lord to help me, and for this my wife's prayers were fervently
offered with my own. I had left my wife in Virginia, and c