invited me to visit him at Chelsea. This I did, the
same afternoon, and was kindly treated.

While I sat there with him and his children, and he was looking over my
subscription book, I was constrained to look back for fifteen years,
over all the way the Lord had brought me, since the day this same
gentleman had given me privilege to purchase my freedom, and handed me a
pass, saying, "I am not afraid of you running away, Noah--you may go
where you please." I reflected, suppose I had stayed away, when I was in
Boston, twelve years ago, begging money to buy myself--how would it be
with me and my family to-day? But I have tried to acknowledge the Lord
in all my ways, always asking counsel of Him, and I now feel that He has
kindly directed and kept me.

I also visited New Bedford, where I met a large number of my old
acquaintances from Virginia, and had the privilege of presenting my
object to several of the Churches, and I received in all about $50. I
next went to Providence, Rhode Island, where I spent a couple of weeks
greatly to my advantage. It was indeed "providence" to me. I was
permitted to present my case to nearly all the Baptist Churches in that
city. Five of these aided my cause; but their great kindness deserves
some particular notice. The first one I visited was Rev. Mr. Stone's,
whose congregation, with himself, greatly encouraged me. At the First
Church I told my story before an evening meeting, and shall never forget
the kindness of the pastor, the senior deacon, and others. I obtained
here nearly $100. I was kindly assisted by Rev. Mr. Keyser's Church, as
also the Fourth Baptist Church. But at the Central Baptist Church, Rev.
Mr. Fields', I found unbounded kindness and liberality. After seeing my
letters of recommendation, the pastor invited me to his prayer meeting,
where I was favored with the privilege of telling my story, freely. I
had been from home several months, and had collected in all about seven
hundred dollars, but still lacked about four hundred to accomplish my
object. I was receiving letters every week from my Church and family,
saying that my presence at home was greatly needed; but the idea of
going home without accomplishing my great object, filled me with
distress. While speaking to the meeting, and telling how God had
delivered me from time to time out of trials, I felt such a sense of my
condition, that for the moment I could not restrain my feelings--my
heart became so full, that it