ept me in his house to serve him some years; when, about three years
ago, Captain W---, my master, dat spoke to you, bought me to be his
servant on board his ship. And he be goot master; he gave me my liberty,
and made me free, and me live with him ever since."

"And what thoughts had you about your soul all that time before you went
to America?" I asked him.

"Me no care for my soul at all before den. No man teach me one word
about my soul."

"Well, now tell me further about what happened to you in America. How
came you there?"

"My master take me dere in his ship, and he stop dere one month, and den
me hear de goot minister."

"And what did the minister say?"

"He said me was a great sinner."

"What! did he speak to you in particular?"

"Yes, me tink so; for dere was great many to hear him, but he tell dem
all about me."

"What did he say?"

"He say about all de tings dat were in my heart."

"What things?"

"My sin, my ignorance, my know noting, my believe noting. De goot
minister make me see dat me _tink_ noting goot, me _do_ noting goot."

"And what else did he tell you?"

"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 hell-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 yo