My mother tried to raise me in the fear of God, and made me a special subject of prayer. O, how well do I remember it! In my most sinful hours I have recollected her petitions for my soul's salvation. Through my mother's teachings God crow my heart eventually unto Himself.

      Leaving home at an early age, I got among Roman Catholics and other enemies of true piety. I learned to swear, and was so profane sometimes in fits of anger, that the remembrance shocks me even now. But my guilt rendered me fearful, and during dark nights and thunder storms I quaked with apprehensions of punishment. Sometimes I fancied the devil was seeking me; and often the Spirit of God inspired me to good resolutions--but, alas! they were of brief duration. The preaching of a colored Methodist preacher was instrumental in enlightening my mind on my dangerous condition. In 1841 I entered the family of William Miller, Pinegrove, Pennsylvania. His example and teaching afforded me further knowledge of religion. Family worship was new and beneficial to me. I longed to be righteous. Mr. Miller once took his family to a protracted meeting, twenty [76] miles distant, and when there, urged me to seek the Lord. My heart was like stone, and had no feeling. "Are you not a sinner, lost out of Christ?" he asked. I knew it. "Then do not wait for feeling, but act from principle. You know you are sick--delay not, but apply to the great Physician." I finally resolved to make an effort for religion, and not to stop till I had it. I was not engaged more than fifteen minutes in prayer, when my tears flowed freely, my hard heart softened, and I felt a remarkable degree of humility in the sight of God. After several hours of sincere penitence, God in mercy lighted me with the light of His countenance, and made me to rejoice in the pardon of my sins. What a change! I had often heard the pious speak of their happiness, but "the half was not told me!" O, did the world know the pleasure of God's love, how could they neglect to seek His favor?

      Among the passages of Scripture that aided my deliverance from wretchedness, are the following:--"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief" (1 Timothy 1:15). "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy on him" (Isaiah 55:7). "As I live, saith [77] the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Ezekiel 33: 11).

      After conversion, I was baptized--it was in the midst of winter--and coming up out of the water, I experienced the "answer of a good conscience toward God" [1 Peter 3:21].

[THW 76-78]