Annals of the Poor

by John Kendrick Bangs

  THE NEGRO SERVANT.

  PART I.

  If a map of the world, instead of being coloured, as is usual, with manygay and brilliant tints, in order to distinguish its various continents,kingdoms, and islands from each other, were to be painted with darker orbrighter hues corresponding with the spiritual character of theinhabitants, what a gloomy aspect would be presented, to the eye of the_Christian_ geographer, by the greater portion of the habitable globe!How dark would be the shade thus cast over the larger districts of thevast continents of Asia and America! and what a mass of gloom wouldcharacterize the African quarter of the world!

  Here and there a bright spot would mark the residence of a few missionarylabourers, devoting themselves to God, and scattering the rays ofChristian light among the surrounding heathen; but over the greater part"the blackness of darkness" would emblematically describe the iron reignof Mohammedan superstition and Pagan idolatry.

  The Christian prays that God would have "respect unto the covenant; forthe dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty." Hehopes to see the nations "open their eyes, and turn from darkness tolight, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receiveforgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified byfaith."

  The curse originally pronounced on the descendants of Ham has, in avariety of respects, both temporal and spiritual, been awfullyfulfilled--"A servant of servants shall he be." Slavery, as well of mindas body, has been continued amongst the Africans through theirgenerations in a manner which at once proves the truth of the Divineprediction, and yet calls aloud for the ardent prayers and activeexertions of Christians in their behalf. The time will come when theheathen shall be proved to have been given to Christ "for an inheritance,and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession." The degradedHottentot, and the poor benighted Negro, will look from the ends of theearth unto Jesus, and be saved. "Many shall run to and fro, andknowledge shall be increased." The Redeemer "shall see of the travail ofhis soul, and shall be satisfied," in beholding the gathering together,not only of the outcasts of Israel that are ready to perish, but ofchurches and people from all the tongues, and kindreds, and nations ofthe earth. In the day of his appearing, the sons of Africa will vie withtheir brethren of the north, and the west, and the east, in resoundingthe praises of God their Saviour from one end of the earth to the other.

  In the meantime, we rejoice in every occasional instance of the love andpower of God in effecting the conversion of some, who appear as the first-fruits of that harvest which shall hereafter so fruitfully grow up, tothe honour of Christ and the blessedness of his redeemed people.

  The following narrative of real facts may, perhaps, illustrate theimportance of the foregoing remarks.

  During a residence of some years' continuance in the neighbourhood of thesea, an officer of the navy called upon me, and stated that he had justtaken a lodging in the parish for his wife and children; and had a Negro,who had been three years in his service. "The lad is a deservingfellow," said the officer, "and he has a great desire to be baptized. Ihave promised him to ask you to do it, if you have not any objections."

  "Does he know anything," replied I, "of the principles of the Christianreligion?"

  "Oh, yes, I am sure he does," answered the captain; "for he talks a greatdeal about it in the kitchen, and often gets laughed at for his pains;but he takes it all very patiently."

  "Does he behave well as your servant?"

  "Yes, that he does; he is as honest and civil a fellow as ever came onboard ship, or lived in a house."

  "Was he always so well behaved?"

  "No," said the officer; "when I first had him he was often very unrulyand deceitful; but for the last two years he has been quite like anothercreature."

  "Well, sir, I shall be very glad to see him, and think it probable Ishall wish to go through a course of instruction and examination; duringwhich I shall be able to form a judgment how far it will be right toadmit him to the sacrament of baptism. Can he read?"

  "Yes," replied his master; "he has been taking great pains to learn toread for some time past, and can make out a chapter in the Bible prettywell, as my maid-servant informs me. He speaks English better than manyof his countrymen, but you will find it a little broken. When will it beconvenient that I should send him over to you?"

  "To-morrow afternoon, sir, if you please."

  "He shall come to you about four o'clock, and you shall see what you canmake of him."

  With this promise he took his leave. I felt glad of an opportunity ofinstructing a native of that land whose wrongs and injuries had oftencaused me to sigh and mourn; the more so, when I reflected _who_ had beenthe aggressors.

  At the appointed hour my Negro disciple arrived. He was a very young-looking man, with a sensible, lively, and pleasing countenance.

  I desired him to sit down, and said, "Your master informs me that youwish to have some conversation with me respecting Christian baptism."

  "Yes, sir; me very much wish to be a Christian," said he.

  "Why do you wish so?"

  "Because me know that Christian go to heaven when he die."

  "How long have you had that wish?" I said.

  "Ever since me heard one goot minister preach in America, two years ago."

  "Where were you born?"

  "In Africa. Me was very little boy when me was made slave by the whitemen."

  "How was that?"

  "Me left father and mother one day at home to go get shells by de sea-shore, and as me was stooping down to gather them up, some white sailorscame out of a boat and took me away. Me never see father nor motheragain."

  "And what became of you then?"

  "Me was put into ship, and brought to Jamaica and sold to a master, whokept me in his house to serve him some years; when, about three yearsago, Captain W---, my master, dat spoke to you, bought me to be hisservant 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 wentto America?" I asked him.

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

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

  "My master take me dere in his ship, and he stop dere one month, and denme 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 demall 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 gootminister 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 forsinners, poor black sinners as well as white sinners. Me tought dis wasvery 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 gootminister must know me was dere."

  "And what did you think of yourself while he preached about JesusChrist?"

  "Sir, me was very much afraid, when he said the wicked must be turnedinto hell-fire. For me felt dat me was very wicked sinner, and dat makeme cry. And he talk much about de love of Christ to sinners, and datmake me cry more. And me tought me must love Jesus Christ; but me notknow 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 mewanted to love Jesus more, and do what Jesus said; but my heart seemsometime hard, like a stone."

  "Have you ever heard any pr
eaching since that time?"

  "Never, till me hear sermon at dis church last Sunday, and den me long tobe baptized in Jesus' name; for me had no Christian friends to baptize mewhen little child."

  "And what have been your thoughts all the time since you first heardthese sermons in America? Did you tell anybody what you then felt?"

  "No, me speak to nobody but to God den. De goot minister say dat Godhear de cry of de poor; so me cry to God, and he hear me. And me oftentink about Jesus Christ, and wish to be like him."

  "Can you read?"

  "A little."

  "Who taught you to read?"

  "God teach me to read."

  "What do you mean by saying so?"

  "God give me desire to read, and dat make reading easy. Master give meBible, and one sailor show me de letters: and so me learned to read bymyself, with God's good help."

  "And what do you read in the Bible?"

  "Oh, me read all about Jesus Christ, and how he loved sinners; and wickedmen killed him, and he died, and came again from de grave; and all disfor poor Negro. And it sometime make me cry, to tink that Christ love sopoor Negro."

  "And what do the people say about your reading, and praying, andattention to the things of God?"

  "Some wicked people, dat do not love Jesus Christ, call me great fool,and Negro dog, and black hypocrite. And dat make me sometimes feelangry; but den me remember Christian must not be angry, for Jesus Christwas called ugly black names, and he was quiet as a lamb; and so den meremember Jesus Christ; and me say nothing again to dem."

  I was much delighted with the simplicity and apparent sincerity of thispoor Negro, and wished to ascertain what measure of light and feeling hepossessed 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? Whatdo you believe about Jesus Christ, and your own soul?"

  "Me believe," said he, "dat Jesus Christ came into de world to savesinners; and dough me be chief of sinners, yet Jesus will save me, doughme be only poor black Negro."

  "What is your hope? What do you hope for, both as to this life and thatwhich is to come?"

  "Me hope Jesus Christ will take good care of me, and keep me from sin andharm, while me live here; and me hope, when me come to die, to go andlive with him always, and never die again."

  "What are your thoughts about Christian love or charity,--I mean, whomand what do you most love?"

  "Me love God de Father, because he was so goot to send his Son. Me loveJesus Christ, because he love men. Me love all men, black men and whitemen too; for God made dem all. Me love goot Christian people, becauseJesus love dem, and dey love Jesus."

  Such was my first conversation with this young disciple. I rejoiced inthe prospect of receiving him into the Church agreeably to his desire. Iwished, however, to converse somewhat further, and inquire more minutelyinto his conduct; and promised to ride over and see him in a few days athis master's lodgings.

  When he was gone, I thought within myself, God has indeed redeemed soulsby the blood of his Son, "out of _every_ kindred, and tongue, and people,and nation." If many of them for a season are devoted to earthlyslavery, {98} through the cruel avarice of man, yet, blessed be God, someamongst them are, through divine grace, called to the glorious liberty ofthe children of God; and so are redeemed from the slavery of him whotakes so many captive at his will. It is a happy thought, that "Ethiopiashall soon stretch forth her hands unto God. Sing unto God, ye kingdomsof the earth. Oh, sing praises unto the Lord."