hear from them again, because I made so much trouble over it; he would
send me as far as wind and water would carry me, so I would never hear
from them again. I remembered the words of my poor old father upon his
death-bed, when he gave me this Bible: 'My son, the same God that made
that Bible learned me to read it, and learned me to endure hard trials
patiently. Remember, my son, the same God will do the same for you if
you go to him for help;' and so he has. Praise be to the Lord
forever!" He took from a box a Bible, all spotted over with mold,
without and within: "This Bible has been manna to my soul for many
years. God has learned me to read, as he did my poor father. He has
been my support. I have prayed these many years for deliverance from
bondage, and my faith told me it would come; but I didn't know it
would come in my time. O, what a Savior is our Jesus! That dear wife
was compelled to marry another man in these long years of separation.
He was taken into the rebel army, and she came to the Union camp. A
few days ago we met at Fort Pillow; and there we met our two long lost
children; and here we found this daughter and family. O, how wonderful
are God's ways! O, my wife, my children! let us live nearer that
Almighty Deliverer than ever before, and praise his holy name
forever." And the tall figure sat down, amid sobs and tears. The
spirit of that family sermon I can never forget.

This noble man, Uncle Stephen, was but a few days before a slave; yet
with the dignity of a patriarch he assumed his new relation. He was
evidently a self-taught man, more intelligent, and using more correct
language, than any I had met on the island.

On leaving my tent, tickets were given with explanations of my
mission, which was both new and strange to them. In another tent I
found a young man who had attempted to escape to our lines more than a