an exhorter, but after hard study and training I improved myself greatly
in this respect, and gained the reputation of being as correct in my
pronunciation of English words as the majority of the white preachers. I
am not yet entirely free from dialectic pronunciation, and never expect
to be; but I find that this very defect, if so it may be called, adds
force to my sermons, and gives them a distinctness not otherwise
attainable. Therefore I make use of my very faults to do good.

I had hoped to stay with Mr. Dansley as long as he could find it
profitable to hire me; and so far I had been of great use to him. I had
placed his whole farm in a good state of repair, and had matured and
saved his crops in such a manner that his profits were much larger than
they ever were before in any one season. I had the goodwill and
confidence of the hands, both white and black, who worked under me, and
was an instrument in the hands of God in spreading the religion of Jesus
Christ in the neighborhood; consequently I was happy and contented, with
plenty of all kinds of work to do. But I had accomplished my mission at
this place, and it pleased God to remove me to another field of labor,
where the harvest was ripe and ready for the reaper. I never
complained; on the contrary, I rejoiced that God was not done with me,
and had plenty for me to do. When I had thoroughly worked one field of
labor, I deemed my immediate services no longer required, and was glad
when removed where more work was to be done in God's moral vineyard. Of
course I formed intimate associations in every locality in which I was
placed, and was prone to leave them; but I was content to do the will of
God in every particular, whether that will was expressed through the
slave-laws and James Wilson or otherwise.

I was a slave, and was compelled to labor for the profit of my owner,
which I performed diligently and faithfully; I was a child of God, and