I followed my Lord and Master in the Jordan in the year of our Lord 1866, and those sweet moments have never left me once.  As the years go by they seem to be the more sweet to my sinful soul, and I am trying to wing my way to these bright mansions above, where I shall meet those dear ones who have gone before.

I have had some of the darkest days of my life while on this voyage of life, but when it is dark Jesus says, “Peace, be still and fear not, for I will pilot thee.”

And then my heart can sing: 

    “Jesus, Saviour, pilot me
      Over life’s tempestuous sea,
    Unknown waves before me roll,
      Hiding rocks and treacherous shoals. 
    Chart and compass come from Thee,
      Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.”

I know that He has led me through paths seen and unseen and has been my pilot, for we have been called to pass through many a dark trial, but God has been able for it all.

My dear mother had four of her children called home to heaven within a short time.  Some of them left her for the land of love in the same month, and there seemed like nothing but God’s displeasure on us, but it was God’s love to us, for we know that they are safe from all harm and danger in this world of sin and distress.  Some of them I never saw more after landing in this city, but I shall see them and know them when I shall have fought the blessed battle on this side, and the victory shall be on the Lord’s side.  Then I can sing with the angels above: 

    “Crown Him, Crown Him, angels. 
    Crown Him, Crown Him, King of Kings. 
    Crown Him, Crown Him, angels. 
    Crown Him, Crown Him, Crown the Saviour King of Kings.”

What joy there will be to crown Him as our Heavenly King and to know that we are the inhabitants of that kingdom.

CHAPTER III

I was baptized by the Rev. David Moore, the pastor of the Washington Avenue Church, who is one of the best beloved ones on this earth, for he never overlooked me in the time that my soul needed the Lord Jesus Christ to save me from my sins and make me a child of the King, which makes me what I am to day.  I bless God that he ever put it in my dear mother’s mind to come to this place, for she was not a Christian, and the heaviest burden that I have carried was praying for one that was the head of the great family where she should have been a leader of her dear ones to the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.  But God be praised for a little one to lead so many, for of all the people of mothers there was not one that knew of this love of God, and how many were the souls given for me to work for.  I told my mother that I had found Jesus and was going to follow Him.  She said.  “My child, you are too young.  I am afraid that you will not hold out.”  And I said, “Mother, if I should look to myself I should fail, but I look to Jesus.  I have given my life and He can hold me in the power of His might and can keep me from failing; so I can not go against your will, but I must follow Him, for you know how He has saved me from sickness so many times, and now the time has come for me to pay my vows unto Him for making me His own.”  I went forward in the way that He marked out for me and then to pray that she might be saved.