SLAVE NARRATIVES - Library of Congress

Unole James Tubbs. ^^U
Fokes would serve the Lord. Dey would git happy in de fiel 1 and fall out
ohoppin, choppin cotton* No sich times as hit wuz now. Aftah all er mah
youth and hardship and goodship the Lord called me tar preach and when he
called me ah answered. Ah wuz oomin cross de fiel about 12 er f clock. Ah
tole him ah couldn 1 preach. Den ah heard a voice above mah haid* Ah stopped
and wondahed and pondered wid mahsolf knowin* de condition uv mahself. Ah
said, "Lord yo knows ah caint preach. n Den ah made a YOW and ah stuck to
hit but ah heard nother voice say, ft Go and preach* again. And ah heerd ah
nother voice say w Yo go in de mawnin and pray befo sunrise. 11 Ah goes thar and
gits on mah knees and tried ter pray an ah heard dogs a barkin and chains
rattlin an cats mewin and everthing. Ah had heard ole fokes talk bout when yo
go ter pray chains and things would track yer tenshun. The same happen ter ma.
Ah went on and ended mah prayer and yo know ah wuz a glad soul* Ah felt latk
ah cud go an then an do whut the Lawd said* Ah gone on an stahted preachin.
Hit seemed the church wuz so crowded wid so many local preachers ah couldn*
do whut de Lawd wanted me ter so ah ask the pastor ifn ah could run prayer
meetin and he said, *Why chile yes, w and ah went on wid de prayer meetin till
ever'body quit his church and come to mah prayer meetin so den he called mah
han*, got jealous and made wa move mah praj/er meetin. So son© good white
fokes let me come ovah neah them and start a prayer B»etin so de people fol-
lowed me and we built a church and hit is yet dare terday*