A narrative of some remarkable incidents, in the life of Solomon Bayley : $b formerly a slave, in the State of Delaware, North America — John Shaqi
A narrative of some remarkable incidents, in the life of Solomon Bayley : $b formerly a slave, in the State of Delaware, North AmericaBayley, Solomon
Religion
A narrative of some remarkable incidents, in the life of Solomon Bayley : $b formerly a slave, in the State of Delaware, North America
Bayley, Solomon
African Americans -- Biography; Bayley, Solomon; Enslaved persons -- Delaware -- Biography; Enslaved persons -- United States -- Biography; Enslaved persons' writings, American -- Delaware; Fugitive slaves -- United States -- Biography; Slavery -- Delaware -- History; Slavery -- Virginia -- History
In this time she testified she experienced great affliction both of
body and mind; but at length, like Hagar, she was enabled to see Him
who had seen her in all her affliction, and not only to see him in
the works of creation, but also in the works of his providence; and
her mind was enlightened to see into the nature and largeness of her
sins. She also testified, that the view of eternity and of eternal
consequences, so distressed her mind, that it swallowed up her present
distress, and so she was induced to give up the lesser, and attend
to the greater; namely, to find peace and rest in the life to come:
she was enabled to go on in search after truth, until she experienced
peace of mind, and evidence of pardon for all her sins, which was her
greatest concern till death.
Now the number of years that we were parted, mother and I, was about
eighteen; except that once in a great hurry, I travelled more than a
hundred miles to see her; at the same time I left keeping of a saw
mill, my wife, and young child about a mouth old, and taking with me
seventeen or eighteen dollars, which all became a sacrifice with my
time, to the relief of my mother; but I was favoured to find that
satisfaction, which I esteemed more than time or money.
Now it came to pass after eighteen years, my mind was visited with a
concern to go to Africa, after that Paul Cuffee had been there, and
brought good tidings from that place;[2] therefore I thought it good
to put out my children in good families, where they could get some
schooling, and learn how to work, and then get my wife in with some
good sort of people; and being advised to wait till it should seem
proper to recommend me to that service, I thought it right to engage in
some profitable business, and was hired to attend a mill; in which time
the case of my mother came before me, and I sent for her to the State
of Delaware from New Jersey; and when brought together, it was indeed
like heaven on earth begun; we could sit and tell of the dangers and
difficulties we had been brought through; so my mother was favoured to
end her days with me: she, like my grandmother lived to a great age,
and appeared weary of affliction, and of this troublesome world; her
mind became disordered; she desired a short illness, which was granted;
she died the third day after she was taken sick, with very little
complaint or struggle; but was thought to have fallen asleep.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The reader will observe, that Solomon frequently makes use of the
pronoun “thee,” when addressing an individual; this occurs simply from
the circumstance, that it is a mode of speech not unusual in some parts
of America, with people of different denominations; and does not arise
from any connexion that he has ever had with the society of friends.
R. H.
[2] This concern was doubtless of a religious character: the death of
the pious and enterprising Paul Cuffee, was the probable cause of the
visit being relinquished.
R. H.
A BRIEF ACCOUNT
OF MY
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