A Woman's Life-Work — Labors and Experiences of Laura S. HavilandHaviland, Laura S. (Laura Smith)
Religion
A Woman's Life-Work — Labors and Experiences of Laura S. Haviland
Haviland, Laura S. (Laura Smith)
Freed persons; Haviland, Laura S. (Laura Smith), 1808-1898; Underground Railroad
We visited ten colored schools in the city, filled with eager learners.
One was taught by Mrs. Brice, who had in charge sixty scholars. She had
been teaching here three years, under much persecution, and stemmed the
torrent of opposition, sometimes in secret, before the war. Sister
Brice and her husband had been struggling in this city nearly five
years, through this bitter hate to the North, contending for Unionism
everywhere, through civil, religious, and political life. We called on
them, and spent two hours in eating oranges and listening to the
fanaticisms and wild conceptions of this misguided people and
terror-stricken multitude when the "Yankee" soldiers marched up the
streets from the gun-boats. Schools were dismissed; the children cried
as they ran home, telling those they met that the Yankees had come to
kill them and their mothers. But there were those who cried for joy at
the sight of the national flag. The starting tear manifested the deep
feeling of these friends as they attempted to relate the scene, but
said it was impossible, as it was beyond description. It seemed like an
oasis in a desert to meet such kindred spirits. We left them, with
their urgent request to make, another call before we left the city.
We were invited by the pastor to attend a love-feast meeting at
half-past six o'clock, P. M., where we met a large congregation. The
services were opened as usual.
Soon they were "breaking bread" with each other, shaking hands, and
singing. Many were weeping. Some broke to each other the bread,
exclaiming, "Praise God for this day of liberty to worship God!" One
old man said to one of the ministers, as he placed his hand on his
shoulder: "Bless God, my son, we don't have to keep watch at that
door," pointing to it, "to tell us the patrollers are coming to take us
to jail and fine us twenty-five dollars for prayin' and talkin' of the
love of Jesus. O no, we's FREE! Yes, thank God for freedom!" Clapping
his hands, his shouts of "Glory, glory, hallelujah!" were followed by
others, until "Glory, hallelujah to the Lamb forever!" was heard from
many voices. Men clasped the necks of their brethren, and shook hands
with the sisters, singing, weeping, shouting, jumping, and whirling.
Said one woman, as she clasped another, "O sister, don't you 'member
when da tuck us over in dat jail dat night, an' said da would whip us
if we didn't stop prayin'?" and then they both jumped and shouted,
throwing up their hands in wild excitement. A half-hour was spent in
these outbursts of long pent-up feelings; then they settled down into
comparative quiet, and the pastor exhorted them to be brief in their
remarks. Perhaps an hour was spent in the relation of experiences, and
the meeting closed with singing:
"The jubilee has come;
And we are free, we are free."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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