Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/401

 Notes and Queries. 69

men, you say there stands two white men ; that is to show the difference between the two, skin and hair. I saw the master and servant walk out one day ; the master got snake-bit, but by the help of God he got well, and he found the servant, the nigger, knew the snake was there before it bit him, but would not tell him. The master would never like the nigger no more for not telling him.

" The nigger wants the master to tell him the terror that is in death and hell, but he won't tell him on account of the snake. Now you can see clearly to pull the mote out of your brother's eye.

" Two days after that I saw the heavens open and a white cloud come out about the size of a man's hand ; it spread to the size of a table-cloth, closed to the size of a man's hand again, then again spread out to the size of a table-cloth and then closed out of sight, like a door closing in the heavens : then the next day, early in the morning, I saw the spirit of God, like a bird, like a rain-crow in shape, but the color of a dove : it had wide wings ; as it passed by on the right side, it burnt inside of me like a flame of fire, and run me nearly crazy for about five minutes, and then I was all right again. About a week after that I was walking along from the field, when the horn blew for dinner. I walked right up to a coffin on two little benches ; it was painted a dark red, and on each side were silver handles, and when I first saw it I was badly frightened and stopped and looked in it, till when I got quiet, it was empty, but lined, with a pillow at the head. When I got over my fear a voice spoke at the head of the coffin and said, ' Your body shall lie in that and rest in the shade,' and then, as soon as the voice ceased speaking, the coffin disappeared, and then I began preaching.

" About a year after I was called, I went on a journey preaching. I walked all the way for about forty miles. I walked, for the commandment says you must not use your critter on the Sabbath day. When I was coming home, I felt great pain, as if some one was driving nails in me. It was nine o'clock Saturday morning. Sunday morning about the same time, I saw in the road before me the likeness of a man, clothed in a long white gown ; he turned my mind round, just like a wheel turning round. The next day, at the same time, I saw the same spirit again, who said to me, ' You have a purple gown made like mine.' The spirit looked like a young white man, clean-faced ; his hair was kinder straw-colored, and hung down to his shoulders. For three days he kept after me till I had one made, and on a Friday I felt something in my shoes. I could n't keep them on, until Sat- urday evening, and then a voice spoke and said, ' Take off those shoes and go to Cermonia church to-morrow barefoot and preach.' I now preach like the Apostles, with my purple gown on and barefoot, at my own church, Mt. Pleasant, near Grovetown, Ga.

" One night I prayed to the Lord to let me visit Heaven, and then fell into a deep sleep, and then I began a journey up in the sky. I soon came to a fine building, and it was paled round with white palings. I walked up in front of the gate ; the gate was shut. I looked through the gate, and saw a white man standing in the door of the house. The house was built round,

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