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270 A NEGRO SLAVE.

turning himself, opening his eyes, and clasping his hands thrice, cried out, in a language like this: "O! glory and praise unto thee, O Lord! O! what mercy and goodness thou hast shown me this day! Glory unto thee, who art now taking my soul unto thyself, having redeemed it!" He then expired.

A NEGRO SLAVE.

THE following account of the dying hours of a converted native of Africa, was given by a lady who witnessed her sufferings and comfort. This aged Christian was a slave in Antigua. She says, "We often visited her, and always found her cheerful and happy, and her mouth filled with blessings. She enumerated, with all the feelings of gratitude, the advantages she had derived from our coming to see her; blessing and praising God for it, and asking, in the most affectionate manner, for blessings on the very ship which brought us thither.

2. "She could not, she said, forget her God, for he did not forget her; when she lay down upon her bed, he came down to her: meaning by this, to describe the spiritual communion which she enjoyed with her God and Saviour. She told us, if it was the will of 'Jesus Massa' to call her to-

A NEGRO SLAVE. 271

morrow, she should be satisfied to go: if it was his will to spare her some time longer, she would be willing to stay. We frequently called to see her, and always found her in the same strain of adoring gratitude and love.

3. "She often regretted her inability to come to prayers. Indeed, such was her desire to join us in worshipping God, that she once got her son to bring her on his back. When I asked her, on another occasion, how she did, she replied, she did not know; but He who made the soul and body, knew, and the best time for calling her away. She only hoped it would not be pitch darkness; but that there might be light: and that he would remember his promises to her. She thanked me when I offered her some medicine;  said she would have any thing which we gave her, and that 'Jesus Massa would pay us for all.' 

4. "On another visit, she asked, 'What can poor massa do more?--what can poor missis do more? They cannot take away old age.' She repeated, that she was waiting for her summons from above, and said God spared her a little, and she thanked him for it. By and by, when she saw his time, he would come, and then she would thank him for that. She once appeared to have some doubts in her mind; for when she spoke of her approaching departure, she said she should be glad to go, if she was to be happy, and if the way was not dark.

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