A Narrative of the Life of Rev. Noah Davis, A Colored Man | Page 4

that the girls
would laugh at me. Yet I became so troubled, that I left the house, girls
and all, intending to seek some place where I might pray. But to my
horror and surprise, when I got out of the church, this reflection
occurred to me, "God is in heaven, and you are on earth:--how can He
hear you?" O, what distress of mind I now felt! I began to wonder how
God could hear my prayer; for, sure enough, He was in heaven, and I
on the earth. In my perplexity, I started for home.
Just before I reached the shop, where I slept, this thought struck me, if
possible with more force than the former reflection: "God does see
you!" It really appeared to me as if I could see that God was indeed

looking at me; and not only so, but I felt that He had been looking at
me all my life. I now said to myself, "It is of no use for me to pray.--If
God has seen all my wickedness, as I feel that He has, then there is no
mercy for me."
So I ran to my lodging-place, and tried to hide myself in a dark room.
But this was useless; for it appeared that God could see me in the dark,
as well as in the light.
I now felt constrained to beg for mercy, and spent the time in trying to
obtain pardon for my sins. But the morning came, and the hour drew
near for the hands to go to work, and I was still unhappy.
I felt so very different to what I had always felt, that I tried to examine
my impressions of the previous night, to learn if it was true that God
did see me or not; for I thought my imagination might have deceived
me.
Up to this time, I was not fully convinced that God knew all about me.
So I began to study about the matter. As I sat on the shoe-bench, I
picked up a bunch of bristles, and selecting one of the smallest, I began
to wonder, if God could see an object so small as that. No sooner had
this inquiry arose in my heart, than it appeared to me, that the Lord
could not only see the bristle, but that He beheld me, as plainly as I saw
the little object in my hand; and not only so, but that God was then
looking through me, just as I would hold up a tumbler of clear water to
the sun and look through it. This was enough. I felt that I must pray, or
perish; and now I began to pray.
But it really seemed, that the more I prayed the less hope there was for
me. Still I could not stop praying; for I felt that God was angry with me.
I had sinned against his holy laws; and now, if He should cut me off,
and send me to hell, it was but right. These thoughts followed me day
and night, for five weeks, before I felt relief. At length, one day, while
sitting on my shoe bench, I felt that my time had come when I must die.
What troubled me most, was that I should have to appear before God,
in all my sins;--O, what horror filled my soul at the thought!

I began to wonder what I must do. I knew I was not prepared for death
and the Judgment. It is true that two of my shopmates, at that time,
were members of the church; but they did not seem to care for my soul.
All the rest of the hands were as wicked as myself. "What shall I do?"
was in my mind, all the time I sat at work.
The reflection occurred to me, "Your mother is a christian; it may be
she can save you." But this suggestion appeared to be offensive to God.
Then came another thought,--"As my master was a rich man, could he
not do something to help me?" But I found no relief in either ... and
while I sat thus, hoping and praying, light broke into my mind--all my
trouble left me in an instant.
I felt such a love and peace flowing in my soul, that I could not sit
longer; I sprang to my feet, and cried out, "Glory to God!" It seemed to
me, that God, whom I had beheld, a few seconds previously, angry with
me, was now well-pleased. I could not tell why this great change had
taken place in me; and my shopmates were surprised at my conduct,
saying, that I must be getting crazy. But, just at this moment, the
thought came into my mind, that I was converted;