A Narrative of the Life of Rev. Noah Davis, A Colored Man | Page 8

came among the colored people of Baltimore, I found, to my
surprise, that they were advanced in education, quite beyond what I had
conceived of. Of course, as I never had such advantages, I was far
behind the people; and as this did not appear well in a preacher, I felt
very small, when comparing my abilities with others of a superior
stamp. I found that the great mass of colored professors of religion
were Methodists, whose piety and zeal seemed to carry all before them.
There were, at that time, some ten or eleven colored Methodist
churches, one Episcopalian, one Presbyterian; and one little Baptist
church, located upon the outskirts of the city. The most of the
Methodist churches were large and influential; and the Presbyterian
church had one of the best Sabbath schools for colored children in the
city.

But the Baptist colored membership was looked upon as the smallest;
and under these circumstances, I was surrounded with discouragements;
although the ministers and brethren of other denominations have
always treated me with marked christian kindness.
I had never had a day's schooling; and coming to one of the first cities
in the Union, where the colored people had the advantages of schools,
and where their pulpits were occupied, Sabbath after Sabbath, by
comparatively intelligent colored ministers--what could I expect, but
that the people would turn away from one who was trying to preach in
the room of a private house, some fifteen by twenty feet? Yet, there
was no turning back: God had called me to the work, and it was His
cause I was advocating.
I found, that to preach, like other preachers, I must improve my mind,
by reading the Bible and other good books, and by studying my own
language. I started afresh--I got a small stock of books, and the white
brethren loaned and gave me other useful volumes, to which they added
a word of instruction and encouragement, whenever an opportunity
offered; and the ministers cordially invited me to attend their Monday
ministerial conference meeting, which was very useful to me.
... I had now been in Baltimore more than a year. My wife and seven
children were still in Virginia. I went to see them as often as my
circumstances permitted--three or four times a year. About this time,
my wife's mistress agreed to sell to me my wife and our two youngest
children. The price fixed, was eight hundred dollars cash, and she gave
me twelve months to raise the money. The sun rose bright in my sky
that day; but before the year was out, my prospects were again in
darkness. Now I had two great burdens upon my mind: one to attend
properly to my missionary duty, the other to raise eight hundred dollars.
During this time we succeeded in getting a better place for the Sabbath
school, and there was a larger attendance upon my preaching, which
demanded reading and study, and also visiting, and increased my daily
labors. On the other hand, the year was running away, in which I had to
raise eight hundred dollars. So that I found myself at times in a great
strait.

My plan to raise the money was, to secure the amount, first, by pledges,
before I collected any.... Finally, the year was more than passed away,
and I had upon my subscription list about one half of the money needed.
It was now considered that the children had increased in value one
hundred dollars, and I was told that I could have them, by paying in
cash six hundred dollars, and giving a bond, with good security, for
three hundred more, payable in twelve months. I had six weeks, in
which to consummate this matter. I felt deeply, that this was a time to
pray the Lord to help me, and for this my wife's prayers were fervently
offered with my own. I had left my wife in Virginia, and come to
Baltimore, a distance of over a hundred miles; I had been separated
thus for nearly three years; I had been trying to make arrangements to
have her with me, for over twelve months, and as yet had failed. We
were oppressed with the most gloomy forebodings, and could only
kneel down together and pray for God's direction and help.
I was in Fredericksburg, and had but one day longer to stay, and spend
with my wife. What could be done, must be done quickly. I went to my
old friend, Mr. Wright, and stated my case to him. After hearing of all I
had done, and the conditions I had to comply with, he told me that if I
would raise the six hundred dollars cash, he would endorse my bond
for the remaining three hundred.--This promise inspired me with