A Mysterious Life and Calling by Charlotte S. Riley

Author:Charlotte S. Riley [Riley, Charlotte S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press

This is in part my dear boy’s letter I had in reserve nineteen years up to this date as my heart’s delight souvenir. Yes, his joy came to him again, for I did hear his maiden sermon in a mysterious way. He came home sick from school, and I was sent for to come and visit the circuit by the Rev. Hazel, pastor in charge. On my arrival I found my son at home, so I had to pay my morning visit and preach at the church seven miles away. And I arranged with him. Shall we be late returning? I shall ask him to act for me so it was understood, and as we came rather late to have an early sermon and they were all there in time he assumed my place. We got in time for his beginning, but I would not have him stop. So his heart was glad and so was his mother in Christ, and he made a good beginning in the warfare against the world, the flesh and Satan. He valiantly used the weapon of destruction to sin[g] “Glory to God in the highest.”

In relating the incidents will prove to you the many trying cases I have had to undergo in my life’s work. On a visit of our lamented Bishop Brown to the work, he with the pastor, Rev. Felix W. Torence went down to the lower church, St. Peter’s, and I was engaged arranging his chamber to have him comfortable on his return. My daughter Anna was reading in the sitting room. Here comes a rap at the door. “Come,” she said. Rap again. “Come,” she said, I feeling not the least fear of any offense from anyone in the surrounding town, for white and colored citizens were my admirers and friends. So I very sternly called out, “Why not come in?” Advancing to the door, when it opened and I was fearfully shocked to have a white man enter in, but I gathered up my nerves and handed him a seat with all the grace of a Christian. I wanted him seated as he was so tall above me upon his feet, with his broad slouch hat on his head and a large Turkish pipe in his mouth. I saw at once this meant “Protect thyself.” After getting him seated I goes into my bedroom and put my seven times revolver, cocked and ready for use, into my pocket and gave my noted signal for alarm. The neighbor, understanding it, sent a courier in to the marshal, so I got ready for battle. “Well, sir, what is your errand at my house? As we are under the protection of the marshal of the town and are told by him not to admit any strangers into our home, but you got in before we knew. You are a stranger to the town.” “Well, ladies,” he said, “my motive is good. I learned in the town that the teachers of the school’s name were Simonds, and knowing that my brother has a colored family in Charleston, I came to see.

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