The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-03

the UrOtnofS anu SISTERS OF ner cnurch did not
leave her alone in her sorrow They came fire.
quently, they ministered to all her necessities,
material and spiritual, as far as she had need,
and they had power. They held a weekly pray
or meeting at her house. And these Thursday
evening meetings were sources of great com.
fort to the desolate woman. Fannie was fire.
quently present at them. And the old negro
preacher, Elisha, was invariable in his pune
tual attendance. There was also another. q
constant though an unknown and unsupported,
worshipper among them. Valentines name had
long died off from every tongue, as his memory
seemed to have expired from every heart Even
in comforting Phaedra, her friends never desie-
mated the nature of her grief; and, in praying
for the Lords mercy upon their Gagged sister
in her sore affliction," they never named that
af1iction's cause. And though the unhappy
man was remembered in their petitions, it was
in silence and in secrecy.
One Thursday evening, while the March
winds were piping through the pine barrens,
Phedra was holding q prayer meeting in her
cabin. There we're about twenty negroes, both
men and women. present. Among them was
the old preacher Elisha, who led the devotions.
Fannie was also present, with her child. And
the look of wild anxiety that occasionally varied
the heart-broken expression of her face seemed
now fixed her usually patient, suffering coun-
tenance was absolutely haggard with terror,
and strong shudders shook her frame. Pha-
dra watched her with great uneasiness. Mean.
time the meeting went on in its services,
and they sang, prayed, and exhorted in turn.
1t was not what is technically called good "
meeting. Few seemed to enjoy the privilege
of prayer, or to possess the gift of exhortation
The very singing was tame and lifeless. There
seemed to be some spell of heaviness cast over
all. At last towards the close of the evening,
an aged brother arose, and began in a strain
of such wild eloquence, as deep, earnest, fer
vid emotions confer upon untutored minds, to
exhort his brethren and sisters of the church
upon the subject of their apathy and luke
warmness. L can do no justice to that wild,
eyrie style of oratory. 1t impressed, affected
and strongly excited his hearers. He conclu
ded with wild, outre expressions and gesticua
tons:
:" And schy, my brethren, is this freezing
spell of spiritual cold cast over us? Why car
we not pray, or exhort, or sing, or take sweet
counsel together? Why can we not love, OF
fear, or feel? Why will not the Spirit of Goo
come down to us? Why will not the Lord in
spire and accept our prayers? Is it because
there is " some accused thing hidden" among
US? Is there an Achan in our camp? charge
you, brother, sister, whoever you be, repent
speak cast the foul sin from your soul"
He was interrupted by deep, hollow voice
that proceeded from an obscure corner, where
a seeming old woman sat crouching; her form
enveloped in long cloak, her head hidden il
deep sun-bonnet.
Yes there is an accursed thing hidden
in your midst and am the Achan in you
campW And the figure arose, and the cloal
fell, and the bonnet was dropped, and the stran
ger stood revealed.
"Yalentine! Valentinel" cried Fannie, il
a voice of agony.
he crossed quickly through the astonishet
group, to the spot where she covered. III
Stopped and spoke to her few earnest words
and sat her down where she could drop hel
poor young head upon the lap of the trembling
sorrow stricken Ph@dra; while he stood W
and gazed upon the crowd who remained, stun
ned with CONSERVATION into silence.
Valentine was frightfully changed in the las
eighteen months; his flesh had wasted from
his bones, until it left him almost walking
skeleton his skin had darkened, and his eyes
had sunken, and concentrated their fires unit
they burned like two embedded stars; his voice
was cayernoqs. While the negroes present re
turned his gaze in silent awe, he spoke
"a price is On my head the Governor, O,
the State, will purchase and emancipate any
man here who will deliver me up to death. Il
is written, that a murderer shall hang on
tree' 1t every mans duty to deliver, if he can
a felon up to Justice! 1t is every mans duty
here to procure, if he can, his own freedom
Therefore, it is dou6ly some mans duty to take
me into custody. / have determined to die
for my deed Doubtless, | could go at any
time, and surrender to the authorities. But in
that case l should not do the little good an
now DESTROYS of doing. ] should not in dying
procure some one of you his freedom There
fore, wish that one of you take me in Gus
tody, and attend me to M. Come, choose
elect, or cast lots, for him who is to be the
freeman. Brother Portiphar -
Before Valentine could say another word
the old preacher, Elisha, who had been gradu
ally getting over his astonishment, and recover
ing his selfpossession, climbed over stools and
chairs and the crouching forms of women and
children, and made his way towards Valentine
whom he embraced with his left arm, while be
closed his lips, by laying over them his right
hand.
"Hush, Brudder Valley, hushl you dom
know what you's a sayin' Of You'se proph
ecyin' of de ole lao stead o. de aeao GOSPEL
sides which, would you temp any bruddel
here to sin an slave his mortal soul, sake o.
freein' of his poor perishin' body? Hush
brudder Valley, an let me prophecy. Bred
rem end sisters, is der {. man or oman In dc
SCUM O. my voice as 'ould cept his free papers
on de terms as brudder Valley offers-at de
price of brudder's life an sisters happiness
Which OBJ yer here 'ould buy his freedom wild
de price oh Valleys blood, and Phedra's and
Fannie's tears? Would you, brudder Porti
phar ? or you, sister Deely2 or your or you I
No. not one oh you. Now, brudders On sisters
Use got proposition to make. Fust, bolt dai
door, brudder Isaac, an see to de fastenin' O.
dat winder, sister Hera; no KNOWN whose
bout. Now, let's speak low. An what I want
to propose is dis yer: dat ebery brudder makes
pledge afore he leabes dis room to be silent
as to which has happen here dis night. lie,
brudder VALLEY no more be lef' in de power
an temptations OBJ de enemy; let him feel his.
sef free to tend our prayer-meetin's here m
peace an safety, for all as is happened of to.
night. Let us pray wild him, an try to 'lieve
he poor soul oh its load O. sin an sorrow ~
Elisha would have spoken longer, but here
Portiphar arose, and said-in effect-that he
did not fully agree with brother Elisha that
he doubted whether they should be doing
right to conceal Valentine, especially when
the conscience of the latter urged him to the
expiration of his crime. Elisha could scarcely
wait for the other to finish his remarks before
he arose in I. hurry, and said-in effect, if no.
in these words, and with some vehenenoe, ell.
so-that he was the last to make light of the
nuilt that Valentine had brought upon his
own soul. b1. that be also knew, and no one
else knew SO well, the ms:ddening provocation
that had driven him to his crime. That he
prayed the sin might be ysshed away by re-
pentance and faith in the Redeemer, that, for
this reason, he wished Valentine to feel safe in
coming among them, to share their prayers,
and hymns, and exhortations, and ell their
other means of grace-that, undismayed and
undstracted by the worldly sorrows of impris-