The weekly Anglo-African., 1859-07-30
UNCLE FOUNTAIN; OR, THAT'S THE
STRANGE ONT

n1feQ Tor the use OF Tue cHlfEu anu con-
gregation. About this time, colored man
began to attend meeting. He did not
come into the house, but took his place by
the window, where pane of glass was
broken out. He was known as Uncle
Fountain, and was about forty years old.
He was a slave; had left slave wife and
three children in the South, from whence
his master had brought him to reside in
Ohio. He never laughed, but was usually
sad, and sometimes wept. His old master
was an elder in the church, and had three
sons who were preachers. His wife and
daughters were also members of the church,
but Uncle Fountain couldn't readldidn't
know text of Scripture, nor prayer.
Meeting him one day after he had been at
church, [ enquired, "Well, Uncle Foun-
tain, what do you think Of the religion of
the Lord Jesus?" He withdrew his hand,
and turning away his face, said, | know
nothing about it, and so think nothing
about it." ] said, :" Don't you know the
Lord Jesus died for you, and that if you
believe in him, repent of your sins, and
pray to him, he will pardon you, make you
holy, and make you dwell with all the
good, in heaven?" He answered, | don't
know" Don't you believe the Bible is
trueY' "Dont know-suppose it's true.
White folks say it is" Well, Uncle
Fountain, the Bible is true; and it tells us
of blessed place where the people are all
holy; there are none but Christians there;
it is prepared for those who love God, and
it is offered to every one. Ask, and ye
shall receive; seek, and we shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
O, Uncle Fountain, seek to enter into the
kingdom of God !" He shook his head,
and slowly turning away, replied, as tears
stole down his cheeks, " Master, I've lived
with Christians and ministers all my life"
The next Sabbath, his dark face ap-
peared at the broken window. While
speaking of the love of Christ to poor sin
pers, / observed he wept, and felt more
anxious than ever to lead this poor wan
lerer to the good Shepherd, and took the
first opportunity to call at the house where
he lived. 1t was dark; his days work
was finished, and | found him sitting by
the sink, eating his supper. When he had
done, 1 said, Come, Uncle Fountain, |
want you to lead me home, for am nearly
blind" He replied, :" If you please, mas
ter" / took his arm, and as we walked
along, | said, Uncle Fountain, | am very
sorry for you; | know you are sad and
miserable Sin makes us all miserable,
but the Lord Jesus will wash away our
sins. Won't you believe on him? can't
you love him?" His stout frame trembled,
and his tears fell fast on my hand, when
he replied, +" Master, don't believe the
Lord Jesus loves black people" "Why,
Uncle Fountain the Lord Jesus certainly
does love black people. He loves every
body" 81 don't believe it; cause you
say Christians have the spirit of Christ"
"Yes, Uncle Fountain, they have"
"Well, Christians don't love black peo-
pie; SO if Christians have the spirit of
Christ, Christ don't love colored people.
You see, master, have worked for my old
master forty years. Master J. go to school,
and stay at home to find him money and
clothes, so master j. could preach the gos-
pei. So he preached, Love all men as
We love YOURSELF Then master W., he
learn to preach, Love all men as We love
YOURSELF and afterward master A., he
learn to preach the same gospel; and all
the time stay home and work--work for
them and old master. Then old master
said, Fountain, go to Ohio with me, and
stay one year, and then you can come back
free man. / felt very bad to leave my
wife and three little children, but | had to
come with old master And | have been
here two years with master j., but have
no free papers. When l asked to go back
and see my wife and children, they told
me they were all sold last Christmas, and
/ need not trouble myself about them
Now / work hard for master j., and he
rides round in the carriage to preach the
gospel AT night he sleeps on good bed,
and sleep on the floor under the stairs
And then, when Christians want money,
they sell my wife and children to get it.
So / know if these Christians have the
spirit of Christ, Christ don't love the col
ored people"
Uncle Fountain was convulsed with an.
agony of grief, and my soul pitied him, for
| too was husband and father, and de-
sired, as Christian to comfort this strick-
en- one, and said, "True, Uncle Fountain,
yours is sad case These good people
are sadly blinded. They have been
brought up to think slavery right, and
really don't know any better"
"Ah !" said he, that's the strange
ont, that they don't know any better"
Suppose should ride in the carriage, and
make master j. work for nothing Sup
pose | sleep in the bed, and make him lie
on the floor; and then, when want money,
sell his wife and children to get it, and tell
him not to trouble himself about it. Then
wouldn't he know better? Would they
think that was according to the rule,
Whatsoever We would that men should
do to you, do ye even so to them2"
Here Uncle Fountain wept bitterly, and
/ wept with him, and thought, with him,
that's the strange ont; yes, that's the
strange ont, that they don't know better"
Here is poor negro, without Bible, with
out the Spirit, without learning; yet he
feels deeply that slavery is wrong, while
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