The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-11-28
REV. a. j. DIAZ, THE CONVERTED
CUBAN.
He Relates His Christian Experience
Before the Baptist State Con-
Vcntion.
biblical RecOrder.1

Rev. A. J. Diaz, of Cuba, being
present, was requested to give his
Christian experience. He said:
want tell you how l led to the Truth.
Some years go there was war in Cuba,
and | see black flag, and that means
Spanish soldier kill all they see if they
don't agree with them. One night l
got plank because soldiers all around
me, and push out to sea, not to come
to United States, but to get from home
and soldiers. was on my plank and
one ship come long and took me to
New York. 1t cold there, and | said
| freeze here, for no cold like that in
my country, and l took pneumonia
and go to hospital. Me know moth
ing Of your language SO you see me
couldn't talk, but SO sick. Then one
Baptist lady come to me, but was
sick, and she talk to me, and don't
know what she said, and 1 o sick-I
SO sick | can't write, and she kept
coming, and l wonder what she said,
for she keep looking at me. l said
we'll she must be one lunat:c, and she
read one book, and l said, 'let me
have book and she said yes |
went out to translate it to my language,
and one friend said, syou get Bible
round here in your own language,
and l went and got me one. and Holy
Spirit come, and l read about blind
man, and prayed yes, 1 was twenty
five years old, and never prayed be-
fore, and Lord come down and help
me, and Lord help me all since. |
said my people need this book. | look
back to Cuba, and war was over, and
l went back to home, and said to my
father, you need this book and he
said sno, it hereto religion My
mother, love her r,and she good moth
er, but she said mo- | went to some
doctors in hotel parlor, for | know
some medicine, and read Bible, and
next Sunday fifty come. and next Sun
day more come, and keep on coming,
and priest said, this man ruin bust
ness, for all people are here and peo-
| pie believe priest, and | went back to
New York. | heard some ladies in
Philadelphia want man to carry Bibles
to Cuba. They send me, and | go
back to Cuba and talk to people. My
people need this religion. love my
mother, but love my Master best. She
mad with me, and l eat my breakfast ;
she say nothing, for she get mad be-
cause you know she talk too much, ,and
she can't say nothing from Bible. l
must do for these people, SO organ
ize Baptist church, and my mother
there, and I don't like that, for |
thought she come to get mad. | fear
she want to rebuke me, SO look
somewhere else; and next Sunday
had baptize folks, and my mother she
come and say, 'my son, you want
me?' I say, eyes, if you believe )
and took my mother in my arms tc
baptize her, and l say Il can't say
ceremony now,' and SO full t just
laid her down in the baptistery, and
say, Lord Jesus, this is my mother !;
and l thank God every night for her
and then I baptize my father and my
sister and all my people, and my
mother-i in law. Went to another city
and one man come to me on cars, anC
said, is this Mr.. Diaz?' l say, Eyes.
He say, you my prisoner | Say snt
l done nothing He have soldiers OIL
both side of ms who say, come Ane
they put me in Jail, and l say, wha
| done?' and nobody say nothing
and l read my Bible loud as l could
and people say he crazy Mayor h
come and say, 'you flabuster, for yo'
got guns in boxes But l say, 'no
they no flabuster boxes they Blbl
boxes l go to hotel; people al
come here, say, 'you flabuster,' but
say sno.' Mayor he come look at M
and | look at him and talk abou
weather, and he talk about the Bible
He say mo purgatory here l sa.
sno; , and he say, 'there no infan
!. baptism here in the Bible ) and sa,
no And he say, chow is that
and | say that, that is hard question
J. but you right Mr.. Mayor no lnfan
e baptism in the Bible. And he kee
!, on talking, and l feel-well he put m
y in Jail. once, and l don't know wha
he do now. Well, he showed m
telegram and say, you catch tha
man, A. J. Diaz he talk to folks ant
set people on fire, and you put him il
Jail SO he talk no more, for he be on
' flabuster' And he put me in ja
again, but Bible in his hands mad
n him read, and he come to me and
baptize him, and | baptize more pee
= pie, and l baptize jailor too, and
baptize mayor. l thank you for you
good attention. I'VE tried to repol
Bro. Diaz just as he uttered his talk
broken English.