Page 5 - Good News March 2015 paper
P. 5
was born in 1725, and I died any longer, and I left in rebellion at time, I slowly gave myself over to that knew me. And again I made a
1807. The only Godly influence the age of ten. the devil. And I determined that I pact with the devil to live for him.
Iin my life, as far back as I can would sin to my fill, without
remember, was my mother, whom One year later, deciding that I restraint, now that the righteous Somehow, through a process of
I had for only seven years. When would never enter formal edu- lamp of my life had gone out. I did events, I got in touch with a
she left my life through death, I cation again, I became a seaman that until my days in the military Portuguese slave trader, and I
was virtually an orphan. apprentice, hoping somehow to service, where again discipline lived in his home. His wife, who
step into my father's trade and worked hard against me and I was brimming with hostility, took
My father remarried, sent me to a learn at least the ability to skilfully further rebelled. a lot out on me. She beat me, and I
strict military school, where the navigate a ship. ate like a dog on the floor of the
severity of discipline almost My spirit would not break, and I home. If I refused to do that, she
broke my back. I couldn't stand it By and by, through a process of became increasingly more and would whip me with a lash.
more a rebel. Because of a
number of things that I disagreed I fled penniless, owning only the
with in the military, I finally clothes on my back, to the shore-
deserted, only to be captured like line of Africa where I built a fire,
a common criminal and beaten hoping to attract a ship that was
publicly several times. passing by. The skipper thought
that I had gold or slaves or ivory
After enduring the punishment, I to sell and was surprised
again fled. I entertained thoughts because I was a skilled navigator.
of suicide on my way to Africa, And it was there that I virtually
deciding that would be the place I lived for a long period of time. It
could get farthest from anyone Continued on p. 8
Continued on p. 8
