His second birth or regeneration
From the age of about 16, Johnson tells us, he began to ‘seek religion’. Like many in Virginia, Johnson’s master was episcopalian. He taught his slave to pray and to recite the Apostles’ Creed and would read parts of Scripture to him emphasising the subservience of slaves. Then for good measure he would give his slave a good lashing. Despite his resolve to ‘get religion’ what held Johnson back most was not such hypocrisy but his own superstition. One day he was picking blackberries and repeating the Lord’s Prayer when a rabbit suddenly jumped out in front of him. Remembering the story of the Garden of Eden he thought it was really the devil. He was very frightened. His fear of the attention the devil might pay him often stopped him praying at night.
Around 1852 his master married and Johnson was sold to the man’s brother who lived in the state capital, Richmond. Johnson was thus re-united with his dear mother. This brother also proved to be more benign in his attitude to slaves. However, he was no more ready to see slaves educated than others. On one occasion he warned young Johnson of the troubles that came upon slaves who learned to write. Johnson remembered him referring to the case of Anthony Burns, a cause célèbre at the time. In 1854 Burns had used his writing skills to forge a pass and so escape from southern slavery to Boston. Abolitionist resistance there was strong and 2,000 soldiers were needed to escort Burns to the ship that returned him to the South. Johnson’s master took the opportunity to point out that Burns was found and punished severely. Far from warning Johnson off, however, the story served as a stimulus to him to learn to read and write.
By means of various surreptitious acts he was able to make some progress with his education. He would say to his new master’s eldest son ‘I bet you can’t spell so and so’. The unsuspecting young boy would then prove he could by spelling it out. This sort of thing went on for some time. When the boy grew suspicious, Johnson would say he just wanted to see how the boy was getting on. So eventually he learned to read and to write to a certain standard. Freedom, however, seemed as far off as ever. A large map of the USA hung on the dining room wall and Johnson, who clearly had a good memory, memorised the names of all the railway stations from Richmond to Boston, dreaming of freedom. Understandably, in the minds of many slaves thoughts of earthly and heavenly freedom mingled. Johnson wanted both. Nevertheless, at that time the freedom of both earth and heaven seemed equally far off.
In 1857 and 1858 there was an extensive revival in America. Iain Murray (Revival and Revivalism 331) says that, ‘In its extent the new work appeared to exceed all that had gone before.’ Practically the whole country was affected. J Edwin Orr called it ‘the most thorough and most wholesome movement ever known in the Christian church.’ There were many conversions among the slaves who worked in the Richmond tobacco factories and many of Johnson’s friends began to ‘seek religion’. He too started with fresh earnestness but was dogged by his old superstition concerning the devil. All sorts of innocent little things filled him with fear. He changed from being lively and cheerful to become gloomy and nervous. His master was concerned and threatened to send him away to Georgia. Johnson prayed that God would prevent it but he began to deteriorate further as he came under deep conviction. Not only was he losing sleep but he often fasted, which also made him weak.
Then one day he met a fellow African-American called Stephney Brown. He was quite an intelligent man and a true believer. He very simply explained the gospel, stressing the need for faith in Christ. He told Johnson he would go to hell if he was not a Christian but, he said, ‘You must ask pardon for Jesus’ sake’. That for Jesus’ sake went home and as soon as he finished work that night Johnson set to praying to the Lord. Trusting only in the finished work of Christ he soon came to that joyful point where he became convinced that all his sins had been laid on Jesus. How he rejoiced! He says that whereas he found it hard up until that time to imagine that any white people would be in heaven he now saw that if only his master and others trusted in Jesus all their sins would be forgiven. He began to pray for such people and others that they would find what he had. The first person to believe through his testimony was his dear mother.
In order to join a church, a slave had to get his owner’s permission. When Johnson announced his intention to be baptised his master refused to countenance it at first, but after some months of praying Johnson asked again and this time was allowed. He and his mother were baptised at the same time. There were several Baptist churches in Richmond, all segregated into black and white congregations. Many of the black churches had white pastors who were sure to give undue emphasis to the duties of slaves. Johnson did not want to join a church like that so went to one with a black pastor and black members.
Soon after conversion he felt called to preach. As a semi-illiterate slave there were many difficulties in pursuing this. However, he took what opportunities he could to increase his learning. With other slaves he would often gather to pray and worship. Meetings for more than five slaves at a time were illegal and he often received as many as 30 lashes the morning after such gatherings. By means of persecution and praise he thus grew in grace.
From the age of about 16, Johnson tells us, he began to ‘seek religion’. Like many in Virginia, Johnson’s master was episcopalian. He taught his slave to pray and to recite the Apostles’ Creed and would read parts of Scripture to him emphasising the subservience of slaves. Then for good measure he would give his slave a good lashing. Despite his resolve to ‘get religion’ what held Johnson back most was not such hypocrisy but his own superstition. One day he was picking blackberries and repeating the Lord’s Prayer when a rabbit suddenly jumped out in front of him. Remembering the story of the Garden of Eden he thought it was really the devil. He was very frightened. His fear of the attention the devil might pay him often stopped him praying at night.
Around 1852 his master married and Johnson was sold to the man’s brother who lived in the state capital, Richmond. Johnson was thus re-united with his dear mother. This brother also proved to be more benign in his attitude to slaves. However, he was no more ready to see slaves educated than others. On one occasion he warned young Johnson of the troubles that came upon slaves who learned to write. Johnson remembered him referring to the case of Anthony Burns, a cause célèbre at the time. In 1854 Burns had used his writing skills to forge a pass and so escape from southern slavery to Boston. Abolitionist resistance there was strong and 2,000 soldiers were needed to escort Burns to the ship that returned him to the South. Johnson’s master took the opportunity to point out that Burns was found and punished severely. Far from warning Johnson off, however, the story served as a stimulus to him to learn to read and write.
By means of various surreptitious acts he was able to make some progress with his education. He would say to his new master’s eldest son ‘I bet you can’t spell so and so’. The unsuspecting young boy would then prove he could by spelling it out. This sort of thing went on for some time. When the boy grew suspicious, Johnson would say he just wanted to see how the boy was getting on. So eventually he learned to read and to write to a certain standard. Freedom, however, seemed as far off as ever. A large map of the USA hung on the dining room wall and Johnson, who clearly had a good memory, memorised the names of all the railway stations from Richmond to Boston, dreaming of freedom. Understandably, in the minds of many slaves thoughts of earthly and heavenly freedom mingled. Johnson wanted both. Nevertheless, at that time the freedom of both earth and heaven seemed equally far off.
In 1857 and 1858 there was an extensive revival in America. Iain Murray (Revival and Revivalism 331) says that, ‘In its extent the new work appeared to exceed all that had gone before.’ Practically the whole country was affected. J Edwin Orr called it ‘the most thorough and most wholesome movement ever known in the Christian church.’ There were many conversions among the slaves who worked in the Richmond tobacco factories and many of Johnson’s friends began to ‘seek religion’. He too started with fresh earnestness but was dogged by his old superstition concerning the devil. All sorts of innocent little things filled him with fear. He changed from being lively and cheerful to become gloomy and nervous. His master was concerned and threatened to send him away to Georgia. Johnson prayed that God would prevent it but he began to deteriorate further as he came under deep conviction. Not only was he losing sleep but he often fasted, which also made him weak.
Then one day he met a fellow African-American called Stephney Brown. He was quite an intelligent man and a true believer. He very simply explained the gospel, stressing the need for faith in Christ. He told Johnson he would go to hell if he was not a Christian but, he said, ‘You must ask pardon for Jesus’ sake’. That for Jesus’ sake went home and as soon as he finished work that night Johnson set to praying to the Lord. Trusting only in the finished work of Christ he soon came to that joyful point where he became convinced that all his sins had been laid on Jesus. How he rejoiced! He says that whereas he found it hard up until that time to imagine that any white people would be in heaven he now saw that if only his master and others trusted in Jesus all their sins would be forgiven. He began to pray for such people and others that they would find what he had. The first person to believe through his testimony was his dear mother.
In order to join a church, a slave had to get his owner’s permission. When Johnson announced his intention to be baptised his master refused to countenance it at first, but after some months of praying Johnson asked again and this time was allowed. He and his mother were baptised at the same time. There were several Baptist churches in Richmond, all segregated into black and white congregations. Many of the black churches had white pastors who were sure to give undue emphasis to the duties of slaves. Johnson did not want to join a church like that so went to one with a black pastor and black members.
Soon after conversion he felt called to preach. As a semi-illiterate slave there were many difficulties in pursuing this. However, he took what opportunities he could to increase his learning. With other slaves he would often gather to pray and worship. Meetings for more than five slaves at a time were illegal and he often received as many as 30 lashes the morning after such gatherings. By means of persecution and praise he thus grew in grace.
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