“Do you understand it yourself?”
“No, I do not; I only know that such is the fact; but it is above not only mine, but all men’s comprehension. But I tell you honestly, that on these points, I am but a bad teacher; I have paid little attention to them during my life, and as far as religion is concerned, I can only give you the outlines, for I know no more.”
“But I thought you said that people were to be punished or rewarded when they died, according as they had lived a bad or good life; and that to live a good life, people must be religious, and obey God’s commands.”
“I did tell you so, and I told you the truth; but I did not tell you that I had led a bad life, as I have done, and that I have neglected to pay obedience to God’s word and command.”
“Then you will be punished when you die, will you not?”
“Alas! I fear so, child,” replied Jackson, putting his hands up to his forehead and hiding his face. “But there is still time,” continued he, after a pause; and “O God of mercy!” exclaimed he, “how shall I escape?”
I was about to continue the conversation, but Jackson requested that I would leave him alone for a time. I went out and sat on the rock, watching the stars.
“And those,” he says, “were all made by God.”
“And God made everything,” thought I, “and God lives up beyond those stars.” I thought for a long while, and was much perplexed. I had never heard anything of God till the night before, and what Jackson had told me was just enough to make me more anxious and curious; but he evidently did not like to talk on the subject. I tried, after a time, if I could repeat the Lord’s Prayer, and I found that I could, so I knelt down on the rock, and looking up to a bright star, as if I would imagine it was God, I repeated the Lord’s Prayer to it, and then I rose up and went to bed.
This was the first time that I had ever prayed.