After the meeting, we were standing on the platform in front of the
church, and a sprinkle of rain out of a cloudless sky fell on the platform,
and on the shutters of the house. This was nothing but a miracle, and
was very astonishing to us all. The next day the clouds began to gather
in the sky, and the moisture began, at first, to fall like heavy dew. There
was no lightning or thunder and the rain came down in the gentlest manner
and continued in this way three days. With this marvelous manifestation
in direct answer to prayer, many people said "we would have had the
rain any way." "Truly the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's
crib, but my people doth not know, my people doth not consider."
I began to think what I should do to fulfill my vow to God, for I
vowed to return to Him something for rain, to show my gratitude that I
had seen done. There was an old man, about seventy years old, entirely
destitute, whose name was Bestwick. I went to see him, asked him to
come to the hotel and make his home there. There was also a poor German
girl, named Fredricka. I also gave her board at the hotel. These two
stayed with me free of charge as long as I lived in Richmond.
There were two political factions in Richmond at this time, one called
the "Jaybirds" and the other "Peckerwoods". The latter were people
that were in favor of the negro holding offices. This party had control of
the country for some time.
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