When he related that solemn circumstance, it so affected me, that I felt as if I was about to die, in a sudden manner also.
Having always, from parental training, purposed in my mind to become religious before I died, I thought that now was the time to begin to pray.

But I could not try to pray in the church, for I was afraid that the girls would laugh at me.

Yet I became so troubled, that I left the house, girls and all, intending to seek some place where I might pray.
But to my horror and surprise, when I got out of the church, this reflection occurred to me, "God is in heaven, and you are on earth:--how can He hear you ?" O, what distress of mind I now felt! I began to wonder how God could hear my prayer; for, sure enough, He was in heaven, and I on the earth.

In my perplexity, I started for home.
Just before I reached the shop, where I slept, this thought struck me, if possible with more force than the former reflection: "God does see you!" It really appeared to me as if I could see that God was indeed looking at me; and not only so, but I felt that He had been looking at me all my life.

I now said to myself, "It is of no use for me to pray .-- If God has seen all my wickedness, as I feel that He has, then there is no mercy for me." So I ran to my lodging-place, and tried to hide myself in a dark room.
But this was useless; for it appeared that God could see me in the dark, as well as in the light.
I now felt constrained to beg for mercy, and spent the time in trying to obtain pardon for my sins.