CHAPTER IV.
Marriage--License to Preach--Purchase of Freedom--A Call to Baltimore.
I had not been a member of the church a great while, before I formed an attachment to a young woman, who ultimately became my wife.

I have ever regarded her as the special gift of God to me.

She embraced religion about the same time that I did.

We had been acquainted with each other for several years previous, and although we associated frequently in the same social circle together; yet nothing of a special liking had manifested itself until the day she was baptized.
But we were both slaves, and of course had to get the consent of our owners, before we went further.

My wife belonged to the late Carter L.
Stephenson, Esq., who was a brother to Hon.