Part 1 describes the childhood and early years of Rev. Jones, as well as his conversion to Jesus Christ. We continue here shortly after he has been sold to a new master and has watched his wife and children be taken away from him by his wife’s mistress. He will never hear from or see them again. This story is based entirely on a book by Thomas H. Jones, The Experience of Rev. Thomas H. Jones, Who Was a Slave for Forty-Three Years. It was published by The University of North Carolina Press.

Tom’s new master, Owen Holmes, was far less severe than his previous master had been. Tom was able to attend prayer meetings and church meetings freely. A common practice of many slave owners was to hire out their slaves for various paid labor. The slave was required to give his master a certain portion of what he earned, and in some cases, could rent his own home and make use of his free time as he wished. Such was the situation of Tom under Mr. Holmes. 

He paid Mr. Holmes $150 of his yearly earnings which were divided into monthly installments. He was able to rent a house as well from a local doctor. He hired himself out to load and unload ships that came into the Wilmington harbor for an average rate of $1.25 a day. After his wife and children had been gone for four years, Tom longed for companionship. All hope of being joined with his wife again was gone. He sent a letter to her, not knowing her whereabouts or even if she would be able to receive it, but letting her know that he wished to marry again.  He then asked Mary Moore to be his wife and they remained married until death parted them.

For the first three years of their marriage, Tom sought to buy Mary’s freedom. He paid her master $48 a year; and in the fourth year, with the help of a white friend, he was able to purchase her for $350. However, they had one child who had been born into slavery before Tom purchased Mary’s freedom. That child would remain behind once Tom’s plan of securing his own freedom occurred and the rest of the family moved north. Later, through the selling of his book, he would free his son and bring him to the north.

Slaves were not allowed to buy property, so with the help of another white friend (or whom Tom trusted as a friend), Tom purchased property with three small cabins on it. The white man’s name was on the deed, but the money for the purchase was Tom’s. Tom and his family lived in one cabin, but as Tom’s plan of securing freedom for his family progressed, the man did not allow Tom to access the whole property—in time, taking it over completely without acknowledging that it was bought with Tom’s money. During the winter of 1848-49, Tom learned that white men were plotting to retake his wife into slavery. He was advised to send her and his children quickly and secretly north to a free state. 

By this time three more children had been born free. Through his connections at the Wilmington docks, he was able to smuggle his wife and those three children onto a cargo ship to a friend in Brooklyn, New York. Tom would continue to try to get the money for his houses back and join them afterwards. Although he was never successful in his attempts, he continued to work and send money to his family while also trying to save enough to buy his own passage north.

Eventually, he made it, but he was basically destitute at the time. He and his family settled in Canada,  while Tom preached and worked to end slavery. He preached in the northern states of America, British provinces of Canada, and crossed the ocean to preach in Great Britain. He also worked, spoke, and wrote for the cause of abolition. He was even able to secure freedom for his mother and father.

However, the remarkable part of his story that I wish to share with you now, transpired through the 20 years that he was owned by Mr. Holmes, whom he served faithfully till Mr. Holmes’ death. Mr. Holmes had inherited his slaves and was an abolitionist at heart, according to Tom. The bondage his slaves experienced was minimal. The Holmes had a summer plantation outside of Wilmington and to which Tom was brought to serve the family each summer.

The first summer, Tom asked and was granted permission to hold religious meetings on Sunday for the slaves. No such thing had ever taken place there. So, Tom began to meet the local slaves in the area and invite them to attend. One of these was known as Uncle Bob. Tom described his first encounter with Uncle Bob: “He grasped my hand, and the tears fell thick and fast as he exclaimed, ‘The Lord has sent you here, and I pray that He will bless your labors in the conversion of many of the slaves of this region.’”

The first meeting was held at the home of the plantation’s overseer. Though the overseer was not a Christian, he thought the meetings were a good thing, and offered his house since it was big. The meeting began by singing the hymn, “God moves in a mysterious way/ His wonders to perform.” Tom asked the worshipers to kneel and pray with him. 

“When we arose I observed that many were in tears. I then gave a short talk, in which I spoke of what Christ had done and would do for all who came to him. In the midst of my talk one of the house servants suddenly cried out, as though in great distress of mind, ‘O God, have mercy on me!’ I immediately ceased talking and invited all who wished to be saved to come and kneel down in the centre of the room, and I would pray for them. A general rush followed, and falling on our knees I began to entreat God to come and save the perishing. My voice, however, was soon drowned by the voices of the multitudes who pleaded for mercy on their own behalf. We continued in alternate prayer and exhortation until a late hour, when the meeting closed. One precious soul had been saved, and many others brought under deep conviction. Uncle Bob…was greatly revived in spirit, and nearly exhausted himself shouting the praises of God.”

The meetings continued throughout the summer and many slaves were converted. Their first local adversary was a man known as Captain Pope, the head of the patrol. The patrol acted as an arm of the local police, keeping a lookout for runaway slaves and making sure that slaves were kept in check, though they had no authority on plantation property. Hearing that religious meetings were taking place, Captain Pope came to a meeting, remaining outside, but taunting the slaves that they would be arrested for attending the gathering. Tom talked to his mistress about the disturbance and she at once ordered Captain Pope to stay off her property. Tom wrote: “Thus the Lord fights the battle of His people for them. He has gained many a victory for me, for which I praise His name.”

One day when Tom was speaking to the overseer, two young converts came running over to him. They told him they thanked God for how happy they were. Tom wanted to know why they were so happy.

 “Oh, Jesus has forgiven our sins.”

“Then you think Jesus has saved you?” Tom asked.

“Oh, yes. He saves us now,” they exclaimed.

After they returned to their work, the overseer remarked about how their behavior had changed for the better, because previously they had given him much trouble.

One day, while Tom’s master was away on business, Tom drove with his mistress to the owner of a nearby plantation, Col. Sellen, who was inviting Tom to begin meetings at his plantation. Tom told Col. Sellen that he had his own master’s written permission to hold meetings outside his own plantation. “I wish your master was a Christian. Have you ever talked to him on the subject?” Col. Sellen asked Tom. “Oh, yes, I have talked with him many times, and I am earnestly praying that God will convert his soul.”

The next Sunday Tom began to hold meetings at a house on Col. Sellen’s plantation. The meeting opened with the hymn, “A charge to keep I have /A God to glorify.” Tom preached from Matthew 11:28. He writes: “The subject was, ‘God’s exceeding great and precious promises to such as put their trust in him.’ The people were powerfully moved during the preaching. Col Sellen and his family, and a few other white persons, sat with the congregation, and paid good attention to all that was said. Near the close of my remarks, I said, ‘I am now recruiting soldiers for the army of the Lord,’ and requested all who desired to enlist to raise their hands. Many responded to the invitation. After a short prayer, in which the anxious were remembered at a throne of grace, I closed the meeting. Twenty-six persons professed to have found peace in believing….”

During the singing of the last hymn, “Until we meet again…” there was a “general hand-shaking, in which Col. Sellen and his family joined. He was deacon of a Baptist church, and a most excellent Christian man.” After this meeting several others were held at other plantations in the area. Tom mentions where several of these took place. 

One meeting took place on the plantation of a Mr. Blackman Crumpling. The Crumpling family were Methodists. Tom spoke on the Scripture, “O Lord, revive thy work.” He writes: 

“And the Lord did revive it in mighty power. Large numbers of both white and colored persons were stricken down and led to cry for mercy at God’s hand. I observed that during the sermon Mr. Crumpling was very much affected. I afterwards learned the cause; he was burdened for a neighbor who was present. When I gave the usual invitation to the anxious to come forward for prayer, this neighbor was one of the first to come. Mr. Crumpling immediately stepped to his side, and putting his arm around his neck, exclaimed, ‘Thank God, my prayers are answered.’ We continued the meeting to a very late hour in the evening. Many were converted, and returned to their homes shouting the praises of God.”

Tom describes another incident involving Mr. Crumpling. Tom was sent on an errand to Mr. Crumpling’s house. “When I reached the house I found the family at dinner, and to my great surprise I observed that the slaves were eating at the same table with the white people. I had never beheld the like before.…What I beheld at Mr. Crumpling’s was due to the grace of God; it makes all one, regardless of color or condition.”

Regarding another meeting held in a barn on the plantation of Mr. May, Tom wrote: 

“There were nearly as many whites as blacks present at this meeting. The whites were for the most part from the poorer class. Many of them were not as well or as tidily dressed as were some of the blacks. Mr. May’s son, Henry, read a portion of Scripture, and made a few remarks at the opening of the service….In the course of the meeting, I came upon several young people sitting in a seat together. They were not Christians. I exhorted them to come to Christ at once and be saved. One of the number signified her willingness to do so. Laying my hand very gently on her shoulder, I said ‘That is right, my daughter, give your heart to the Saviour now.’ She immediately fell on her knees, and began to cry to God for mercy. At the close of the meeting I had some further conversation with her. She appeared deeply in earnest. I promised to keep her in my prayers. Since that hour I have never seen her, but I doubt not we shall one day meet with the blood-washed throng in glory. Just now let me add a word respecting Henry May. Though reared amid slave-holding influences, he was as fine a young man as I ever wish to see. He gave promise of a successful and useful life, --a promise which, I doubt not, he fully realized. I expect to meet him in the better land.”

Once, Tom held a meeting at Parker’s meeting house in Cumberland County, North Carolina. After a powerful worship service, it concluded with a prayer meeting. “Whites prayed for blacks, and blacks for whites. All distinctions as between the different races seemed to have disappeared altogether and everybody recognized a common bond of interest and endeavor,” Tom wrote.

The many memories of these meetings shared by Rev. Jones are truly an inspiration and encouragement. I am so thankful they have been preserved. Hundreds of people were saved through Rev. Tom Jones’ ministry, and the care that their spiritual overseers gave to them as they became Christians is something not often seen in American churches today. Today, such descriptions of whole congregations seeking the mercy of God and desiring to glorify Him are rare.

Tom writes of times when the dreaded patrol interrupted meetings, capturing the believers as they departed for home, imprisoning them, beating them, and threatening their lives. On such occasions, the people realizing what was about to happen to them, would pray together in earnest for the strength to endure. They even seemed honored that they were able to suffer for Jesus.

 Yet, they encouraged one another to be forgiving, not bitter. This is so evident in many of Tom’s statements, like the following:

“It is proper that I should here state that nearly all the suffering I endured while in slavery occurred previous to my becoming the property of Owen Holmes. I found in him all that any slave could desire. He did for me more and better than my own father could have done. He protected and provided for me as though I had been one of his own household. The memory of my relations to him and his dear family will ever be a pleasure to me while life shall last.” 

“…All slaveholders were not the hard-hearted characters that they are sometimes supposed to have been. On the contrary, many of them were as kindly in their feelings as human beings could well be.”

“I wish to say here to my dear readers, that my life was a checkered one from boyhood up to forty-three years of age, but I see now the hand of God in it all. Like Joseph, I was sold into bondage; but God has never forsaken me. I have seen father and mother again, and had the privilege of taking them by the hand and welcoming them under my own roof.”

This lack of bitterness through all of Tom’s experiences is nothing less than what happens when Jesus Christ truly abides in one’s heart. Oh, that our hearts today in a very different and self-centered culture, were more driven to make evident the Savior we profess.