A Jail House Sermon

(November 5, 1831 -- Southampton County)

By Rudolph Lewis

INVOCATION

Nathaniel, gift of God,

saved by a rapacious master

for a life worse than death

God gave Nathaniel visions

of things past & future 

marks on head, intelligently

inquisitive & observant,

too much sense to be raised

Hieroglyphs & words fell

like mist, dripping

from heaven—imagination

fertile, learn to pray unceasingly,

casting fire barrels 

in molds made of clay

Honest, upright into manhood,

superior judgment, roguish plans

perfected by divine inspiration

austere in life & manners

avoiding society, wrapped

in mystery, fasting & attentive

to Luke's scripture "Seek ye 

the kingdom of heaven,

all shall be added."

Such was Nathaniel Turner

a man called by God.

SERMON

I ain't no conjure man, no

trickster for coins, I commune

with the Spirit—speak the Wisdom

of God before fellow servants

of the Great Promise to be

fulfilled in me.

I ran to the Wilderness

thirty days and the Spirit 

appeared, saying

my wishes were directed

to this world, not heaven's

kingdom—in silence

"You shall be beat with

many stripes, and thus I chasten you."

Astonishing all

I returned to my earthly master

I had then a vision

white spirits and black

engaged in battle

for righteousness

the Son in the stars, thunder

rolled in the heavens

blood flowed

in streams

A voice in the treetops

spoke, "Such is your luck,

such you are called 

to see. Let it come 

rough or smooth 

you must 

surely bare the cross."

I withdrew more fully

into myself to commune

with the Spirit—

God revealed knowledge

of the elements

the revolution of the planets

the operation of the tides

changes of the seasons

I tried to obtain

true Holiness before judgment

and received true knowledge 

of faith and from the first

steps of righteousness

until the last

I was made perfect.

The Holy Ghost

was with me, and said

"Behold me, as I stand in

the heavens." And I looked

and saw the forms 

of men in different attitudes

and there were lights

in the sky to which

the children of darkness

gave other names

than what they were.

The lights of the Savior's hands

extended on Calvary for sinners.

Laboring in the fields

I came upon drops of blood

on the corn like dew

from heaven

hieroglyphics on leaves

numbers with the forms 

of men in different attitudes 

portrayed in blood.

The blood of Christ shed

on earth ascended

to heaven

for the salvation of sinners

now returning in the form of dew

The leaves bore

the yoke He had borne

for the sins of man

Judgment's great day

was at hand

My master's Methodists

refused to baptize me

So the Spirit baptized me

down in the water

I rejoice greatly

and gave thanks to God

then I heard a noise

in the heavens

a dove on my shoulder

On the 12th of May

1828, the Spirit appeared

saying, the Serpent

was loose and Christ

laid down the yoke he bore

for the sins of men

and that I should take

up the cross 

and fight against the Serpent

Time was fast approaching

when the first 

shall be last 

and the last first

And by signs

in the heavens, the time

would be made known to me

when to commence 

the great work

Until the first sign 

appeared I should conceal

it from the knowledge

of men

On appearance

of the sign I must

rise, prepare myself

and slay my enemies with

their own weapons.

I am here loaded

with chains, willing to

suffer the fate

that awaits me

I have never known

a dollar in life

swear or drink a drop

of spirits -- a mind

capable of obtaining all

I sit calm, composed, clothed

in rags, stains of helpless

blood, I raise

manacled hands to heaven.

*   *   *   *   *