Prayer+Journal+of+Rev.+John+Chavis

Excerpts from the Prayer Journal of Rev. John Chavis

December 13, 1780:

I’ve seen your hand upon my life as I have been surrounded by death, sickness, starvation, a forever frozen landscape, and gunshots. Continuous firing. Fear. Yet, I am still alive. The Revolutionary War has been the trial of a lifetime. But I must keep going.

And despite these horrific living conditions, I am now free. For years I’ve been enslaved as an indentured servant but you, O Lord have freed me. I’m fighting for my freedom, and you’ve given me a way out. War is hard, but I will fight.

For this very reason, for my freedom, I will serve you forever. You truly are a God of liberation.

March 18th, 1789:

Again Lord, I praise you to see that I made it out of the war safely. It’s been years since the war ended but I am still in awe of how great of an impact it had on my life. I have now established a home with my lovely wife Sarah, and we even our own horse. It’s amazing how you have provided for me. I am but a Black man, yet you have given me the rights and immunities of every other white, three-year soldier. This is a gift that many of my fellow Negro brothers are not experiencing.

This newfound freedom has brought me great opportunity, and I am so excited to be teaching again. Teaching is my true passion. I love seeing the youth of our world enlightened in their schooling. I love teaching them about You and your sovereignty.

I’m blessed, you see, to be teaching both white and black students. By day, I teach the wealthy, white children and it is by this profession that I am able to provide faithfully for my family. By night, however, is my truest joy. For during this hour I teach young Negro children. Education awakens the mind, and I pray dear Lord, that you will awaken the hearts of these oppressed youth. Help them to understand that you love them and want to free them, too.

April 3, 1790:

My move from Virginia to New Jersey has been a cold one, but I am so thankful I listened to your call to move North. I have been learning so much through my time studying under the much honored, John Witherspoon. From his teaching, I have learned so much. Through generous sponsors and funds, I am able to attend the College of New Jersey and learn from some of the world’s finest theologians of today. Again, it is clear your hand is upon my life. You’ve opened doors of opportunity that I must walk through. May my life honor you.

January 25, 1795:

My heart still grieves the loss of Rev. Witherspoon. His death has brought many tears to my life but I am thankful for the opportunity to continue my education at Washington Academy. I’ve been learning a lot attending this college and diving into my studies. I am excited to receive my Presbyterian License to Preach so that I may enter into a life, focused on bringing you glory.

April 14, 1802:

Looking back on my life I’m thankful for my professional license to preach as well as legal documentation that I am a freedman. Isaiah 58 says, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” You have untied all cords that have kept me in bondage and I am free in you; legally and spiritually.

I thank you that you allow me to be a man who proclaims this truth! I have had the opportunity to be used in bringing both white and Negro people into the kingdom of God. To think that a man raised in a life of indentured slavery now gets to preach the freedom of God is amazing.

August 20, 1807:

I feel like you are calling me to leave New Jersey and move back to my roots in the South. For some reason, Raleigh, North Carolina has been on my heart. Are you telling me to go there? I will go if you call me, just make it clear.

September 27, 1808: I’m so thankful that I listened to your call. I never thought this experience would come in my life. I have been able to open a school for white and black children. The advertisements in the newspaper have been creating quite a buzz and I have full classrooms. Knowing that white children are often more affluent, I charge $2.50 per semester for them, and $1.75 for black children. Somehow, you’ve blessed my time here and people are ascribing the school as one of the best in the state. Thank you for this.

October 14, 1832: My heart falls heavy today. I want to continue preaching your word. I want to continue to make much of you. I want to continue teaching your youth. But I cant. My rights have been stripped from me. The hysteria and fear that has developed since Nat Turner’s bloody rebellion has left my rights as a black man null and void. I’ve been silenced and quieted. The laws have brought back this yoke of bondage. Won’t you free me?

TEACHING IMPLICATIONS: The teaching implications of students creating their own “Raleigh Story” (or wherever else they may live) allows students to practice the pursuit of knowledge through identifying a person they want to know more about and researching the life of that individual. By using creative writing as an outlet to tell the story of individuals the students are not merely summarizing the information they are learning but analyzing and making sense of their findings.

This assignment could be used also as a fairly significant unit project depending on the length/content requirements that are explored through the project descriptions. Additionally, this assignment helps students connect to the rich history of every town, city or state. For me personally, I love researching events and people from Raleigh because it helps me make sense of the city I live in, as I explore historical themes of the past in connection with today.