A True Story of the Cotton Fields
Cuff was a Negro slave who lived in the South many years ago. He was a happy Christian and a faithful servant. However, one day his master was short of money and sold Cuff to a plantation owner, a young man who didn’t believe in God. In parting with Cuff, his old master said to the young man, “You will find Cuff a good worker and you can trust him; however, he has one fault.... He will pray and you can not break him of it.”
“I’ll soon whip that out of him,” remarked the new owner.
Cuff proved as faithful to his new master as he had to the old. But soon the man got word that Cuff had been praying, and calling him, said to him, “Cuff, you must not pray anymore; we can’t have any praying around here; never let me hear again of this nonsense.”
“Oh, Massa,” Cuff replied, “I has to pray to Jesus and when I pray I loves you and Missus al de more, and I can work all de harder.”
His master still forbad him to pray, however, and threatened him with a severe whipping if he continued. Nevertheless, that evening when the day’s work was done, Cuff knelt down and prayed to God as he always did. Next morning his master called him in and demanded why he had disobeyed.
“Oh, Massa, I has to pray,” replied Cuff, “I cannot live without it.”
At this his master flew into a terrible rage and ordered Cuff to be tied to a whipping post with his shirt off. Then with a rawhide whip, he lashed him as hard as he could until his wife ran out in tears and begged him to stop. This only infuriated him the more and he continued to whip the poor slave until he himself had no breath or strength left. Then he ordered Cuff’s bleeding back to be washed in salt water, his shirt put on, and the poor slave sent back to work. Though groaning and in great pain, Cuff went away singing, “My suffering time will soon be o’er,
When I shall sigh and weep no more.”
As the blood oozed from the furrows in his back, Cuff worked away all day. But God was working in the heart of his cruel master. He saw the wicdness and cruelty to his poor slave and at night, in great distress of mind, he went to bed — but not to sleep! At midnight, in great agony he awoke his wife and told her he was dying.
“Is there anyone on the plantation who can pray for me? I am afraid I am going to hell.”
“I don’t know of anyone,” she replied, “except Cuff.”
“Do you think he would pray for me?”
“Yes, I think he would.”
“Well, send for him quickly.”
They found Cuff on his knees in prayer, and when they called him, the poor fellow supposed he was to be punished again. Arriving at his master’s room, he found him writhing in agony.
“Oh, Cuff,” groaned his master, “can you pray for me?”
“Yes, bress de Lord, Massa; I’se been prayin’ for you all de night.” And at this he dropped on his knees and eaestly asked God to save the soul of his master. Before day break, Cuff saw both his master and mistress confess the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. His master and he embraced each other and both wept tears of joy. All the past was swept away by the mighty love of God.
Cuff was immediately set free to work no more on the plantation. His master took him and together they went out and preached the gospel all over the South. They witnessed to all the power of Christ to save the worst of sinners.
Dear young reader, do you know the power of that love of Christ in your own heart? Perhaps you may never have acted so cruel as Cuff’s master, yet before God you have a heart just as wicked and black if you have never come with that heart to Jesus and asked Him to wash your sins away in His precious blood. May you do so now while He is still waiting to receive you.
ML 05/17/1953