James H. McConkey relates a very helpful incident, bearing upon this question.
“Shortly after the Civil War a Northern woman came the South to visit some friends. She stopped at a little wayside hotel for entertainment. There she was waited on by a colored woman who had been a slave. The service was careless, listless, and inattentive. As this went on, the Northern woman became nettled. Finally she burst out with: `Auntie, is this the way you treat people who have set you free?’ The woman made no reply but left the room. By and by she returned. Her whole demeanor was changed. Her figure was erect, her eyes were flashing, and her voice was full of tears as she cried out with great emotion, `Oh, Missus, is we free? Is we really free?’ The Emancipation Proclamation had really set her free. But she was as much a slave as though that document had never been issued. For she had not believed it. Her failure of faith meant failure of freedom. Multitudes of Christians are in the same plight.”—Way of Victory.