Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-06-20
, IN AJAlL AND CHURCH AT


~ 1pcAN
NORFOLK.
Tn fine last number of the Boston Traveller, we nhu
n letter from Norfolk, Va, written by merchant o'
Boston, who happened there ut the til"e VI II ai'
val of the cutter with Anthony buris' 'ne i"s'',o'
Upon the invitation of n gentleman III Norioih' '"e
writer visited the negro at the Jail. lie says;
Although hc convened with M air OF cfeerlulness
and even of hunlor, it WAS easy 10 alscoNcl liht "
dark foreboding for the future was pre!'ns upon liz
spirits. . :.
When nllusion was nude 10 his accommodations III
the Boston Court House, his good lare' ana ms sii",
king cigars with hrc officers, he snid ian"huis!E, Una,
she needed the cigar to keep iis spirits up; ana
when asked il he wanted IL 20 buck 10 Boston, he said
.ie should like lust to let them see that he was alive
TO the question what he thought hs master would
now do with him, he said that she expected to be- sold
and made Il lion Of" When asked II he would iike &c
20 back, and live with Col. Suttlc, he hcsitatcd nld
replied, 'snut without he could be treated just ns IL ht
Ind NOT been away" He was sensible that he hue
lost caste, where he had always lived, and Knew NO
how to hold up his head again there; and YET greatly
dreaded the alternative of being sold tn the South.
After leaving the JUL, my friend informed me thai
there was u congregation of colorcd people just us
srmLlin" for worship, where they were having n fefl'
val, and offered to 20 with me aud attend the service
L. was Il Baptist church, anu some ten or twelve nun
drcd negroes, mostly slaves, were present. \ sh"r1
discourse WA, first delivered by II white preacher, as
they III. required by law, since the southampton III
srrrection to luvc none but white ministers, and I,
close url their meetings ut sunset. After the scrlnul:
the minister gave up the services I" the brethren. and
a more lively or exciting scene i have seldom witness
ed than thut which followed for the space OF tive
hours. q,
4 lurgc number of 'inourlcrs' surrounded the al,
tar, and the brethren kneclimg among them, Offered
repeated prayers for their conversions, Which were re-
spouie,l to audiblv throughout the house. Between
the PRAYERS II HYMN was Hmrd GH, and sung i'll u mall
ner which ought To satisfy the most strenuous advo'
cate for congregational singing, al least 20 far Us Il
union of all Tie rOicts is concerned.
About half m hour before they broke up they s'is'
pended prayer and the singing OF hymns, and com.
ineuccd ON whit they term spiritual songs these
arc merely the repetition uf some thrillin: religious
sentiment, in Il lively air, rising, and keeping time
with the motion of the body, not unlike the dance,
without IL change of position. Thus, for more than
half an hour, the whole audience continued %stuiidIn.
on the seats of the pcws, filling the aislea, pressing
around the altar, singing i'll II quick mnvcmcnt, With
the slrill African voice, their song vi victory. The
convert was horne along in his experience, from the
submission of heart at the cross, to his final crown "i
glory. Occasionally one OF the ''muurncrs' wouldb he
broacM omt, um the announcement of which, new
bursts OF SON. would fill the house.
Whatever the lastidious mny think I'll such wor'
ship, wild as it Is, ii is more true Ia nature, more IL
sympathy with mans moral wants, nid Recognizes
with more clcurncss and simplicity the ground oi the
Christians hope tluu the most exact and impressive
service of the cathedral.