Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-11-01
Thousand Strings-The Sperits NV
Just Men made Perfeck.


Brandon, Mississippi, by reverend captain
of Mississippi fat boat. 1t is one of the
funniest things extant:
l may say to you my breethering, that
am not an educated man, an am not one o.
them as believes that education is necessary
for a gospel minister, fur | believe the Lord
edecates his preachers jest as he wants 'em
to be edecated, and, although say it that
oughtn't to say ii, yet in the state NV Indian
ny, whar live, thar's no man as gifts abigger
congregation nor what gifts.
Thar may be some here to-day, my bree-
thering, as don't know persuasion am NV.
Well, | may say TO you, my breethering that
Pm-a Haresheli Baptist That's some folks's
as don't like the Hardshell Baptists, but I'd
ruther hev a hard shell as no she'll at all
You see me here to-day, my breetherng,
drest up in fine close; you mout think | was
proud, but am not proud, my breethering;
and although I've been preacher NV the
gospel for twenty years and although Pm
capting NV that hatboat that liesin yure land
ing, Pm not proud, my breethering
Pm not gwine to tell you exzuckly whar
my tex may lie found suffice it tn say, it's
in the leds NV the Bible, and You'll find il
some whar tween the first chapter NV the
book Of Generation and the last chapter of the
book NV Revolutions; and ev you'll go and
search the Scriptures, as have searched the
Scriptures, you'll not only find my tex thar,
but a great many luther teres as will do you
good to read, and my tex, when you shall
find it, you shall find it to read thus:
''And ne played a harp Of n thousand strings-spi-
rs OF just men made perfeck."
Ny tex, breethering, leads us to speak NV
sperit. Now thar's a great many kind of spe-
rits in the world--in the filst place, thar's the
sperits as some folks call ghosts then
thars the sperits NV turpen time, and then
thars the sperits rs some folks call liquor,
and I've got as good artikel Of them kind NV
sperits on my flat boat as ever was fetched
down the Mississippi river, but thar's great
many other kind of sperits, for the tex sez
ale played on harp of a thousand strings
sperits NV just men made perfeck."
But I'll tell you the Kind of sperits as is
ment in the tex, it's fire. That is the kind OF
sperits as is ment in the tex, my breethering
1 Now thar's great many kinds NV fire in tho
world. In the fust place, thar's the common
sort nv fire you light segar or pipe with
and then thar's camfire, fire before you're red.
dy and fall back, and many other kinds u,
fire, for the tex SEE: "He played on harp u'
thousand strings--sperits NV just men made
} perfeck."
But I'll tell you what kind NV fire as i
ment in the tex, my brethcring-irs hell fire
an that's the kind NV fire as great many u
you'll come TO, Of you don't do better no
what you have been doin'-for "He PLAYS Of
r harpuv Hi0a-sand strings-spirits of jus
: men made perfeck."
! "Now the different sorts NV fire in tn
2 world may be likened unto the different pei
suasion in the world. In the fust place, W
have the Piscopalians, and they are hig
sailin' and a highfaulitin set and they ma
! be likened unto turkey buzzard, and h
5 goes up and up till he looks no bigger tina
your finger NAIL and the fust thing you know
he comes down, and down, and is a film
} himself on the karkiss of dead hoss, by tn
d side of the road-and ale played on a har
NV a thousand strings-sperits of just me
made perfeck."
"And then thars the Methods, and the,
{ may be likened unto a squirrel, runnin' "a
5 into a tee, fur the Methods believes i
gwine on from one degree NV grace TO an
other, AMI finally on to perfekshun, and IN
! squirrel goes up and up, and he jumps from
linn to linn and branch to branch, and tn
fust thing you know he falls and down h
Gums kerflummux, and that's like the Meth
dis, fur they are alters fallin' from grace, all
= sand he played on a harp NV a dou-san'
strings-sperits Of just men made perfeck
! "And then, my breethering, thars tn
Baptist all and they have bin likenei unit
, pcssnm on 'simion tree, and the thunder
may roll, and then the earth my quake, bu
that postum clings there still, ali! And yol
you may shake one foot loose, and the 9th
er's thar, and You may shake all feet loose
and he laps his tail around the linn and h
clings furever, for-'He played on harp u
; a bioa-sand strings-sperits of just men mad
perfeck.'"
Here the reporter could no longer contain
himself and his notes became entirely unin
tclligible.