The Washington union., 1857-11-14
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pXe
lave and humanity If you or any man had dared to
hurt hair Of this old slave could have trampled you
into the dust W
Uncle George said l. ~ am sorry TO you look
.oon" oAh mass Use monstrous old But missis
mighty good to me. She know set store by all her
ebidru. belinda ihis wife) nrssed' (he means
,nursed y all of you '.wel Uncle George, said,
u an, glad to see you made comfortable. The family
.bould never forget you have often heard how you
s,yed grandpa's life when he was drowning, Yes,
yes mass replied the old fellow, 'and saved him
many dollar too.
Aunt Belinda. Uncle Georges wife, find in the cabin,
s bthe as ever though stricken with age. She is also
an tbe retired list and her only care is to nind the
children in the quarter The religious element is quite
s marked in her character in that of Aunt Debby of
whom spoke in my last epistle But 1t Is tender
and Of more universal love. She parts from every
with the wish of meeting them at the right hand of
God" She sings some very simple and touching hymns,
which am sorry did not commit to paper. One she
SINGS very sweety in which the lines constantly recur
Oh Heaven, sweet Heaven, when shall see
when shall over get thcref
OF another favorite hymn Of hers took down the fol-
lowing words
Go back angslsi Go back, angels
back into Heaven, little children
GO back, lntlo angels
and don't stay behind
Behold the Lamb O. God
Behold the Lamb Of God afA'ft
and stay behind.
You will ind my dear c., one Of the most striking
characteristics of the negro in the South in the religious
bent of his mind Whether member of the church
. no. he is essentially at war with the devil. With him
religion Is entirely matter of sentiment, and his magi
nation oon takes uwarrantabe liberties with the Scrip
lures This particularly in the images he conjurcs
up the place where the bad nggers So and the things
entertaining thereto The negro who has 'got de IL
son and has been favored in the process with
peep at ole aud able to give fuldescip
ton of his person. is considered by his brethren doubt
full casc--a mere triher, If not hypocrte.
Sam was relating the other day his religious ex
pecncc in the course Of which the Old Scratch to
have given him great deal Of trouble appearing at his
elbow whenever he prayed and walking unceremonously
into his roo cracking long whip, of which instrument
Of persuasion Sam to have peculiar horror de last
time he come says Sam, che knock at de door and call
Sam my courage sorter fail den, and blows out
de light and tell him de niger done dead two weeks
20 and den he says If you don't open de door, you dam
Hgger will syaiqhca you out and den jis go right
clean out Of de windcr and turn de corner, here
come ole mass right agin and when tells him as
how lis seed dc debbe wild my own eyes he tell me
gwne catch him. too and dat he was gwne to get de
ligion out me by hooping new use you might imag
\ inc my dear c. to put ihoops" to but discovered
that Sans pronunciation was bad and that ne meant
nothing moro than dressing to his hide.
But the idea We get of the negros religion is not al
wavs ludicroS Some OF their superstons are really
beautiful and illustrate their poetic cast of mind Their
HYMNS or religious chants might furnish curious book
The words generally very few, and repeated over and
over again; and the lines, though very unequal, are
sung with natural cadence that mpcsscs the ear very
agreeaby Most of them relate to the moment OF DEATH
and in Of them simple and poetic images which
are often touching. The following occur to me without
|. any pains at selection
Carry me TO the berryin' ground,
The gree, aboping Sinner, fare you we'll
& thank the Lord want TO go,
To leave them all behind.
Oh, carry mo away, carry mo away my Lord
Carry 10 the berryiu' ground,
The following is an image of touching simplicity--a
thought of poetry
am gWinc home, children am gwine home, children,
an gOiac dogn q DE- .oatcr side 81
TiS de harvest time, children,
II Aud dc angel bid me to ,.
The negroes here have three four churches of differ
ent denominations Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyte-
ranin which there is regular service every Sunday.
The and exhortations Of the coored preachers,
them reported, are mostly caricatures.
They often sensible and if the images those of
tutored Imagination, they often anything in the
world but ludcrous attended the services of one of
the negro churches last Sunday, and heard really very
sensible exhortaen from Of their coored preachers,
ton that death knocking at their hes, went to
draw picture of the judgment with Wild native sub
Unity that astonshed me-
feature in the services struck rather ludicrously
The congregation sang duet, which somewhat as
follows;
FHa Toces. Oh hallelujah Glory in my soul!
Sond pocs, Humph! Wharf,
v When the moon go down the mountain, hide
YOUR face from God
s. v Humph Whar!
F. v To talk with Jesus Glory halclujah
The coored Methodist church here is a handsome
building which the negroes have paid for themselves,
besides maintaining white preacher. You must know
that our colcred gentry any of whom, the custom is
here, mas csi'lefShle money ~ "hiiing thsiT own
tint" !" aui ~ tisir MASTERS stated sum for the
Pvlegel npt cny inaintan parsons and build chuych@.
but hire oarfas slidays to oitcpd thcin Tic Duct
h we hsr marry "a tlifRt eolorsd eodiah 10 some
parts of the South, especially An towns.
While was in Macon quite spectacle was exhibited
the street in the obsequies of one Of slave gentry
inc deceased had been attached drummer to Of
our volunteer companies, the band Of which accompanied
he body to the grave The funeral cortege was truly
striking. The body borne through the principal
street ina handsome hease, finged with sable and pre-
O'oed by the band of the company, playing funeral
marches while following after long procession of
esros in decent attire, and portion riding in
ages Yes negroes actually riding in carriages, hired
each at eight dollars day! What my dear c., will
m Stowe and the niger worshppcrs say now of all this
JUS a5oa dead Niger Ia depreciation you will recol-
ioct of Mass Legrce
Let them say what they please say l. long as they