Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-08-21
THE RELIGIOUS TRAINING OF SLAVES
IN VIRGINIA.

correspondent of the Chicago Church PecorO
dscoura ges the prevailing religious treatment o
blacks at the South. lie says:
The majority o. the blacks at the South are
reckoned among the Baptists and Methodists
Several reasons are given why they are So
| Among others, the experience when the convert
recitcs. wherein the marvellous preduminates tell,
ing If his dreams. visions and views, and
above all, that his getting religion is the one
main thing. lie has an idea, too. tha. when he is
orce immersed he comes out of the water chris
tan forever! That is that he is henceforth sure
OF salvation, and thocgh the Baptist preacher
may not tell him he somehow gets tho idea thar
once in grace, he is always in grace. The prac
tic II effect upon large number is TO udopI the
theory that he cannot sin, having been cunveEted
Ibis actions are all right, because he has been
baptised, and no wonder he sins with mpunity.-|
Hence, "a one says, il IS quite enough for one to-
know shat a slave who desires to hire out on acI
count or his master or mistress has got reli gion'
that the oVerseer does not want him, he will
worry likely steal, &c and he considered quite una
Trustworthy. Two anecdotes occur to the writer
as taking place while he in Virginia, going to
show how ihe ihing works.
"A young negro related his Experiences Of the
marvellous in getting through but all parts OF
his stary did not hang together, the preacher
could not accept Of him. and plainly told them
there must be s)me mistake, refused to immerSc
him. Turning to nm old negro in the crowd the
Young convert called uut to him, Look you here
Sam, jist you give me back them are chickens
massa says the story you learnt me aint right
Whether the old darkey had made it bis trade to
teach young negraes how to give in their expert
ence, | d. not know, Tut loud laugh followed this
plain exposure Of u simple trick.
1T is a very common thing to have colored
preacher on n plantation, who is always on hand
to preach funeral sermon for the race, sometime
during the year after a colored person dies IL
matters little when it takes place, so the sermon
comes, with feast at the same time. One Of this
sort had sold some corn to white man, which he
stole from his master For there is a race of
shitless whites IN the South who live by the rich
hounties of nature in the rivers full of the finest
fish, aud in buying stolen cheapy from the
slaves. Tho mister learnfd IRON his boy
Pete that his missi..g grain sold to n white
man by one of his slaves. And III tell YOU
massa,' he said, who did t--only you mustn't
tell cause if you do, he'll kill me it's old
Benz Ben J said he ii can't be him why
Pete, you lie, he's preaeher' Can't help il,
massa.' said he; 'old Ben did it,. On sending for
the old negro he owned up the corn, ms he was
tied up for whipping AMI said he knew who told
on him-'it was Pete. an if you'll let me down
said he, III kill him = What said the master
you, preacher, going to kill a boy 2 Yes, yes,
said he, I've been Immersed, and can't commit
any more sin. If you will let me down I'll kill
him! Whereupun his master had to sell him
down South to save the boys lite."