Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-01-19
SPIRIT OF THE AGE.-.Devo

In the wilderness, where the negro and the
white man, without distinction OF grade or
color, might worship together.
1t is no thing in the south,
and especially among the colored missions
of the plantations, where the white family
are generally found attendant upon the
ministry of the missionary, to see the mas
ter and the slave reyerently kneel together |
at the same altar in holy communion, and
side 10y side receive from the same minis
tering hand the elemental representatives
of the body and blood of Jesus Christi
Those super-reinements of polite society
which prevail in some cities, and especially
among the upper Gothamites,' and which
not only reject the free black man, (who,
insulted with the show of liberty without
the substance, is thrust from the pale ofthe
church, but, filled with holy compassion,
erect also a different altar for the poor
white man to worship at, have not yet pol
luted, with the gangrene Of hypocritical
pride, tue fair %escutcheon of the noble
south. Never may it be for while it be-
longs not to the ~prerogative Of the church,
to interfere and play the busy body with
the political institutions of the land, SO
neither may it sit as an ecclesiastical casu-
ist, and Judge of the consciences and hearts
Of men. IT'S God who trieth the reins;
It's God who judgeth the heart. -
As George and old Cato rode into the
encampment together, the minister had
just begun his evening discourse. The
scene was both novel and interesting. The
tall and outrageous magnolia, intcrspersed
with other growth peculiar to the south,
spread out far above their heads, a dark,
green canopy, through tle openings of
which, here aud there, appeared in rich
relief, the yellow sky beyond, whose gol-
, den glory. gathered from the descending
God Of Day, fingered yet a little, as anxious
to shed the halo Of It's devotion upon the
scene below. The camp fires were lighted,
n and the thousand lamps, attached to the
: trunks of the trees, those pillars of nature,
: glistened as stars in this little armament,
It thus creating, within the thick darkness of
n the forest, a glorious temple of light, dedi-
Gated to the worship of the true God. He
o who has never been at a camp meeting at
n night, can form but little estimation Of the
e sublimity of the scene, as it broke upon the
astonished vision Of George, when he and
If his sable guide first entered the encamp-
ment. He was serious and solemn-he
of was sad. The words which he had care
ce lessly spoken haunted his thoughts, and
lis weighed more and moro heavily upon bis
heart and mind. He began intensely to
desire that they should be verified in full
ad fllment. depressed forward, as if impell.
in ed by some invisible power, to the altar
NO and as he seated himself directly before the
er- stand, all unconscious of those around him
m, he uttered in a low whisper, instinctively
as it were, who knows but be will ?
IN God grant it, said a voice near him.
Sc, He turned and looked, but saw not til,
~ speaker.
his During the ride to the camp, Georg
ed and old Cato had conversed freely togethe
mp on the subject and necessity of religion,
circumstance which had never taken plac
aid before, though the old man had prayed 70
ere it, and sought an opportunity many times
Cato loved his young master with an II
A+tensity-offeFng almost aPpoHCFA
idolatry, for in his kindly dispositions
old man always found a friend to take h
III part when any thing went wrong in th
family. But the interest which he felt fc
" his eternal welfare was greater even tia
that. In bis unsophisticated style, he ba
our been eloquent in his praises Of that fait
uS which is alone the key Of liberty and Il
anu way Of life. 1t is only those WHO have a
LUZ tended African meetings in the South, wi
n'' can form an adequate conception Of Il
power of African eloquence, when the Gct
you fountains of feeling are broken up, and Il
~ fiery souls Of those children of the su
~ mingle with their words. The expcricn
= " of the aged servant, which had been of
most interesting character, and which
~ related to the young man, with a feelil
9' ~ of earnestness which truth alone can
spire, sank deep into his mind, and seem
~" to take possession of his soul and vii
L AN at the close the old man brcathed an el;
~ ulatory prayer, that the same mercy viii
J had been conferred upon him, might a
! u be given to his young master, and that 6
would convert his soul at that meeting, /
NV heart Of George responded involuntari
rn"y Who knows but he willg George loy
i 10 the old man. He had been his watch
~ guardian and kind nurse in his youth a
NOUS when he left home for his college Yea
Cato was appointed his attendant. He
'l9e' spected the picty of bis devotion, too, a
VIZ" Az no one might dare with IMMUNITY to ms
. i Cato, on account Of his faith, in the pl
amp ence Of the student, or ridicule the yisi
y el Of the old mans hope. This doubt
would appear strange and almost incr(
NM Hg Die, in the higher latitudes of speculat
Oolu transcendentalism, but little is known, I
'e S less believed, in those cold and phlegm,
. G"to regions of the North, of the deep and
'''A ding affection which years of mutual al
lind citation, dependence and support, engene
N'"o- and i%nclines towards each other, in
hearts of master aud slave. Next to /
''o % hallowed relationship whose affection
. per breathings are father, mother, sister
~ ~ brother, and sometimes equal to it, is
, VIC profound respect and sincere attachn
80 on with which the family servant and
u tnc young master or mistress regard each
er. Such was the feeling which ext
,n'aIy between George and ancient Cato-a
- - S r ing for the aged negro which had or,
- us up from his youth, and 'ripened with
ian1ut years When Cato, therefore, had
10 0"' slowed the horses for the night. it was
+ronool, ro+,,o1 +bo+ +lo Ill