The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1861-03-20
A Visit TO the African Church, Rich
mOnd, Va,


mOnd, Va.
Correspondence Of the Wheeling Iu,eIligeneer. /
In the afternoon went to the African church
the great resort ofal strangers; once, at least,
during their stay in Richmond. I could not, in
the bounds OF a letter. do Justice to what is to
be seen at this iamOus resort OF negrodom on
Sunday afternoons. The Church, ITSELF is a
low building curiously shaped, and in its gal
leries and on its floor, seats upwards of two
thousand persons. The Rev. DR.. Reilly, OF the
Baptist College, breaches here to the negroes Of
this city every Sunday afternoon, at half. past
three o'clock. You can have no conception ot
what scene the service present. | went in
after the service was partly through. Many
negroes were clustered around the door, and |
expected to find within, a listless crowd and
plenty ofspare space. But in both things
was disappointed. There was scarcely stand
ing room in the aisles, much less sitting room,
except up just in front he pulpit, where at
last, succeeded in getting good seat, one
from which could sweep the entire audience.
And it was sight to look on and think on
There before me was one packed jam of co.or-
ed faces; relieved only here and there by the
presence OF some benevolent white man or lady,
who seemed to he there as promoters of the Ia
bors OF the good pastor. You could hear pin
drop all over the house--not whisper was
stirring, not cough even but everything pro-
priety itself The negroes were dressed, many
Of them in fine cloths, oil ofthem n good cloths,
and looked clean and tidy and thrifty The
white turn-down collars of the real jet blacks
among the men, contrasted strongly with their
sable faces; and so Of the white hankerchie(s
which many Of the more elderly among the ne
gro women wore around their necks, and which
were ever so neatly pinned over their breasts
Many OF the specially the young men
portion, and OF them particularly the light col
ored aud mulatto kind-had kid gloves on,
canes in their hands, and gold shirt studs. In
deed, Young Africa, both male and female, were
fasbngly bedecked. Yet, as said, they were
all attention. The most perfect order reigned.
If they were not interested in the sermon, they
were certainly real adopts in the art of make
believe" l could readily imagine that they
were interested, for the sermon was plain,
practical and telling one-one that they could
easily understand. All the illustrations were
drawn from common occurrences OF every day
lie
The sermon being over, the Rev. Doctor call
ed on some Eegro whom he called Brother
Cephas," to pray. Brother Cephas stepped
forward from his seat into aisle, near by where
| was sitting, and turning to the negroes all
said, "et US pray" They bowed their heads
most revercntly, and Cephas commenced in
slow, solemn and resonant tones. BY and by
he got warmer and more fluent, and more elo
quent, 1--WE turn de our thanks for de privil-
eges of dis here day; we turn de thanks for de
privileges Of de morning; we turn de our thanks
Tor the privileges Of dis evening, O! Lord" said
he, After little while he sald, LORI, desc
are times Of trgable-dese are cold times; dere
rs great deal Of confusion agoing on. Lord
do away with the confusion" Alter little be
commenced quoting Scripture in his prayer
and such wholesale quotatIons-I never before
heard. He would appropriate whole lines o.
verses, especially from Paul espistle to the Ro,
mans. Mostly it would be appropriately done,
although oftentimes jumbl and incorrect. -
The length and fervency ofthe prayer were real
ly curious. He got into the sing-song in about
ten minutes, and then commenced the res
ponses and groans and suppressed CALCULATIONS
OF the negroes generally, and they beat all
ever heard. 1t was comcalyet serious
scene--aIl in dead earnest, yet despite all, lud
icrouS in the extreme. Presently, however,
Brother Cephas" got through, and then com
menced the singing by the choir in one Of the
galleries especially set apart. And such sing
ing!-wheu 1 tel! you that it was excellent and
inspiring, do not convey half the idea to you.
1t was really perfect. never heard more per.
feet time, more simultaneous and musical iEto
nation. There was not a jar-not one-a.-
though the choir must have numbered twenty
FIVE The voices were the very finest, the drill
mechanically exact. and the melody of the per-
c,ot raa1l,y he ba,
had their note books, their leader, their range
and division Of voices, just as If they were a
picked selection OF the elite of Grace church
New York. othing that ever heard surpass
ed it, and nothing ever pleased ME SO WELL IN
the shape of singing They went through two
long songs, one Of them very involved and ella
borate. After these two songs were sung, came
the benediction from the pastor, and we all
then rose up to 60 out. Bnt friend put his
hand on my arm and said "don't 60, the best is
yet to come" And sure enough it was. Just
as soon as-the dense mass commenced moving
out of the yoor, at the extreme end, the negroes,
ane and all, commenced regular break down
song. You could not distinguish word at
least, could not except occasionally the line,
"now | wants to 60" lfever you heard Geo
ChrisS's minstrels sing their boatman's song
in which the chorusis ''ah hah! ah- hah! alb hah!
you will have some idea Of the melody and in.
coherency of this song Of the negroes But
the words were not the feature--it was the in
tensiy. They threw themselves away. They
shut their eyes, swung their heads, and rocked
backward and forward on their feet, swaying all
over the house like for.st in high wind
The women, especially. gave themselves up to
their feelings They courtesied like so many
shaking Quakers, and seemed completely pos
sessed After singing two songs this way, the
negro men took up the line OF march down the
aisle, like soldiers defiling, keeping step and
tramp to their song. And thus they passed
along until the chnrch was cleared
OF traveller stopped at a farmhouse for
the purpose OF getting dinner Dlsmounting
al the front door he knocked, but received no
answer. Going to the other side Of the house,
he found little white headed man in the EN-.
brace oil his wife, who had his head under arm,
while with the other she was giving her little
lord considerable "bringer." Wishing to put
an end to fight, our traveller, cried in loud
voice:
"Hello, here, who keeps this house?'
The husband, though much out Of breath, an
swered:
"Dod drot it, stranger, that's what we are
trying to decided"
or Sonny, do you love me any?'
"0h, don't lP'