The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1865-09-23

letter from New Orleans to the New York Netho
dist, written by Dr.. Newman, we find the follow
Ing humorous account of negro baptism on th
Bragg plantation:
| The Sabbath spent on the 2pagg plantation
afforded me the opportunity to witness such
scene The previous night, from 8 in the even
ing till the next morning, had been spent il
the usual examination Each candidate was re
quired to ''travel-that is, relate his experience
up to the hour of his conversion, which, if deem
ed satisfactory by the deacons, the candidate was
elected to baptism. This was rich OCCASION
full of curious incidents, and replete with mrth.
provoking remark The Sabbath dawned clear
and beautiful. Rev. Harkless Miley, the "Old
Shepherd" had come from Ne. Orleans to Off
ciate on the occasion, and by 8 o'clock A. M,
nearly thousand freedmen, including their
wives and children had assembled under the
large sugar.house shed. on Aliens plantation.
The candidates for baptism numbered forty y-seven
in all |; and as moral wonder, there were more
men than women. Each one was robed in white
even to white cloth about the head and white
gloves on the hands-leaving bare only the face,
to indicate personal complexion. When all was
ready, the procession was formed and marched
to the pond. Itwas curious sight. First came
the "Old Shepherd surrounded with his deacons
and deaconesses, all in white; then came the
candidates. followed by the congregation. As
they marched they sang; and as they sang the
multitude became excited-some shouted, some
leaped for joy, others went into extatic spasms
performing every conceivable bodily motion,
while not few Of the female candidates ..got the
power and were carried along by their friends.
This the "Old Shepherd" assured me was the
manifestation of the Spirit. But the excitement
eliminated at the pond. The "Old Shepherd"
declaring himself John the Baptist, stood in the
water, and lines of deacons and deaconesses were
formed, who passed to him those who were to be
baptized. Supernaturally strong by the excite
ment of the hour, some of the female candidates
broke away from their conductors, ard plunged
headlong into the stream This was the signal
for shout from the multitude on the banks of
pond. while deacons and deaconesses, unnlindful
Of danger, plunged into the water after the isis
ter who had nlomentarily disappeared beneath
the surface. In the interval a leg appeared above
the water, then an arm, when the rescuer and
the rescued again appeared, who Were greeted
with shouts by the people. At times it was quite
impossible to get the subject beneath the water;
and more than once the baptizer and the baptized
another plunge of deacons and deaconesses, to
rescue the .sOld Shepherd and the drowning
lamb. Thus the scene went on for several
hours, and when over and the candidates properly
robed, the procession reformed, and marching, |
amid singing and shouting, to the old sugar-house
she'd, sat down to the Lords Supper. Thus clo-
sed a most exciting scene. To the unbeliever.
L carried no solemn impression TO the heart; to |
The candid Christian observer, it bore the convic-
lion that intelligent piety and solemn devotion
had been no part Of the religious training Of such
! people.
a " III. -.