The New York herald., 1872-07-22
A NEGRO PREACHER IN THE OH0cTAW
COUNTRY,

DOGGY DEPOT, Indian Territory. July :. 1874
started out on foot this morning for q church
two miles from here, at place called Old Bo1uv.
where the Rev. Allen Wright, full blood Choctaw
and formerly Governor Of the Nation, was 10 con.
duct the services and to preach in both the English
and Choctaw tongues. On nearing the church.
however, heard sound as OF religious services
In neighboring grove, and directed my steps. in
that direction, supposing that on account Of the
heat the services being conducted in the open
air. Guided by the voice, rising and now fall
Ing made my way to a little grove on the top
ofa hill, where sort of She'd open on all sides and
roofed with the branches of trees had
been constructed. Here / found negro
preacher, tall and lusty holding forth with
violent declamatory actions to an audience Of some
twenty or thirty colored men and youths, who were
sitting or lounging on rude planks on one side OF
the leafy temple, and to somewhat more numer-
Gus collection OF coored women and children on
the other side, who showed more respect for the
place and the occasion in their solemn counte-
nances and attedtiye attitude The pulpit con-
sisted OF an empty dry goods box turned up on
end, and innocent Of any cover or ornament. The
preacher had taken for his text the parable OF the
certain rich man who had invited his friends and
neighbors to a marriage feast, and who when they
declined coming for various sent out another
servant with directions to go to the highways and
1y-ways and to compel those whom he found there.
TO come to the feast. The way in which the rever.
certainly entertaining, II not instructive. re-.
GREETED that had not note book and pencil with
@ SSe %6odaH his
sermon gallery OF the HERALD. / remember;
few FEW only Of his good sayings, which were set od
for grammar or sense. Read your Bible, he said1
from Matroo and de udder apoxtolics all de way to
nemeiatlons, ana you'll nnd dat all OF dem tell you
remBurreCttOQ.
ieast spoken OF In my text; and when de servants-
me and the udders whom de Master has sent
out TO invite de guests to enter by the twelve
golden gates Of heaven-Baptist, Methodistl
Campbellite and dc rest; and when de Mastek
desc nandmaids OBJ de Lord glib in de EEK excusions 1a
dat dat ds lis on, one is looking about de deed Of q
Cn as S ana S
dat all have some business to attend TO and
cannSt ca rson attend yet awhile to ae eusness
agin to compel them to come in In order dat his
house may be full Nutting o. de kind He win let
dc one guest who has not on de merridge garment,5
VINO 40 you suppose he Is He is one o. desc yer6
people who say dat If dey lead Christian life dey
VIII be saved; who set up religion Of dare own,
and don't make profession Of religion. But what
says Paul de Apostle to de Philippians He says
ways as Gods ways" And so dis gust widout de.
merridge garment will hear de communicating
into orter darkness" But de gust who comes to ed
feast a wearin' of the merrdge garment will have
de Son OF Man embracing him and falling on hig
does Mathe say furder on in de chapter
I've been readin' to your Oh my brcdren
what blessed book Is de Bible Take de Bible
away from Boggy Depot and before day passes
you'll find de power of de Devil growing greater
and greater. We must then strive to get religion,
and We never can get 'nuf OF 1t.
Here the preacher looked at his watch, and said,
he had not expected to talk SO long, as he was not
In good condition for talking, but he thought he
would just 20 at it and rough it out.
left when he had concluded, and as sauntered
down the hill heard the tones or the whole cOngre-
cation mingling together In the singing Of good
old Methodist hymn, and thought that whatever,
nonsense in logical or theological point OF viewT
the simple-minded preacher might have indulged
in his hearers felt the better OF his sermon, and
were doubtless much edited and aroused In their
religious sentiment they had been listening "
the elOquence OF the most famous divine. and wit
Messing the ceremonial performances in any Of the
grandest cathedrals in the land. a..