The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-17

composure Infinitely creditable to his nerves-as
though ne mad had previous understanding with
1t adds 10 the illusion and holds the mirror mp TO
nature. All things considered, Mr.. Editor, der
stili may be wrong Better or its KIND Is the
singing OF the Hampton coored students, who
have come here for the laldable purpose q raising
excellent college in Virginia. Ten young
M men nam ama seven, seven young , women, hall
and sing those plantation songs that deeply
interest because OF their origin and their sadness
why, thought negro songs were funny" ex-
claimed foreigner present at the second concert,
INSTEAD OF which they are all about Jesus" 1t Is
this deeply religious element that gives character
melOdies-prayeTs of the bondmen and the fire.
quent calls upon Jesus touch the heart with an
elo4aence far beyond the orators rounded periods
or the simulated passion OF Italian opera. H0mely,
quaint metaphor, peculiar to the camp meeting,
Illustrates the one aspiration OF these people, whose
n !ar melodies are all in minor key The
anges.n
Howdo you knew they're angels,
.,, Haelujahi
Jesus. my Master, rain,
Takes willing soul Il to ,S S,n a ~ Of IN. Lord
lnever shah forget that day
Nobody knows the trouble Es,Sl,v 81. see i..,.
And thus from one song to another the same re-
pie, always pathetic
satan's mad and am eia0 TO
The devil is a liar and conjurer; t''s
Ifyou don't mind, he'll coniure you.
Heaven Is the bourne OF these dusky people. ~
wish that heaven was mine," they sing.
Gwine to hover round the wings Of Jcsus
. In the morning,
W 1 q sSsn dc : ss ayy slo SSTs
awme so,ry =; m q ss % isss White robe.
c,,,,o - ,. IN ae morning ,,
Oh done die 10 oh De "a sin 11o4 syne
s na sa P% S Ss ae % nw@
"ln Search OF Liberty" Is u spirited song, with
solo and chorus, the latter OF which runs
They worked me all the day. without bit of pay,
In dc middle OF dc night
While dc moon am gwine away
course. Jesus is on board There is mo derenc,
In fare,n SO
Get on board We children
There's room Tor many more.
Perhaps the most gr0tesque song is that called
''Now, Amt That Hardf" The solOist sings
De fox have hole In de ground,
Rs bird have %Sv nest II Y the AIR. ar,
But we poor sinners have none.
Whercup0n the chorus asks
Now amt that hard trials great tribulation;
Now amt that hard ? I'm bound to leave this world
Then another solost breaks forth
Methodist, Methodist Is my name,
I'll be baptized and live on the Methodist side
And Methodist will die.
Again the chorus shouts, Now, amt that hard 9
very much to the amusement OF the audience. A
third s0lOist assures us that she will die Baptist
q fourth that she will die a Presbyterian, the
chorus always putting the question, snow, ain't
that hardS" Finally fifth solOst comes to the
rescue, saying that, while marching on the road
You had better stop your different names
And travel on 10 God.
But still the irrepressible chorus expostulates--
Now, amt that hardY
Wonderfully stirring is hymn composed by q
body of slaves, who were not allowed to sing OF
pray where tneir ora master could near them, but
mistress, broke forth with, 'sThere il great camp
meeting In the promised land.n II Is simple in
its construction as 1t Is effective, and those New
Workers. who abstain from bearing the national
music of slavery will lose an entertainment nc
less suggestive than unique FREE LANCE.