The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-04-23

BROTHER NEwToN.-When Newman Hall
was in Philadelphia in 1870 he lectured the
| short time he spen5 there constantly, some
times on Sundays preaching four or five
| times. Your correspondent, with party,
| started to hear him at an evening service.
| He was announced at six at a church tar up
town, and for eight O'Clock at St Thomas's.
Though we none of us knew the church by
name, its location and the hour were so con-
venient we decided upon hearing him there.
Arriving an hour before the time, in the hope
of thus securing seats,we found ST. Thomas's
to be colored peoples church, and the SER
vices fully under way-having their own SER
vices beforehand, we discovered upon getting
| in.
We were received at the door by ushers In
dress-coats and white ties and gloves, and
| taken to seats in the galleries, the rest of the
! church being already packed. aisles and all,
with a mixture of white and black folks.
A moment after we were seated, as a pray
er was ended, "Brother Newton" was an
nounce1-and it is to record some of his pun
gent utterances this is being written. Among
other things, he said:
''We are going to beg tonight, while we've
got lot of you of both colors here, for some
kinds of mixtures is good and wholesome.
We're a-begging in the int'rests of the church.
What int rests, do you say? Why, the int
rests of keeping Of it good and warm and
lght goodier than that, comfortable for all
of We to come into and worship the Almighty.
We want to raise the money for the fire and
the lights. What, do you say we oughtn't
because the Bible says savation's free? So
it is, so it is! Who's agoing to say it amt?
Salvation's free, thank the Lord!' Then
there was q responsive shout all over the
church-"Thank the Lord! Yes, yesp'
.Amenr') ''So's water free, thank The Lord
SOS water free; but ye have to pay for the
pipes and the buckets what ye get it in. don't
ye? Yah! now don't ye? Never circum-
stanced that, L suppose?'
Constantly through his remarks there
would be surge like wave, the effect of
which was very singular, beginning with the
leaders around the pulpit, and spreading as
quick as thought over the church-''Amen,"
"Thank the Lord" Eyes, yes, bress His
namc."
When he said something comcal, as he
constantly did-little unrepeatable things
there would low gurgle of laughter go
through the audience. when, quick as flash,
he would turn upon them sternly:
"Laughin', are ye? Better weep, the lot of
ye-a-laughn' in the house OF the Lord, sins
and all sins and allf'
He gave an account of having the week be-
fore attended convention in New Haven.
"And / went regular, and the fuss they
made over me was great. 1t was Brudder
| Newton here, and Brudder Newton there, and
| Brudder Newton every where and began 10
| believe l was a great man, you may bet. But
| when that convention was broke, met them
members in the street, and they cut me dead.
So / concluded it was brudder in the meeting
and nigger on the street."
Some one behind him pulled his coat, and
whispered something: then he announced:
''The brud lers tell me L must stop my talk,
cause they mean to tune up in the Choir All
right. can sing, though; and if ye pay me
twenty-five cents a yard for the good cause Of
lightn' and a-warmin' this burdened church
I'll measure ye as many yards as ye choose
But now while ye listen to the 'chor perform,
We will come for ard to the altar and deposit
yer money. And as the people in the CALLER
les can't get down because of the crowd on
the stairs, the bredren will pass the baskets
round to the reserved 'corpseS' up there. And
| you amen. sisters down yer, you've been a.
shouting aud a-groaning; let's see if you know
as well about giving"
Then the .'Black Swan" who, was in the
| ''chor,' sang divinely, and Mr. Hall, having
arrived, spoke his little pece.'-EDIToEs
DRAWER, in Ha,pers Magazine for May.