The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1873-09-03
The Black Prophet.

MORE ABOUT TIE E%TRAoR DINARY RE.
HGIouS DELUsION ANON G TIE SPAR.
TANBURG NEGRoEs-A DARBY rIL
GRIMAGE ACROSS TIE MOUNTAINS.
| SrAnrANDURa, August S.--For the
last two years negro preacher, by
the name Of Robo, has been the spir.
itual head and adviser of ono of the
largest congregations in this country.
lis couch is situated about twenty
miles of this place, in dense negro
settlement, and sc great was his fame
as minister Of the Gospel, that his
members were found on all neighbor-
ing, and some distant plantations.
Bobo is described as negro of gross
ignorance, but blessed with that pro-
fusion of speech SO often found in his
race. lie is said to be good work
man, but. of very loose n. orals in every
thing but the strict keeping Of the
LORDS Day, and an almost austere Oh.
servancc of the forms Of religion.
lie thus possessed all those qualities
necessary for leader Of his people,
We will sec how lie used his peculiar
talent. During the last month kind
of revival has been in progress in
Bobo's church, and a few days ago it
eliminated in ono Of the greatest reli.
gious demonstrations ever seen in this
country. Bobo, from preaching
Christ, went to prea ;hing himself AS
"thc new prophet high in favor" His
doctrine was that the Lord had com,
mandcd him to call together the
children of Zion and lead thcm to
the promised land, distant but one
hundred and sixty miles, and where
they could have wings and ny. After
much oxhortation and many midnight
orgies, he said that the command to
march had been received, that his
disciples must sell all they had, and
without scrip or sword follow him.
lilo TINS persuaded some fifty or six
ty to obey him. The poor, dciudcd
creatures sold crops, stock, and every
thing they had, at great sacrifice.
Onc man sold his crop, said to be
worth six hundred dollars, for one
hundred and fifty dollars another
sold n COW and calf for one dollar
and fifty cents. Nothing could dis.
suadc them from their purpose.
They said it was the command Of tho
Lord, and they must obey. Just be-
, fore they started the prophet said
thcro was yet one moro thing to bo
done. 1t was nccea:ary to the success
Of the Journey that the oldest person
among the faithful must be sacrificed,
because he being the oldest can tell
tho Lord most about any Of us.
On examination tho oldest person was
found t4:bo d woman. She was taken
and confined in an old clubhouse until
a stick of a peculiar growth could be
found with which she must be killed.
Sho did not seem to mind her danger,
but rather to rejoice. Sic certainly
would have been a martyr had it not
been for the neighboring whites, who
had to use some show Of violence to
release her. This was damper on
the prophet and his followers, but
did not divert them from their pur-
pose. Placing their smallest children
and few provisions in two.horso
! wagon they set out on their march.
On the march several attempts wcro
! made to dissuade them from their
folly, but without turning to tho right
or left, with eyes upturned they wcpt
on without making any answer. The
last heard Of them they we're crossing
! the mountains in the direction of
Tennessee. This may seem like Gc.
tion, but it is true tho witnesses ore
here, and [ have written no moro
than what to-day can be heard in any
crowd OF in. any family circle of this
country. The exodus is tho grand
theme of conversation and tho wonder