The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-09-11
Tobacco Chewing in Church.

Tobacco Chewing in Church.
The annexed article was contributed last
year to the Working CAristiam, and we are in
debted to the author, whose initials will be re-
cognized by many of our readers, for copy
recently forwarded. All persons addicted to
the abominable practice of chewing tobacco
and splitting over the church floor are asked to
consider the logical argument against this
practice, as embodied in the stinging rebuke OF
the faithful old negro: 49,, f..,.,
, When vas pastor Of the church at Roberts
VILE. before the war, as was coming out OF the
pulpit on certain Sabbath, ,:one of the deacons
met me and said, Brother Williams, when you
preach to the negroes this afternoon, want
you to reprimand them severely for chewing
and splitting tobacco all over the floor in the
galleries. To-day, while you were preaching,
perfect sluice came running down through Il
crevice and has ruined Miss IS beau
tiful. new white satin bonnet" It occurred to
me, forthwith, that would put this duty on
old Brother Jack, our faithful old leader among
our colored members, who 2had wonderful
talent for upbraidng, or as, he used TO call it,
rebraying offenders, which talent made him
greatly feared and respected among the people.
A tongue -lashing from Father Jack, which he
never was loath to administer, was one thing
from which all of them wanted to be delivered.
Immediately sought Brother Jack, and brought
the case to his notice, and begged him to give
them talk about it when we met that after"
noon, which was a special service for the col"
ored people. The old man was indignant, ano
said, eyes, I'm de berry man to do it; when
I'm done wwid 'em da wont want to chaw and!
spit no more tobacker up in dem galries."
In the afternoon we met, and after giving
them short sermon, (for I wanted Brother
Jack to have plenty of room for his sermon,) l
turned to him and said, Brother Jack, have
you anything to say for the good of this con-
gregation ?' Brother Jack was soon on his
feet, and here is his sermon, a sermon: l COM
mend to the reading of all those who are gull
ty of the indecent and irreverent practice of
chewing and splitting tobacco all over the
House of God: 1 ~.
"lfy Bredren-Our pasture is jest lodged a
berry great complain agin you. You come to
church ebry Sunday to hear de gospel, and Oh
what privileg dat j; ; but ipstid of having
your mout wide open to ketch ebry wud OF de
preacher, you got 'em chock full of tobacker.
De church is de place to feed on de gospel, but
YOU come here to feed on dat nasty tobacker
If man come to your house and chaw and
spit tobacker on your floor you no like it, and
tell um so, and den if he no stop, you show um
de door; we'll, now, I'll TX you one question
is your house any better dan de Lords house,
dat you must turn it into great big spit box
Don't you tink de Lord is as nice and pertikler
bout His house as you is bout yourn? Why, de
Lord spises nasness It shows a bad breedin
to spit tobacker over mans house; but, oh!
my bredrin, it shows berry wicked breedin to
be chawin and spittin it over de Lords house.
But amt done wild you yet. Don'tyou know
dat to spit upon man is de greatest insult you
can put 'pon him? Why its putin him wild de
dogs, and de biggest coward will fight eff spit
,pon him, and pertikler tobacker juice. Well,
de Lord is in His holy Temple; His presence
full up His house He's wild de preacher in de
pulpit wild de white folks in de pews, and wild
de niggers in the galries, and ebry time you
spit tobacker in dis house, you spit it 'pon de
Lord, and dats worse dan spflin dat lady's nice,
purity bonnet. May de Lord help you to mend
your ebil ways, and pertickler this wicked,
nasty way of cha1ag and spittin tobacker ober
de House OBJ de.Eord."
After this bonnets and dresses were safe from
the galleries The Saviour scourged and drove
the money changers out of the Temple for pro-
faning it. and 1 believe that if he had gone in
to the Temple and found it all besmeared with
tobacco spittle, He would have sent the chew
ers bowling after. the changers But Brother
Jacks sermon don't need any exhortation after
it. And now, can any one, after reading this
sermon of faithful negro preacher, say that
negroes have no souls? I'd sooner believe that
Ariel has no soul than believe that old brother
Jack hadn't. ). IT, w.
. 4..