The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-16

The Black pr0phet-More about tho
ExtraOrdinnry Religious DeIusfon
Among the Sparfanburg Negroes
a Darky Pilgrimage Across the
Mountains. ..a.tS.s.sz. 500
SrARTANBuRG, August S.--For the last
Two years negro preacher by the name OF
bobo has been the spiritual head and adviser
OF one OF the largest negro congregations in
THIS county. His church is situated about
twenty miles south Of this place, in dense
negro settlement, aud so great was his fame
as minister Of the Gospel, that his mem.
bers were found on all the ncighboring, and
some distant, plantations. Bobo is described
as negro of gross ignorance, but blessed
with that proiusion Of speech so often
found in his race. He is said to be good
workman, but Of very loose morals in
everything but the strict keeping of
the Lords Day, and an almost austerc
observance of the forms Of religion. He
thus possessed all those qualities necessary
Tor leader OF his people. We will see how
he used his peculiar talent. During the last
month kind of revival has been in progress
IN Booo's church, and few days ago it Gull
minated Ill one of the greatest religious de-
monstrations ever seen in this country.
Bobo, from preaching Christ, went to preach
Ing himself as "thc new prophet high in
favor" His doctrine was that the Lord had
commanded him to call together the chill
dren Of Zion and lead them to the promised
land, distant but 100 miles, and where they
would have wings and could fly. After
much eXhortation 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.
he thus persuaded some fifty or sixty to
obey him. The poor, deluded creatures sold
crops, stock, and everything they had at
q great sacrifice. One man sold his
crop, said to be worth 5000. for $3.50;
another sold a cow and calf for one
dollar aud fifty cents. Nothing could dis
suade them from their purpose. They said
it was the command Of the Lord, and thew
must obey. just before they started the
prophet said there was yet one more thing
to be done. 1t was necessary to the success of
the journey that the oldest person anlonq the
faithful must be sacrificed, because he being
the oldest one can tell the Lord most about
any of US. On examination the oldest per-
son was found to be a woman. She was
taken and confined in an old clubhouse until
4 stick of peculiar growth could be found.
with which she must be killed. She did not
seem to mind her danger, but rather to re-
jioice. She certainly would have been mar
tyr had it not been for the neighboring whites,
who had to use some show of violence to re-
lease her. This was damper on the prophet
and his followers, but did not divert them
from their purpose. Placing their smallest
children and few provisions in wo-lorse
wagon, they set out on their march. On the
march several attempts were made to dis
>uade them from their folly, but without
turning to the right or left, with eyes up
turned, they went on without making any
answers. The last heard of them they were
crossing the mountains in the direction of
Tennessee. This may seem like fiction, but
ii is true. The witnesses are here, and I
have written no more than what to-day can
be heard in any crowd or in any family cir
Gle Of this county. The exodus is the grand
theme Of conversation and the wonder of
the people, Correspondence Of Charleston
NeCS.