Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-05-08
Brother Newton.

When Newman Hall was in Phila-
delpbia in 1870 he lectured the short
time he spent there constantly, some
times on Sundays preaching four or
five times. Your correspondent, with
a party, started to bear him at an eve
ming service. He was announced at six
at church far up town: :and for eight
O'Clock at st. Thomas. 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 to be colored peo-
Piles church, and the services already
fully under way-having their own ser
vices beforehand, we discovered upon
getting in.
We were received at the door by ush-
ers in dress-coats and white ties and
gloves, and taken 70 seats in the CALLER
les, the rest of the church being already
packed, aisles and all, with mixture
of white and black folks.
A moment after we were seated, as
prayer was ended, Brother Newton"
was announced--anG it is to record some
of his pungent utterances this is being
written. Among other things, he said:
ave are going to beg tonight, while
we've got q lot of you of both colors
here, for some kinds of mixtures is good
and wholesome. We're a-begging in
the interests of the church. What in
terests, do you say? Why, the interests
of keeping of it good and warm light;
goodier than that, comfortable for all
We to come into and worship the AL
mighty. We want to raise the money
for the fire and the lights. What, do
you say we oughtn't, because the Bible
says salvation's free? So it is, so it Isl
Who's going to say it amt? Saliva
tion's free, thank the Lordr' (Then
there was a responsive shout all over
the chureh-'sThank the Lordn' ''Yes,
yesw "AmenI'') "So's water free
thank the LOrd--so's water free; but ye
have to pay for the pipes and the buck
cts what ye get it in, don't ye? Yah.
now don't ye? Never circumsancted
that, / suppose?"
Constantly through his remarks there
would be surge like a wave, the effect
of which was very singular, beginning
with the leaders around the pulpit, and
spreading as quick as thought over the
church-aAmen," @Thank the Lord"
'sYes, yes, bress His name"
When he said something eomical As
he constantly did-little unrepeatable
things-there would a low gurgle of
laughter go through the audience, when
quick as n flash, he would turn upon
them sternly b -1.'..i
Laughin', are yes Better weep, the
lot of ye-a-langhin' in the house of
the Lord, sins and all! sins and ALP
He gave an account of having the
week before attended a convention in
New Haven.
"And I 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 to believe
was Il great man, you may bet. But
when that convention was broke, l met
them members in the street, and they
cut me dead. So I concluded it was
brudder in the meeting and nigger in
the street." H 3. -li.7.i- rt--
Some one behind him pulled his coat
and whispered something; then he an
nounced:
s-The brudders tell me must stop my
talk, cause they mean to time up in the
'chor.' All right. can sing, though;
and if We pay me twenty-five cents a
yard for the good cause ofa-lightin'and
a-warmin' this burdened church, Pll
measure ye as many yards as We choose.
But now while We listen to the 'ehor'
perform, We will come for'ard to the al
tar and deposit yer money. And as the
people in the galleries can't get down
becase 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 and a-groaning; let's see II
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 piece.
-EprroR's DRAWER, in Hdrper's Adgd-
-;,,0 for Hnu .