The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-12-05
y,IJcr Moses Scrmon---Thc blessings of 70,
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crtN.
, CORRESPONDENT of the New York EotaiHg
Past. in letter from Healing Springs, Va,
writes rs follows: Last Sunday | assisted at
n baptismal meeting conducted by Waller
Moses" at the pool on Jackson,s river, In
front of the "Oak Swamp Mec,in House
Moses is what one might call sensation
preacher. He can read, but otherwise Is to.
ially uncducatcd, and speaks in the broadest
negro dialect. On this occasion there are
only foul candidates for bap,lsm-three wo-
men and one man, Zeb jenkins jenkins
had long been looked upon rs hardened sim
ner. lie was born and raised in Dnwiddie,
was brought up by gentleman from Lynch
burg, and has for the last ten years gained a
precarious livelihood by working around
here and there for the farmers in the upper
valley of the Jackson river. He Is between
fifty and sixty years Of age. There was n
sermon before the baptism. Moses is very
fond of showing his knowledge of the holy
book, which he always quotes, verse, chapter
and page. He apparently thinks this gives
him importance in the eyes of simple people
WON he addresses His sermon on the sun
day in question was 50 remarkable as to make
me take short notes of it, which i here give
"Belubbcd breddern and sisters, | take my
text dis day from de gospel OF -. Matthew,
chapter nineteen, verse twenty-tour. III Is
easier for camel to go through de eye OF u
needle than for rich man to enter INTO dc
kingdom of God Likewise, also from de
gospel of st. John, chapter fifth, verse twenty
nine; 'Sarch We de scriptures | often hear
de cullud man complain of his hard lot in dis
life; he say he do nothin' but hoe corn, split
wood, and plant potatoes, while de white
folks dress up fine and ride round de coun-
try on horseback smokin' Lone Jack tobac-
co. You, Bill Flanders, who's sittin' thar on
de second bench, wild yer new brack coat,
yer was q lamentin' to me no later dan fodder
day dat tho yer work hard all de year round
yer lef off no richer in December dan when
YOU commence in January. Yer don't want
10 be por yer want TO be rich. Why yer
por simple benighted African poverty is de
greatest Dressing we should all pray for it.
De por man he 90 to heaven widOut going
frou de eye ob a needle, but de rich man he
must trabel ON dat rOad-and | will Jis show
YOU what a mighty por chance he has OBJ get
tin frou de eye oh de neddle. De camel is
berry large animal, and is used in de East as
beast of burden; when say de East, don't
mean East Virginia, but de far East ob which
St Matthew speak in de second chapter and
first verse ob his gospel, where he say Be
hold dere came wise men from de East to Je-
Ibui sPOSASu PiSaShSt 49,
situation hisself till he visit old John Rob
nsons tricky moral show which pass dis
way las week. Dose of my bruddern an Sis
tiers who hab see de camel in dat show will
understand de great difficulty he would hab
in gettin frou de eye Oh a needle, on account
oh de hump on his back. If man be por
an honest an truthful, he go straight to de
kingdom oh God wldout being troubled by
de needle. But yer must likewise 'sarch de
scriptures Lew Marshall tell Bob White
las Sunday, How can we sarch scriptures
when we done got no Bible, and donno how
to read?" Yes, l hear him say so. l reckon
YOU think Waller Moses is gwlne to search
the scriptures for de whole col gregation.
No, old Moses can't make yer good; he can
only tell yer how ter make yerselts good.
But every brudder, cherry sister can sarch for
hisself and trace truth frou her II azy lair, and
drag her howin, to de light OBJ day"