Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-05-15
An Immense COlored BaptixiDg
in Petersburg. Va.


in Petersburg, Va.
The late religious revivals in Petersburg,
Va, eliminated Saturday in grand bap-
tismal demonstration among the colored
people, over five hundred converts of that
race being immersed in the Appomattox
River. The scene of the monster bapti-
zing was between the two bridges which
span the river below the city, where the
bend of the stream is concave and sloping
hills rise from its banks forming an amphi-
theatre, and the margin is fringed with
elm and willow trees Of the most resplen
dent foliage, forming place Of great nat
ural beauty. A Petersburg letter says
Long before the ceremony commenced.
the hillsides overlooking the river were
covered with acres of colored people. The
bridges were densely crowded, and large
number OF boats were anchored in the
stream, thronged with eager Spectators
At one O'Clock P. M, the singing and agi-
tation of the great multitude told that the
religious events of the day were about to
commence, and at the same time chorus
of over 900 voices chanted an anthem as
the long column of candidates marched
down in order to the water. The presiding
clergyman then delivered a most timely
and impressive sermon in which he urged
on this solemn occasion that the utmost
quiet, order and good behavior be OBJ
served. Two lines OF files of stalwart men
were then formed, leaving space of three
or four feet between them. The ceremony
began by passing the candidates from
hand to hand from the shore to the admin
lstrating clergyman, who stood to his
waist in the river while this was going on.
A hymn appropriate to the ceremony in
which over 5000 voices joined, was sung
In such full, rich, melodiOuS and hearty
tones that it could be heard miles away
AS each individual reached the adminiStra-
tor he pronounced the usual benediction
and then immersed the candidate, after
which he was carried to the rear, and the
good work went rapidly on until the hun
dreds were plunged beneath the muddy
waters of this historic stream.
A feature OF the occasion was that when
each convert came out Of the water he be-
gan the most eXtrayagant manifestations
OF delight and ecstatic joy ever Witnessed
and so violent were these demonstrations
at times that it often required the strength
of four or five able-bodied men to quiet the
excited colored Christians.
Immediately after the ordinance was Gel
ebrated the converts were attired in a reg
uACl 1lOlul tIlu 1Ol1lCO Ill llliOs II plO-
cesson was then formed, which was head
ed by the converts and clergymen, the
whole numbering about 10000 men, who
marched back to the church, where the
jubilee will continue until midnight amid
the greatest religious enthusiasm. The
day has been one of grand pomp and cere-
mony among the colored race in this city.
THE VERY LAST VIRGINIA GHOST
SToRY.-The Lexington "Gazette" has a
ghost story about ''Clarke's Hollow near
Collierstown, Rockbridge county, which
has long been regarded as a ''haunted
place" 1t had already published about a
man seen there on fire who didn't burn up,
and about a ghost through whom rocks
were thrown without hurting him, and
now it has the climax:
About ten days or two weeks age queer
affair occurred. While Mr.. Matthew
Clarke and son were saving in the woods
without a hat and bald-headed began to
come towards them. The son called atten-
ton to him. Mr.. Clarke noticed that the
clothing of the stranger was all in one
piece-not in separate garments. AS he
got near the elder Clarke started to run.
but the man headed him off and ordered
him to follow. The ghost led the way to
a stump in Mr.. Hotinger's field near by
and laid his chin on his own hand and the
elbow on the stump, directing Mr. Clarke
to scratch away the dirt under it. The
removal of the soil revealed twenty-six old
Mexican dollars The ghost quietly
walked away few yards and then sud-
| denly vanished. The money was old coin
| of the date of 1740. The stain from the
rotten wood was On some Of the pieces.
toa neighbor for tAe purchase Of a cow.
Itsthen passed into other hands. MI.
Samuel L. Wilson, merchant of Golfers
town, has twenty-five dollars Of it now.
Of the finding the dollars there is no
doubt. OF the ghost we are little
shaky. I