The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-03-28
A Revival Meeting in Virginia.

From Edward Kings Great South" in the
April number of Scribner's Monthly, we take
The following racy account of a revival meet
ing in "Old Nirginny:'
Presently we arrived at Il large frame build.
ing muck like country sChool-hOuse save
that it was neither ccilcd nor plastcred and
therein the revivalists were gathered A
powerful spiritual wave had swept over the
COlOIed population, and dozens OF carts load.
ed with dusky scarchCrs for truth, came roll.
ing along the rough roads, and stopped be,
fore the primitive door Entering, we found
every shade Of color, from the coalback full.
blood to the octoroon, elegantly dressed and
gracious in manners The congregation was
not large. Owing to the excitement which
prevailed for several previous Sabbaths, many
mad retired worn out from the spiritual feast
The women sat on the left side, the men on
the right OF il broad aisle, running to plain
wooden pulpit, in which were three moon.
laced negroes, two Of them preachers, and
The third State Senator. I'm front of the
pulpit, behind little table, stood an oliyc.
cO!orcd elderly man, neatly dressed, and with
wildncss IN his eyes, and an intensity writ
ten upon his lips which reminded me of
what had read Of the "Convultionsts Of St
Medard" The audience was breathless with
attention AS tue preacher, a strOllin@ mission
airy, supported by Quakers IN Louisiana, took
mp the great Bible, and posing it on his lean,
nervous hand, poured forth such an impas.
stoned appeal that fairly tremblcd | was
not prepared for such vChemcnce Never, in
he history Of Ncw England reviyalism, was
here such a scene. The preacher stood with
many Of his hearers well around him; one
II the deacCns and CXhortcrs, black giant
N spectacles, was his print d'dppHi, and to-
MN appealed from time to time shak ing him
roughly By the shoulder, and Kissing his
words in his ear with fiery vchemCncc. The
proposition with which he started was some
what incOmprchcn>ibc 10 us viz: Christi
s the creating powder OF Cod put the pro
position was OF no consequence, because
very few moments ne would burst INTO paroX
vsms OF cNhOrtation, before which the emo
tiOnal audience rocked and trcmhlcd like.
reeds in the wind. lie had "A peculiar way Of
addressing himself suddenly and in star,l,
ing manner 10 some individual in the congrc-
cation, and IA the agony Of his cNhUrtatIuu 10
hat person, would pound the table furiou,iy
with both hands, and dance vigorously with
his feet From time to time he would draw
ia his breath with great force, rs if rcpIc.s-
ing SOLO, and, when speaking Of love and
salvation hc inevitably iell into chant. or
monotone, which was very effective. Under
'hc hurricanes of his appeal, the fury Of Ai.
-hOutng, the magnetic Influence of his song
one Of the old dCaCOns went into an ae.--.
spasm OF religious iervor, and now and i.s-
yelled yoCiierOusly \ milder brother se..
lured TO demonstrate, whereupon the QUAKER
preacher turned upon HIM, saying loudly
Let dat bruddcr shout, an tend ~ H..e
own business!'
Then he began preaching against hypoc-
,sy. lie seemed especially TO chldc the w0-
men for becoming converted with too great
case. "Noew hc cried, woe unto dat woman
what goes down into dc water befn' she ready
woe un'o hcr" with long singing descent
on the last words; and then he added, soto
'J1, Dat what make 50 many women come
mp strangliu an yomitin' an pOkin' outcn de
water, dc debbll dat still in 'cm get hole on
en-, an shake EN- an choke 'cm under de
Hatcr, Let no women shout for Jesus what
don't know bout Jesus, It's one thing 10 cit
I'D Heaven, but it's anuddCr to giL in Don't
We know what Heaven is? Heavens God |!
We must know what we is preachin's about,
m II We don't we ought TO SIT Down, This
with terrific cmphaSis)
In describing the creation, he said Bred
dren, it's now 1881, years scnce de good Lord
made de world, an dc mOrnin' stars sung TO.
geddcr. DIT raRp yesterddyl LA read d.
BDoh q. JOD, n see Tor yefseI- mn Fd'btd
,o1nth ag0' ijcdsHT dar dcR!" thus ilusrat.
ing with sublime scorn the littleness of NAM,
but by de grace of God, I'll cit dar by.'n.
Dye! lherc his voice was faint and suggcs
tive of fearful joy,) SO join dc mornin' stars
an we'll all sing togeddcr! Oh, yes. oh,
yes, Heavens God made dc world an dc
tulness dercof, an hung 1t up on dc high
hooks Of heaven. Dcre want no nails dere;
no hammer dcrc! no nothin' but dc word of
God In limiting at the tcrrors OF death 10
The uncOnverted, he sang wild word-picturcs
which had certain rude force even for us,
and then shrieked OFT these words: "Ef dc
brudders don't want 10 die in de dark. dey
must get Christ TO hole dc candle. Gods
grace shall be de candle in de good brudder's
heart Devils may howl lions may roar, but
Iothin' shall daunt dat brudder's heart An.
zels shall come down with lighted candles in
DER hands to congratulate dc bruddcr" CThen
once more screaming and dancing and weep
ing, he uttered these wOrds:l Die right,
.rudder, m YOU shall not die in dc night;
yo' shall die in eternal day. Ef Christ don't
Jriug light enough, den God will come wild