The Grange advance., 1874-11-04
WALLER Nosfs'S" SERMON.
A Sensational Colored Preacher Of
Virginia.
Healing Springs (va.) Letter to New York
Post,

[Healins Springs (yps) g.. Letter to New York
Sunday before last, 1 assisted at cer-
emonies conducted by ''Yaller Moses"
at the pool on jackson river, in front
Of the coax Swamp A1eetin' House,
Moses is what one might call sensa-
ton preacher. He can read, but other
wise is totally uneducated, and speaks
in the broadest negro dialect. On this
occasion there were only four candi.
dates for baptism three women and
one man, Zeb Jenkins. Jenkins had
long been looked upon as hardened
sinner. He was born1and raised in Din
widdie. was bought by gentleman from
Lynchburg, and has for the last ten
years gained a precarious livelihood
by working round here and there
for the farmers in the up
per valley of jackson river. He is be-
tween so and so years Of age. There
was sermon before the baptism. Mo-
ses is very fond of showing his know.
ledge fthe Holy Book, which he al
ways quotes, verse, chapter and page.
He apparently thinks this gives import
ance in the eyes Of the simple people
whom he addresses. His sermon on
the Sunday in question was so remark
able as to make me take notes of it,
which here give. ''Belubbed brud-
dren and sisters, take my text this
day, from de Gospel of St. Matthew,
chapter nineteen, verse twenty -four
1T is easier for camel to 60 through
the eye of a needle than for rich man
to enter into de Kingdom of God
Likewise, also from de Gospel OF St.
John, chapter fifth, verse twenty-nine
'Saach ye dc Scriptures. I 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 pota-
toes, while de white folks dress up fine
an ride round the country, a-smoking
lone Jack tobacco. You, Bill Flanders,
who sittin' thar or the second bench,
wild yer new brack coat, yer was a
lamentin' to me no later dan fodder
day dat tho yer work hard all der yea
round yer lef off no richer in December
dan when you commence in January.
Yer don't want ter be por! yer wants
to be rich. Why yer por simple be-
nighted African, poverty is de greatest
blessing; we should all pray for it. De
por man he go to Heaven widout goin'
frou de eye Of needle, but de rich man
he must trabel on dat road--and l will
jis show you what mighty por chance
he has oh gettin' trou de eye Oh de
needle. De camel is berry large ami
NAL and is used in the East, as beast
Of burden; when / say de East, I don't
mean East Virginia, but de far East Oh
which St. Matthew speak in de second
chapter and first verse Oh his Gospel,
where he say, Behold dare came wise
men from de East to jerusalem Many
Of my hears hab nebber sec camel.
Your 'spected preacher vas in dat sit
uatior hisself till he visit tOld John
Robinson's tricky moral show, which
pass dis way, las week. Dose of my
hruddern and sisters who hab see de
camel in dat show will understand de
great difficulty he would hab in gi:tin'
trou de eye of needle, on account OBJ
de hump on his back. If man be por
an honest an truthful, he go straight
to de Kingdom Of God without bein'
troubled by de needle. But yer must
likewise 'sarch de Scriptures, Lew Mar
shall tell Bob White, las Sunday, How
can we sarch Scriptures when we done
got no Bible, and dono how to read?'
Yes, hear i'm say so. I reckon you
think 'Yaller Moses is gwine 10 sarch
de Scriptures for de whole .congrega.
ton. No, old Moses can't make you
good; he can only tell you how ter
make yerselfs good. But cherry brud-
der, ebery sister, can sarch for hisself
and trace truth from her mazy liar, and
drag her howlin' to de light Oh day.
HappY Family.