The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-11-05
Yaller Moses SermOn-The BLESSINGS
of Poverty.

Yaller Moses SermOn-The Blessings
of Poverty.
A correspondent of the New York
Evening Post, in letter from Healing
Springs, Va, writes as follows: Last
Sunday assisted at baptismal meet
ing conducted by "Yaller Moses" at
the pool on Jackson's river, in front of
the 8 Oak Swamp Meetin' House. y
Moses is what one might call sensa-
ton preacher. He can read, but other
wise is totally uneducated, and speaks
in the broadcast 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 born and raised in Din
widdie, was brought up by a gentleman
from Lynchburg, and has for the last
ten years gained precarious Eveli-
hood 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 a
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 apparent
ly thinks this gives him importance in
the eyes of the simple people whom he
addresses. His sermon on the Sunday
in question was SO remarkable as to
make me take short notes of it, which
I here give: Belubbed breddern and
sisters, I take my text dis day from de
nr0c,,n1 of 81 Matthew oL a.4o. -:.i4'
teen, verse twenty. four. 1T is easier
for camel to go through de eye of
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: '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
country on horseback smokin' Lone
Jack tobacco. You, Bill Flanders, who's
sittin' thar on de second bench, wild yer
new brack coat, yer was a 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
to be por yer want to be rich. Why,
yer por simple benighted African, pow
erty is de greatest Dressing we should
all pray for it. De por man he go to
heaven widout going frou de eye OBJ
needle, but de rich man he must trabeI
on dat road-and / will jis show you
what mighty por chance he has oh
gettin frou de eye OBJ de needle 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 oh which st.
Matthew speak in de second chapter
and first verse oh his gospel, where he
say Behold dere come wise men from
de East to Jerusalem Your 'spected
preacher was in dat situation hisself
till he visit Old John Robinson's trick
~ moral show, which pass dis way las
week. Dose of my bruddern an sisters
Who hab see de camel in dat show will
understand de great difficulty he would
hab in gettin frou de eye oh needle,
on account OBJ de hump on his back. If
man be por an honest an truthful,
he go straight to de kingdom oh God
widout heing troubled by de needle.
But yer must likewise sarch de scrip
lures. Lew Marshall tell Bob White
las Sunday, How can we sarch scrip
lures when we done got no Bible. and
donno how to read ?" Yes, I hear him
say so. I reckon you think 'Yaller
Moses is gwine to sarch the scriptures
for de whole congregation. No, old
Moses can't make yer good he can
only tell yer how ter make yerselfs
good. But cherry brudder, cherry sister
can sarch for hisself and trace truth
frou her May lair, and drag her howlin'
to de light OBJ day."