The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-06-11
A Negro Layman's Prayer.

| Alexander Clark gives in his Meth
odlst Recorder a graphic description Of
" A Sabbath in Richmond" and ar
account of his visit to the First African
Baptist church, in that city. We take
from it this specimen of characteristic
natural eloquence
A layman being called upon to pray,
led this part of the service in fervent
appeal to God, plea at once eloquent
in smile and musical in utterance. II
was a pictured petition, vivid to the
| eye and pleasant to the ear. With a
voice of elevated key, the pleader re-
counted the mercies of God, and be-
sought blessings from above. It may
| have been indecorous in us, but the
prayer was unique, so like a chant, a
| dream, and yet so like a converse with
the listening God, that we ventured to
note down few passages, while no less
sharing the devotional spirit of the
hour and place.
The words spaced were prolonged
and circumfexed in higher key, as if
the words of a song, while the inter
venirg words were uttered with rapid
ity almost beyond the apprehension ;
the final words of each sentence being
pronounced in low voice and with the
falling infection.
ooh! Lord, our blessed Father OF
Love, thou know the 'dition of the
worP. Thou knows the pore mis'abl'
sinner despin' dy grace who turned his
back upon dy call. Thou sees his
footsteps in the Wilderness, and you
sees de bloomin' roses grown all round
de thorns de debil's sharpen'n for his
feet. In this dark way of sin and
death, while de loud thunders of dy
wrath roll in males in his ears, and
de blaze of dy fury flash in sudden
fore his eyes, oh Send your broodin'
spirit like a dove thro' de storm an
speak peace to his wretched soul fore
tits e-v.e-r-lastin' to late Show him
de slippery rocks and de miry clay.
Make him see dat Satan follows fas'
trippin' at his heels, and hell yawns
open to catch him when he falls, Obi
rest him by de mighty power of dy
grace. Pour down your mercy like
rain from de summer clouds. Make
him open his blind eyes to see de
beauty of dy holiness a-shinin' in
de face of your beloved Son like de
rainbow when de storm done gone and
passed away.
ooh, thou great King of Glory who
rides in de COLIN chariot in de New
Jerusalem, above de sun. I 'seech an
pray you drive dy white horses down
dis way and when de h-o-o-f-s of de
horses strikes dis lower worp and de
dashin' wheels come in our sight, stop
dy chariot at Washington city, and
light in loving kindness at de door of
dy servant, de President Grant, an tell
him 'xactly what to do. Scum de
meanin' of your will into de Con
gre SIS halls, an tell de great men
'thout their own akin how to serve dare
country bes'. Purge de hearts of de
senatore and 'sentatives from de love
of sin, an lead dare stumbin' steps
from the snares of hell. Help them to
member dy servants in every s-o-r-
row and temptation, as Jesus mem
bers them. Thin out the sire of honor
and the love of salary from their SOULS
like suckers out'n corn ; and may your
name be above every name, and d-y
kingdom come into the high places and
de low like the light of mornin' comes
to de hills an de valleys de same. Afr
leavin' Washington city, an takin' dy
time, drive your chariot down over de
fields and reign up dy horses of fire
at the capital of Old Virgin'y. Light
out at de Governors door, and go into
his house an tell him what things he
ought to say, an show him what things
he ought to do, like a faith e.r who
'structs his own chile"