The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-14
AWAY DOW IN DIIIH.
ReIiaious Exercises ofthc Frecdncn-A Negro
Watch Meeting.

Since their freedom, the negroes Of the
| South have developed remarkable fondness
for religious excitement, The number Of spirit
| preachers" or persons protesting TO be moved
| b, Divine inspiration to speak with sup'rn tural
| knowledge and power, among them Il wonder
| fui. These are tested by the ordeal OF coming
| through" or wrestling In n vision with the devil
| and the Angel Michael visiting heIven aud hell,
| aud coming through the struggle puryed and
| purified. needing onv immersion In n pond 10 he
| m AIDE CHRISTIANS, incapable of sin, or Apostles to
| preach the Word ana hrine sinners 10 the fold.
| Their reverence for Bible authority Is profound
| but reading imperfec'ly, and understanding ONLY
IN pnrt the cleanngs from the sacred volume,
| witch they lbundlnty store away IN their I'm
tutored brains, their interpretations are usually
| udicrous In the extreme. Eich preacher Is
besct with an overwecung ambition to excel
| and outstrp his fellow-iaborer In Gospel doc
trine and Blnle history; hence. when two or
three meet together, their time u often con.
| sumed IN wraugling over some drctrinal point.
and when thus engaged the amount OF perverted
biblical erudition they fling at each others
neods is simply amazing. No one however. who
witnesses the fervor Of their worship can doubt
their sincerity Morris It strange that their pecu-
| nnr. imrressible, and demonstrative nature gives
vent TO It's fervor In means, In groans, In howls.
and In dances ludicrors IN themselves. vet evil
| IDENTIFY the manifestations ~ IN 'ense feeling.
| Tpon the night 81 Dsc. A. 1879. there assem-
blcd In our neiehborlng colored church-for-
merlv an old mule shed, but recently boarded
mp and made comfortable and chnrcnlke with
the aid ~ benches, pulpit. anl n small stove
n eoodiv company OF oil and young ncsroes OF
both sexes. Eich cabin for miles around had
sent A. leist one representatives. to join tho
band NJ "watchcrs" who were to pray tho Old
| ,,ft ,ta nd tats
scspegoat burdened with oil their sins, which.
| passi ng away. would be swallowed IN md lost
| In the vortex between the going ont and the in
| coming years leaving them clcinscd and purged
uf evil. The last night Of the year Il highly es-
| teemed In the coiored church, as being the ne
| rod selected for the ceremony OF feet washing
and for the e ring In ofs ritual experience.
The twelve men selected by lot for this urdc,l
| h d their toes pulled. laved. ana wiped Nv
twelve Old mothers. giried with towels ana
bearing tin pans Of icy water, who seemed to
feel vicious 10y In vigorou Nv wrcn,1inr ths
aching Joints while their ~ vering voices lilled
the room with musical tremblinss. Tho con-
eregaiion. ~ n stirred TO the depths OF their
! souls by these unearthly sounds, turned their
faces 10 the ceiling and uttered the most mourn
fil walls. After tnis cha -acterlitic prelude the
cnOir sang the following hvmn:
| Astw shes ofs your toots.
Yc.. LorIl We bow low, bow iow
| lu.gbe mere On dls eirtd,
Y W. iiG ,N', we , %.ll ,, ,inss; ov low,
| Dc httlcs rtam ,iar- rlnnln' ny
Nss pea y'PSs, reagq high do, o,.
II 'prMi : hum lly m de aus
Wys 80 IT, IT, t no, nv ~ ,,oS s'i low
All observed a decorous silence while mid.
die aged, rencvolent- looking negro, with closely
clipl.~1 hair and snort side whisker-. entered
the uut IL. aud stood uleaslntlv regarding the
cougregstiIn. An AR OF old-tine geniility hung
| nnout the green drr-s coat. with its numerous
! Kilt buttons. and the fine CORDUROY brcecnes
! which adorned his person. These articles u
! clothing probably made and worn uoout the be-
| ginning of MI Jehrr-on's administration. and
pss-ed over by tine original owner To he TT nd
| fuher II the present wearer. bnI no DOUBT oeen
kent Or decades IA the bottom Of an old ,ir
trunk IS hcirlooms uniil the string-ncy II the
present hard tunes drew them forth for use.
SIDE t. side ne II ci nly engaged III making IN
- innate II the hunter within hearing ~ his
voice. the soc tkfr s. ~. IN deep rich. resonant
tones that Ix Il tue t,cutiOn Of his hearers ut
"Sir,.fs and brother, Fu.tlv. I'm de fu.t
place. wid mention 10 reclamation da; l'se Desn
called ~ ur speifit t. sense vou Of Your duties
on ois rs, iri,us night. oar venera he brother,
| Sw-enN iowlers. has been c4lird to tend a bap,-
ism down de 'Orntfy. Hts endey,ots Vos to 20
here tp-uisnt to curry on dis mertin' nisclf. but
~ u psnts ana Goa ds-piuts. Dere has been IN
CITATION gib out IN de church agn ~Oerrt prcach-
in. After dis wear ypu'-e only lowed T. prcach
by de tex You all knows l'se 4 sDerrlt ureach-
.r, woe called 4 ,rlN To sJeok nv de sperfif. To-
M ht I'm rWine TO preach by lie mouf Of d. hoiv
hearts. ma i"ld YOU plumb into tus Kingdom
wnM de >nrr, nins at on one side Of 80 nepe'n.
~ throne ant tue tharpunhns un De t0ther, fan
nj = a" arr wild dere wing, "a fumtn' lie arcr OF
Hebben whar slltn~ bred en- net breaN irl 10
foul wit de smell of hcll IRE. Dsr.'s been great
iallin IN 81 elorihcAtiuu qua ~ d among ,ou vi
sence preachers from de Nuri and preachers Ia
de Intctences throw Soon On our spsrrit
preachers. Now. wnen We sing and pray owe,
pfm1e. shouting, g'prihc ton, and ulUans t'om
there was sudden explosion throughout
the sued 81 Amen, ansn. Nes. l.Drd' OATS
true gospel
DE next Grafton will I've agin our socrrit or
perience den hOws We gwine to know now We
CONE through trlbui 'tIon uniow lie daine of de
To mauF Ny beii-f Is. folks who w.nt 10
stop sperrit preachn Is troubled wild magsots
la dere brains. Stop de worklu' II de sperfit
ana our church MI dissolve Ike q han under
nls Mood w,son woen ne ov-rsot his inai Of
pitcn pine on de mighty saul VINO had list done
noTried de witch OF Enior." Growing excited,
the preacher continued: Don't Scripter Say
Boat not Of to-day. Tor tomorrow YOU don I
know wnat cOmical turn things NAV takeY VINO
can say dc sperfi. preacher u TODAY may not
be the caicken thief u Tomorrow. vt General
Grant. the respected President Of 10 day. be, 10y
acomcil turn, de bObtail emperor OF to-nor-
row. No. l say: let good tning prove itself.
and dOnt ne roofing up rotten weeds To md
better. IL you wants TO torture AN ineinV, sat
him u pickin' okra. ana II he don't soon sung
all ober hs II tied up 10 netlles, Ia agree to eat
him. II YOU wants to rlle a sperrit preacher. set
aerinnin' tex preacher ON hls trail, aud II ne
don't nave his u ILLS raised M -ot pintel Ike
ap9rcupine, Knows uunin Of de feelin.
want. 70 t..9sIn DIS nlght some sound.
| hehlhb tutus. III PROBES your Htntf hearts
too deem II toch-s dam wild hot words like
Goals n fire. sizklh' and hli t-rln' dem VIII gus
pei truifs. you must not fault me YOU must
iault to .rselSos for dar's corruption and sin
lufhln IN your hearts, has a tnicf behind de eel.
lar Il Dor. Eacry one must stand out on his own
merits. | knows ucre's many OF You tI,tn' to
git To lie ben on II preachers back. / means no
dl-respec' t. ue c!On when tolls dem who pins
dere ia To preac ler's coat tail. ma straddes
de wraskle 10 make de trip, deY will be 'ston-
iShed dat dey don't gt dar, ana Will be Airml III
Ing round dc gat IS like lot Il Carton Crows
round adNtn mule, while dem dat wrnstIod tor
denselvrs and gained de victory over SIN. viii
be gwino IA wid dcrs palm branches IN dele
hands u receive deto crowns Of glory. As les-
ter II To 'iirpper, Do thyae no h trm'
| Urn tell you q l,tuA alleg Jric or speech hv A >
n-ger. truth and Lie start Il out for T. ira lhie.
| DiN = oppcd 10 uIiuk AT DE NOR .riin. rrutn
wus thinking NJ evil bur Lite pushed INN, and
| DO tell IA anu WIS drJwnis1. lac grt out, stole
Iruth's ouots, and ueotn Culoiud pI.sun " ho
was rootin' round whHr he had n business, en-
tered INTO him nd sOt up his hshititIon. -
Lie ms loved % dwell along wid collred folks
eNeF sence. rs my b.sness To piu4 out dose
things 70 sense ypu ni de tricks - d. dehble.
Lie den lowe his seeds among ~ colored fol(s
axes you, amt ats "a faof Don't dc PRODUCE
CORES bond Wild dc secdf'
OATS sol dsTs 50! CAa't 'splto you dir"'
| came from the crowd.
Z" u res several little pints I wonld Ike To
| an N a 4 iii NJ A .lf.s.,f