Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-04-03
lam going down Jordan,
lam going down Jordan,
am going down Jordan
To never return again.

Just here is a knock at the door and Uncle
| Billy, with a slouched hat in one hand and
whip in the other, enters, and drops in the
nearest seat, evidently with something of i'm
portance on his mind; but taking in the meet
| ing at glance, drops his whip and waits
| with an air of reverence until the hour
! passes. One prayer and another is offered
they pray for the Lords blessed people who
8" sent de teachers TO em;" pray for the
President, pray for their ole massers and
missus, pray for friends and enemies, and,
Please, Masser Jesus, take look into our
little meetin' dis evenin', and please member
pore me who han't nebber had no chance to
learn to read dy Word, and help me to study
and member de trufe. Please, Masser Jesus,
bress desc teachers, who has lef far-off home
and friends, and cum down to teach us pore,
low-down chilen of dine de way of life
Please, Masser Jesus mount de speediest
speed in Zion and ride round dis yer place
and see what de debbil's doin' in the king
DOM Prayers go up from hearts full of
earnestness, and he who interprets can tell
what they mean so we haven't the heart to
criticise. The meeting closes with singing
the DoXology, and the benediction is pro-
nouuced 10y one of the ministers. Sister
Tabitha and others, in clean white aprons
hands with the teacher, their bright faces
and volleys of talk better than tonic.
Pears like, honey, nebber heerd de Bible
read afore. Ole miss used ter read de chapter
bout sarvants obey yere masters, but she
nebber stopt TO splaue de word like dat,
shore"
"Please, maam, Uncle Billy's waitin' to
see ye," and with low bow and hat lifted
off his head. a stout, black man, fifty years
of age, begrirled with SCOT from the black
smiths forge, presses his way to the teach
er's stand. Good evenin' ma'am," with
another bow. " lse come to look after my
boy John. " Don't see him here, ma'am,
and | hears ye has prayermeetin'. lse
cum TO know de reason he aint at it," ave
don't oblige our pupils to stay to the meet
ing, uncle. We invite them to remain after
school and join with us in the hour OF
prayer, but you know we can't force people
to pray, and doubtless he has gone home"
Well, ye sees dats jes what reckoned. |
amt nebber had no chance for larnin' myself,
and desc are glorious privileges for de chill
len, and ef | aint any meetin' hand, de boys
mother does heap o prayin', and jes bleves
in it, an lse wantin' ye, ma'am to draw
de lines tight an make de chillen tend to
dere opportunities for shore. Ye see me,
ma'a am, can't tell a letter from IA hoss-shoe;
nebber had no chance to pick up any sort o
'telligence 'cept what got by obsaryin'
tings. Fore de war done hid away in de
Swamps for three yere ; lived ON berries, AN
starved fore I'd cum under, freedum's dat
sweet, ma'am, though ye mighn't tink so,
but | kRowS. Den when Gineral Sherman
cum troo here | ies jined his train aud
guided 'em when dey went sweepin' troo
here, and all dis time members my pore
ole mother who used to tote down to de cot
ton-field, a-prayin' day an night fur free
dun. Au' den wen we cum to be sot free |
says Laws, what's freedum good fur ef
people don't have 'telhgence, an | ies oOrk
ter git sun for my boy TO live on while he's
gittin' his schoolin', ma'am. But good
evenin', ! reckun he'll be around time git
back
Many a meeting after that came and went
aud saw John in his place. and many during
the year found the Good shepherds but
alas there came day of " thick darkness"
when poor Uncle Billy, with thirty Others of
his neighbors, found that still ION the side
of the oppressor there was power" In the
short space OF four hours thirty people We're
killed. Uncle Billy was shot, thrown down
stairs, and both his ears cut off. The school
house aud several cabins were burned, and
for little while the klan had their way
and as we remember the many Sunday
schools where people loved to gather to learn
of him who came TO teach peace on earth
and good will to men, we hear the wall OF
sorrow aud voices pleading, " low long, oh,
how long !" and from the prayermeetng
comes up like requiem for those whose
lives were taken from the earth:
lam going down Jordan
To never return again