The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-05-01
.The SUN DO Hove"
so SAYS THE REV. JOHN JASPER.

so SAYS THE REV. JOHN JASPER.
About two hundred people assembled in
Lincoln Hall last evening to hear Rev. John
Jasper. the colored preacher OF Richmond,
Va, lecture upon "The Rotation OF the
SUM-" The entertainment was unique, and
greatly enjoyed by the audience, although
very few of his hearers gave indications OF
having been converted to the reverend tee
turer'S views. Rev. John Jasper is genuine
colored preacher, OF the type that makes COL
ored camp-meetings and rcvirars so interest
ing TO persons used to the formal eloquence
and measured prayers Of white churches
one ofthose preachers who have an eloquence
and force peculiar to themselves. lie is
rather tall IN stature, with an angular
figure, and was dressed last evening in
clerical black. 4 short, crisp, woolly beard
covers his black face, and the wool at the
top OF his head has been worn off with fire.
Quent rubbing, so that his forehead seems
to extend to the back OF his skull. His dis
course was full OF quaint expressions, and
he narrated scenes from the Bible in the
vernacuar common among the negroes Of
the South, atfordng rare entertainment to
those OF his hearers who have seldom had
an opportunity Of listening TO
PLANTATION ELOQUENCE.
At times he fell into the sing-song, into
mating style OF delivery so often heard at
negro reyival-meetings, and peculiarly no.
ticeable among the colored BaDtists. Had
he been addressing his own congregation,
all the heads and feet would be wagging and
bobbing in time with the voice OF the
speaker.
His argument was based entirely on
Scriptural quotations to prove that "the
sun do move" He began with refer
encc to Joshua, who commanded the sun
to stand still, and then gave other passages
from the Bible, in which reference
is made to the rising and setting
Of the sun. He wanted to know if, when
anything rose, it did not move. How could
the sun rise and go down without moving?
They could see it with their own eyes rising
in the east, and then passing over the trees
and houses and setting in the west. Yet
there are people who say that the sun don't
move. After each quotation which he con-
s!dered a clincher he added, "And yet they
say the sun don't mCye," with an air eX.
pressing both pity and contempt for the
unbelievers. "What man is thar" he
asked, "that lives on Gods earth who can
take microscope, or any other score, and
say
TIE Sun DON'T MOVE?
Whar is he: Whar is the man who can spy
from this locality and tell how far the sun is
from the earth! He may do it; but, then,
| have my convictions, and he has his.
Sinety-fve millions Of miles from the
earth," be exclaimed. "Who, in the name
OF God, can Tell that? What can man
look through and look 95,00O,000 miles 2"
lie advised his hear ers first to s'catch hold !"
OF 100000 miles before talking about
95,OOo,000. His whole discourse was full Of
interesting and Gpropos little anecdotes and
Illustrations. lie exhibited hard headed and
earnest faith in the literal text OF the Bible,
ana said that they could call him {; 'sfalsc-
mood" OF anything they choose, but they
couldn't dispute the Bible. When the au-
dlenee were dispensing, one gentleman,
rising from bis sent, asked the lecturer how
the sun got back from the west to the east,
and ne answered them in the words of Sol
ONION, that it "hastens back to the place Of
rising" Another gentleman asked il the
height OF tree could not be measured In
any other way except by climbing to the
top and using tape-line, and the lecturer
replied that it could not be measured ex-
cept by using tape-line or some other in
strument.- - Washington Republican.