Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-05-01
Aletau0rla Qbaxette
RATES OF ADVERTISING.
Rev. John Jasper.

About two hundred people assembled ia
Lincoln Hall last evening, to hear Rev. John
Jasper, the colored preacher ct Richmond, "a,
lecture upon The Rotation Of the Sun. The
entertainment was unique, and greatly enjoyed
by the audience, although very lev OF bis
hearers gave indications Of having been con
verted TO the reverend lecturers views Rev,
John Jasper Is a genuine eolorcd preacher, Of
the type that makes nolored camp meetings acd
reViyals SO interesting to persons used to the
formal ehguencc aud measured prayers ofWhite
churches--one Of chose preachers who have 40
elcquence and force peculiar to themselves tic
is rather tall 10 stature, With an angular figure,
and was dressed lest evening IN clerical black
A short. crisp, WcoIy beard covers his blacA
face, and the wool at the top Of his head has
been worn ell With frequent rubbing, 30 that
bis forehead seems to extend to the back OF HIS
skull. His discourse was full Of quaiot expires
sions, and he narrated scenes from the Bible il
the vernacular common among tue negroes 0!
the South. ati0r1iDg rare entertainment to thoss
of his hearers who have seld ON had an oppoI
turty of listening to plantation elo1uence,
At times he fell into the sing song, into
na;icg style Of delivery so often heard at negro
revival meetings, aud peculiarly noticeable
among the colored Baptists. Had he beea
addressing his own congregation, all the heads
and feet would be wsggiHg and bohblng ia
time with the voice of the speaker.
Lis argument vas based entirely on Scriptu
rel quotations to prCvo that "the sun do
move" lie began with preference toJoshuas
who commanded the sua TO stand stu, and
then gave other passages from the Bible, ia
which reference is made to the rising and sci
ting Of the suD lie wanted to know if, when
anything rose, it did not move. How could
the sun rise and 80 down without moving
They ccu'd see it with their own eyes rlsingiu
the easi, aua thea passing over the trees apd
houses and sctiog in the west. Yet there are
people who say that the sun don't move
After each quotation which lie considered
oiocher be added, And yet they say tha
sun don't move;" With an air expressing both
pity and contempt for the uobellevers. w hat
man is thar" he asked that lives on Gods
earth who can take microscope, or any other
scope. and say the sun don't move? Whsr
is he? Whar is the man who can spy from
this locality and tell how far the SUD is from the
earth? lie may 60 it, but then have my
convictions aud he has his. Ninety five mi!
lions of miles from the eartL," he exclaimed
who, in the name Of God, can tell that
What can a man look through and look 95.-
600 900 miles, lie advised his hearers first
TO ''cstoL hold of 100000 miles before
talking about 95,0O0,000. Ills whole discourse
was full of interesting and apropos little auec
dotes and illustrations. He exhibited hard
headed and esraest faith ia the literal text o!
the Bible, and said that they could call him
"lasehood" or anything they choose, but they
couldn't dispute the Bible. When the au,
d!euce were diipersrg one gentleman. rising
from his STAT, asked the lecturer how the SUI
got back from the West to the Fast. end he
answered him in the words of Solomon, that.
"hastens baci; 10 the place Of rising. Anoth.
cr gentlemsn asked if tue height Of tree
c5ud not he measured in any other way except
by climbing to the top and using tape line.
and the lecturer replied that i: could not be
measured except by using tape line or some
other instrument. -. Washington R'Pn1hc1".