, 1879-05-05

acnd brothers. Yankee is bad enough, nur
IScnhnFnucTsn ,t.nst. II THE aEANkar T'ltNo
stranger III business note. Yours Fcspcctfully.
THE SENATOR'S CONVERSION.
nob Hart, the Minstrel, Tells tho Btory OF
Ills Chango-Dono with tlle Stage For
over.
M,o 1nrs Star
Among tho recent events TINT have occurred
In the theatrical world, nouo has excited such
widespread surprise or 20 universal M interest
rs the conversion to Christianity MIL totaI ab-
stl,l.nco Of tho famous negro n1tnstrol, "Sen-
ntor Bob Hart" or, as he is better known in
private life, James NJ. Suthcrland. A visit tu
Ills unpretenltous homo on Varlck street found
tint welf-know stump'speakcr III tho bosom OF
his family, shcl, consists OF his wife, one child,
a hright-taced, handsome boy Of 6, the image
of his fatl,cE,-and siasetiu.law.
$50 you want to know alt about my regent
conversion to Christianity and total abstincrtea"
began Mr. Sutherland, isnning back In his cozy
nrnl-cha!r. "WelI, 1t is q tale castly and simply
told. But, before 20 on to relato It, want to
eaY through your valuable paper tlns, In lcav-
Ing the minstrel ataEe forever, do not Wish to
srcah enc scntcnce TINT can By any. possible
upu,t the profession at lnfge or my ol6-t1me as
socintes. l think md have always thought tint
the stage exercises nh influence for RoUd upon
mankind, whatever its detragtors mny Hay to tlle
contrary; md as to my professionals, I
can safely snY that thero aFe no moro whole.
suulcd, charitable, AMI generous people In oxist-
el,ce. 1t was not tho inllucnco Ut t1la staEe it.
self TINT induced me to leayc #, but It was its
l mtght,-ala my inward struggles before I
took 4enve ot 1t wore nany and trcqncnt,-1
cnulti not resist lie temptation to Indulge to
cxcoss In intoxicating liquors, unless cut my
though entertained fecllngs Of The highest re-
gard md friendship for my late fellow.protes-
sionnls, ns'd shall always have q kindly ha'id-
shake and good word for oil q them, ionnu
strcl profession urd lead a better life. Many
time hnve gone down on iuy knees, while Ia
mnnsl!n State Of tntoxication, mud prayed fc:-
yently to God to rescue me from tic unhappy
ard's death; but tllcre was apparently no re-
sponse TO my earncst appenls, bccauee. sup
pose, ibid not ask for Heavenly assistance u
inan should, With !. clear, brain and pure
Cutting over = eprec, becauBo my ners-
Gus sTstcsn would be fur the time coniplcte
wrre!s, and would be incapable Of nppealingt to
/ my Creator for strength to resist. And then,
after making an earnest reaoivo 10 remain away
frunl temptation, and depeNtl upon n,Y own WILL
| tu Keen INC trom:Irhking would meet d few
friends, ntitl 10 OIL on tlIe saino old round. AL
though was never In n condition Of oeastlY III
| toxieation before an audience,-for l still re-
tainud sufficient self-rtspcct 10 0cycr appcar in
| ihat conliton,-yet wAs compelled. through
| the stagc-managHr, to utter 80 many downright
fa'seaootis oy WY st S1sass my 40, ase,se ., @ tHt
emo knew just as well ms did that was oil on
| adrunk.
"At my last engagement OIL tue minstrel
| stuCc,-witll tho san Francisco hltnstrcss.--
uFn Itu.,1e1 nj nratk 1AHn tHt1d
| and Others rcasoncd, cxiloatnlatel. Nli In
| plorcd mu time ut,l agAtn 10 quit drinking, but
I their friendly appeals Wcru useless. KItw 70
case-tsarslencd that 1t seemed impossible for tno
NIu II was b"rn''' continued Mr.. Sutherland.
| tin Orange County, NrW York, f0rsy-faur yeaEs
neu, md wien arrived ut lie agc Of I'll went
Oh tue stnEe. as rcts,ai,lcu there, travelling oil
/ oyer the Suuth, Tor twtnty.thrce ycara AZ M
carly period Ut ifo beratlr nlltllctcu to the usc
OF liquors. ashi l1lI appetite grew nl hccantc 50
atro,g finally that Il swatlowed up every dollar
Of my salary,-and usually rocevctl from $1oo
near tue City Of Chlcngo, a homestead In New
Jersey, AnA other real estate Every peuny I
car!srd won't to satisfy NV apncslts for alanoF,
and my llosiie, wite. NIL child hce1fnc matters
| of secondary Importance Tor tho trc being cum
pared with afrpliol. On saturday, Feb. 20 1870,
l was returning fron visit to frfunds along
the ltne OF tho Eric Railroad, an1 having had
vhat ~ known ~ a"good tane," was AZ; NJ;
|
ever Indulge inI On tho train ! accidentally
hearl Of the conversion ofa minstrel, MD
It struck nc forr!hlyut tho tuc TINT II o could
refrain from Intoxicating l1nora by the n'd q
tlla sa1Ha thing. Reflection convinced mo tlat
Ind all nlong been not hooking pcEs!stently III
the right way tor heavenly help, and that y, In
ny soter moments, sought chtist to to- I a,S nc 70
keen from temptation. 0n tue wlY; through
| Jurscy CITY ~ my hons Il lad bGeu NV
cuatosn heretofore, to stop In Ct Blly
ths on UtS aUaseuaR a ill., !t lad IL il. uset aeetpio
that evening. hlrrady bcgnn to, work, a!I'l l
did not 70 tl.ut time, went home, and, u
though not exactly III th1 coliiilSn suitable for
cl,urc,gong, proceeded to thu baptist Church,
corner lcdforl nu4 Downing streets, nn'i heard
lecture on tE,c Influence Of Christianity on IN.
temperance. Thu speaker tl!o Rev. J. Q.
Adams, pastor, used Botne tnrcible arguments,
for.,ii.E for goo.i,-by seeking DIyine antl not
depending Ut. llllJi,nn l,-.llut catae lome a
changed i!'all. determined to do rs Tie pasto.
aurRestcd. aud for four days lay on sick bes!
recovering from tho effects Of tlic sprec | lad
iuAt gono through. was t!.niy resolved that
would nut bo!s!or up NY shattered nerves by
either medicine Or liquor, as lad ofton done
bcforn, ullA tat II was to llu would lcayc
lie world In an effort 70 hecqn'a snan,
al''l not IN state tlAt | feared would unt
aay in,-sAat of drunkenness. We'll, t!,N
light GecatRo ilore and mora strong as tue day.
uo.l'a falp might hope to resist tbs tcmptor
to whom for txcnty-thseo years ] had bccu
e''atnad baud and foot. | attended the church
a9ain Anl ilstcnrl to III ab|a argument III favor
dent Of tic American, Temperance Unior am!
at ats eonelusfon wont forward nnl signed
the plcdgc. From tAat day 'ssnator Bob Hart
beealno for tho balance Of htt llfc platn Jalrea
anl thu boiles forever. ai1l shail not don tlle
cork agatu. Ills curtain Of NY !lfv as negro