The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-10-07
Cross.Cnt Religion.

The Westinghouse of the Lickskillit
district was crowded. The preacher, old
Noah, Hith his grizzly beard and head
half white, like cotton field Wien the
bolls are just opening, sat in the pulpit
surveying his congregation in that pecul-
lar way which has ever characterized the
eolored preacher. A spontaneous hymn
arose, and when the melody had ceased
The bfeachef arose and said, .'Let lis EN-
gage in prar The congregation kfeeled,
even young Ike, the preachers son, who
had just come from down to the spring,
where he had been trying to swap mules
with one of the deacons.
a-fOh, Lord began the preacher, "we
'semble In dis house OBJ worship to thank
thee fur the many blessin's oh de past,
an as dat yer would sprinkle our lam
wild leet1e noah rain. We must hab
shower 'twixt dis an Saturday night,
'ease, Lord, we'se needin' OBJ hit. Amen"
just as the preacher aT6se there was Q
stir at the rear end of the house. A tall
eo1ored man, followed by several parties
as intensely eolored as himself, fled down
the aisle. "Come up ter de STAN,
Brother Robinson said the preacher,
for he recognized the preacher of the
Blacksnort district.
81 doan want ter come up ter yer
stan'," said Mr.. Robinson.
"Whut,s de matter wid yer, sah!' ex-
claimed old Noah. "Whats a ailin' OBJ
yer ?"
..' luther day / sent yer note, akin
yer ter stop prayin' fur rain" remarked
Robinson, with emphasis. ''Ou1 cotton
is sufferin' fur sunshine. We'se had
noah rain den we wants, an heah yer
goes AKIN fur moah.'
"We hain't had no fain, shah, an 1
tens ter pray fur it until hit do come"
-F''I Is yer trYin' ter drown US out?"
"N6, bit wants 'notigh rain,'
"I understands yor game, Brhdder
Noah. You sees dat rain is putin us in
de. grass. You know dat hit is to de
worl'ly intrust oh dis section fur ter keep
us dar. Yer wants de Lord ter drown us
out, SO dat your con regation will git de
heels oh us id de market. De Lord at
dis season oh de yeah, has got SO much
business ter tend ter dat he amt noticin
how much rain is a fallin'. You keep
sendin' up your prars, an he keeps a
pullin' de string. I wants yer to stop
hit Does yer heah, Brudder Noah ?"
81 heah, but is mighty loft about
hark'nin We wants rain, we does. We
prays, and eff de Lord grabs hold OBJ de
wrong string it taint no fault of ours. ?"
"Well, [ came heah prepared for a let
up or fight. Sich fooishness as you
send up is 'nough ter git de Lord so tan
gled dat he can't git himself straight for
q yeah. You'll put de sun in de clips" i"
Do what wild de sun?'
'.Put hit in de clips"
"Well, ef dat doan beat any mistake
ever heard niger make. No wonder
de Lord won't pay no 'tention to yer"
"What would you say?'' Z
"Why, de reclipse.'
"Daf's all right, but de fact want
settled is dis: Is yer gwine ter stop?'
"No, isn't
y"Den we mixes WOOL"
Mr.. Robinson sprang toward the pull
pit. Noah sprang to meet him. The
widest confusion prevailed. The two
men grappled, and the deacons gathered
around.
''Gimmy de plantation grip" ex-
claimed Noah, while Mr.. Robinson vo-
ciferated "cut yer capers, cut yer capers'
Finally Robinson fell, Noah mounted
him, choked him into obedience and
raising himself up, exclaimed: "Let us
pray again. Brudder johnson, git down
dar. ;" The preachers have become friends.
Little Rock Gazette,