The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-03-23
ETnIoPIc THEOLOGY.
As Proclaimed by Live Preacher I'm
Richmond Negro Church.
1rnntlna MrlEnrd In the Nav Ynrl GrnnhIe.

As Proclaimed by Live Preacher In
Richmond Negro Church.
Prentice Muliord in the New York GnphIe.
FoRD's HOTEL, RICHMOND. Va, March
2.-Last Sunday evening attended the
principle colored church i'm Richmond.
Services in the basement. Upper por-
lion unfinished. Large congregation pres
emit. Membership $500. Denomination
Baptist. did not see poorly or sloven-
ly dressed man in the audience, and the
women were hard on the heels Of the la.
test fashions. There was q large choir Of
both sexes, prominent in spectacles, hymn
books and music books which hid their
faces. They sung with a physical and
spiritual vim, and some swayed their bodi.
es to the tune.
The minister preached a live sermon.
It was full of grace, vitality and spirit;
rough and crude, it is true, but the stuff
which made the martyrs and sent the apos-
ties abroad was there. It was delivered
with the regular Ethiopia accent; itabound.
ed in "whars" and "dars" and "de debbils,"
and "sho" .for sure and "do" for door.
The attempted logic was Incompetent.
sible and incoherent; the speaker started
from text and seldom returned TO 1t after
wards; be, nonrdsatte Plipit tffi the dust
| iiew from the red cushions; he put on and
off his gold.bowed spectacles innumber-
able times; he mopped his face with rid
iculously small handkerchief, which he
once tossed over the pulpit and had 1t Ie-
stored by brother outside and at the
more exciting climaxes he buttoned his
coat tightly about him only to unbutton
it. But at frequent intervals, when warm
ed up and warmed outside OF his attempt
ed rhetoric, he talked real Christian bust
ness, and talked 1t as II he meant It. Here
is some Of it. / drop the dialect: 1--WE
don't love each other enough" saidihe I'VE
need TO gather closer around each other.
Sometimes, when We are in trouble, and
maybe in sin, we stop coming TO church.
That's the very time we ought TO come TO
church; that's the time the church needs
10 put It's arms lovingly around. the erring
and unfortunate"
"Brethern, we complain sometimes OF
our trials ind Affections. But it's these
trials that make us strong. Itsthese trials
that help make our heaven. "Spose man
has nothing to overcome, nothing to fight
against, nothing but 8 smooth way in life,
and everything coming into his mouth or
on his back for the mere asking2 What's
such man good for? Is he happy? No;
he's discontented and miserable.
"There's old Sister Runey," said he;
she's nigh on to hundred year old. She
wants to die and can't. l went up to see
her last night. Says she TO me, I've been
irwin To die this fifteen year; want to go"
| / told her she mustn't try so hard to die.
| / said she was goin' against the Lords will.
| II abe wouldn't try so hard TO die she ID die
easier"
"My friends" he again remarked, .'if
youIdon't belieyeyou can do thing you,er
certain not to dol. II man believes he
eau do anything and keeps on believing
he's pretty sure in time to lind way TO
do 1t.
with presumably attempted plan OF dis.
course and anon, apparently forgetting all
about 1t and speaking from the depth OF
his Ethiopic soul, giving utterance 70 his
bits OF plain, practical Christian wisdom
and philosophy, and all this sent out with
a tropical warmth and ieryor which took
right hold Of the hearts about him. There
was no deafness in that congregation:
Nobody went to sleep. / saw no signs OF
WEAKNESS nor grinning boys or girls, no
quiet skylarking or flirting in the rear
benches. All listened attentiyely, and not
with that dead, leaden silence with which
the congregation listened to the presi.
dents minister Sunday before last in the
Washington NJ. E. Foundry church.
Here was In the air that certain culver Of
eaperness, interest and sympathy which al.
WAYS accompanies the hearing OF an utter.
ance straight and fresh from an honest
heart, Itwasn't cultured preaching, but
II wasn't machine preaching. It wasn't
grammatical or logical theology, nor was
III chronological preaching, 1t was a gos.
nal with some "body" In II, and all
through the discourse numbers OF the
sympathetic appreCiative colored sisters
nodded and smiled at their pastor when
he made point as clear as sunlight, and
ali the sharper for not being blunted by
over much learning at secondhand.
l was edited by this sermon and lett
strengthened. What should it matter Il
a man whether his spiritual food Is serv'
ed up by white or colored hands, 80 long
as It comes fresh from hot oven? lam
not endorsing this Ethiopic preacher as
n holy man. l don't think he is. He
talked like one brimful Of sin himself and
: as II he knew 1t. By the way who Is
, holy now2 Paul called himself chic
The sermon finished, collection was
!. taken up to raise funds for finishing tn
church. They have already paid for 1T
: building $1,000, and need few Thousand
more. The elders sat at table In iron
OF the pulpit. Here the offerings wer
. received, each contributor advancing. II
! full view Of the congregation and layinI
/ down his or her. coin, the choir mean
time singing. Then they passed aroun'
y the hat. The hats all IN, more contri6u
tons on the acknowledgements
. on.the.table plan were solicited, Tn!
!. CHOIR meantime having sung out thei
more accustomed airs, advancedon strain
less practical and more or less out Of tim
and tune. When left they were taking u
another collection. The Klmball syster
a ~